theshelvesofschae's reviews
197 reviews

Nobody Does It Better: A Gossip Girl Novel by Cecily von Ziegesar

lighthearted 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? Yes

1.0

It was so odd that all of a sudden the narrator (is it supposed to be Gossip Girl or Cecily von Ziegesar herself?) chiming in and adding their opinions to every other paragraph... 

You're the One That I Want by Cecily von Ziegesar

lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.0

I can't believe how many typos I spotted while struggling through this.

I Like It Like That by Cecily von Ziegesar

lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.0

I can't believe the huge party teased at the end of book 4 is just... explained away in a sentence. These are such a drag, but I'm doing this to myself by not stopping lol :(

Because I'm Worth It by Cecily von Ziegesar

lighthearted 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? Yes

2.0

So repetitive with everything. Highlighting the flaws of the characters constantly, with no forward movement. 

All I Want is Everything by Cecily von Ziegesar

lighthearted 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? Yes

2.0

The timeline of things happening throughout the plot made no sense to me...

You Know You Love Me by Cecily von Ziegesar

lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.0

I'm just struggling through this (in terms of enjoyment, speed wise I flew through it)... and it's only book 2.

Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar

lighthearted 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? Yes

3.0

Kind of a letdown to be honest. I thought I would like this more but it was very average. Butttt I recently picked up the entire series at the thrift store so I am diving into this world whether I like it or not :/

Robin by Dave Itzkoff

emotional informative slow-paced

2.0

For me, this was really hard to get through (pacing wise, not content). It was really impersonable and off-putting. I can't knock the research and work that went into writing the book, but the further I got into the book the further I felt from really connecting with Robin's life and story.

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I was hooked! Seeing the rise and fall of each woman was heart wrenching, fascinating, and poignant. I'm a sucker for a behind-the-scenes showbiz/the dark side of glitz and glamour kind of story. Really enjoyed the strong writing, enticing dialogue, and great pacing. I only slowed down a little while reading this because it was finals week and I was distracted. But I kept coming back to it excited to read more when I had the free time!

The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Now that the series is stepping away from its initial murder mystery, I was a bit disappointed with cramming in the story into one book. Where the first three books allowed the mystery to ebb and flow (not without its pacing issues), this felt like a mess of clues and odd jumps to conclusions.