nicoreads333's reviews
63 reviews

Anna K by Jenny Lee

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emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.75

Very well-written and engaging. I love the original story of Anna Karenina and I wasn't sure what to expect, but the Jenny Lee did such a great job making it modern. It almost reminded me of the OG Gossip Girl series, especially taking place with Manhattan's elite. I loved how diverse the cast of characters was, too. There was a lot going on and a few different intertwining storylines to follow, but it was surprisingly easy to do so. I also really love her writing style and the use of an omniscient narrator. It's been a while since I've read something that I liked this much. 
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The Lady's Guide to Scandal by Emmanuelle de Maupassant

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

3.25

This was a fun quick read that was a nice to escape into. I love historical fiction and romance, so this was right up my alley. It's a cozy and fun read. 
I did also appreciate the author addressing how the British have a tendency of taking things for their museums without asking. It may not be accurate of a person from that time, but I don't care. It made me like the male love interest even more because he was respectful of indigenous culture. 
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Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

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adventurous hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

I read this book on a flight from the UK to Texas, and I was riveted. I couldn't put it down. I had heard so many good reviews of this book, but I wasn't sure if it had been overhyped (like so many other books on booktok), but I personally believe it lived up to it's name. I don't know if I loved it more for the adventure/fantastical elements or the sweet love story or because I related so well to the main character. Whatever the case, it was exciting and cozy and kept me entertained on the longest flight of my life to date. 
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Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

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

4.75

Mary Choi has a way of transporting a reader back in time to teen/young adult years with her writing. I love her writing style, the characters she crafts, and the worlds they live in. Yold is dark, but humorous, and sad and relatable. Choi eloquently paints the complicated dynamics between mother and daughter and between sisters (especially as immigrants in the US), so even if you can't relate in your life, you get a glimpse of what it's like. She handled the conversation of food and body issues respectfully, while remaining true to the character. 
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Heart and Seoul by Jen Frederick

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

It was really interesting to get a point of view from a Korean adoptee in the US. While not an easy subject, the author did a great job showing how complex it can feel to be from two different places and never really feel like you fit in. I felt the sting of the micro-aggressions and racist comments and even the comments about being adopted. The author did well in illustrating those points. I didn't actually guess who her birth mother was until right before it was revealed, which is cool (I have a tendency to be able to spot patterns and guess plot twists, endings, etc) but there were a few surprising things in this. I fell in love with Yujun (who wouldn't love a helpful, kind, patient hottie?). There were some times where I felt the pace was a little slow or the MC was kind of a debbie-downer, but I'm glad I finished it. I can now read the sequel to find out what happens next, which I am looking forward to. 
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You, Again by Kate Goldbeck

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funny lighthearted reflective medium-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

2.75

I really wanted to love this because "When Harry Met Sally" is one of my favorite movies, but I feel like it lacked the charm of the original movie/characters. Ari is an anxious avoidant who just never seems to grow out of her issues. I kept reading hoping to find some redeeming qualities in her, but she just stayed the same, but still got into a relationship at the end. Her best quality was that she was bi and I loved that there was representation. I actually really liked Josh and his character arc. He actually grew and dealt with his flaws. The side characters were really nice as well. But all in all, it fell a little flat for me. 
Behind the Net by Stephanie Archer

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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

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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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The Comeback by Lily Chu

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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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Flying Solo by Linda Holmes

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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.