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pages_with_panda's reviews
165 reviews
The Roommate Risk by Talia Hibbert
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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
Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-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
Liked it! Cute, coming-of-age story (female main character is 17 (high-school age), romantic, humorous, heart-warming.
I would've loved to see a book like this when I was in high school.
(Just an FYI, the majority of this book is about Charlie being fat and it being a major plot point. It's not just a book with a fat character, which I know makes a difference to some people).
I liked how fleshed out all the characters were. They all had their own insecurities, personalities, stories and it was a very diverse cast of characters.
Charlie's growth was really cute and I'm glad she got to stand up for herself. Her relationship with Brian was really cute and I like the realistic portrayal between her and her mother - like not everything end nicely wrapped in a bow, but some small steps are progress.
The beginning was a bit hard to get through because of all the negativity, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Charlie really comes around and learned to love herself, stick up for herself, and prioritize her happiness.
Some quotes:
I would've loved to see a book like this when I was in high school.
(Just an FYI, the majority of this book is about Charlie being fat and it being a major plot point. It's not just a book with a fat character, which I know makes a difference to some people).
I liked how fleshed out all the characters were. They all had their own insecurities, personalities, stories and it was a very diverse cast of characters.
Charlie's growth was really cute and I'm glad she got to stand up for herself. Her relationship with Brian was really cute and I like the realistic portrayal between her and her mother - like not everything end nicely wrapped in a bow, but some small steps are progress.
The beginning was a bit hard to get through because of all the negativity, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Charlie really comes around and learned to love herself, stick up for herself, and prioritize her happiness.
Some quotes:
I believe that people can be healthy at any size. I think other fat girls are absolutely beautiful. But my mind struggles to bridge the gap between the two ideologies. (p. 25). Holiday House. Kindle Edition.
“I’m just over all these men! They want so much from you. Be beautiful but not too beautiful; thin but not too thin; feminine but not too feminine. On dates, it’s the same thing—talk, but not too much. Ask them questions about themselves, but not too many questions. I’m exhausted.” (p. 98). Holiday House. Kindle Edition.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia
Minor: Death of parent
The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Meh book honestly.
The in-story seminar was the most interesting thing about the story. The main characters had very little chemistry and honestly I didn't get their attraction to one another?
The middle dragged, the pacing was really slow and then felt rushed at the end.
And we were left with a few loose ends that never got answered?What was with that whole board meeting about Naomi's family? Not that it matters HOW she's Jewish, but it was never explained BY Naomi her family situation? Plus her whole lecture at her high school seemed so randomly dropped in. I get it was supposed to be a full-circle for Naomi but it was so badly done.
Also felt like Jonathan didn't really have any character development? He stayed the same throughout the entirety of the story and was just overall boring?
We already got the shock value of a "good girl" dates "porn star" in the first book so it felt like in this story they just switched roles but it was the same story...Couple that with the fact the characters are also working on a "business" together? It was just unoriginal. (Unless you haven't read the first book, then I guess it's an okay premise?)
Also, the sex was very boring.
PLUS the late-stage conflict felt so out-of-character.
You expect me to believe that Naomi; a strong, assertive woman who has done whatever she wants for her whole life & never gives a damn about what anyone thinks, suddenly bends to the whims of others when it finally comes down to her actually happiness? What?
The in-story seminar was the most interesting thing about the story. The main characters had very little chemistry and honestly I didn't get their attraction to one another?
The middle dragged, the pacing was really slow and then felt rushed at the end.
And we were left with a few loose ends that never got answered?
Also felt like Jonathan didn't really have any character development? He stayed the same throughout the entirety of the story and was just overall boring?
We already got the shock value of a "good girl" dates "porn star" in the first book so it felt like in this story they just switched roles but it was the same story...Couple that with the fact the characters are also working on a "business" together? It was just unoriginal. (Unless you haven't read the first book, then I guess it's an okay premise?)
PLUS the late-stage conflict felt so out-of-character.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual harassment
To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights by Angela Dalton
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
5.0
The Dark Place by Britney S. Lewis
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
(Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley.)
I'm giving this book 3 stars - it wasn't awful, but it wasn't great. I don't think I'll recommend it to anyone however.
The summary was interesting and promised a story about "time, space, and reality," but the first half of the book was so slow and boring I had to force myself to finish it. The second half of the book was so rushed and everything happened with no explanation that it was jarring.
