the_bookish_musings_of_mari's reviews
1268 reviews

Blue Light Hours by Bruna Dantas Lobato

emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

A beautiful, tender and quiet story. I am so glad I picked this up from a library display. It will stay with me for a long time. 

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

emotional informative tense slow-paced

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

2.0

This was a slog. I had to push to read to page 379 and then could not anymore. I skimmed the repetition of the war chapters and read the last few pages.

Griffin and Sabine, 25th Anniversary Limited Edition: An Extraordinary Correspondence by Nick Bantock

adventurous mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

This was so fun! The letters, the postcards, the art! 
Someone recommended this if you liked S. by JJ Abrams and I agree. Although this is much simpler. 

Toward Eternity by Anton Hur

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

A poetic introspective novel. An ode to poetry and love and technology and history. I couldn’t keep all the threads straight but I just let the words flow over me like beautiful music.

The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld
Did not finish book. Stopped at 29%.

It was just painful to try to keep going. I was intrigued at the start but the bleak prison descriptions and the jump from one character to a new one didn’t pull me through.

Back After This by Linda Holmes

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.0

A cute rom-com, predictable and entertaining with some fun tidbits about how podcasts are made 

Daughter of Fire by Sofia Robleda

challenging sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

Some parts really lagged but overall this is such a fascinating, little-known piece of history 

Tempting Auzed by Victoria Aveline

emotional hopeful 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

4.25

An enjoyable alien romance. 3/5 spice. 

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous mysterious slow-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

3.0

I wanted to love this - I want to be part of the Famdom. But sadly, this drags. There were random whole chapters that were repetitive and unnecessary. 
I feel FOMO - I want to be obsessed with this series but no, it’s not happening. There was one excellent “bonded mates” scene about 80% into the book. The rest was… tedious. 

Saving Verakko by Victoria Aveline

hopeful lighthearted fast-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

Still not as good as Chasing Theo