withloveandlights's reviews
133 reviews

The Sophisticated Cat: A Gathering of Stories, Poems, and Miscellaneous Writings About Cats by Joyce Carol Oates, Daniel Halpern
Did not finish book. Stopped at 1%.

I expected this book to be full of lighthearted short stories and poems about cats, instead the very first 3 page short story focused around a man who was terrifying and hurting a kitten

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.

Learned of the extensive animal cruelty within the book as well as not feeling comfortable continuing the book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

Doorways in the Sand by Roger Zelazny

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 7 by Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe

emotional funny lighthearted 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

Neon Gods by Katee Robert

dark fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Violence

Moderate: Murder

Emma by Jane Austen

challenging lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently by Gallup

informative slow-paced

3.0

Powerless by Lauren Roberts

adventurous dark emotional sad 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? Yes

4.0

Too Good to Be Real by Melonie Johnson

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.0

Like many other reviews I’ve seen, I had a really hard time distinguishing each of the girls in Julia’s friend group as well as Julia herself. While the LARP rom-com setting was a great concept, it was lackluster for me. The double names for each character, on top of their already established nicknames, just made keeping track of everyone more difficult. 

There was a lot of focus on the friendship circle and other budding romances across the minor characters that took away from time that could have been used to deepen the connection between Julia and Luke. Their romance came across very insta-lovey. 

The impending conflict was clearly apparent from the very beginning of the novel which left me unable to root for the romance from their first meeting. By the end of the book I still wasn’t convinced they were each other’s person.