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lonloveslit's reviews
64 reviews
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
5.0
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This sequel to Tom Sawyer (which worked very nicely as a standalone; I haven't read it) follows Huck Finn, a young boy who fakes his own death to escape his alcoholic, abusive father, hiding out on Jackson's Island along the Mississippi River. He encounters a runaway slave, Jim, and is torn between the world he knows and protecting the wonderful human being he comes to care for and trust. Facing many obstacles along the way, their travels form a bond causing Huck to question the life he's always known.
This book was banned immediately on publication and sparks the debate of honest writing vs. sensorship. The "n word" is used freely throughout the novel as it is a word that would have been used by white people in reference to slaves. It is an important novel, often described as "the first great novel," and I firmly believe banned books do nothing but shut people's eyes to the truth.
This has become a firm favourite of mine and I will revisit it over the years. I highly recommend expanding your mind with this one as it gives a great insight into how things may have been at the time, and Huck Finn represented those starting to question right and wrong.
This sequel to Tom Sawyer (which worked very nicely as a standalone; I haven't read it) follows Huck Finn, a young boy who fakes his own death to escape his alcoholic, abusive father, hiding out on Jackson's Island along the Mississippi River. He encounters a runaway slave, Jim, and is torn between the world he knows and protecting the wonderful human being he comes to care for and trust. Facing many obstacles along the way, their travels form a bond causing Huck to question the life he's always known.
This book was banned immediately on publication and sparks the debate of honest writing vs. sensorship. The "n word" is used freely throughout the novel as it is a word that would have been used by white people in reference to slaves. It is an important novel, often described as "the first great novel," and I firmly believe banned books do nothing but shut people's eyes to the truth.
This has become a firm favourite of mine and I will revisit it over the years. I highly recommend expanding your mind with this one as it gives a great insight into how things may have been at the time, and Huck Finn represented those starting to question right and wrong.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Under the Stars by Katherine Taylor
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
UNDER THE STARS
KATHERINE TAYLOR
⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
Mae is scared of change. It's the last summer with her friends before they all head off to university and begin their adult lives. Mae would be quite content staying in the pub like they always do, but everyone else has other plans. They want to do something different as a bit of a last hurrah, like going to the abandoned amusement park in the woods. Can't do any harm, right?
When Mae gets separated from her friends, she meets a mysterious stranger who shows her a night full of wonder, magic and maybe the start of a summer fling. It all seems perfect. Maybe too perfect.
What a beautiful story! Thank you so much to Katherine Taylor for reaching out and sending me a copy to review. It was moving, romantic, creepy, intense, magical, tragic and so much more, which turned into an awesome combo. I'll definitely be grabbing a hard copy at some point! The only reason it didn't get a full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ is there were some grammar issues which I hope are just due to the Kindle formatting.
KATHERINE TAYLOR
⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
Mae is scared of change. It's the last summer with her friends before they all head off to university and begin their adult lives. Mae would be quite content staying in the pub like they always do, but everyone else has other plans. They want to do something different as a bit of a last hurrah, like going to the abandoned amusement park in the woods. Can't do any harm, right?
When Mae gets separated from her friends, she meets a mysterious stranger who shows her a night full of wonder, magic and maybe the start of a summer fling. It all seems perfect. Maybe too perfect.
What a beautiful story! Thank you so much to Katherine Taylor for reaching out and sending me a copy to review. It was moving, romantic, creepy, intense, magical, tragic and so much more, which turned into an awesome combo. I'll definitely be grabbing a hard copy at some point! The only reason it didn't get a full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ is there were some grammar issues which I hope are just due to the Kindle formatting.
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
A KINGDOM OF FLESH AND FIRE
BY JENNIFER ARMENTROUT
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Poppy and Casteel are getting married to save Cas' brother and see if Poppy's is able to be saved. They must convince a whole kingdom that their marriage is genuine and not a business arrangement. Poppy now knows the truth about Casteel, the Dark Prince. And yet...
She's not afraid of him. She's angry at him, but it's not that simple. It's never that simple. Can she keep on pretending when deep in her heart, she truly cares for him and wishes the marriage was real?
Jennifer Armentrout has built a beautiful world full of strong, brave characters that are so easy to fall in love with. The 🌶️ is written in a way that's beautiful and not cringy as it can often be, and it really adds to the story, where it often doesn't. I've loved getting to know Cas and Poppy, with all the twists, turns and turmoil of their relationship. This instalment was maybe even better than the first, expanding on a story I've easily let into my heart.
