nicoreads333's reviews
47 reviews

Behind the Net by Stephanie Archer

hopeful lighthearted medium-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

4.5

I loved this book! The romance was lovely, the love interest was dreamy, the storyline was interesting enough to keep me reading, and the writing was decent. It was lighthearted, super low stakes, spicy, and fun. It's a perfect quick read. 

There Are No Saints by Sophie Lark

challenging dark 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

I can't give this book a rating based on stars because it was not enjoyable. However, it was riveting and intense which means that I couldn't put it down. I finished it in one day because I had to know what happened. It was very weird and pretty messed up. Emphasis on DARK. 

It leaves off on kind of a cliffhanger, which means you have to read the 2nd book (hopefully there aren't more than that to reach a conclusion, but who knows?). I had to take a break and watching some lighthearted comedies after reading this because it was that intense. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking and Sexual content

Moderate: Violence, Physical abuse, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma

The Comeback by Lily Chu

hopeful 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

4.25

I really enjoyed Lily Chu's first book, The Stand-In, and when I saw she had another book out on a random trip to Target, I knew I had to pick it up. I'm so glad I did! Lily has a way of writing complex, yet relatable characters in scenarios that border reality and fantasy (hello, hot k-pop idol falling in love with a commoner/foreigner). I loved seeing the relationship bloom between the MC, Ariadne, and the love interest, Jihoon. Two flawed, yet lovable characters. In this, the reader gets to see two very different people with very different lives making mistakes but finding their way through love. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment, Body shaming, and Racism

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.

I just could not get invested in this book or the characters. It wasn't poorly written, so it has that going for it. No terrible stilted sentences or overly-repetitive phrases or misspellings. It was, however, boring. 

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 53%.

I wanted to like this book, but I started it right after reading the entire ACOTAR series and it could just not keep me interested. I think I will try again later. 

Hurricane Girl by Marcy Dermansky

dark funny medium-paced

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

3.25

This book was a trip and a half. I'm still not sure how I feel about it, except that I went along for a wild ride and was entertained in the process. The MC isn't all that likable or reliable, but I kind of love that about this book. She's an imperfect character going through realistic and devastating experiences, but it a way that almost feels dreamlike. I feel like as someone who often detaches myself from traumatic situations, this kind of hit home in that way. 

This is a short read (I finished in a couple of hours) but the book kind of stays with you long after that. It was dark, comedic, and, at times, thrilling. I'm excited to read more by this author.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Vomit, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma

Minor: Sexual content

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.25

This is a fun, lighthearted rom-com about a screenwriter who falls in love with a movie star. I really enjoyed most of this book: the characters, setting, story were all likable until about the last 15% of the book. However, one of my biggest pet peeves is the miscommunication trope that could have been solved by a simple text or phone call or even an email. I think the author did an ok job of trying to explain it in the end, but it definitely fell a little flat after an otherwise well-written story. I still recommend it because overall I thought it was fun and entertaining. It's just personal preference that I can't understand that trope in a modern world. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Abandonment

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

I didn't realize this was a novella going into it, so maybe my disappointment is unjust. But this book was boring. Even for a novella. There was no rise or build-up in the story. It was just a few days in the life of Feyre during the winter solstice. I kept waiting for something, anything, to happen and then all of a sudden I was at the end of the book. 
I feel like this could have been shortened and added as the epilogue to the second book or to the beginning of the last book in the series. Or else written to have some sort of climax and resolution. I was mostly just Feyre and Rhys telling each other how much they love each other and then having relations, Feyre walking around a lot, Feyre painting a little bit, Feyre trying to connect with her sister, etc. 
It just read much more like contemporary fiction than a fantasy book. 

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.25

This part of the series was A LOT. It was such a long book, and I don't mean that in a bad way at all, just that so much happens. Once again, I was thrust into a different world, where Fae and Humans exist together. There are a few things the author does that kind of throw me off sometimes, but nothing major and the story is go good that I am able to immediately jump back in. 

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous challenging dark fast-paced

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

4.5

I really enjoyed this book. It was full of twists and turns and unexpected events. The MC starts to really show her strength and her resilience and cunning will to survive.