whiskedawayreads's reviews
550 reviews

Cress by Marissa Meyer

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This was such a great YA read. I have throughly enjoyed the progression of world building through the three books in the series. The expansion of worlds, characters, and countries have been very intriguing. There is a good combination of humor, suspense and romance rolled into one. I found the writing enjoyable and entertaining. I would definitely recommend this one!
A Sticky Situation by Jessie Crockett

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funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This was a cozy read, and the review reflects such. The characters were charming but without a ton of depth. The plot was interesting but not overly intriguing. I appreciated the new characters for the twists and turns they introduced which complimented the storylines continuing from books 1 and 2. I was disappointed by that lack of wild game present, although Graham was utilized well as a character. 
Vicious by V.E. Schwab

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dark sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

There was a small cast of characters but not many with positive redeeming qualities. The tale was presented as a villain versus villain, with both sides willing to torture, torment and abuse others if they did not meet a need. Perhaps that makes me basic, but I prefer to explore characters with some redeeming or positive qualities. Which was generally lacking. While I typically enjoy non linear timelines and dual perspectives, it was incredibly hard to follow switches between perspectives and to remember the timeline accurately. I imagine some of this is due to the audiobook format, but it was still disappointing.
All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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? No

2.25

I found the plot to be fairly slow, and it was hard for me to get into. I found the characters enjoyable, but also experiencing some age-based immaturity that was repetitive and irritating at times. As the story progressed, particularly toward the end of the novel, created some intrigue. I preferred the end of the novel for this reason. I’m slightly disappointed as I’ve enjoyed other reads by this author, and was expecting more. 
Death by Iced Coffee by Alex Erickson

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This was an enjoyable read. It was relaxing, with bits of suspense and humor woven throughout. I can’t say that there was anything majorly stand out about the book, but there wasn’t anything that was terrible or completely lacking either. There was increased focus on some side characters, when was a nice change of pace. The MC’s level of insight into their nosiness and behaviors relating to investigation was refreshing, compared to other mystery novels where the MC run head along into danger through sheer stubbornness.
Final Offer by Lauren Asher

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funny lighthearted 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? Yes

2.25

It was meh. There wasn’t anything terrible about the book, but there also wasn’t anything that was stand out. I wasn’t a fan of true female MC. As someone working in the mental health field, I also did not see an accurate portrayal of substance use- particularly through the perspectives of the characters. There were some humorous moments and pieces of good writing. But unfortunately I didn’t love this read.
Pink Lemonade Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

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lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

0.25

I was so disappointed in this read. I have read every Hannah Swenson mystery since I started the series over 10 years ago. However, this book seemed like it was written by a different author, with no thought put to the plot line, repetitive nature of information, or characters at all. The jokes are overused and fall flat after the fourth time they are used, let alone the 100th by the end of the novel. The sexism and shaming present toward the young female characters was terrible to read, and completely unnecessary. There was more attention to the recipes and eating than the storyline. And the attention to the food and eating was so repetitive that it was not enjoyable to read. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone unfortunately.
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This was a great follow up to the first book in the series. The plot and characters kept me intrigued and wanting to learn and read more. Despite the popularity of the series, I found myself being surprised at the storyline’s progression. It was also interesting to see more of this created world.
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater

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challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

The reading style and chapter presentation was very unique, but also very enjoyable. The many perspectives allowed for a well rounded telling of these real life events. The aspects of gender and race were well explained and thoroughly explored within the context of the novel. The themes of forgiveness, respect and restoration were beautifully detailed.
Falling in Love on Sweetwater Lane by Belle Calhoune

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book was pleasing in a relaxing, predictable way of reading. The characters were enjoyable and fun. I enjoyed the younger characters, as I don’t know how often young characters are developed with adult novels. I also loved all the inclusion of animals. The plot line was well developed and seemed believable. Now I want to go back and read the first books!