politewriter's reviews
9 reviews

adventurous dark funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

I think this book did an interesting job of subverting the usual cliches in the marriage of convenience trope. I enjoyed the ML and FL’s dynamic, as they definitely had great chemistry and I was immediately on board with cheering them on. However, the world building felt a little weak. A lot of elements weren’t quite explained well, or even seemed tossed in randomly. This ranges from trying to blend modern and fantasy elements together, to suddenly adding the “life mate” trope in. Some of these details broke my immersion and seemed to leave the story feeling disjointed. But let’s be real, I was far too invested in the spicy scenes to truly care about that.

Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell

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emotional informative inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

A light hearted and informative romance I’d highly recommend to all my friends! The diversity of the cast is amazing, and the sheer amount of research, sensitivity, and understanding that clearly went into each character portrayal is evident throughout the entire narrative. I especially enjoyed seeing realistic portrayals of people with disabilities, especially in romantic and kinky scenarios— as that often feels forgotten or excluded in other popular media. Plot was interesting, and tension was created expertly to keep readers immersed in the story. I would have liked to see a little less internalized ableism though, as it seemed a little out of place for the FL who was supposedly an educated and proud disabled woman.

Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket

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adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

A wonderful little read. If you enjoyed Snicket’s other works, you will certainly enjoy this one. The ramblings of the author are endearing, and really allow the reader to step into the plot on a personal level. The philosophy isn’t too heavy handed, and I very much enjoyed the small pieces of personal anecdotes. The literature references are just as carefully chosen and fun to spot as they are in Snicket’s other works.

Content Warnings

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

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emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

4.25

This book is absolutely phenomenal. A beautiful college romance without any of the gross power dynamics. Any sensitive topics were approached with care and sensitivity. The chemistry (pun intended) between the ML and FL is stunning, hilarious, and adorable. All characters get an appropriate amount of time to develop and move around the plot, no wasted characters. Author does a great job dropping hints and weaving together clues so readers can arrive at plot twists at just the perfect time. Absolutely loved the realistic portrayal of friendship dynamics and academia. The author is amazing at discussing the realities of academia without ostracizing those outside of STEM. Some of the lexicon may be a bit to digest, but no other majors are ever discredited for the work they do in their own fields. This book is the perfect blend of nerdy, wholesome, and thrills.

Content Warnings

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

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adventurous dark emotional sad medium-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? Yes

4.0

A rather thrilling fantasy novel. The world building had some rather fantastic depths and color to it. It was really easy to see how the author incorporated their personal experience. I really liked how that meshed. Some elements of their story seemed to get muddled at times, and I found myself needing to go back to reread something in order to understand what was happening. Lots of characters, but the author does a good job of keeping them all straight— as well as their alliances and organizations. However, FL seemed to have very little development throughout the story. She made a lot of odd choices, and that really took away from the tension of the story. I liked the chemistry between the FL and the ML tremendously. I hope to see that further developed in the second volume.

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These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

World building and immersion are amazingly well done. There’s lots of factions, characters, and lands. But despite this, I never felt confused or overloaded with information. But the Female Lead is so irritating. She’s not only naive, but denser than lead. She never asks the right questions, so much so that any foreshadowing becomes blatant and frustrating. It’s one thing to have an author guide the readers to future plot twists, and another to spoon feed them it with their nose pinched shut. I hope the supporting characters are treated better in the next book, and that the FL wises up.

Content Warnings

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

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emotional funny 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

Absolutely adorable romance. Just the right amount of characters, and an interesting plot. Lots of sexy scenes. I really wish the Male Lead had been granted more time to explore his backstory. I thought that was far more compelling than the Female Lead's story, even if those scenes were rushed. The two main character have wonderful chemistry. It was extremely enjoyable to see them interact.

Content Warnings

Pestilence by Laura Thalassa

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adventurous dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I really enjoyed the analysis and reflection done by the main character regarding the morality of the situation. It's a really interesting grey area that often isn't explored well. Unfortunately, both main characters were too emotionally constipated to do it any justice. However, that's very obviously not the book's goal. Considering the genre, morality arguements were handled very well. Did not like the main character, though. She was incapable of articulating her feelings and didn't have the capacity to argue her view point at all. Made a lot of the interactions between her and Male Lead grating.

Content Warnings

Haru's Curse by Asuka Konishi

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dark emotional sad tense 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

4.25

Such an anazing piece on grief. Has a realistic approach to character development, and the main conflict isn't wrapped up neatly with a little bow. Great pacing with tasteful comic relief.

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politewriter's reviews 9 reviews

politewriter's reviews
9 reviews