BY JENNIFER ARMENTROUT
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Poppy and Casteel are getting married to save Cas' brother and see if Poppy's is able to be saved. They must convince a whole kingdom that their marriage is genuine and not a business arrangement. Poppy now knows the truth about Casteel, the Dark Prince. And yet...
She's not afraid of him. She's angry at him, but it's not that simple. It's never that simple. Can she keep on pretending when deep in her heart, she truly cares for him and wishes the marriage was real?
Jennifer Armentrout has built a beautiful world full of strong, brave characters that are so easy to fall in love with. The 🌶️ is written in a way that's beautiful and not cringy as it can often be, and it really adds to the story, where it often doesn't. I've loved getting to know Cas and Poppy, with all the twists, turns and turmoil of their relationship. This instalment was maybe even better than the first, expanding on a story I've easily let into my heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, and Sexual content
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
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? No
4.0
Four friends in a retirement community pass the time by meeting every Thursday to discuss old murder cases. What happens though when there's a murder of someone they all know? Will they be able to crack this case or is the Thursday Murder Club just a bit of fun? Are they out of their depth this time?
I'm glad I got round to this one as I've seen it a lot since starting bookstagram. Richard Osman's writing is witty, clever and interesting. I really enjoyed this read and look forward to reading the others at some point. The story did become a bit convoluted as it went on and who killed who did get lost a bit in the chaos, but I feel like this novel would move up in the ratings after another read or two to get my head around that.
Definitely worth checking out if you haven't yet! I now have two copies of this to go in the blind date with a book packages, but if you'd like me to add them to buy specifically, just let me know.
I'm glad I got round to this one as I've seen it a lot since starting bookstagram. Richard Osman's writing is witty, clever and interesting. I really enjoyed this read and look forward to reading the others at some point. The story did become a bit convoluted as it went on and who killed who did get lost a bit in the chaos, but I feel like this novel would move up in the ratings after another read or two to get my head around that.
Definitely worth checking out if you haven't yet! I now have two copies of this to go in the blind date with a book packages, but if you'd like me to add them to buy specifically, just let me know.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Suicide
The Lost Oracle by Cynda Gallagher
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you so much Cynda for sending me a digital copy to review!
The Oracle of Duality reincarnates each century to maintain balance and peace throughout the land of Epora. So what if the Oracle suddenly wasn't there anymore?
Two sisters are thrust on a dark, dangerous path full of twists, loss and a huge heap of inner strength. A fast-paced novella with magic, fierce enemies, love in all forms, Cynda writes and builds worlds wonderfully. I'll be grabbing a physical copy of both this and her other book, Blight, ASAP.
It felt a little rushed and I would have liked a bit more time to connect with the characters, but I think that's the difficulty with a shorter story and I do often feel this. I really enjoyed it though, it was great, and I can't wait to follow your journey and support you strongly!
The Oracle of Duality reincarnates each century to maintain balance and peace throughout the land of Epora. So what if the Oracle suddenly wasn't there anymore?
Two sisters are thrust on a dark, dangerous path full of twists, loss and a huge heap of inner strength. A fast-paced novella with magic, fierce enemies, love in all forms, Cynda writes and builds worlds wonderfully. I'll be grabbing a physical copy of both this and her other book, Blight, ASAP.
It felt a little rushed and I would have liked a bit more time to connect with the characters, but I think that's the difficulty with a shorter story and I do often feel this. I really enjoyed it though, it was great, and I can't wait to follow your journey and support you strongly!
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
4.5
Victor Frankenstein develops an obsession over how the human body works and finds a way to bring life back to it. He fights against his own self-loathing and disgust, fuelled by his desire to create a magnificent monster from the dead.
Mary Shelley uniquely has us feeling awful for both monster and creator. It's a sad tale of horrors and a true classic. A bit slow at times and I would have liked a bit more character info, but on the whole an incredible read!
Mary Shelley uniquely has us feeling awful for both monster and creator. It's a sad tale of horrors and a true classic. A bit slow at times and I would have liked a bit more character info, but on the whole an incredible read!
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
Poppy is The Maiden, awaiting her Ascension while she's hidden away behind a veil, not to be looked upon, touched, spoken to. Nobody will tell her what happens after, what it means, nothing, and as guilty as she feels about it, she doesn't know if she wants this life that was enforced upon her.
