mini_minch's reviews
52 reviews

Submitting to the Alien Barbarian by Petra Palerno

fast-paced

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

4.0

Hot. Does what it says on the tin. Will be buying more of these for a quick fun read. 

Fragile Animals by Genevieve Jagger

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense slow-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

4.75

I've marked this as a slow paced book because it is. The chapters are long, there's plot for sure but I don't think the plot is really the point and it takes its time getting there even if it is. You get so much character exploration, then a gut punch of plot. It feels very chaotic and sporadic but in the best way.  I savoured all this book. The characters are so well written I can feel them coming off the page. I felt the book was reeling me in much like Noelle was with Moses. It's violent and graphic, wickedly clever and deeply personal to the author. I'm not sure what it would need to get it to 5⭐️. Maybe it's the hope at the end that puts me off (forever a pessamist) or maybe the blurb does a terrible job of explaining what the book is actually about. It's the only reason I can fathom that's it's rated mid. Definitely not a romance but wonderfully dark and haunting. I loved it. 

Want by Gillian Anderson

lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Raunchy, smutty (ovbs), eye opening and surprisingly sad in parts. I'd recommended this to quite a few people before I'd even finished it. 

The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

This is a chore but a worthwhile one. The epic tales are unmatched, some tales had me in tears. You really have to push through a mire of Lore to get to them, but once you do it's so worth it. I can't bring myself to say the history and Lore is not needed.  The tales he tells wouldn't have the same weight, if he didn't predicate them with a rich tapestry of history. I was blown away by this book.  I will probably never read this again but it is a must read if you're a LOTR fan.

Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

emotional funny hopeful reflective slow-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

3.75

Not what I was expecting. Jeanette's younger years in the book are insightful yet hilarious. You are drawn into her world and all of the madness that ensues. You enjoy the quirks of each character and find yourself chortling at the absurdities of them. The book breaks every now and then for a bit of reflective story telling and it's a hit or miss with each chapter whether I enjoy it or not.  Sometimes I think it's too reflective and it pulls me right out of the book, other parts really emphasise the characters headspace at that point in time and this comes with some stand out lines that have really stayed with me.  I find as the book goes on the detailed story telling seems to dip, and I'm not drawn in the way I was at the start. The lack of detail in some major plot points was off putting and jarring (maybe intentional but I didn't agree with the choice at all). Hard one to rate honestly but still glad I read it. 

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I feel this is all the classic YA books I loved growing up,  all rolled into one. Definitely new adult rather than YA. Very tropey, enemies to lovers, dark mysterious protaganists, all the angst and pining that fans of the genre love. I thought I knew where this book was going but it surprised me. I'll be picking up the next in this series for sure. 

Insatiable by Daisy Buchanan

fast-paced

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

2.0

I found all the characters really unlikeable and frustrating. We get it you know London. The spice was so ramped up with little pay off. I saw where the book was going a mile off and still at the end kept questioning how we got there. I really hate when characters endings are rushed in the last 2 chapters.  It wasn't for me. 

Crushing It by Lorelei Parker

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.75

I think the only reason I rooted for the protagonist in this book was because the villan was so awful. I didn't really like the whole doe eyed, lacks any self awareness, cutesy e-girl shtick and any nerd references felt very forced. The love interest was cute, the obstacles the couple faced weren't tropey and the protagnist's friendships felt real,  (which I feel a lot of romance books lack). Overall quite cute, and a different spin on a love story. Also unexpected spice 🌶. With a bit of tweaking I could've really liked this book, the main character just grated on me too much. 

The Book Proposal by KJ Micciche
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.

DNF. Glad I used an audiobook free credit for this one.  The characters didn't talk like real people. Found the female lead annoying. Only 12% of the way through, but just couldn't continue. 

Priest by Sierra Simone

I stopped at

The sacrement fucking

like there's been some hot scenes before that and I know I'm not getting anything special with smut but that scene just made me cackle with laughter and I knew I couldn't take it seriously beyond that.