maryp20's reviews
35 reviews

Kill Joy by Holly Jackson

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lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This was a very easy and light read and a great introduction to the series. I think this was a great way to highlight Pip’s personality and the way her brain works as well as the case we see in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. I don’t think that I would come back and reread this at all and I wasn’t necessarily a fan of the ending but I enjoyed reading the story and thinking through the murder mystery party myself.
Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig

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adventurous emotional hopeful 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

5.0

If I could give this book 6 stars I would, in my heart I have. Finishing this was a whirlwind of emotions, I was laughing and crying and god did I not want to close this book. Continuing the trend from book 1, there a secrets and lies and lore to unfold with each turn of the page; some of them were predictable from the setup while others were full of twists and turns. The character development was unmatched between learning of different characters’ pasts and memories and feelings, not only they but the whole story changed in a beautiful way. The lore honestly runs so deep and we see all of it, and everything really comes together to complete the puzzle. The relationships were to die for and yet they were not overpowering but rather fueled the plot forward and gave each new puzzle piece meaning. I will truly never be over this series and will surely be back to visit my beloved characters.
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One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Where do I even begin? This was an amazing opening to The Shepherd King duology. The vibes were unmatched and gave off serious Throne of Glass vibes. The magic system is so unique yet easy to understand. There is ancient lore to be learned throughout the story and secrets to be unveiled. The romance was a factor but not the plot which was a phenomenal choice by Rachel Gillig. The banter, loyalty, love, trust and distrust fueled the characters and their relationships in a beautiful way. Left on a cliffhanger, perfectly setting us up for the next story. The only thing preventing this from 5 stars was that it felt rushed at times and I felt as though there could have been more details or struggles or character development to thicken the plot. But I absolutely loved this story and can’t wait to jump into the next one.
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The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy

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funny lighthearted relaxing medium-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

4.0

I ate all of this up; the plot lines, the humor, the banter, the spice, all of it. There was some phenomenal character development and I loved the mental health representation throughout the book. Another phenomenal book from Elle Kennedy.
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Camp Deviant by Kady Ash

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

3.0

Absolute pure smut, no plot; and honestly I wouldn’t have it any other way. It was a very easy read and I look forward to reading the others in the series.
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Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes

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

3.5

I unfortunately had the major plot point spoiled for me so I knew what was gonna happen just not exactly how it panned out so that definitely did not help me enjoy the book.
It was not bad by any means and I did really enjoy the story. I honestly could have done without the romance arc with Kane but it was at least not the focal point of the story. I debated with myself a lot on whether or not Claire was a reliable narrator or not especially with the jumps from the past to present and the memory loss which I did enjoy in this setting. I just wished the story had moved a little faster or had some more action to it,
and I hate to say it but I wish we got to see more of what happened on the ship before Claire left and what ended up happening to Lourdes and Ny 
.
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King of Sloth by Ana Huang

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funny hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

5.0

Hands down, this is my favorite Ana Huang book this far. I absolutely loved the character development for Sloan and Xavier. I almost wished we had seen their work relationship a bit more in the beginning but I can’t resist the way they slowly opened up to each other and learned everything about the other. I loved that we also saw each of them go through very realistic problems,
with Xavier’s dad passing and Sloan’s fish passing
, all while still having to go about life was so refreshing honestly.
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King of Greed by Ana Huang

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funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I, once again, absolutely adored another one of Ana Huang’s stories. I felt like I was able to relate to Alessandra as she really was trying to focus on herself and finding who she is without Dominic and overall she was a lovely and well written character. With Dominic, I really enjoyed seeing the character development and learning from his actions throughout the story. The only thing I wished I had been able to see more of was the flashbacks to the beginning of their relationship, it really helped tie things together so I wish we had gotten more of that.
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King of Pride by Ana Huang

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funny lighthearted 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

Absolutely adored Kai and Isabella’s relationship and the banter throughout the whole story. Ana Huang does an amazing job of showing both characters pride and how it gets in the way of things.
The Sinner by Shantel Tessier

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

3.0

I definitely enjoyed seeing more of the Lords universe but this felt a little more surface level than what we saw in The Ritual. Other than that I enjoyed it, it was an easy read.
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