lindsaylhunter's reviews
170 reviews

One Day by David Nicholls

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

3.5

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

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

2.5

Soulful. A bit clunky in places and I'm still not sure the main character is as likeable as others seem to think. Though, given the current climate, I can see why this book has garnered the acclaim it has.
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In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.5

Clever balance between a memoir and your traditional non-fiction novel. Poignancy runs through the heart of this book.
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Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan

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

4.0

Irish fiction is on a roll at the moment. Nolan has written a compelling little novel, one that is short and bingeable but full of depth. It's impressive how much feeling she's been able to sprinkle into the small number of pages this book has.
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Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

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adventurous mysterious reflective 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

4.0

I don't think I'll ever not enjoy what this author puts out there. She has an uncanny ability to write heartwarming stories that circle back again and again to stay with you.
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Diary by Chuck Palahniuk

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

3.0

Weird. So bizarre. But in a can't-and-won't-stop-reading-it kind of way. Palahniuk lays out all the pieces before you between page 1 and 250. It's only in the last 10 that he grants you the relief of pulling them all together to see the whole picture. Complete fever dream of a novel but different, which is what so many authors strive for and never achieve.
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Luster by Raven Leilani

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dark funny reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The truth is that when the officer had his arm pressed into my neck, there was a part of me that felt like, all right. Like, fine. Because there will always be a part of me that is ready to die.

I can't figure out how I feel about this one! The author has a subtly humourous style to her writing and I absolutely loved the pacing of the first half. But the second half noted a very harsh change in pace, a bit like wading through treacle.
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Service by Sarah Gilmartin

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challenging reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Never has a book made me say "get his ass" with such frequency.
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Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

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

2.0

Immensely unenjoyable dialogue delivered by immensely unlikeable characters. And yet it kept me reading to the end, so I don't know. What does that say about me?
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Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks

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

2.5

I want to like this more. The first third was looking good but it started to dwindle pretty quickly after that, even given the subject matter being tackled.
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