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laurawoods13's reviews
74 reviews
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
WAY too many characters and most of them suck so I didn’t really care about them. Also too many little details that add nothing to the story. It picked up in the second half, but you were following multiple stories and nothing feels properly resolved. Don’t want to waste my time on the sequels so will just have to read a summary to know what happened with the characters.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
A bit slow to get into but overall a really moving story with a lot of interesting characters. I wish the writing style had been different though, as it jumped around A LOT and we kept being given information we really didn’t need, so it became hard to follow the story at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Death of parent
Beginner's Luck by Kate Clayborn
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This was honestly pretty boring to read. The synopsis makes it seem like the lottery win is a plot point in the book but it’s really not. At times it just felt like you were reading about a financially comfortable character, not someone who was supposedly a “millionaire.” On top of that she was pretty unlikeable, and never gave any believable reasons why she had no interest in the company in Texas, other than an insistence that she create a “home” for herself. And the whole storyline with River was totally random and didn’t add anything to the overall story.
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
We spent the first book and a half knowing and understanding that Darcy is a horrible person, so much of this book was incredibly unrealistic. The Ethan we’re introduced to would never let Darcy move in with him in the first place, and her sudden decision in England to become a new person was instantaneous and not believable. The Darcy in the second half of the book was a stereotypical rom-com protagonist, but there’s no way her transformation could actually take place the way it did. And Ethan would NEVER marry her and basically become her kids’ dad, come on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Infidelity
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Pregnancy
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Pedophilia, Blood, and Car accident
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Self harm, and Car accident
This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
emotional
inspiring
sad
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? Yes
3.5
The story of Rosie’s son becoming her daughter was fantastic to follow. But there were a few aspects of the book itself that I did not enjoy: the writing style was long/clunky and distracting, the parallel fairy tale told by the father was dragged out too much and way too on the nose to the point that the kids recognized what he was doing, and the parts in Thailand pulled away from everything that had been built up to. It seemed the parts in Thailand were supposed to teach Rosie and Clyde/Poppy about what to do next and that life is magical etc etc but it was like the author was trying to wrap the story up with a pretty bow, despite drilling in the message that you can’t control how the world perceives you and that all you can do is be yourself. The ending was pretty abrupt and disappointing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Dysphoria
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Outing
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, and Torture
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, and Sexual assault