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loiereads's reviews
261 reviews
High Stakes by Meg Cabot
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Not as entertaining as the first book, but still a great, easy read.
I do wish Suze would focus more on personality, rather than looks though.
I do wish Suze would focus more on personality, rather than looks though.
Love You to Death by Jenny Carroll, Meg Cabot
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Read this series at least 10 years ago and loved it. Decided to reread it now as I've been struggling with a reading slump.
Such a great decision.
I love Suze so much. She's the type of girl I wanna be.
Such a great decision.
I love Suze so much. She's the type of girl I wanna be.
Satellite by Nick Lake
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
☆ STORY:
This book has such an interesting concept; to be born and raised in space, but then journey to earth. Does that technically mean you’re an alien? But you’re still human… it’s interesting to think about. Not to mention the morality of it, and the science behind what would happen to your body after going from 0g to 1g. I found it fascinating.
The story was a little slow for the first half, but not in an unenjoyable way. Everything was pretty relevant to the story. There were a few turns in the story that I wasn’t expecting and had me hooked throughout the whole book.
I did feel as though it may have been a tad long, and come the end of the book, I was looking forward to getting to the end and seeing how everything turned out.
☆ WRITING STYLE:
The book is written in a text-talk style, which is actually quite distracting and hard to get into at the start. It made it a little hard to concentrate, but once I got used to it, it was easy enough to read through.
☆ CHARACTERS:
The characters were interesting in their own ways, but I didn’t feel that strongly towards any of them, to be honest. I found Leo a little unbearable at times, especially when it came to his views towards his mother. I think he was a little harsh towards her, and it would have been nice to have seen their relationship positively develop a little more towards the end.
☆ ATMOSPHERE/VIBE:
I loved the space vibes. I didn’t feel as though sciencey terms were being shoved down my throat and I could easily follow along with everything that was happening. I loved the description and explanation of everything. The author has a really great way of helping you to envision exactly what’s going on. There’s also some really beautiful poetic writing in there as well which I really enjoyed.
Overall this was a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This book has such an interesting concept; to be born and raised in space, but then journey to earth. Does that technically mean you’re an alien? But you’re still human… it’s interesting to think about. Not to mention the morality of it, and the science behind what would happen to your body after going from 0g to 1g. I found it fascinating.
The story was a little slow for the first half, but not in an unenjoyable way. Everything was pretty relevant to the story. There were a few turns in the story that I wasn’t expecting and had me hooked throughout the whole book.
I did feel as though it may have been a tad long, and come the end of the book, I was looking forward to getting to the end and seeing how everything turned out.
☆ WRITING STYLE:
The book is written in a text-talk style, which is actually quite distracting and hard to get into at the start. It made it a little hard to concentrate, but once I got used to it, it was easy enough to read through.
☆ CHARACTERS:
The characters were interesting in their own ways, but I didn’t feel that strongly towards any of them, to be honest. I found Leo a little unbearable at times, especially when it came to his views towards his mother. I think he was a little harsh towards her, and it would have been nice to have seen their relationship positively develop a little more towards the end.
☆ ATMOSPHERE/VIBE:
I loved the space vibes. I didn’t feel as though sciencey terms were being shoved down my throat and I could easily follow along with everything that was happening. I loved the description and explanation of everything. The author has a really great way of helping you to envision exactly what’s going on. There’s also some really beautiful poetic writing in there as well which I really enjoyed.
Overall this was a great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Monsters by Emerald Fennell
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Coming from the director of Saltburn, I was expecting this book to be a lot more creepy and disturbing than it actually was. Don’t get met wrong, there were moments in this book that made me quite uncomfortable, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I was expecting.
It was a compelling read, and had me hooked. I flew through the first half of the book, but slowed down a little in the second half. I was expecting a slightly bigger plot twist as well, but the ending was pretty predictable.
It definitely seems as though it’s been set up for a second book, and I would be super interested to see what happens next if there ever was a second instalment.
However, I’m only going to give this book a 3 stars, as I was expecting a little more from it.
Idk, I’m feeling a little picky this year 🤷🏻♀️
It was a compelling read, and had me hooked. I flew through the first half of the book, but slowed down a little in the second half. I was expecting a slightly bigger plot twist as well, but the ending was pretty predictable.
It definitely seems as though it’s been set up for a second book, and I would be super interested to see what happens next if there ever was a second instalment.
