thelibronaut's reviews
16 reviews

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

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

3.0

This book was cute, but somewhat disappointing to me.
In theory it had everything to make it completely charming and irresistible:
- Quirky, offbeat artist FMC
- Dashing, charming, sweet love interests
- an interesting and unique hook
- A spunky best friend
- A cute dog

And yet.

There was something that just did not come together for me. It felt formulaic. I wanted so much to be charmed and fall in love with this book, but in the end it just fell flat.

Not bad in the least, just underdelivered for me.
River Marked by Patricia Briggs

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

3.75

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A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

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adventurous funny 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? No

4.0

I liked catching up with old favourites in this book, and I also quite liked the way the story is told both from Sophos' recounting of the tale and also the 'present' action. Once again the court intrigue is fabulous, but there was something that rubbed me the wrong way. Not able to put my finger on it.
The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

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

4.5

By far my favourite of the series. I loved the court intrigue and how Eugenides machinations all came together. I'm still a bit salty about the events of book 2, but this one helped to heal my heart.
The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

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adventurous dark funny tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This book took a hard turn to the darker side of things, but despite that I really enjoyed it. Once again, well executed twists and turns and a very real fantasy world.
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The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

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

4.0

While this book started excruciatingly slowly, I fell in love by the end. A strong fantasy world, with great twists, and a really lovely cast of characters.
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

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

3.0

This is probably my favourite of Ali Hazelwood's. I'm a big fan of the 'STEMinist' romance movement. Still there were parts that were a bit cringey and I am not a huge fan of Hazelwood's spice scenes. Some of the terms she uses are a bit hard to read, for me.
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Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey

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

3.0

I thought vineyard-heiress-turned-trader Natalie and Navy Seal August were pretty cute. Pros: both characters were imperfect, which I enjoy. Also sign me up for romances with an alternating viewpoint; yes, every time. I don’t read a ton of spicy books, but it didn’t make me cringe so I will count that as a pro. Cons: August cannot, I repeat cannot, go more than two thoughts/sentences without referencing his junk. Or Natalie’s boobs. Someone send help for this man. I still thought he was kind of adorable in a horny golden retriever way. Also a major plotline, just kind of… disappeared? Do we care? Not sure.  
All that said, I actually found myself laughing at some points and smiling at the cute bits, so, despite the flaws I did enjoy it. Perfect for a vacation, or quick, easy refresh. 
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Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

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

3.75

I'm here, it's the 5th book, I am liking the series. Excellent urban fantasy world. I think this is the book where they used a rather racist phrase that made me gasp out loud (but it may have been book 4). As I've mentioned in previous reviews, the treatment of Mercy's indigenous heritage hasn't aged well.
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Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs

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

3.75

So I'm here writing a review for the fourth installment in this series, so clearly I'm invested. I have to say that the series remains strong, which is often challenging for series that extend past a trilogy.

There are some things that show the age of the book and haven't aged well, but overall enjoyable.
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