hallenoelle's reviews
50 reviews

The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I have been a fan of Kelly Bishops for as long as I can remember. Her presence in my favorite musical, favorite movie, and favorite TV show has made her a constant voice in my life and a major inspiration. This memoir was everything I hoped it would be - a truthful dive into her life in showbiz that would provide me with the inspiration to keep going with my same dream. So many tears and laughs listening to her read her beautiful story!
Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

Lynn Painter, you sure know how to write a romcom. Something I love about this series is how it takes serious topics like grief, guilt, heartbreak, and life changes and makes them digestible through familiar characters and places. This book was a completely accurate glimpse into the college dating scene and it was so fun to see the sports romance tropes come out - something that I thought could have been used more in the first book. While I didn’t love the way Liz grew up to be less like herself, it makes sense that going to a mega university would do that to her! I just wish she was a little less of a pick-me this time. Also - both books in this series really do not pass the Bechdel test and female friendship is mildly non-existant. If tou can set the feminist hat down for a moment this was a fun and sappy read I highly recommended for college students!
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

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adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book was nothing like I expected it to be but I loved it. It centered around grief and places that mean something to us enough to return. This book is perfect for travel lovers and anyone who loves the song Marjorie by Taylor Swift.   
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A Court of Mist and Fury (2 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous lighthearted tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

This series makes me so confused constantly but I am kind of obsessed. I loved how this was centered on a found family (one of my favorite troupes) and how these people have gone through their immortal lives with the sole purpose of protecting each other. This book had much less romance than the first one, but the slow burn was so worth it. So many plot twists and craziness - but so so fun.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective medium-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? Yes

4.0

I, at first, had some apprehension about the comedy around mental health and suicidal ideation in this book but after reading how it played out, I do think Alison Espach did a great job at taking a character on a journey from near death to life again. This book relishes in the small moments of life that make us proud to be humans and pushes the reader to see life through the lense of someone living with no tomorrow. This book was challenging at first, but I ended up falling in love with the characters and I was rooting for them all - in so many different ways - until the very end! I will be reflecting on this one for a while!
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Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

This book is a gorgeous dive into sisterhood, grief, addiction, and families as we age. She vividly tackled birth order and how sibling caregivers grow up too fast in a way that I had never considered. This story is for anyone with sisters or female friends and wants a good cry!!
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A Court of Mist and Fury (1 of 2) by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Only part one! Full review in part two!
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous challenging dark funny tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

I swore I would never read this series because it’s long and I’m normally not a big series person - but I have been proven wrong. I actually really enjoyed this book! It was unpredictable, funny, and full of adventure that reminded me of the books I grew up reading. It’s been a super long time since I’ve read a true fantasy book so it was so fun to get lost in this world. I do have some major qualms that I am hoping are addressed in the next books, however, like the underlaying hints of abuse that are kind of threaded throughout her relationships with every man she encounters? Also the lack of female friendship (other than Alis) made it lose a few points in my mind because it made the book feel so catered to the romance instead of the plot and characters. I will be reading the rest and I am excited to see what comes!!
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Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book is one of those I will remember for a long time. From the very beginning I was transported to a summery PNW town with characters that felt real. I loved that this book focused on an elderly woman! I feel like so often we get stuck in the mindset of life ending after 30, but this book was full of hope and joy of the post-retirement years. As predictable as it may be, a book from the point of view of an octopus is something I never thought I would love so so much. Please read to feel better!
Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher

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funny lighthearted medium-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

3.5

This book was such a fun movie adaptation - if the movie had a lot of spice! I don’t think I was the target audience, just because I typically perfect contemporary fiction, but it was a lot of fun to read! I NEED to discuss the lying in this review. They lie to each other nonstop and one of the characters lies about saving themselves for marriage which was a received as if he said he was dying. Again, just don’t know if I was the target audience but I will recommend to people looking for a summery fun book!