However, I’m only going to give this book a 3 stars, as I was expecting a little more from it.
Idk, I’m feeling a little picky this year 🤷🏻♀️
Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
STORY:
Woah, the concept for this book was SO FASCINATING. I love, love, LOVE books with unique concepts that really make you think, and this book had that going for it. It did get a little confusing at times, as there was a lot of jumping around, which is required for this type of book, but I did find myself feeling a little lost here and there.
I heard that there were lots of great twists in this book, and while there were twists and turns every now and then, they weren’t as mind blowing as I was hoping they would be. I really wanted it to PUNCH me you know, but it wasn’t quite capable of that.
WRITING STYLE:
This author knows how to write beautiful sentences. I love artful writing styles, and this book had exactly that. I’ll definitely have to check out more of this author’s work!
CHARACTERS:
I can’t lie, I didn’t really feel any major connections with any of these characters, I was more interested in what they were doing, rather than their character as a whole. There was nothing that made me want me root for any of them.
ATMOSPHERE/VIBE:
So intriguing. It always left me wanting to read more, to find out more, to get to the big twists. I have to admit that I was more drawn in and hooked at the start of the book. Near the end, I feel as though it started to lose a bit of its magic and the ending was a little disappointing, juuuuust a little 🤏
Nevertheless, this was a super interesting read that makes you think on a deep level, and is definitely worth checking out!
Woah, the concept for this book was SO FASCINATING. I love, love, LOVE books with unique concepts that really make you think, and this book had that going for it. It did get a little confusing at times, as there was a lot of jumping around, which is required for this type of book, but I did find myself feeling a little lost here and there.
I heard that there were lots of great twists in this book, and while there were twists and turns every now and then, they weren’t as mind blowing as I was hoping they would be. I really wanted it to PUNCH me you know, but it wasn’t quite capable of that.
WRITING STYLE:
This author knows how to write beautiful sentences. I love artful writing styles, and this book had exactly that. I’ll definitely have to check out more of this author’s work!
CHARACTERS:
I can’t lie, I didn’t really feel any major connections with any of these characters, I was more interested in what they were doing, rather than their character as a whole. There was nothing that made me want me root for any of them.
ATMOSPHERE/VIBE:
So intriguing. It always left me wanting to read more, to find out more, to get to the big twists. I have to admit that I was more drawn in and hooked at the start of the book. Near the end, I feel as though it started to lose a bit of its magic and the ending was a little disappointing, juuuuust a little 🤏
Nevertheless, this was a super interesting read that makes you think on a deep level, and is definitely worth checking out!
A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
STORY:
I was feeling in the mood for something mysterious, and when I read the premise for this book, I thought it matched to what I wanted pretty well. I have to admit though, that it was the reviews on Goodreads that swayed me into reading this one.
I do feel a little disappointed coming away from the book, as there was a huge selection of good book reviews on Goodreads, and while I do feel that this book was good, it didn’t quite meet the expectations I had for it.
There were some pretty good plot twists, but it took a rather long time to get to them, and a lot of the really good stuff came right at the end, which I always find to be a bit of a bummer.
The story itself wasn’t anything that spectacular and unique; there are a lot of books very similar to this one out on the market, but it was still an enjoyable and cozy book to curl up with.
WRITING STYLE:
I really liked the writing style in this one. I particularly enjoyed the excerpts from the girls’ podcast, which was nice as we got to hear a little more of Bristal’s individual personality coming through. Everything flowed quite well, the dialogue was believable for the age range of the characters, and made for smooth reading.
CHARACTERS:
Okay, I am IN LOVE with Bristal. I have a real soft spot for characters that are hard and harsh on the outside, but we see their exterior melt to reveal their sweet and wholesome side. I really enjoyed seeing the relationship grow and strengthen between Lydia and Bristal as well; it was done really smoothly and organically which was a real strength for the story.
ATMOSPHERE/VIBE:
The vibe was cozy in this one, and as I’ve been sick with a nasty cold for the last couple of days, I’ve mainly been snuggled up under my blankets with this book, and it’s been a real comfort, so if I’m grateful to this book for anything, it’s that.
I was feeling in the mood for something mysterious, and when I read the premise for this book, I thought it matched to what I wanted pretty well. I have to admit though, that it was the reviews on Goodreads that swayed me into reading this one.
