laughatlantis's reviews
189 reviews

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

emotional hopeful 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

4.25

Probably my favorite Katherine Center book to date. Loved the relationship between the MC and her mother and the characterization of all the guys in the firehouse. Fabulous audiobook narrator, would listen to anything read by Therese Plummer. 

Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim

emotional medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

CW: toxic parents 

An intriguing and large conglomeration of characters, well narrated. 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

fast-paced

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

3.5

I feel like it would be disingenuous to give this more stars given how much I actively hated the main character, even though that was the point. I had difficulty reading it, and I was supposed to, because sitting in white supremacy discomfort isn’t supposed to feel fun. This was a ride, but not one I’m going to take again in this form. 

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

medium-paced

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

3.0

Overly long. Weird epilepsy rep in the grandmother. I really don’t enjoy characters who are clearly very competent and then can’t see themselves as such - or have a complex about being competent. 

Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan

lighthearted medium-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

3.75

The twist is easy to see coming, but satisfying nonetheless. 

Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

3.75

I didn't expect the ending, so points in its favor. Well written and good world building. Enjoyable! 

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS.

This book is tense and dark and you live in it. It’s well-written, particularly for a debut. Great ending. 

The Girl With The Stars In Her Eyes by Xio Axelrod

lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

I wish the focus of this has been solely Toni’s career goals, as the whole Seb storyline felt like a distraction. I think part of that may have been that I actively disliked the male narrator doing Seb’s focus chapters. He seemed emotionally disconnected and I felt like there wasn’t communication between the two narrators as to how some of the characters would sound. Accents were not continuously followed. 

I don’t think this one will stick with me, except for the weird odd bits. 

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.

Due at the library and while I was very much enjoying it I wasn’t engaging with it as much as I could. Sadly I picked up another mystery and did this book a disservice. I will likely come back to it! 

Happy Place by Emily Henry

slow-paced

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

2.0

For 3/4 of this book I kept shouting TALK TO EACH OTHER at the characters. Then

Spoiler

I just wanted them to stop talking, period. What they’d been hiding was so overwrought and self-hatey… I’m all for flawed characters but this book was just too much.