abrunettereads's reviews
225 reviews

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous emotional 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

I get it. I get the craze. 

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.

Ch 1 - 5 || i am reading but unable to really connect with any of the characters. I think this book’s audience might be middle grade, and for that reason the voices and characters seem a little too immature to me. Will be dnf-ing this ine, as I was not really keen on knowing more about anyone. Maybe just the curse itself but other than that no characters have made a dent. I did like the scenery and the dragon. 

Reign & Ruin by J.D. Evans

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

an absolute gem of a fantasy novel; first in its series

if you’re looking for a well written fantasy novel with a unique magic system and brilliant world building, pick this one up

there is political intrigue, well crafted characters, MCs that have amazing chemistry, and most of all characters you care for and root for

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

emotional funny relaxing fast-paced

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

4.25

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

4.0

While the twists weren’t exactly unpredictable, the plot and the characters kept me wanting more. 

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

adventurous mysterious 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

4.5

Alone with You in the Ether: A Love Story by Olivie Blake

dark emotional 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

This was an absolute delight to read. 

From the moment Regan and Aldo were introduced, I was hooked. 

Their love story, while not ordinary or normal in any way, was unique yet somehow a love story that everyone has experienced. 

They were two extremely flawed human beings, who meet and fall in love. Their lives don’t change just cause they fell in love, and neither does their mental health issues go away. 

They both need a fixing, but neither is there to fix the other. 

It was beautiful, rare, extravagant and enchanting. 

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

0.75

This should have been a good book, however I didn’t pick this book up to read about wines and cellars and architecture. I want to know more about the research, the manuscript (which btw was completely forgotton by like 10%). 

This wasn’t a dark academia. It isn’t “dark academia “ if you have four scenes in a library and then the remaining in some cellar/dungeon discussing million years old wine and champagne. 


Anyway, a complete let down. 

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
Did not finish book. Stopped at 26%.

The jumping back-n-forth between characters and time was more confusing and the thriller aspect felt flat

Close Your Eyes by Teresa Driscoll
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.

Language and prose feels a little unpolished, and the emotions conveyed for parents who just had their child go missing seemed off.