I do feel a little disappointed coming away from the book, as there was a huge selection of good book reviews on Goodreads, and while I do feel that this book was good, it didn’t quite meet the expectations I had for it.
There were some pretty good plot twists, but it took a rather long time to get to them, and a lot of the really good stuff came right at the end, which I always find to be a bit of a bummer.
The story itself wasn’t anything that spectacular and unique; there are a lot of books very similar to this one out on the market, but it was still an enjoyable and cozy book to curl up with.
WRITING STYLE:
I really liked the writing style in this one. I particularly enjoyed the excerpts from the girls’ podcast, which was nice as we got to hear a little more of Bristal’s individual personality coming through. Everything flowed quite well, the dialogue was believable for the age range of the characters, and made for smooth reading.
CHARACTERS:
Okay, I am IN LOVE with Bristal. I have a real soft spot for characters that are hard and harsh on the outside, but we see their exterior melt to reveal their sweet and wholesome side. I really enjoyed seeing the relationship grow and strengthen between Lydia and Bristal as well; it was done really smoothly and organically which was a real strength for the story.
ATMOSPHERE/VIBE:
The vibe was cozy in this one, and as I’ve been sick with a nasty cold for the last couple of days, I’ve mainly been snuggled up under my blankets with this book, and it’s been a real comfort, so if I’m grateful to this book for anything, it’s that.
Demon Road by Derek Landy
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was a little disappointing. It had a premise that intrigued me, and I haven't read a YA supernatural book for a while so it seemed like a good pick. It started off pretty strong and had me captivated, but then it just seemed to go a little flat, and wasn't all that enticing and gripping. It felt a little predictable and not really that interesting the more it went on.
The characters were OK, some of the dialouge was a little cringe and unrealistic. Glen was my favourite out of all the characters and he definitely deserved better.
Even though I didn't enjoy this book as much as I would have liked, it has made me want to continue reading more books in the supernatural genre, so I'll now be on the hunt for something else to read, but don't think I'll pick up the other books in this series.
The characters were OK, some of the dialouge was a little cringe and unrealistic. Glen was my favourite out of all the characters and he definitely deserved better.
Even though I didn't enjoy this book as much as I would have liked, it has made me want to continue reading more books in the supernatural genre, so I'll now be on the hunt for something else to read, but don't think I'll pick up the other books in this series.
Heart, Haunt, Havoc by Freydís Moon
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
Just a quick little read. Pretty interesting, but I did lose interest around the halfway mark.
The Buried by Melissa Grey
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
This book started off pretty slowly, and then seemed to ramp up a bit, and then deflated again. I just couldn’t really seem to get into it all that much. I didn’t connect with the characters, and as a result I don’t really care about what happened to them. The change of perspectives of the three main characters was a little distracting as they all sounded the same, making it hard to differentiate between who was actually talking.
I love the idea of bunkers, and the concept sounded like something right up my alley, but it just didn’t deliver the quality that I was expecting.
I love the idea of bunkers, and the concept sounded like something right up my alley, but it just didn’t deliver the quality that I was expecting.
Tears in the Water by Margherita Scialla
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This is a very modern love story, with modern and current issues running throughout, focusing on mental health, sexuality and identity.
I found that I really related to the main character - a lot of her anxieties and worries are the same that I used to struggle with; small things that may seem tiny and inconsequential to others, but world-crushing to me.
I really enjoyed the swimming aspect of it, and the sports university that the characters studied in was an interesting concept. It would have been nice for there to be a bit more focus on that part of the book too, which would have gone hand in hand nicely with the other issues raised in the book, and would have given it a lot more depth, I think.
It was a cozy book, and reminded me that my life is special and important, no matter what I decide to do with it, and has motivated me to work hard to reach my own personal goals.
Overall it was a sweet, short, enjoyable and easy to read book that was just what I needed.
I found that I really related to the main character - a lot of her anxieties and worries are the same that I used to struggle with; small things that may seem tiny and inconsequential to others, but world-crushing to me.
I really enjoyed the swimming aspect of it, and the sports university that the characters studied in was an interesting concept. It would have been nice for there to be a bit more focus on that part of the book too, which would have gone hand in hand nicely with the other issues raised in the book, and would have given it a lot more depth, I think.
It was a cozy book, and reminded me that my life is special and important, no matter what I decide to do with it, and has motivated me to work hard to reach my own personal goals.
Overall it was a sweet, short, enjoyable and easy to read book that was just what I needed.