thecozyarchivist's reviews
1381 reviews

The High Republic Adventures – Dispatches from the Occlusion Zone 3 by Daniel José Older

adventurous funny 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? It's complicated

4.0

Love that this helps progress the story further. And of course happy to have more Emerick.

Cross the Line by Simone Soltani
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.

I think I'll try this again someday, but something about their power dynamics just wasn't working for me.

Ms. Marvel Vol. 3: Crushed by

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

I'm so glad I finally read this run because I got to see some of the inspiration for the Ms. Marvel show. Love Kamala's growth and learning more about her powers. Can't wait to keep reading!

A Nun for the Viking Warrior by Lucy Morris

adventurous funny lighthearted tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

I absolutely loved this book! This is my first viking romance and it certainly will not be my last. This has unlocked an entire new genre for me while still hitting so many of my favorite tropes in romance novels. I love me a big giant dude that's an absolute cinnamon roll. And the shy heroine that has an immense amount of growth to come into her strength. This book was also very spicy, like very spicy. If you've been sleeping on Harlequin romances or historical romances, this is your sign to try them out.

Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

4.0

This was probably the best book in this collection. It was super cute and sweet, and I love that the FMC was a comic book illustrator.

Hot Hex Boyfriend by Carly Bloom

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-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

4.0

This book was so much fun! I loved that it was a romance novel that was also very witchy and had a really good mystery at the center of everything. I honestly had such a blast reading it and loved all the characters with their many quirks. It also addressed some heavy topics around classism while still making the story relatable to everyone. I really hope we see more books set in this world!

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the ARC!

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

adventurous dark funny sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Honestly can't believe they were able to turn this into one of the most popular musicals ever, but it sounds like they took the best parts of this weird old book. This was such a wild ride and I'm still a little shocked but it kept me entertained enough to finish.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez

challenging tense fast-paced

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

2.5

I really wanted to love The Next Best Fling, especially because the FMC is a librarian, but unfortunately this ended up just bumming me out. The characters entire relationship was built off lies, lies between each other as well as lying to their family and friends. It just felt doomed and even though they figured things out in the end, it didn't feel great. I'll still be curious to check out other books in this series because I liked the writing and concept. Just wish everyone sucked a little bit less.

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the ARC!

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

adventurous funny 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

5.0

I love when science fiction is goofy and just down for a good time, and that's why John Scalzi is one of my favorite authors. When the Moon Hits Your Eye was such a fun read and I love that it fits so well with his last few standalone novels. I think we've all wondered what would happen if the moon turned to cheese, and Scalzi lets us explore this reality. It's so fun that we see it from many different points of view including the president, NASA, and other government agencies, as well as just regular people. Scalzi's books always feel so cinematic and this was no exception. (I'm begging someone to turn one of his books into a movie finally!) The writing is also very snappy and was absolutely making me giggle and kick my feet. I honestly can't wait for other to get to read this book. John Scalzi is a staple in accessible scifi and I will be shouting about this book to anyone who will listen.

Thank you Tor and NetGalley for the ARC!

Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas by Caroline McKenzie

informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, this is a cute behind the scenes book with lots of fun crafts and recipes. I hope we see an updated version someday.