paper_queen's reviews
83 reviews

Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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

4.0

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Trouble In Bookland (Part One) by Marlene Simonette

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

3.5

This was such an intriguing idea! I only wish it could have been longer! I know there's a second part, but why not just put them together? But overall, it was a lot of fun with a really good cliffhanger.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Countdown by Deborah Wiles

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.0

This was so cute and fun! I have a soft spot for historical fiction, and this was a surprisingly good story about the era of the Cuban Missile Crisis. A lot of heart, and really draws you in with simple words hiding deeper ideas.

The Traitor Prince by C.J. Redwine

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense 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

5.0

THIS WAS SO GOOD. All of the character relationships and the tense plot and all of the action was so, so good! I can't wait to read more of these books!

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Such an interesting, bittersweet, story. I'm glad I picked this one up. It's a quick read, and a fascinating look at the period. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Car accident, and Death

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This was one I really wasn't planning on reading, but I decided to pick it up and...it was definitely interesting. Most of the beginning reads like the original Disney movie, but then it takes a dark turn and we get to see a more violent, unsavory Agrabah, which was fascinating. The characters pretty much stayed themselves, though at times it seemed like their personalities were a bit dulled down. The book as a whole felt a bit like a string-of-pearls plot, where one thing happened, then moved onto the next thing, then the next thing. And I really didn't like how Genie was treated in this. The ending is not satisfying and doesn't fit with his character at all. Overall, it wasn't bad. The action was compelling and I liked some of the new characters introduced. But that doesn't mean it was good, necessarily. It's a mid-rating book for me. 

Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo, K.G. Campbell

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted slow-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

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

adventurous challenging funny inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This was such a fun read! I really loved all the characters, and the plot was so good! And it wrapped up very nicely, but still left room for a sequel. I'll be picking that up soon! Very fun and enjoyable read.