ali1311's reviews
191 reviews

emotional lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

i feel like this opinion is so unpopular, in fact i know it is because i had to literally dig through reviews to find someone who agrees with me but this was...mid. worse, it was very cheesy. to the point where i was scrunching my nose up instead of being able to appreciate what the character was saying. i think that's because the characters themselves were boring to me, and i wasn't convinced our main character had a personality. the story dragged a bit too, and i found a lot of the language cringey. despite all these caveats, this book was fine. i think the amount of hype i knew it had skewed my perception a bit, so i'm giving it a 3 because i think that without knowing how popular it was beforehand, it would have landed as a bit more standard for me rather than just disappointing.

Content Warnings

Don't Go Without Me by Rosemary Valero-O'Connell

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challenging emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

2.0

Maybe I just missed the point here, but I felt confused all during the last two stories. Not only could I not make sense of them, but I didn't care enough about the characters to want to. The first story was great and super interesting, and I honestly would have preferred for that to be the entirety of the story. The illustration was stunning though, and even if I didn't fully understand what was going on, I was able to appreciate the artistry.

Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

4.25

This was gut wrenching and lovely all at once. A very atypical romance novel, but I think that's what made it extra impactful. The combination of love and death feels like an odd one, but Cochrun pulls it off expertly. Some parts of the dialogue were a bit cringey (using queer icons' names in place of 'oh my god' or some cheesy/cliched lines), but the rest of the story made that easy to move past. It's so many different things and stories rolled into one, and I think it's a really special book that I won't soon forget. Thanks to goodreads for the arc <3

Content Warnings

Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.0

Really cool concept for a book and executed extremely well. The audiobook is also read very dynamically and it keeps you focused. I also really appreciated the comparison between Baldwin's time and the present moment.

Content Warnings

The Princess Trap by Talia Hibbert

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dark emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

3.5

This was a nice read but got unexpectedly dark at times! Overall, I enjoyed reading this, but I doubt I'll think about it much after today.

Content Warnings

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

This book slapped! There was so much going on, and the storytelling was so expertly crafted. I loved getting to learn about these characters, especially our main character, and learn more about the world they inhabit. I can't believe this is the first book in a series and that it only goes up from here--this was already so good! Anyways, you can all call me the fool for not reading this sooner, I won't mind because you'd be right. I'm not a big fantasy person usually, but this world is very easily understandable and although it takes place in a different world and there's magic, I never felt really lost in understanding the dynamics of the world (perhaps because it mirrors our own so well re: colonization (yikes)). I could say a lot more, but I still need to organize my thoughts honestly--soo much happened that there's a lot to consider. Excited for the next one!

Content Warnings

I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons Volume 1 by Yuki Fumino

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lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

A cute way to end the series. I think the series was good overall, but I appreciate a bit more romance, and I often found the lack of communication to be grating.

I Hear the Sunspot: Limit Volume 3 by Yuki Fumino

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced