Scan barcode
littleblackbookshelf's reviews
19 reviews
Babel by R.F. Kuang
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.75
Another cozy read! The Dream Harbor series is really perfect for the cooler fall days, hot cocoa, and baked goods. All of the same lovable characters make appearances while adding more details to the quaint small town. And the spice is just right.
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.5
I was looking for a cozy Fall book, and I found it. The Pumpkin Spice Cafe is a sweet romance set against an idyllic small town. It gives major Gilmore Girls vibes, and I’m here for it. The only thing I found lacking was more detail in the setting, and the other characters. There’s a small glimpse of everyday life, but the plot was romance driven — which I had no problem with. I was just immediately drawn into this small town that I would have liked to have been able to live the cute small town life vicariously through Jeanie a little more. BUT, I already have the other books in the series on deck, so maybe I’ll get to do that through these other books set in the same town.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, and it had the perfect vibes to close out spooky season. It starts off a little slowly, but then totally ramps up in the last 100 pages. While there was a lot of foreshadowing, and I thought I had some good predictions of what would happen next, I was genuinely surprised at the ending.
Ledge by Stacey McEwan
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
It has an interesting plot and moves at a decent pace. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and I finished the book in one day. That being said, I had a little bit of difficulty connecting with the characters as much as I wanted to. There were some holes in the world-building and character development, but the aspects that came into play showed a lot of promise. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series. I have watched Stacey on TikTok for awhile, and I know that she has only just begun sharing her talents with us!