mirandanoel's reviews
66 reviews

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

If you took Crime and Punishment and sucked out the class consciousness, existentialism, self deprecation, then turned the cast into a set of homogenous New England private school kids, you would get this book.

I think it’s a real shame because the writing itself is pretty good, but the characters are just hard to get over. They seem to lack the kind if reflection and depth that can make flawed characters meaningful. 

Really disappointing; I thought I was in for a provocative and challenging piece but instead got a bunch of “I’m not like other guys :(“ whining from the MC.
Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood

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1.0

This man is an actual psychopath and needs psychiatric help
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

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3.0

I think this series lost steam the longer it went on, and more or less took every turn you expected it to turn. Certainly the weakest of the series, and not quite satisfying as a conclusion (though Naomi Novik doesn't seem to ever tie things as neatly as I’d like)
The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

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adventurous
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

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adventurous dark 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? Yes

4.25

Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

Shocking: hot blonde girl is pretty even if she has a gap in her teeth, and maybe mind invasion can be ethical. 
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

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

4.0

4 stars because it got me out of my summer reading slump.

I don’t think this book is honestly anything to write home about; the world building is more unique than your run-of-the-mill romantasy, but the plot beats and characters are relatively ordinary. 

I was afraid of getting disinterested so I read this as fast as humanely possible, meaning if I had to take a pop quiz about what happened I would certainly fail.

Anyway, I like that it scratched the part of my mind that had a manic episode after a breakup and got into Tarot cards.  
A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

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2.25

Danielle Jensen is just not for me. I think the prose itself is a real slog to get through and, like the Bridge Kingdom, I did not give a **** about the main characters - absolutely no tension or chemistry imo.