sarafinley's reviews
586 reviews

Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood

fast-paced

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

4.0

Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory

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? No

3.5

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad

reflective medium-paced

4.5

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

This starts off so strong. The tension, the heat! Excellent. But then everything slows down. Schedules stop overlapping and instead of doing a time jump we spend months at a time where the plot feels stagnant. 

Would recommend for a good time, just could have been shorter. 

Make Room for Love by Darcy Liao

lighthearted medium-paced

3.0

Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young

emotional 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? No

3.75

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

5.0

The Favorites by Layne Fargo

mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Wuthering Heights on ice. I’m obsessed. OBSESSED. Kat and Heath stay true to their source. They burn too hot. Go too far. Hurt each other, themselves, and anyone who gets too close. But The Favorites still manages to shine a new light on these characters, give them new depth, and had me locked in to every word. 

Don’t skip the audiobook. It’s a masterpiece.

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

4.5

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

dark reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

The detail felt like a lot in the beginning but then those details came back around and were woven into patterns and themes that take Elena and Lela into their young adult lives. 

The way that Elena and Lela influence each other throughout the story and continue to push each other while also continuously switching between moments of fortune and turmoil had me incredibly impressed with the writing here. It’s a slow read but I felt like I was reading someone’s therapy sessions the way it was recanted by the narrator. 

No lie at first I didn’t understand why a historical fiction story would need four parts but I GET IT NOW. I’m fully in this. THAT ENDING? I need answers yesterday.