loiereads's reviews
275 reviews

Bloom by Kevin Panetta

lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

Sweet little story. Felt like it needed a bit more to it, though. The development of the relationship between Ari and and Hector didn't feel that powerful, though. I also quite disliked Ari's character, even though I really wanted to like him. 
I was expecting a bit more from this, but it was a sweet, short read and perfect to kick off 2025 with! 

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

lighthearted slow-paced

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

2.0

This one started out so strong and I was really enjoying it, but then it just completely lost me. It couldn't grab me enough to keep me both entertained and captivated.
The concept was so sweet, but it just lacked the proper execution. There were some pretty decent descriptions, but then the writing would go downhill, making it sound like a 13 year old's Wattpad book - it was very distracting and not consistently fluent.

The Art of DreamWorks the Wild Robot by Jerry Schmitz

informative inspiring lighthearted

5.0

A really beautiful artwork full of character sketches, landscape paintings, photographs and detailed written explanations about the process of developing the film. 
The Wild Robot instantly became my favourite film, so being able to read about the behind the scenes and the process was really enlightening and enjoyable. 
Can't wait for the second movie 😉

The Art Beneath the Cage by

challenging emotional reflective

5.0

"ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ ᴛᴇᴀᴄʜᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ʟɪᴠᴇ, ᴅʏɪɴɢ ꜱʜᴏᴡꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟɪᴠᴇ."
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This is a beautiful, poignant and heartbreaking poetry collection that will leave you sitting and thinking for a long time after you’ve finished reading the last page. Desirae’s emotions translate really well through her perfectly chosen words. There is something in this powerful little collection that everyone will be able to relate to. 
If you need something powerful that packs a punch, it’s this. 
A beautiful first poetry collection by Desirae. I cannot wait to see what else she creates in the future ❤️ 

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I recently started rewatching BBC’s Merlin and so wanted to read something with similar vibes. I really liked the sound of the premise for this book, but I have to admit that it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. It felt pretty slow and just not all that engaging. I liked the characters, but not quite enough for me to feel really connected to them. I really wanted to like this one more, but it is what it is, I suppose. 

The Unlikely Heir by Jax Calder

lighthearted medium-paced

2.0

I was hoping to like this one more. I think I'm still on a high from Red, White & Royal Blue and was hoping it would be similar, but it sadly just doesn't come anywhere near. It felt too unrealistic and unbelievable. I also didn't vibe with the characters. Gutted, but oh well.

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

3.5

The Sad Ghost Club by Lize Meddings

inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was a really sweet, quick and easy read to snuggle up in a blanket with. The underlying message of teen anxiety really resonates with me, and I think I would have really found this book comforting when I was in school. 
It does flow a little slowly, and I kept feeling like I wanted it to pick up more, but it was still a lovely and heartwarming read. There are others in the series, but I don’t feel compelled enough to seek them out. 

I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner

emotional funny informative inspiring medium-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 graphic novel covers several very important topics: gender identity, sexuality, racism, and feminism. For such a short graphic novel, it does a brilliant job of showing us the personality of each character and ensuring that they each get their own sufficient amount of attention and explanation. 
I loved the character development and the relationship progress between Eleanor and George. 
I LOVED how knowledgeable the author is, and the little history tidbits at the end of the graphic novel. It was really sweet to see a story written in this way; a way to show that LGBTQ+ people have always been around. It's a really uplifting, and educational story. 
If anyone knows of any similar stories - PLEASE, I beg you to share the titles with me. I need more of this 🥹 

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

3.5

“You can take your legacy and your decorum and you can shove it up your fucking arse.” 
-
I’ve been wanting to read this book for a while, and randomly decided to pick it up the other day. I absolutely LOVED the premise. These are exactly the types of books I love to read, and it was such a fun experience. It was so interesting to think about what could actually happen in a situation that the book presents. 
It was also so incredibly cute and wholesome. I loved the characters and their personalities and the direction that the book took. I do think that it could have benefitted from some deeper, more darker plot twist - I swear all I do these days is ask books to be even MORE dramatic than they already are. 
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Movie review: 
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 
After finishing the book, I also watched the movie on Prime and LOVED IT. It was great seeing the characters come to life and to see the story on a screen. It was also completely SWOON WORTHY. 
Being from the UK, and having heard about the Royals through my entire life, this story has been so interesting to read and watch. I would absolutely LOVE to read more books with similar vibes. 
It kind of reminds me of Young Royals, something else that I need to watch!