kortneyshea444's reviews
31 reviews

The Fastest Way To Fall by Denise Williams

funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

I stayed up way too late because I absolutely had to finish this book. Wes made me swoon. Britta made me feel seen. Loved seeing a main plus size character not try to lose weight but rather find strength in her body. Obsessed with Britta and Wes. Will be thinking about them for months to come. The world needs more love stories like this.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Drug abuse and Eating disorder

Mother Country by Etaf Rum

hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Etaf is a beautiful story teller and brought me to tears again. Thought provoking and raw.

A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne

mysterious 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? N/A

4.5

Beauty and the Beast for adults? lol Never thought I would be into a monster romance book but here we are… never say never 😂

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

This book was lovely and I shed a few tears and found the character’s feelings relatable regarding being guarded after loss.. but I wish I hadn’t read this right after reading The Seven Year Slip. It just didn’t hit as hard for me but I feel I would have loved it more had I spaced those out. They both deal with characters navigating grief being unable to open their hearts or being scared to be vulnerable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Grief and Death of parent

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

Although I figured it out fairly early on there were still a couple of moments where I was like “oh wait”… a fun first read for 2025.

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-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? N/A

5.0

A beautiful story of navigating grief, love, finding yourself again, and remembering what brings each of us joy… with layers of magic and intrigue in every page. This book made me cry tears of sadness and joy and relief. 

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

The ending felt sort of rushed which is the only reason it’s not a 5⭐️ read for me because I definitely found myself sucked in to every twist and turn. 

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

emotional inspiring reflective sad 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? No

5.0

This book will haunt me for the rest of my life and live in my heart. I will be emotionally recovering for a while.

A Man for Mrs. Claus by Rebekah Weatherspoon

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? No

5.0

More people should be talking about this book. Such a fun holiday read with a beautiful sense of afterlife and without all the cheesiness. Loved every minute of it.