She's not just The Maiden. She's a woman with thoughts, feelings, needs. Hawke Flynn, her new guard, sees all of this and wants to get to know Poppy underneath the mask of The Maiden.
Wow, I am absolutely OBsessed. I want all the merch, I want to hug Jennifer Armentrout, I absolutely loved everything about this. I laughed, I ugly cried, that twist at the end! It had some spicy scenes too which were so well-written. All of the emotion in this book was displayed so perfectly.
I've just started the next instalment in the series and I can't wait to see how this plays out. Everyone, if you haven't, go read this now please!
She's not just The Maiden. She's a woman with thoughts, feelings, needs. Hawke Flynn, her new guard, sees all of this and wants to get to know Poppy underneath the mask of The Maiden.
Wow, I am absolutely OBsessed. I want all the merch, I want to hug Jennifer Armentrout, I absolutely loved everything about this. I laughed, I ugly cried, that twist at the end! It had some spicy scenes too which were so well-written. All of the emotion in this book was displayed so perfectly.
I've just started the next instalment in the series and I can't wait to see how this plays out. Everyone, if you haven't, go read this now please!
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.75
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST
⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
Nurse Ratched rules the asylum with an iron fist. She has a good routine and knows how to keep the men in check, patients and staff alike. Until the day McMurphy ends up on her ward, on a mission to help the patients see the power they themselves hold.
This story had many layers, delving into laws and procedures around mental health that once were. Nurse Ratched represents every corrupt medical professional on a power trip, which we can see throughout the novel is such a dangerous combo. It shows the power of friendship and believing in people that the world's forgotten about.
Kasey's writing is clever, witty, interesting and brave. I really enjoyed this! The only reason it's not a full 5 ⭐ is because I found splitting it into parts instead of chapters made it drag quite a bit.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
Nurse Ratched rules the asylum with an iron fist. She has a good routine and knows how to keep the men in check, patients and staff alike. Until the day McMurphy ends up on her ward, on a mission to help the patients see the power they themselves hold.
This story had many layers, delving into laws and procedures around mental health that once were. Nurse Ratched represents every corrupt medical professional on a power trip, which we can see throughout the novel is such a dangerous combo. It shows the power of friendship and believing in people that the world's forgotten about.
Kasey's writing is clever, witty, interesting and brave. I really enjoyed this! The only reason it's not a full 5 ⭐ is because I found splitting it into parts instead of chapters made it drag quite a bit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A doctor is released after 18 years' imprisonment In the Bastille in Paris. He moves to London with his daughter, Lucie, and they share a journey amidst the events leading up to the French Revolution.
I'm a fan of Dickens from his works I've read so far. I found this interesting, moving, beautiful and haunting all at once. Charles Dickens' writing is a work of art treasured by many. I have given this a 4 ⭐ as I felt I would have enjoyed it and been able to follow it a lot easier if I'd read a physical copy and not listened to the audiobook. Audiobooks are great, but I find them harder to immerse yourself into the story and really read it. This is definitely one I'd like to revisit at a later date, so I bought the gorgeous clothbound edition.
I'm a fan of Dickens from his works I've read so far. I found this interesting, moving, beautiful and haunting all at once. Charles Dickens' writing is a work of art treasured by many. I have given this a 4 ⭐ as I felt I would have enjoyed it and been able to follow it a lot easier if I'd read a physical copy and not listened to the audiobook. Audiobooks are great, but I find them harder to immerse yourself into the story and really read it. This is definitely one I'd like to revisit at a later date, so I bought the gorgeous clothbound edition.
The Watchers by A.M. Shine
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Mina's car breaks down when she takes a job that leads her out into the middle of nowhere. She begins walking through the forest to get help when a woman shouts from a doorway at her to run now or she's going to get locked outside. What watches amongst the trees?
I was introduced to this book as a book club read and I'm so glad. A M Shine has a brilliant way of keeping your heart racing throughout the whole book. So many questions and twists using the simple fear factor; what lurks in the dark?
I cannot wait to read the next instalment when it comes out as I definitely need to know what happens next. This makes a great standalone though if you enjoy an open ending.
I was introduced to this book as a book club read and I'm so glad. A M Shine has a brilliant way of keeping your heart racing throughout the whole book. So many questions and twists using the simple fear factor; what lurks in the dark?
I cannot wait to read the next instalment when it comes out as I definitely need to know what happens next. This makes a great standalone though if you enjoy an open ending.