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junibjones's reviews
194 reviews
Our Lives at the Periphery by Evelyn Tarrants
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
3.5
The concept incredibly original and I loved that. I just wished that more characters had been more fleshed out. I wanted to know why Oscar's family were the way that they are, but that's never really explained. They just seem to hate robots and androids for really no discernible reason. The story itself feels fluffy and light-hearted until like, the last 1/4 of the book and then it got very serious. It felt very zero to sixty because I wasn't anticipating it getting that serious.
Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I wanted to read Colin and Penelope's story before the newest season aired on Netflix. I actually really enjoyed that the characters in the book were so much older. Colin was an oblivious idiot the entire time and I loved him. I preferred how the book portrayed things, honestly, but I still like the show for the amount of diversity it has compared to the books.
My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I'd heard so many good things about this book, so I wanted to see how I would like it. I did enjoy it, but I definitely got frustrated along the way. I understand that this is the first of a trilogy, but I felt like certain things to happen sooner than they actually did. The characters were well done and I had a good time beyond any frustrations I might've had.
Thirteen Storeys by Jonathan Sims
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I love audiobooks that use a cast of voice actors. Each chapter is narrated by somebody different and it worked so well. I loved that there seemed to be a dichotomy between the people living in the front building vs those who lived in the back section. The ending got me, a little. The narrative style changed and (as I was reading along with the audio) the narrator of that chapter was ad libbing things that weren't in the actual book. Not too much that it changed things, just like a sentence here and there or different verbiage being used. The ending was incredibly satisfying to me, though, so I will give it that.
Bro and the Beast 5 by L.C. Davis
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I am obsessed with this series. I blew through the Bro and the Beast series so quickly you do not understand. I joined the author's patreon because I wanted earlier access to the books that I was still going to end up purchasing. I cannot express how many times I've reread them. Brad is the perfect himbo, I love him so much. I was SO excited when I found out that Devon was getting his own series within this universe, I only wish it was getting the same number of books.
The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I love museums, dinosaurs and horror and for a book to combine all of them (and do it well) was amazing. The narrator did such a good job, up until we find out that Zander is South African because I genuinely thought he was Kiwi. I loved the ghost dinosaurs and that Simon was basically experiencing their final moments. There were so many unexpected moments, especially in the second half of the book and I was on the edge of my seat for what was going to happen next. The teapot realization killed me. Amazing, 10/10 will read again
Slashed: A Horror Romance Novella by Thalia Sanchez
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I saw this on Booktok back in October 2023 and figured it might be something I could be into. I love horror and I could be into 'dark romance' type things, but it kind of fell flat for me. Maybe it's my need for detail and immersion, but I've never been much of a fan of insta-love/obsession. Sadie was horny on main the entire time and I was like 'she needs to be hosed down' because she essentially looks at this masked, blood-spattered stranger and goes 'mhm yes I like his vibes'. I did appreciate that he went after the guys that the girls went in with because they felt like the worst. But, fucking in the middle of a tension riddled chase scene was...definitely a moment. I appreciate smut as much as the next person, but I've found better examples elsewhere.
Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.0
I really enjoyed the book! It drags a little in parts, but overall it ended up being so good. I definitely forgot at times that I was reading horror fiction and that was probably one of my favorite things about it. Each of the factions within the park had their own hierarchies. I loved that this book asks the question, "what would happen if hundreds of people were stuck in an amusement park during a natural disaster?" Through character interviews, we see how they answered that question. The breakdown explanations of the 'tribes' was so fleshed out and realistic that it had me wondering which one I would fall into. I loved how immersive it felt.
salt slow by Julia Armfield
dark
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
4.0
I loved this anthology. Each of the short stories were so different from each other, but they were all so good. Armfield has a way with description that I rarely see. 'The Great Awake' was one of my favorites. If I could have a novel length version of it, I would be so happy. every single story in this book were so strong, so well done, that I'll probably end up reading it again before the year is through.