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samarakroeger's reviews
550 reviews
Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.0
the way I NEED a book about Nicola and Geeta…..
anyways. love the charm of this series; the sense of place is very strong. Oxford is a vivid place in my mind despite never having been there.
I related hard to charlotte in this book (she’s not even a main character). I loved the complicated friendship dynamics and the different relationships they each have with the others. The side characters are handled really well.
my main complaints are just that the book is too long and the writing is a little clunky (it’s self-pub, though). I preferred this one to Meeting Millie (mostly bc I don’t love Millie as much).
anyways. love the charm of this series; the sense of place is very strong. Oxford is a vivid place in my mind despite never having been there.
I related hard to charlotte in this book (she’s not even a main character). I loved the complicated friendship dynamics and the different relationships they each have with the others. The side characters are handled really well.
my main complaints are just that the book is too long and the writing is a little clunky (it’s self-pub, though). I preferred this one to Meeting Millie (mostly bc I don’t love Millie as much).
Right on Cue by Falon Ballard
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Falon Ballard continues to hit (for me, at least). This was fun and a bit angsty and ultimately very satisfying. Very Gilmore Girls coded setting (love). An on-screen relationship is kind of like a twist on the fake dating trope.
The third act conflict was easy to see coming but honestly — who reads romcoms for the plot???
The third act conflict was easy to see coming but honestly — who reads romcoms for the plot???
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
the only self-help book I’ll ever recommend. Sugar’s columns feel like a soul enveloping hug from a friend. who knew that empathy and compassion could go so far?
an essential book to read in your 20s. I’ll get back to you in 5 years about reading it in your 30s, I guess.
an essential book to read in your 20s. I’ll get back to you in 5 years about reading it in your 30s, I guess.
Night and Day by Virginia Woolf
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
listen, if this had been actually sapphic it would have gotten a much higher rating. super interesting to see how woolf's writing style evolves -- this book is more traditional and victorian-lite than The Voyage Out. doesn't feel like her at all at times.
The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
it's just fun, okay? i devoured this series.
Idol, Burning by Rin Usami
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
read this in one tense sitting. i love a good parasocial internet book featuring a mentally unwell young woman lol
My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
this is a simple book, but in a good way?
anyways, i feel like i could pick up any Elizabeth Strout book and have a decent time for a few hours but not be too bothered by it afterwards. perfect for insomnia
anyways, i feel like i could pick up any Elizabeth Strout book and have a decent time for a few hours but not be too bothered by it afterwards. perfect for insomnia
The Trial: A New Translation Based on the Restored Text by Franz Kafka
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.25
i feel like i finally understand what kafka-esque means now: pointless bureaucracy!
Wildfire by Hannah Grace
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
liked this one a lot more than Icebreaker. the summer camp setting (and lack of horrible “friends”) absolutely contributed to it.
still not the biggest fan of one night stand meet cutes in books (despite being a realistic premise for a college story), but Hannah Grace managed to retain some tension with the “forbidden” aspect at camp. I still think there’s a little too much sex in this series for my taste but others might disagree.
still not the biggest fan of one night stand meet cutes in books (despite being a realistic premise for a college story), but Hannah Grace managed to retain some tension with the “forbidden” aspect at camp. I still think there’s a little too much sex in this series for my taste but others might disagree.
You, Again by Kate Goldbeck
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
When Harry Met Sally is my favorite movie. This book is a blatant rip-off (retelling?) of a beloved classic that, frankly, can’t be improved upon. It’s a gender swapped 21st century version featuring the exact same plot beats but without Meg Ryan.
Honestly the book is fine it just doesn’t hold a candle to Nora Ephron. My only real complaint is the writing style — too detached for a romcom! It read more like a screenplay, which is exactly the tone I don’t want from a book.
Honestly the book is fine it just doesn’t hold a candle to Nora Ephron. My only real complaint is the writing style — too detached for a romcom! It read more like a screenplay, which is exactly the tone I don’t want from a book.