livinliterary's reviews
1450 reviews

Komi Can't Communicate, Vol. 2 by Tomohito Oda

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.5

In this volume, Komi stands up for Tadano against Yamai’s (the introduction of Yamai as the yandere archetype took this volune to a slightly darker place than usual) insults of him not being worthy to be friends with someone like her. As the series goes on, it is great to see Komi slowly grow and progress towards overcoming her fears. Reading her character’s growth and development is keeping me coming back for more each.

Komi Can't Communicate, Vol. 1 by Tomohito Oda, Tomohito Oda

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.5

I really liked Komi Can’t Communicate, but I kinda knew I would. 

A “boy meets girl” manga where the guy helps the girl overcome her crippling social anxiety. 

What I am looking forward to the most about this series is watching how Komi works to overcome her fears while making new friends along the way.

A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

dark funny mysterious fast-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? No

4.0

The story starts off slow in a sleepy little community until the creep factor builds and then the mad dash to the end. I for sure wasn’t expecting witches and sorcerers and underground children and vultures and jars with teeth and ladybugs. 

Sam is so quirky and full of one-liners. I enjoyed that immensely. I didn't have issues with the fat phobia portions of book because she really just described life as a fat woman. 

Overall this was a great story for me that might have been just plausible enough for the most part.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

funny lighthearted fast-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

4.0

This was a sweet romantic comedy. It's the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day, and it is a fun and lighthearted read that made me laugh and smile. Olive was a delightful character. I loved her heart and her desire to make her dreams come true. She had a great sense of humor that perfectly balanced with Adam.  Eager to explore more of Hazelwood's literary works. 

Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

adventurous dark tense fast-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? Yes

3.5

I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. The fast pacing made this one a quick read. The ending felt very abrupt and unresolved. It went from point A to point B with no real correlation, and it simply…ended. Not for me. For some, but not for me.

Holly by Stephen King

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

The story was so slow moving. I skimmed most of it and still got the whole story. A lot thrown in about being vaccinated and masking and nonvaxers and police shootings. I think it would have been a better story without all that. We get it, we lived it, are living it. I don't need it pounded into my head while I'm trying to lose myself in a book. The end was great, once we got to the actual action, but a lot of the other stuff just took way too long to get there!

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

The writing is confident, the descriptions are amazing, and the characters are well-formed.

Godkiller is a masterstroke of a debut novel. It surprises, it thrills and most importantly it grips you from beginning to end.

I view this as a setup book, and now the stage has been set I have particularly high hopes for Sunbringer. Bring on the rest of the Fallen Gods books!!

Argylle by Elly Conway

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was not what I expected. If you really want to read it, check it out from the library, don't spend money on it.

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Haig's How To Stop Time is a lovely piece of creation that reminded me how wonderful, humorous and versatile some books can be. 

Tom’s secret is that he has been alive for centuries; he ages very slowly. He hides this having learnt a long time ago the dangers of revealing his condition, which to him is a curse. 

Tom's story and the chapters alternate between his past and his present. We see him with a cast of characters from the history books, travelling the world, until he settles down as a history teacher in a London school where his experiences allow him to make the subject come alive.

How To Stop Time is entertaining, emotional and thought provoking. Do yourself a favor and get a copy, knowing that it's the work of a truly breathtaking writer. Highly recommended.

Shadow Scourge: Outlanders, Book 13 by James Axler

dark slow-paced

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

3.0

I enjoyed, but didn't love this book. It wasn't one of those stories that grabbed my attention to the point of wanting to read it every chance I got.