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monicalaurette's reviews
281 reviews
A Not So Silent Night by Sierra Simone, Julie Murphy
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
What a cute little bit of extra scenes for Bee & Nolan.
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
This book threw me for a bit. I liked it, but sometimes the characters did things that just felt so odd to me that I think it took some of my enjoyment. Also the way it was an open ending and left too much to the imagination. Like, was he going to buy a ticket or just live with the uncertainty?
The Shakespeare aspect to the book was interesting because I don't know his works that well, so trying to understand what they are saying some of the time was difficult to me.
I knew it was going to be Richard or James dead and that possibly the other was who did it
understanding now why James was so intent to get him out of the water, it was the guilt driving him
can't decide if Richard's 'queer' comment was homophobic or just him being like 'the closet is made of glass'
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
There is no comfort like complicity.
This book threw me for a bit. I liked it, but sometimes the characters did things that just felt so odd to me that I think it took some of my enjoyment. Also the way it was an open ending and left too much to the imagination. Like, was he going to buy a ticket or just live with the uncertainty?
The Shakespeare aspect to the book was interesting because I don't know his works that well, so trying to understand what they are saying some of the time was difficult to me.
We were so easily manipulated - confusion made a masterpiece of us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds: The First Official Stranger Things Novel by Gwenda Bond
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
so very selfishly i hate the storyline with 008 in it so I don't want to read this, the writing that I did get through was great...but I can't do her
The Way Home: Two Novellas from the World of The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
adventurous
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape and Kidnapping
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Such a cute story that slowly feels like a self help book but not in a bad way.
Broken: How Our Social Systems are Failing Us and How We Can Fix Them by Paul LeBlanc
informative
fast-paced
3.5
While I agree that systems need to change, I felt there was not as many solutions as the book thought it was giving, also it said in the beginning that it wouldn't focus too much on higher education and I felt like that's all it focused on for social systems. Either way there was some good information and research in the book
Students First: Equity, Access, and Opportunity in Higher Education by Paul LeBlanc
informative
inspiring
reflective
4.0
What a fun book to read in November of 2024. It went over how the current system of higher education both works and needs to be updated for all students (traditional or non, online or on campus). It also touched a lot on the ways that being poor and/or non-white affects your journey in higher education in such a short book. I felt that it was really a nice touch that Paul was both honest with his journey and included that he was touched by privilege along the way. Almost want to see what an updated version of this book would read like.
Time was the problem...Being poor also means having less control of your time.
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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? No
4.0
I read this book within three hours and then went to see the movie right after. And I'll just put her that while I didn't cry while reading the book I sure did cry a few times while watching the movie.
First picked up this book from a little free library because it sounded cool, and only after learned of the adaptation. It's such a fun book following Roz and I think a great one for literally any age to read. Now I'm going to head to my local library and see if they have the next two in the series to read because I MUST have them.
First picked up this book from a little free library because it sounded cool, and only after learned of the adaptation. It's such a fun book following Roz and I think a great one for literally any age to read. Now I'm going to head to my local library and see if they have the next two in the series to read because I MUST have them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Abandonment
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
When Life Gives You Vampires by Gloria Duke
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.5
I love a good vampire book, and I love a good book with a plus size woman (whether she is learning to love herself, already loves herself, or hates herself). This book had both of those elements so it made it a good book to start.
The fact she starts right away as a vampire and it's not a change made partway through the book was a fun way to change the genre of vampire stories a bit. I liked the way vampires worked, their world and laws, and the way slayers were also made. While it was very like 'oh of course it works that way' it was also refreshing for it to work that way instead of it being a really intense book.
Lily learning to love her body, learning that her constant self-hatred harms her friend, and that her friend really understands Lily's mind was a nice touch to me. I am also still fighting a bit with loving myself but for the most part I am in love with myself. That part of the story felt real to me with my own struggles and relationships with other people in lifelike the mother-daughter relationship regarding food and size .
Really the only thing I didn't like about this book was how many pop-culture or name-brand references there were. I get why Twilight was mentioned so much, but everything else made me like cringe. Why can't we just have 'I looked at my phone' instead of 'I looked at my IPHONE' because like why does it matter what phone she has? That and the fact that there was a lot of talking to the reader (sort of breaking the fourth wall) when it's not supposed to be that type of book in my opinion made my enjoyment go down a little.also Lily saying "holy dick boogers"...like girl are you 25 or a middle-school aged boy?
The fact she starts right away as a vampire and it's not a change made partway through the book was a fun way to change the genre of vampire stories a bit. I liked the way vampires worked, their world and laws, and the way slayers were also made. While it was very like 'oh of course it works that way' it was also refreshing for it to work that way instead of it being a really intense book.
Lily learning to love her body, learning that her constant self-hatred harms her friend, and that her friend really understands Lily's mind was a nice touch to me. I am also still fighting a bit with loving myself but for the most part I am in love with myself. That part of the story felt real to me with my own struggles and relationships with other people in life
Really the only thing I didn't like about this book was how many pop-culture or name-brand references there were. I get why Twilight was mentioned so much, but everything else made me like cringe. Why can't we just have 'I looked at my phone' instead of 'I looked at my IPHONE' because like why does it matter what phone she has? That and the fact that there was a lot of talking to the reader (sort of breaking the fourth wall) when it's not supposed to be that type of book in my opinion made my enjoyment go down a little.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Fatphobia, Violence, and Murder
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
I found that I genuinely enjoyed this book, but it wasn't the best like vampire one that I have read. The setting and the plot were unique, I just I guess wished there was a romance at all because it felt almost rushed to me.I know Domingo had like a crush on her for a while but I feel her giving in and having the romance was just sudden. I feel my enjoyment would have been more had there been no romance and just focus on the plot and saving Atl.
For those that care: the dog does not die! I know this should be a spoiler but some people need to know this in order to read it. There's no animal deaths at all in this book so happy about that and I know others will.
Having so many different types and subspecies of vampires was also an interesting twist to a vampire story, though we only get to see like three types so I wish there was either more story to meet others or just those three subspecies ever mentioned.
Overall a great book and happy to have read it. If Silvia ever writes another book to follow Atl and Domingo I will read it, but I'm ultimately happy with where it all ended.
I don't know why but Nick controlling humans (and only women) in this book gave me uncomfortable vibes and I feel like that was the author's intention, but as long as he no longer survived I was vindicated
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
"...sometimes you have to sin in order to earn your way to paradise."
I found that I genuinely enjoyed this book, but it wasn't the best like vampire one that I have read. The setting and the plot were unique, I just I guess wished there was a romance at all because it felt almost rushed to me.
For those that care: the dog does not die! I know this should be a spoiler but some people need to know this in order to read it. There's no animal deaths at all in this book so happy about that and I know others will.
Having so many different types and subspecies of vampires was also an interesting twist to a vampire story, though we only get to see like three types so I wish there was either more story to meet others or just those three subspecies ever mentioned.
Overall a great book and happy to have read it. If Silvia ever writes another book to follow Atl and Domingo I will read it, but I'm ultimately happy with where it all ended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Gun violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcohol, and Deportation
Minor: Toxic relationship and Abandonment