kayleenm7's reviews
11 reviews

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful slow-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

3.75

Did this take me literal years to finish? Yes, yes it did. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Heavy fantasy, HEAVY fantasy- as in timelines and glossaries and maps. Some POVs I loved more than others and I think that was one of the reasons I struggled to finish this. All that being said, Shannon managed to make me forgive and love a character previously loathed in the span of a couple of chapters and left me as breathless with “action montages” as well as confessions of love.
Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell

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hopeful lighthearted 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

3.5

I picked this up in an attempt to brighten up my boom shelf between some solemn, dark nonfiction reads. As other readers have noted it can be a bit repetitive and parts of the story feel incomplete or less fleshed out. The world building was lacking, however the setting still felt like a warm hug. It was cozy and comforting and nostalgic and (mostly) lighthearted. Bakewell did infuse into the story a strong advocacy for mental health support and perhaps a call for certain systems in the real world to be reformed to better help others and I strongly appreciate that. The cast of characters were diverse and lovable. Really love the LGBTQ+ representation!!! 
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Open Me Carefully: Emily Dickinson's Intimate Letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson by Emily Dickinson

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.75

Whatever you believe about Emily and Sue’s relationship this book brings to light how deep that relationship ran, all while celebrating the way in which Emily made an art of writing everything from letters, to poems, to to do lists.  

“Sue,
I would have come out of Eden to Open the Door for you if I had known you were there.” 
The Only Woman by Immy Humes

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informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

I don’t read a lot of nonfiction, but the length of the information in this book was perfect to keep my attention and the tone is overall poignant. It shows the multifaceted face of womanhood. It shows how full of hope we must be for the future. It proves what we all know: women were there. Always. 
Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman

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emotional hopeful 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

4.75

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The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

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

3.75

Julia Quinn can WRITE banter! Love the enemies to lovers plot points, but by the end I found the story a bit two-dimensional feeling. Overall, still a good read. :) 
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Heartstopper Volume 3 by Alice Oseman

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emotional hopeful 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? No

4.5

A bit slower than the first two volumes to start, but still lovely!
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Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker

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lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.5

soft, sweet, and felt like a hug <3
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

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dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Started off slow, but by the middle the pacing picks up and the story gets more interesting. Atwood’s word choice and near poetic way of writing add nuance to reader’s experience. 
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Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe

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dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.5

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