littlecitycorner's reviews
630 reviews

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense 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

This series is on its way to becoming a staple in the young adult fantasy world, as well as the grander literature community!

I can’t emphasize enough how incredible the storytelling is and how well Deonn takes myths, histories, and mysticisms and develops them into her novel. Not only that, but she builds her characters into this amazingly intertwined urban fantasy world. I loved getting to know my favorite characters in the story more and seeing how their complicated relationships develop. I did enjoy the central plot of Legendborn significantly more than I did this one, because it felt less convoluted, but I’m so excited to see how she wraps up the series as I’m not ready to leave Bree yet. She might be my favorite young adult female heroine of all time; her intricacies make her an extremely interesting character who I’m going to root for 100% of the time. I can’t wait to read what she does next!

From the Jump by Lacie Waldon

emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.5

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

3.75

“Crying in H Mart” is so deserving of the praise it has gotten in the literature world and broader media consumption communities. It’s a beautiful memoir that displays grief intimately and with a rawness that any reader can connect to. Like many other readers, I got very emotional while listening to it, as Zauner really takes her small and big moments with her mother and replays all the love and fear that death brings about. Her writing style is simple and fluid, moving from moment to moment, from essay to essay, and from feeling to feeling with great interconnectedness. Getting to know her as a daughter, aspiring singer, and Korean-American woman was a heuristic experience, and listening to her songs afterward is a great gift.

The Layover by Lacie Waldon

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.5

I’m not a fan of passive and/or indecisive main characters, the ones that just roll with whatever other people want to do and don’t have a stake in their own life. That’s why I didn’t connect to this story as much as I would’ve wanted to, which is disappointing because the plot, setting, and side characters are actually engaging and have the potential to create a fun and cute romance but have to work around a main character so small that it becomes boring.

Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.5

Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Julia Whelan is the most wonderful narrator I have ever listened to. And to add to that, this book is a delight.

I absolutely loved the backdrop and plot of this book. It was so entertaining to get to know the intricacies of the audiobook world and how it’s perceived in the literary community. Not only were the settings very fun and realistic, but they were used to move the story forward. 

The characters were incredibly interesting, complex, and likable. Their conflicts, interests, and hopes are portrayed so they’re compelling. And the romance — oh, the romance! — was so cute and amusing. I giggled while listening to it more than once. Even seeing the plot twist coming (did anyone not?), it was hilarious and extremely enjoyable. 

To top it all off, Whelan’s writing style is persuasive, undeviating, and lively. 10/10.

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

3.75

This read was my first introduction to Emma Straub and I really enjoyed how her writing had a way of bringing you into the story with just a few scenes, even when the main character appears to be a little passive. I loved how it exposed and explained how grief and understanding one’s self are intertwined in more ways than we can count. Alice’s relationship with her father is built on the foundation of mutual love and understanding, and it was beautiful to see if unfold across so many universes. And while I wasn’t a fan of Alice being portrayed which such bland ambition, she does redeems herself in the end, so I was happy with the ending of the story.

The science fiction aspect is well done but it expanded on larger-scale consequences. It felt similar to “The Midnight Library,” but it was done much better and with a more compelling storyline.

The Book of Everlasting Things by Aanchal Malhotra

challenging emotional sad slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

This is less of a romance story and more of a story about immigration and the interconnectedness of family ties and life-long love. Due to that, it wasn’t what I expected at all but I appreciated how it traversed through history and human desires and flaws.

I really enjoyed the prose and how beautifully we are introduced to the different places and environments the characters are in. I also liked getting to know the characters’ inner worlds

However, I felt like the pacing, and even where the plot leads, lacked the intensity promised at the beginning of the story. There was a lot of repetition in the middle part of the tale. And while I know it is a story about perfume as well as about love and family, it goes into so much detail about perfumery that it derives from the main plot.

No matter my qualms with this story, I loved being exposed to history in such a personal way and learning about the impact of partition as well as the influence it has had on modern-day culture.

Por si las voces vuelven (No Ficción) by Ángel Martín

challenging dark informative fast-paced

2.75

 Llegué aquí gracias a escuchar el informativo diario, porque me gusta mucho como Ángel se expresa, ya que lo hace de una manera muy natural. Pero esta forma de expresarse no es algo con lo que conecte escuchando esta biografía. Su historia es muy conmovedora y me parece muy importante el saber el porqué, el cómo y las consecuencias de no encontrarse bien mentalmente. Sin embargo, el relato se siente un poco desconcertado, sin llegar a la profundidad emocional a la que Ángel aspira a llegar. A la misma vez, me pareció un poco desorganizado, saltando de un sitio a otro en su narración y objetivos al contar su historia.

The Carrying: Poems by Ada Limón

emotional inspiring fast-paced

4.0

The intimacy and vibrancy portrayed in these poems made them an emotional reading experience. I was entranced by how themes of love, loss, grief, and desperation are brought to the forefront by exploring them through personal moments. My favorite passages were the ones told in relation to family and being lost when feeling at home, and the ones that got to me the most were the ones told through beautiful simple prose. I adored this collection.