No one around Hylee wants to talk about what happens to her, and they instantly villainize her for something she can't control, can't explain, and can't talk about. Her only friend cuts her off, and her parents ship her away to live with her grandmother, who also will not acknowledge what happened: "...I had to live with Grandmommy because Mama and Daddy didn't know what to do with me after my sudden disappearance (and reappearance)." They treat her like a pariah despite her being a victim of what happened to her.
Beyond the gag order of her "curse," Hylee is forced to deal with the traumatic disappearance of her brother, that also no one wants to talk about, and we're left with a very confusing first half of the book where Hylee is forced into a very mundane routine where honestly nothing happens.
There's no "investigating" anything. Hylee and Eilam meet at a party and he tells her a few lines about what he knows about time travel (mostly from Marvel movies). Their relationship is so forced with very little chemistry, but Eilam is the only one who will actually talk to Hylee so of course they end up spending time together.
I wish the "dark place" would've been explored more. We're given no reason for it's existence or the strange creatures that live there or why the creatures have their horrific characters of no eyes and sewn mouths.
The ending was very sad and bittersweet, but I felt like we weren't given any time to actually feel it. There was no emotional connection before the book ended.
I wanted to like this book and thought we were going to have a nice "Corline" meets "Get Out" story, but it left a lot to be desired and didn't feel as fleshed out as it should've been.
I'm giving this book 3 stars - it wasn't awful, but it wasn't great. I don't think I'll recommend it to anyone however.
The summary was interesting and promised a story about "time, space, and reality," but the first half of the book was so slow and boring I had to force myself to finish it. The second half of the book was so rushed and everything happened with no explanation that it was jarring.
No one around Hylee wants to talk about what happens to her, and they instantly villainize her for something she can't control, can't explain, and can't talk about. Her only friend cuts her off, and her parents ship her away to live with her grandmother, who also will not acknowledge what happened: "...I had to live with Grandmommy because Mama and Daddy didn't know what to do with me after my sudden disappearance (and reappearance)." They treat her like a pariah despite her being a victim of what happened to her.
Beyond the gag order of her "curse," Hylee is forced to deal with the traumatic disappearance of her brother, that also no one wants to talk about, and we're left with a very confusing first half of the book where Hylee is forced into a very mundane routine where honestly nothing happens.
There's no "investigating" anything. Hylee and Eilam meet at a party and he tells her a few lines about what he knows about time travel (mostly from Marvel movies). Their relationship is so forced with very little chemistry, but Eilam is the only one who will actually talk to Hylee so of course they end up spending time together.
I wish the "dark place" would've been explored more. We're given no reason for it's existence or the strange creatures that live there or why the creatures have their horrific characters of no eyes and sewn mouths.
The ending was very sad and bittersweet, but I felt like we weren't given any time to actually feel it. There was no emotional connection before the book ended.
I wanted to like this book and thought we were going to have a nice "Corline" meets "Get Out" story, but it left a lot to be desired and didn't feel as fleshed out as it should've been.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Death of parent
Moderate: Body horror, Grief
Minor: Racism, Blood
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
We're also told CONSTANTLY how Xaden wants to kill Violet and hates her and will do anything to kill her, and yet his behavior says the exact opposite.
Violet's monologues all involve sex and how badly she wants to sleep with the two main guys (Xaden and Blondie, idk I forgot his name), and they're polar opposites. Blondie coddles her the entire book, wanting to protect her when she swears she doesn't need it, and yet when Xaden offers his help, she takes it.
Violet was such a damsel, despite her claiming the exact opposite the entire book. She doesn't do anything for herself, beyond poisoning a few students, and Xaden takes it upon himself to train her (because she can't fight), get her new daggers (because she can't use swords), and create a saddle for her (because she's smaaall and can't ride her dragon normally). Oh, but she can't TRUST HIM. He will KILL her the first chance he gets. And how DARE Blondie suggest she can't do anything for herself.
The plot was also a confusing mess. Every time the characters talked, it seemed like they'd be building up a Chevkov's gun, only for them to never revisit these things again or them being used immediately in the next chapter. (For example, the whole thing with the oranges was painfully obvious, but as a counter example the whole thing with the map they stole for that war game? Never mentioned again and I was somehow believed it was going to be important with how much time we spent building it up.)
We definitely could've cut out the first half of this book and gotten straight to the action, would've been a lot more interesting.
