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the_midwest_library's Reviews (796)
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
This is a really beautiful coming of age story, raw and completely honest in how the young male main character awakens to the world. The story lingers, much like ones first love, in expected ways. As always, Sean's writing is spectacular.
I will absolutely be there waiting to see what he writes next. This was a beautiful, nostalgic feeling, lonely story that I found absolutely fulfilling with every passage. There's something so warmly melancholic about this and I adored every second.
I will absolutely be there waiting to see what he writes next. This was a beautiful, nostalgic feeling, lonely story that I found absolutely fulfilling with every passage. There's something so warmly melancholic about this and I adored every second.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated
This was a great conclusion to the series, or what is the main series....because I hear rumors there might be more written in this world one day 👀👀
I will say, the pacing of the plot was a bit rushed feeling for the first third of this installment however once we settled in it, I really appreciated how this one came together. I loved how there were some fabulous character callbacks to earlier loops and all the threads wove together.
I know our main character will likely rub some readers the wrong way in the first book (I liked his persnickety nature lol) but the character growth is fantastic as the series progresses. He's smart, confident, sly and clever in every installment and that all could be seen in how this series concluded.
I give this series a 4/5 overall I really loved it.
I will say, the pacing of the plot was a bit rushed feeling for the first third of this installment however once we settled in it, I really appreciated how this one came together. I loved how there were some fabulous character callbacks to earlier loops and all the threads wove together.
I know our main character will likely rub some readers the wrong way in the first book (I liked his persnickety nature lol) but the character growth is fantastic as the series progresses. He's smart, confident, sly and clever in every installment and that all could be seen in how this series concluded.
I give this series a 4/5 overall I really loved it.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Okay, I think if you loved This Is How You Lose The Time War, you'll love this. I did not enjoy either that much tbh. This was really a speculative spy romance more
than a sci-fi. Which was... unfortunate for me. The beginning was really compelling but by the middle I just wanted it to be over. I
found it a touch boring. The concepts are cool, but I just didn't like any of the characters enough
than a sci-fi. Which was... unfortunate for me. The beginning was really compelling but by the middle I just wanted it to be over. I
found it a touch boring. The concepts are cool, but I just didn't like any of the characters enough
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Libro FM and the publisher/author for the ARC!
I was really impressed with this debut, fans of literary fiction with Sally Rooney vibes will probably love this as well.
A strong narrative voice follows a family dealing with the complications of life changing events. A deep look at marriage between two tragically flawed characters. This is a story of grief from every fucked up place grief takes you.
There was a line, something to the effect of "grief isn't an oyster you can't swallow it in one go" (I had the audiobook so I can't find the exact line again haha) and that is absolutely this book in a nutshell.
The writing is strong, the story compelling I read it so fast. I will absolutely keep my eyes peeled for more from this author. My biggest critique is I feel like the book would have been stronger ending like 4 chapters early. I would have preferred a sharp ending rather than a hopeful one because I'm a glutton for pain. Absolutely fabulous debut!!
I was really impressed with this debut, fans of literary fiction with Sally Rooney vibes will probably love this as well.
A strong narrative voice follows a family dealing with the complications of life changing events. A deep look at marriage between two tragically flawed characters. This is a story of grief from every fucked up place grief takes you.
There was a line, something to the effect of "grief isn't an oyster you can't swallow it in one go" (I had the audiobook so I can't find the exact line again haha) and that is absolutely this book in a nutshell.
The writing is strong, the story compelling I read it so fast. I will absolutely keep my eyes peeled for more from this author. My biggest critique is I feel like the book would have been stronger ending like 4 chapters early. I would have preferred a sharp ending rather than a hopeful one because I'm a glutton for pain. Absolutely fabulous debut!!
adventurous
mysterious
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
Book 3 in the Mother of Learning series done, I'm really loving these. Given that this is a time loop series I don't find them repetitive at all really, especially in these later installments where we have learned so much more. The ending was great I wasn't expecting to see this particular character come into the mix. One more left!!!
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I enjoyed this one, a dark, twisty, sexy book about the most bizarre people trapped on a remote island. Part mystery, part literary fiction, the island itself feels alive throughout this story. The characters each have their own secrets, from the mundane to the absolute bat shit crazy 😆 I quite enjoyed this meandering tale, it's short, impactful and satisfying from start to finish.
I do think if everyone just had a single conversation the first day they met this whole plot could have been avoided hahaha but where is the fun in that?
I do think if everyone just had a single conversation the first day they met this whole plot could have been avoided hahaha but where is the fun in that?
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Fuck, tuberculosis really is everywhere. I love this nonfiction era that John is in, both of his nonfiction books I have absolutely adored. This was a beautifully prolific story on racism, income inequality, and the exploitation of medical research and cures. I loved it, and I could have read 200 more pages about these tubers hahaha
fast-paced
Super great, loved the art, I watched the anime first and so I was shocked at how true to the source material it turned out to be. Which did make this a scooch boring at times haha but it's not the mangas fault I did things out of order 😆
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm not a lover of folklore or fairytale retellings/tales, while I can appreciate them they just aren't a subgenre I am drawn to.
I do think the writing was beautiful in this, and I think fans of these types of lyrical stories will eat this up. I found myself not super invested in the story overall, nor the world per se. But I did like the characters and felt as though they were each distinct even with so few pages.
The story does seem a bit overambitious for the amount of pages but overall I liked, didn't love this.
I do think the writing was beautiful in this, and I think fans of these types of lyrical stories will eat this up. I found myself not super invested in the story overall, nor the world per se. But I did like the characters and felt as though they were each distinct even with so few pages.
The story does seem a bit overambitious for the amount of pages but overall I liked, didn't love this.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
Another excellent installment in the world. I am kinda addicted to how every loop is going in a completely unique direction while being tied to the larger plot seamlessly. These are so quick to read too it's just fabulous.
I'm really glad I picked this series up. These are very close to 5 stars for me I'm having a great time with them!
I'm really glad I picked this series up. These are very close to 5 stars for me I'm having a great time with them!