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emilywemily6's reviews
259 reviews
When Among Crows by Veronica Roth
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I think I liked this book? It was written beautifully and had some really interesting Polish lore. I did feel like it was hard to know what was going on because you are dropped into the action and the magical underground of Chicago without preamble. I would have understood this more if the pacing had been slower and the characters more thorough. It definitely merits rereading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, and Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Another reviewer called this hot garbage and I have to agree. The main character was 16 but acted like she was 12 and was infuriatingly whiny, the family friends around her age were so bossy and commanding of her (who she could spend time with, if she could go to a party, etc.) and I hated that. All the characters lack depth and don’t exhibit any character growth throughout this book. It was a quick read with summer vibes but the actually plot/characters/etc. were awful. Will not be continuing the series. Maybe a preteen would enjoy this but I feel like a contemporary teenager would not. It’s hard to believe this is the same author who wrote To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia and Violence
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
I adored these characters! They had distinct personalities and some nuance, and they were hilarious! I wish the MMC had a tiny bit more depth. I loved the dynamic of this marriage of convenience/fake dating scenario because it was slightly ridiculous, along with the family vacation scenario for absurdly rich people. The side characters all felt distinct and showed a different impact of wealth on this family and their dynamics. The ending tied everything up nicely (maybe a little too nicely). Other than that being a little bit ridiculous, this book was so so good! A great summer vacation romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Body shaming and Alcohol
Minor: Abandonment
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
hopeful
tense
slow-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
5.0
Did I like this more than Empire of Storms?? Crazy. It was definitely slower paced, but felt very cohesive. I also loved that Chaol had a beautiful redemption arc- I hated him the last few books and this book actually changed my mind. I really appreciated getting to see the nuance and inner turmoil of his character. I adore Yrene and I also love Nesryn and Sartaq and felt like I was interested/invested in every plot line of this book. It ends much more hopeful than EoS so I feel like it fits in the series better before EoS if you don’t want to do the tandem read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Gore, Torture, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Infidelity, Racism, and Alcohol
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-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
4.75
Wow. I did the tandem read with Tower of Dawn and it was honestly such a long haul but also so enjoyable. The plot progression and the character growth throughout this book is so good. My one gripe would be that everyone is coupling up which feels a little obvious/contrived. I wish there was a little bit more variety in the relationship statuses. But I adore these characters and my heart broke at the end of this book 😭.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Child death, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Pregnancy
A Storybook Wedding by KJ Micciche
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
This author’s voice is hilarious and I often laughed out loud, especially with CJ’s perspective. However, it was often cringey. CJ is 29 in the year 2024, and yet she is talking about One Direction and Jersey Shore to make friends?? I’m sorry, but even the most out of touch millennials aren’t like that. Also, she’s apparently an introvert but acted very extroverted throughout the book. I also felt like Nate and her personalities were not super distinct from each other. I don’t think I’m a fan of marriage of convenience though as a trope overall. The reasoning behind the marriage was shallow and felt easily avoided. The grand gesture at the end of the book was so cute but felt a little out of character. Both characters made some stupid decisions that annoyed me. I would read more from this author but this one was just a good romance, not a great one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Medical content, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Misogyny and Pandemic/Epidemic
What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I feel like this book was better constructed than the first book in the series, but the horror elements were less prominent. I enjoyed the balance of lore and current timeline.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Death, and Blood
Minor: Classism
Studies at the School by the Sea by Jenny Colgan
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This book was almost frustrating to read because it felt like Maggie and David didn’t grow much as a couple. I liked seeing the barriers they faced in their relationship but the resolution was unsatisfying. Again, I liked the girls’ timeline better than the adults’ timeline and found it more interesting, though in this case I wish there was more going on with the other characters besides Fliss. This book did not meet my expectations as a conclusion to this story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body shaming and Eating disorder
Finale by Stephanie Garber
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.25
This was a really fitting conclusion to this series. I loved getting to see more fates and how they interacted with the main characters and each other. I want to much more lore about the fates! The stakes were high and plans failed along the way, which was very stressful. I felt like the two love triangles got kind of old though, and this book spends more time on the romances than the other two books, which wasn’t my favorite. Lots of good twists and turns though, and it left me wanting more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Medical content and Pregnancy
Legendary by Stephanie Garber
dark
mysterious
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? No
4.5
I like Tella as a character more than Scarlett, but I feel like the magic of Caraval was not as prominent in this story. It doesn’t have second book syndrome though! In fact, I feel like this book ramps up the stakes for the last book! It still has a sinister magic vibe to it, and I really like the introduction of Jacks as a character and where the story goes. I think I like this one more than the first book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual harassment and Classism