The majority of the chapters are build this way, with a whole lot of buildup towards something that leaves little to no impression. Even grand emotional reveals are completely forgotten a few pages later...And don't even get me started on the "plot twist" at the end. It seemed like such a weak plot device added in only for shock value. I gave this book a "fast" pacing despite being bored in the beginning because of how quickly we move from things.
Overall if you want a book with dragons occasionally making an appearance while the FMC pines over someone who hates her, read this book.
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Genuinely impressed at the marketing for this book because I was disappointed after reading it and couldn't figure out why it was so popular. It felt like a watered down fantasy book with some tropes sprinkled on top.
Excuse the length of this "review," honestly it's mostly me just ranting.
There wasn't any great character development, plot, or writing - all things I would expect from a great book. It was overall a fun book to read with friends, but I won't be recommending it to anyone and I'm still debating picking up the second one.
To start, the world-building was all right. It seemed like things existed in the world JUST to bring our main characters together, and nothing beyond that mattered. It started off interesting with the main character reciting her lessons in a way to avoid exposition, but that's pretty much all the explanation we get of the world. We don't really explore anything outside of the military school (until the very end), and the first half of the book dragged with so much nothingness happening. Imagine being bored in a school where everyone is trying to kill each other.
From the hundreds of students who are killed in the elite school, I literally didn't care about any of them. The author made sure to start every chapter with a death toll and a reading of random names of people we've never heard of. (Take a shot every time Violet mentioned someone who's name she forgot btw. It happened a lot for some reason.) Despite how dangerous this school was, there was not a single tense moment or any real stakes for any of the main characters or her friends.
Excuse the length of this "review," honestly it's mostly me just ranting.
There wasn't any great character development, plot, or writing - all things I would expect from a great book. It was overall a fun book to read with friends, but I won't be recommending it to anyone and I'm still debating picking up the second one.
To start, the world-building was all right. It seemed like things existed in the world JUST to bring our main characters together, and nothing beyond that mattered. It started off interesting with the main character reciting her lessons in a way to avoid exposition, but that's pretty much all the explanation we get of the world. We don't really explore anything outside of the military school (until the very end), and the first half of the book dragged with so much nothingness happening. Imagine being bored in a school where everyone is trying to kill each other.
From the hundreds of students who are killed in the elite school, I literally didn't care about any of them. The author made sure to start every chapter with a death toll and a reading of random names of people we've never heard of. (Take a shot every time Violet mentioned someone who's name she forgot btw. It happened a lot for some reason.) Despite how dangerous this school was, there was not a single tense moment or any real stakes for any of the main characters or her friends.
I’ll never get over how quickly people move on around here how callously death is swept under the rug and trampled on minutes later.
Gods, Xaden looks so good today… (Page 285).
Like, this is a REAL QUOTE.
We're also told CONSTANTLY how Xaden wants to kill Violet and hates her and will do anything to kill her, and yet his behavior says the exact opposite.
Violet's monologues all involve sex and how badly she wants to sleep with the two main guys (Xaden and Blondie, idk I forgot his name), and they're polar opposites. Blondie coddles her the entire book, wanting to protect her when she swears she doesn't need it, and yet when Xaden offers his help, she takes it.
Violet was such a damsel, despite her claiming the exact opposite the entire book. She doesn't do anything for herself, beyond poisoning a few students, and Xaden takes it upon himself to train her (because she can't fight), get her new daggers (because she can't use swords), and create a saddle for her (because she's smaaall and can't ride her dragon normally). Oh, but she can't TRUST HIM. He will KILL her the first chance he gets. And how DARE Blondie suggest she can't do anything for herself.
The plot was also a confusing mess. Every time the characters talked, it seemed like they'd be building up a Chevkov's gun, only for them to never revisit these things again or them being used immediately in the next chapter. (For example, the whole thing with the oranges was painfully obvious, but as a counter example the whole thing with the map they stole for that war game? Never mentioned again and I was somehow believed it was going to be important with how much time we spent building it up.)
We definitely could've cut out the first half of this book and gotten straight to the action, would've been a lot more interesting.
The majority of the chapters are build this way, with a whole lot of buildup towards something that leaves little to no impression. Even grand emotional reveals are completely forgotten a few pages later...And don't even get me started on the "plot twist" at the end. It seemed like such a weak plot device added in only for shock value. I gave this book a "fast" pacing despite being bored in the beginning because of how quickly we move from things.
Overall if you want a book with dragons occasionally making an appearance while the FMC pines over someone who hates her, read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, War
Minor: Ableism, Blood, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury