lrmarita's reviews
1116 reviews

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

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

4.0

Cazadora by Romina Garber

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Deportation

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

dark hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Lobizona by Romina Garber

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation

The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City by David Lebovitz

relaxing medium-paced

3.5

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.5

Gallant by V.E. Schwab

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

I’m sorry to say it just wasn’t for me. Schwab has a great writing style, but I think she shines when her plotting and characters are more tethered to the recognizable. This was a little too experimental for me, but certainly not the end of reading Schwab’s work

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

emotional funny mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Oh my goodness it was the best book set in high school I’ve ever, I loved it so much, I truly read it all in one sitting. I laughed out loud, I was bummed when the characters didn’t do what I wanted them to do, I actually said “aw” out loud more than once! I have loved all of McQuiston’s novels (and have had the privilege of reading two ahead of publication, thank you NetGalley) but this is  my favorite. 

I think one of the reasons why I loved it so much was the depth: so often, the high school stereotypes get “turned on their head” with like a little bit of inner monologue that’s supposed to feel like depth but isn’t. McQuiston said absolutely not, and I recognized how closely many of the characters aligned with people I knew and still know-the characters really felt real. I felt Chloe’s anger, I felt Shara’s fear, I appreciated Georgia’s ability to see the whole picture, I loved all of these characters on the precipice of seeing what the world has to offer and still wanting to feel loved by each other in their past and present. I really, really dug it.

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

1.5

The show was markedly better

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

I cried a lot during this book, it’s a pandemic book but not a covid pandemic book but still!! Cathartic weaving of stories showing the interconnectedness of it all. Ridiculously good. Made me think broadly and precisely. Very very very good