kristin_boren's reviews
59 reviews

Mister Magic, by Kiersten White

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

You know when you read a book that just has that indescribable quality about it? This book was so unsettling in all the best possible ways. I read it in a day because I was HOOKED. I needed to know more, I wanted to discover the past as Val finds the little crumbs leading to answers. This book is eerie, unusual, and filled with love (like a shocking amount of it considering how you feel for most of the book). Worth the read for sure. 

Someone Is Always Watching, by Kelley Armstrong

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

 I really liked the premise of this one. It started off pretty strong then lost a little momentum for awhile. It felt like the main characters kept doing the same thing for awhile without much purpose. It was definitely a fast read. Not bad, but not top of the class. Very mid.

Quietly Hostile, by Samantha Irby

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

5.0

Thank you netgalley and Vintage Anchor for this ARC. 

THIS. WAS. FANTASTIC. So genuinely funny and such a unique voice. I really love a humor essay collection and this was without question one of the best I've ever read. Samantha Irby writes with the humor only someone with several traumatic life experiences is capable of. A deeply relatable essay collection to every tired, middle aged, fat lady (as noted by me a tired, middle aged, fat lady). Don't skip this book. Give it all the love and then keep it around to make you laugh when you remember life kinda sucks and it super hard all the time but at least Samantha Irby essay collections exist. 

The Donut Trap, by Julie Tieu

hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

Donut miss out on this sweet story! Very cute romance with lots of time spent on family dynamics and what it means to make your parents proud.

Closer to Nowhere, by Ellen Hopkins

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

A really lovely middle grade book with themes of difficult childhoods and how hard it is to be a kid with trauma. I feel like every Ellen Hopkins book holds messages both children and adults would benefit from thinking about and reflecting on.

Better Than Fiction, by Alexa Martin

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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

4.25

Lots of things to love about this one but here are some highlights: book boyfriend come to life, main character who knows she's hot, and best friend who does not have time for bullshit or drama. Very lovable characters, very fun setting. 

By the Book, by Jasmine Guillory

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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

4.25

Welp I'm about to read everything jasmine guillory has ever written. So cute! Fun little references to all the classic parts of beauty and the beast. 

Our Violent Ends, by Chloe Gong

emotional hopeful reflective tense 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

3.5

I definitely enjoyed this duology. It's like if Romeo and juliet were also competent and you wanted them to end up together.

Spoiler

I really appreciated the ambiguous ending. I personally will believe they are alife and thriving

Spoiler

Charm City Rocks: A Love Story, by Matthew Norman

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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

This book was SO SWEET! This is a book filled with lovable main characters. If you are interested in a 40 somethings romance this is the one. The characters understand how relationships fall apart because they've experienced it. So they understand the importance of talking and giving each other the truth. This was a genuinely lovely love story. 

These Violent Delights, by Chloe Gong

4.0