joy_kba's reviews
116 reviews

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

3 stars - Kind of got me out of a reading slump, and the things I liked are:
 
- Katniss basically killing two birds with one stone

Spoiler

when she killed Coin (which btw I GASPED), and Snow practically choked to death

- Johanna flipping Mason!

Things I didn't like:
- The pace? What happenned???? Things were happening slower bcs of the change of pace
- The many new characters made my brain hurt. There was very little time to get to know them

Spoiler

which didn't really cause feelings or emotions when some of them died...

 
- Some deaths were unnecessary

Spoiler

FINNICK?? PRIM??!!!! UNCALLED FOR

- When we finally see Effie again, we barely hear anything from her
-All the detailed promo/propo stuff
- The writing...
- The fact that Katniss didn't really have a choice in who she ended up with

Spoiler

The fact that there's a final Hunger Games with the Capitol's children is insane

All in all, it was okay. A teensy bit disappointing imo but yeah

Summer Frost by Blake Crouch

challenging dark mysterious reflective 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? N/A

3.5

3,5 stars - great concept, kind of predictable. Wish this was a little longer, maybe even a whole book with more elaboration on the ending.

Spoiler

Also, a human falling in love with the AI is played out imo.

Emergency Skin by N.K. Jemisin

challenging mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

2.5

2,5 stars - mind-bending concept, didn’t like the writing style although it’s cool to read something new & it makes you think more

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

4,5 stars - Sequels scare me, but this one was well executed. The first book is nuts, but this one is batshit crazy. The way the Capitol messes with the tributes' heads will always leave me to want to throw hands at them myself.

Spoiler

The way they executed that man from District 11 in cold blood?! Oh it's WAR

.

We finally saw more of Gale, and we know more about Madge. I loved Wiress & Beetee. Rue and Thresh were mentioned multiple times and I loved that too. Johanna Mason knows how to make her entrance & I liked the Haymitch backstory.

Spoiler

He really said "Let the revolution begin heaux" and

Johanna is jumping up and down to end Santa Claus.

The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.

I'm sorry but Ashley is too unlikeable for me. Maybe that was the goal of the author, idk

Verity by Colleen Hoover

dark tense fast-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

1.5

3 stars is generous imo. That plot twist was ass ngl lmaoooo 
[edit] : after that bonus chapter, I cannot give this book anything above 1,5 stars

Callum by Malorie Blackman

emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

 4,5 stars - This made me fall in love with Malorie Blackman's writing all over again when it comes to the Noughts & Crosses series, but also, MB is absolutely SICK FOR THIS ENDING HOW COULD SHE--

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

4 stars - ngl this was insane. Didn't like the writing style, a little too much diary talk imo, Katniss was cool, I liked Peeta, and Rueeee babygirl omg my heart ACHES even though I knew her fate bcs of the movie, which was better than the book (yes u read that right, I said what I said and I stand on it so if u wanna fight me about it, knuck if u buck). Didn't get to know Gale that much so I'm eager to know more about him. The pace was good and I enjoyed reading it 

Noble Conflict by Malorie Blackman

dark reflective tense 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? No

3.5

 3,5 stars - Malorie certainly ate with this one, but there were some things I didn't really like, such as the writing. It's written in third person, so it read differently than, say, her Noughts & Crosses books. The characters were okay (Mac was my favourite) but I didn't really know anything about Dillon

Spoiler

until his death

and I knew even less about Janna, which is unfortunate, knowing that these are Kaspar's (main character) friends who he spends a lot of time with. The pacing was fast af, which I liked but also kind of didn't. Overall, I liked it, and it's another Malorie Blackman book with a very strong message 

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

4,5 stars - written in verse so it's a fast read. The verses were written in such a good way, I had to stop several times and have a "wtf" moment (in a good way) bcs Jason Reynold's pen is so good, whewwww

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Gun violence, Murder, and Death