samanthaleeshea's reviews
65 reviews

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-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

3.75

The beginning really drew me in and the end picked up pace but I found myself so bored in the middle. Otherwise really captivating prose which is the only reason I kept reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism and Drug abuse

Minor: Incest and Rape

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This book felt all over the place. The first half was reading like a YA fantasy and I was having a hard time getting into it. Then the second half was completely different, graphic depictions of horrible violence and gore. Huge content warning for this book.

I had to put it down several times because of the graphic nature. 

I’m not sure if I’ll finish the series. 

Despite that I give it a 3.75 simply because I did, for the most part, enjoy the overall story and writing. The characters had depth and I was gripped until the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Injury/Injury detail

The Apocalypse Seven by Gene Doucette

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

All's Well by Mona Awad

dark mysterious medium-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

4.0

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

adventurous informative inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Circe by Madeline Miller

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Incest and Torture

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Car accident, and Death of parent

Minor: Abortion

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

4.0

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

dark medium-paced

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

2.75