rdmoreland0801's reviews
248 reviews

Beach Read by Emily Henry

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funny 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? It's complicated

4.5

I really loved the relationship development from begrudging neighbors/college rivals to friends to lovers.

I also enjoyed the fact that you still get the relationship development and storytelling without the spicy scenes.  Although, I’m very appreciative that they’re in there.

This is a great book to read in between heavier books or series.  I’m looking forward to more Emily Henry.

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Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

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dark 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? Yes

4.0

This book is very similar to the first one, but still enjoyable.  

I absolutely adore Ravi.  He very clearly loves Pip, but he also won’t stand by while she does stupid stuff to put herself in danger.  I think it’s a good match, as they seem to balance each other out.

I’d like to see something different for the third book.  Either way, I will go ahead and finish the series.

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These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi

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emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

While this book didn’t really further the plot, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

The “relationship” between Alizeh and Cyrus brought quite a few laughs, between their bickering and desire to kill each other.

I still think Kamran needs more character development, as his character is still rather boring.

All in all, I’m looking forward to the final installment.  Tahereh Mari has set up quite a story, so I hope she can deliver.
Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson

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lighthearted slow-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

3.5

Cute story, but I didn’t feel like much was going on.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious sad fast-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? Yes

5.0

Dragons, romance, betrayal?  What more can you ask for?

We got banter, tension, badass women, and a sexy, morally gray love interest.

I cannot wake for the next book, and I’m so thankful we have to wait only six months.  I will not be able to sleep peacefully until I get my hands on it.

Although I could’ve predicted the betrayal, I was not prepared for the twist at the end!

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Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

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emotional funny inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book.  I don’t think I’ve read a book with a Gen-X cast, but it was nice to see a healthy relationship bloom between older characters.

Maggie is such a badass, with absolutely zero fucks given.  She is fiercely protective over those she loves, and she won’t hesitate to kick somebody’s ass.

Aiden is an absolute teddy bear, and it was easy to fall in love with his character.  For so long, he took all the blame for not being who everybody else wanted him to be.  When he finally understands himself, with Maggie’s help, he opens up and becomes an even brighter version of himself.

The fact that these two met over an online computer game melts my heart even more.  My father still plays these types of games and I have fond memories of my grandma playing before she passed.

My little nerd heart loves all of the references.

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The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

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funny 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

4.0

Leila and Sam were absolutely hilarious.  I love their banter and the way they do effortlessly fit into each other’s lives.

There were a few points that I wanted to wring Sam’s neck, but Leila always carried herself with such a strong no-fucks-given attitude, you knew she could stand up for herself.


In the end, Leila asks Sam to marry her - a perfect way to end the book.


Neither Leila or Sam thought they’d want to both win and lose The Marriage Game, but it turned out to be the best win-win scenario.

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Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett

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

3.0

I’m going to be honest, this was one of the most confusing books I’ve read.  I loved the premise of the story and I think it would play out well onscreen.

There’s just too many characters that are randomly thrown in, it’s hard to get attached to any of them.  I just never knew where we were or what was going on.
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

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adventurous funny mysterious slow-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? Yes

4.0

The story for this book was great, although I don’t think it played out as well as it could have.  The first half of the book was really slow and not a lot happened.  It just wasn’t memorable overall, as I had to really think about what previously happened when I picked it up the next day.

The narration was good, but I wish they would’ve cast a male voice actor for Kamran.  I just couldn’t get the full effect with the deep, slow voice of a woman.

I love second-half Alizeh who isn’t afraid to speak her mind.  When she finally loses her temper, we get a glimpse of who this character was meant to be.

Kamran is a little whiny, but falls head-over-heels for Alizeh in the silliest way.  He just can’t seem to keep his eyes off of her, which I think is adorable.

Overall, a solid 4⭐️ book.  I’ll will definitely be continuing with the series.

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Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

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emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-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? Yes

5.0

I think this has to be one of the sexiest books I’ve read recently.  While it’s not all about the sex, what is there was fascinating.

Astrid and Jordan need each other in completely different but complementary ways.  They help each other heal through some extreme trauma, and also learn many new things about themselves.

This story had the perfect amount of banter mixed with thoughtful dialog and humor.  Ashley Herring Blake is quickly solidifying herself as a must-read for me.

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