lauryn_with_a_y's reviews
37 reviews

Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

Go to review page

dark informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

Content Warnings

The Winter's Child by Cassandra Parkin

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

i liked exactly one character (jackie) and figured out the plot twist relatively early on. the romantic subplot felt unnecessary and at times very uncomfortable. i think this and the unlikeability of the main character might have been intentional, but i'm really not sure, and regardless it made the book hard to get through. i probably wouldn't have finished it if i hadn't been invested in the mystery.

Content Warnings

While Beauty Slept by Elizabeth Blackwell

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

Go to review page

hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

2.75

overall: i think i liked it? i love francesca as a character and parts of the romance worked (namely the Yearning on michael's end) but christ alive the casual misogyny and not-so-veiled rape threats got to me. most of the romance didn't work for me for precisely that reason;

michael wants to marry francesca, and instead of telling her he's been in love with her for six years and that her late husband would want her to be happy, he decides to seduce her in an attempt to manipulate her into marriage. he threatens to continue having sex with her (implied to be with or without her consent, at one point even threatening to tie her up so she can't get away) until she gets pregnant and is FORCED to marry him. romance!

after all that, i almost didn't finish the book. but then ms quinn hit me with a truly poignant and moving portrayal of grief, trauma, and moving on and allowing yourself to be happy again after the unthinkable has happened. that, combined with the really fun and heartfelt relationship of the bridgerton family, almost made it worth it for me. almost.

Content Warnings