lillyturmel's reviews
78 reviews

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

adventurous inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This is a fun, light read, perfect for summer. I thought the story was really interesting and such a fun concept.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is definitely a must read, and just genuinely entertaining. Personally, I didn’t love that the story was told through interviews, and I would have enjoyed it more had it just been written as a biography, but Monique’s insight was interesting at the end.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This story is a must read. It offers a unique perspective into queer culture of the 1950s, especially considering Lily is Chinese-American. I loved this book not only for shedding light on what it was like to be queer before it was accepted, but also because it cements the idea that queer love IS love. 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

adventurous emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is absolutely beautiful.
The characters are written amazingly, and one thing I really appreciated was how explicit their relationship was; there’s no debate that they were lovers, something that isn’t always true in stories like these.

Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Beautifully written, incredibly dark, and a story worth reading

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Grief, Rape, and Pedophilia

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

adventurous challenging inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I love Vonnegut's scientific concepts and explanations, and this did not disappoint. I found the religion in the book really interesting but also mildly disturbing at times. 

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I read the 2023 US publication of this book, which I've come to learn is a revised/rewritten version (this copy is 260 pages while the original is 400)
While Tori is an amazing character, and the themes of this book are unlike everything I've read, I do think that this revised version lacked a lot of filler and small details that could've allowed me to follow it better (if that makes sense). I think that everything happens very quickly and thus I don't get to connect with the characters as much. I also know that this version is sensitized since it had to align with the readers of Heartstopper, which as someone who is 21 years old, hinders my reading experience. (But for a younger audience--this book perfectly touches difficult topics while still being age appropriate)
Overall, I loved this book, and I suggest that if you're an older reader to try and find a copy of the 2014/2015 version.

The Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies

dark lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

I read this for a book club. It's not a bad book per say--just not made for me. 
I didn't like any of the characters, and there were some parts of the book that were just too gross for me. It was also just mind numbingly boring.

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

If you liked the movie Bodies Bodies Bodies, then you'll really like this book. I have read all of the Good Girl's Guide to Murder books, and loved them of course, and Holly Jackson did not disappoint on this one either. I couldn't put it down everytime I started reading it, and how everything comes together in the end is always so shocking.

Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman

emotional inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0