lotts_library's reviews
24 reviews

The List by Yomi Adegoke

emotional informative tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I have real mixed feelings about this book. It was a thought provoking read and I thought that the exploration of social media and cancel culture was interesting. However, I can see how the way that some topics were handled could be quite damaging. This book really had me asking a lot of questions and feeling completely exasperated about the female experience.  

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

3.0

A cosy book set in a bookshop that had great imagery and a heartwarming feel. I really wanted to like this book a lot more than I did, which was a real shame. This book was filled with many interesting characters. However I found the main character hard to like and frustrating at times. I hope to read more translated fiction this year. 

The Real Deal by Caitlin Devlin

emotional hopeful informative 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? It's complicated

4.5

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback but I am definitely going out to buy a physical copy for my bookshelf ASAP! 

The story of a child reality TV star is given the opportunity to attend a 10 year reunion after the show ended in a shocking final episode. This plot of this book was brilliant and is right up my street as a lover of reality TV. 

My attention was grabbed straight away in the prologue and my attention was held the entire way through the book. The chapters were a nice size and I loved that they alternated between the past and the present to build the whole story. The writing is very detailed but flows well and is easy to read. 

The characters and the way that the story was told felt so real; I can’t believe that it isn’t! 

I will definitely be recommending this to everyone. A very impressive debut and I can’t wait to see what Caitlin writes next! 

Go Lightly by Brydie Lee-Kennedy

funny hopeful medium-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

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback. Thank you NetGalley!

This book was made up of lovely short chapters which made it easy to pick up and read. I also enjoyed how the format changed between traditional and text exchanges. 

We follow Ada as she navigates through life and manages the relationships she has with different people in her life. We see the different dynamics she has with her family, friends and love interests. It’s a story about the human urge to want and to be wanted. I personally enjoyed the way that Ada was unapologetically herself in every situation even if that resulted in her own downfall. 

The characters felt very real and it was an accurate depiction of modern relationships, however I personally felt a lack of closure. 

Overall, this is a great debut and I know that it’s going to be a hit!