raco_vl's reviews
17 reviews

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

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funny mysterious reflective 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

4.75

I enjoyed this book, but i'm not sure if it was in the right way. I'm pretty sure the tone of this novel is to be dark because a main theme is
the blurring of vice and virtue
, but it's so... silly to me. 

It's hard to feel any sympathy for Dorian, so all his 'revelations' and his growing into a 'man' seemed so silly to me. It's really the naivety of the idle classes with the "privilege of those who have nothing to do", that this sort of thing would happen to. 

Not to mention, the wild two page monologues that Lord Harry has about women! I'm not sure what thats about, but it's kind of funny. Not sexism, but just how much he has to say about it. 

It's a funny book, but I genuinely enjoyed the ending. It's definitely worth the read :)

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The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

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adventurous dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

im gonna be honest, im not the best with high fantasy because it all goes in one ear and out the other, but this was good. it was interesting. it kept me hooked. will pick up the next book eventually.
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

1.0

I don't know how to communicate to you how painful it was for me to get through this book. 

I think if it hadn't been the first book i read in my highschool book club, and if i'd done a bit of research about the book beforehand, i would have known how to enjoy it. 

This is a hate read. Yes, the characters are lovable because I'm a sucker for the sunshine character trope
Xander heart eyes
, but it's such a shame we have to read it from the most poorly written main character, ever. Ouu she plays chess and could find a key super fast :0 s shes a genius!! and shes sassy. haven't read this 50 times over and over again on wattpad. 

No hate to wattpad, it's free stories. I had a good time reading there when i was younger! But tell me how this ended up being one of the 'Best Fiction for Young Adults' ??? My brother in christ, ONE OF THE CHARACTERS ASKS "If yes is no and once is never, then how many sides does a triangle have". BE FR. 

content warning: "i looked into his gray orbs" and lots of details about back muscle. 
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I adored this book, too. It's romance done in the way i think most romances should be done.

The book mainly focuses on Adie Larue. In fact, the romance doesn't start until about halfway! This way Adie has her own goals and motivations; her own character. Same with Henry. Great, Great, Amazing.

What makes this so much more than the other romance novels i've read, is that it OFFERS A MORAL. YOU TAKE SOMETHING AWAY FROM THIS NOVEL. A REVELATION. To some, it might be obvious (i'm not sure), but if you're part of the teen girl audience like I, then i'm sure you'll find the moral to be heart warming and :))) <333 awhhhgggehtf

I LOVE THIS BOOK. I'm gonna find the physical copy asap.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

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emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

I don't know how to emphasize this. READ THIS BOOK. AUGGGHHH.
Kiss the Girls by James Patterson

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

This was interesting to read. Probably the only mystery book I ever actually finished. But when i think about it, i do feel disgusted and nauseous. Definitely not for the faint hearted, or, i guess, stomached. 
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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emotional funny 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

So, this was a hard read for me because it wasn't my reading level. However, when i got through it.. it's hard to say i didn't enjoy it :) Now, all i need is for this to happen to me. 
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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dark emotional 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

5.0

I adore this book. I was never really interested in the drama romance genre, but this... i don't know how to say it.

I've never felt so much sympathy for characters. I've never been so invested in characters. These characters were my children for a week. I loved them. It's also the first time I've ever cried because of a book in a couple of years. The last time was Percy Jackson, and I think that explains itself. 

READ THIS BOOK.
Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames

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adventurous challenging funny
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
it probably would have helped if i had read the first book. LMAO.
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

This book. This book. 

This book is something you read when you've had a bad day at work or school. You've been dodging your friends for a while because you're just so tired. Things haven't been going great. Right now, you just need to escape. Enter: This book.

Is it the best work of historical fiction? No. Is it written with eloquence? No. Does it offer new views and add anything new to the table? Well, kind of. It's always good to listen to Asian-American stories. But what I'm trying to communicate is that you don't read this book to gain something from it. You read this because it's an easy read. It's feel good.