marekcornett's reviews
758 reviews

Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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

Sincerely enjoyed how Jimenez developed these characters. Early in the book, I felt I knew them. For the rest of the book, I simply watched their relationships develop with moments that added tension. I really enjoyed the pace. As a bonus, if you’ve read Part of Your World, there are some cameos from some characters you got to know there. 

Close Knit by Jenny Colgan

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted tense fast-paced

4.5

Jenny Colgan does such a great job at building out her characters and utilizing the place as one of the main characters. This cast is lovely & easy to fall in love with. 

Thanks to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy! 

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

5.0

Clare Pooley writes precocious seniors so well! I absolutely loved Iona Iverson, and I was looking forward to this containing the same wit, fun, and found family we got from Iona. I am very pleased to say this book is exactly what I was hoping for. The three main characters along with their full cast truly brings this story to life from their various angles. 

The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

I didn’t fall in love with this book. The romantic relationships felt very forced, and I didn’t find myself believing or cheering for any of them to happen/last. I wish the author would have  followed the arc of the characters growing up together as they became adults, leaning on each other during times of need. There were a lot of good qualities about this book, but overall I didn’t really enjoy it. 

Happy Medium by Sarah Adler

funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

2.0

Maybe I’m in a skeptical mood, but this book had me rolling my eyes too many times. What started as a ridiculous premise (a con-woman is hired to exorcise a ghost out of a goat farm so they owner could sell it) got somehow *more* far-fetched. Just did not connect with any characters & wasn’t even rooting for any of the relationships by the end of the book. Also, trigger warning — there’s a LOT of goats in this one.

The Best Lies by David Ellis

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.5

This books had more twists and turns than a rollercoaster! Guaranteed you’ll be caught off guard at least twice, but Ellis does a phenomenal job of tying everything back together. Told from multiple points of view, you’ll get to know some interesting characters with this one! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Trafficking

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This was… fine. I figured out a twist very early, so I think it didn’t hit as hard. It’s very dark with trigger warnings galore, so make sure you check those out before you start reading if those are usually concerns for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Murder

Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

challenging emotional funny mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Taffy Brodesser-Akner is right up there with my favorite authors. Her writing is witty, she knows how to weave a story so well, and she takes  on societal problems to spin them in such a way that it’s absolutely fascinating. 

I didn’t like the story nearly as much as Fleishman is in Trouble, but as she does so well, the story comes together at the very very end with a fantastic bow. 

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy! 

Humor Me by Cat Shook

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

A fun, lighter read that still contains depth. Early on, I felt like this was Curtis Sittenfeld-esque, and it has that rom-com flare. However, I actually liked this author more. She developed the characters in depth, built the relationships solidly and didn’t use the setting to prop up her story. Solid rec.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for the advanced copy. The narrator on the audiobook, Ferdelle Capistrano, really made this shine. 

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder by Kerryn Mayne

dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.5

This was such an interesting story with a main character I couldn't quite track down. We follow Lenny Marks through her current day "trying to get a life" and flashbacks from times that made her who she is today. Repressed memories make for an unreliable narrator at times, but I found myself cheering for Lenny the whole way. The suspense was well-paced, and the story was very well crafted. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Child death