meganmikaelian's reviews
64 reviews

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

emotional 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

4.0

I finished this book an hour ago and I already miss it. The author did such a great job of developing Julia’s character that I want to follow her through college and the rest of her life. 

Each character was flawed,  passionate in their own ways, and a product of their culture and environment, especially Julia. Her story was both unique and the story of every child of immigrants. I loved the clear and distinct voice she gave to each character and how Chicago played its own role in the story. 

The book was both a critique and a love letter to Mexican culture. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will eagerly read anything else she puts out! 

Happy Place by Emily Henry

hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

Emily Henry’s character work is incomparable! I particularly loved the big cast in this book. I want a whole spin off about Cleo and Kimmy on the farm and another about Parth and Sabrina in New York. 

What I enjoy about her books is that the plot is almost background noise to the character development. I was a little disappointed that

Harriet would seemingly give up her entire career for a man

, but realized that the whole point of the book was that she was finally doing something for herself. The idea of realizing that you should work to live, not live to work, really resonated with me. 

I also love that Emily Henry meets the readers where they’re at. This book was so specifically written for people in their late 20s/early 30s who feel like they’re supposed to have it all figured out but are still struggling to find happiness. I felt seen and heard reading it and genuinely enjoyed the journey. 

Elizabeth & Margaret: The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters by Andrew Morton

informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

The beginning and the end of this book were well-paced, but the middle dragged a bit. It read like a textbook, but in a good way. It wasn’t too dense and didn’t try to paint the royals in a purely positive light. It also helped clear up some confusion I had after watching The Crown. 

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This was a solid story but overall felt like it was lacking something. The characters were charming and Lenni was funny and lighthearted despite her tragic situation. But I feel like we didn’t really know Margot at all. Her story was very surface level. I almost wish the whole book had been about Lenni and Father Arthur’s relationship. There was so much more to explore there. 

The Vacationers by Emma Straub

funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

No one does character work like Emma Straub. She immediately sucks you into the complex relationships between each of her characters and gives them such rich and unique voices. None of the characters in this story were particularly likable and that made them all the more endearing. 

Emma Straub doesn’t shy away from awkward subjects or off-putting personalities and that’s what I love about her books. I also love how the setting is always a character in and of itself. Usually her books make me want to move to New York City, but this one made me want a little villa in Spain for all my friends and family to enjoy with me. A job well done all the way around. 

I Might Regret This: Essays, Drawings, Vulnerabilities, and Other Stuff by Abbi Jacobson

funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

4.0

This book was a pleasure! I loved how self-aware and vulnerable Abbi’s writing and stories were. She was honest with the readers in a way that made me feel connected to her and the book. 

I liked each anecdote and how she fit different stories from her life into the overall theme of the road trip. I also enjoyed her easily-digestible writing style and her dry and witty sense of humor. It was fun to get a glimpse of the person behind the Broad Coty character. 

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

3.75

Rebecca Serle’s books are simply lovely. I really enjoy the magical realism she works into her stories. I also appreciate that her main characters are always flawed. They are generally good people who aren’t defined by their sometimes questionable choices. 

This book felt a little slower to me than In Five Years, but I was intrigued the whole time. I liked that Katy showed some significant growth in the end because she was pretty selfish in the beginning, though the book did a great job of detailing her journey through grief. I also loved how the book explored themes of motherhood and the concept of mothers being whole people with hopes and dreams who make mistakes and aren’t defined by their status as mothers. 

I appreciated that Serle never tried to explain away the magic! We just have to believe it could happen. I also loved the emails included at the end and how well researched the book was. 

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I really enjoyed the storytelling and character development in this book. I liked the dual POVs mixed with different timelines. The author did a good job giving both characters distinct voices. 

This book is about female friendship and societal expectations and how both can drive you to do crazy things. It was about treasuring platonic love and finding yourself worthy of romantic love that is actually romantic and not perfunctory. The author showed both characters’ unique (but also not unique) struggles and made me truly care about them despite their flaws. In general, when I felt bad for Billie I felt sympathetic, but when I felt bad for Cassie, I felt pity. 

I went into this book thinking it was a thriller so I was a little confused when the ending was so anticlimactic. Once I realized it was fiction with a slight mystery element, it all made sense. The end still felt a little rushed, but overall I enjoyed the story. 

Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

This was a cute, solid romance. It kind of gave me Emily Henry vibes because the characters were so flushed out and each had a distinct voice. Rosie, Fox, and Louise were definitely the best part of the book because they offered the most compelling takes. The main characters were pretty textbook and the plot was somewhat predictable but in a good way. It is sweet and cozy and overall an enjoyable book. 

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

emotional reflective sad slow-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

2.0

I liked that this book told a story from the perspective of characters we don’t hear from often. That said, the plot was slow and it was hard for me to stay interested. We knew exactly what was going to happen based on the prologue and it took the author a while to get there. 

Norma and Joe’s stories were sad and the book had potential to be impactful, but because the characters were just narrating what HAD happened to them and not actually experiencing much in the present, I lost interest. Also why didn’t the author ever actually say that June and Alice were gay?