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superfangirl818's reviews
133 reviews
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a cute and cozy read. I'm sure it's much better in the original Japanese version, but this was great as well.
My favorite story is probably the second one "Husband and Wife." The last three stories were very strong.
I didn't love the first one, though. The beginning of this book was so annoyingly slow that I debated DNFing. The end of the first story was stronger, but the beginning just wasn't great.
Other than that, it's a good cozy read, but it still evokes a lot of emotion. This is the first book I've read that's been translated from Japanese and I wasn't disappointed.
My favorite story is probably the second one "Husband and Wife." The last three stories were very strong.
I didn't love the first one, though. The beginning of this book was so annoyingly slow that I debated DNFing. The end of the first story was stronger, but the beginning just wasn't great.
Other than that, it's a good cozy read, but it still evokes a lot of emotion. This is the first book I've read that's been translated from Japanese and I wasn't disappointed.
My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine
funny
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
4.25
A healthy monster romance? Practically unheard of, but Jenna Levine managed to do it.
So, yes, for once, a romance between a monster and a human is actually healthy. Unfortunately, that's such a rare thing that I feel the need to praise it this much, but, since it's not the norm, I'll gladly praise it. Frederick, the vampire, was a very respectful gentleman. Did he give into some of his more monstery temptations a couple of times? Yes, but it wasn't over the top.
The writing of this book was overall pretty decent. I wouldn't say it was anything special, but it's nowhere near the worst thing I've ever read, especially in a genre like this.
My only real complaints are that the beginning was sort of slow, I didn't love the MC, Cassie, at first (she grew on me, though), and there wasn't a ton of plot to this book.
If you're looking for a cute romance and an easy read, this is the book for you.
So, yes, for once, a romance between a monster and a human is actually healthy. Unfortunately, that's such a rare thing that I feel the need to praise it this much, but, since it's not the norm, I'll gladly praise it. Frederick, the vampire, was a very respectful gentleman. Did he give into some of his more monstery temptations a couple of times? Yes, but it wasn't over the top.
The writing of this book was overall pretty decent. I wouldn't say it was anything special, but it's nowhere near the worst thing I've ever read, especially in a genre like this.
My only real complaints are that the beginning was sort of slow, I didn't love the MC, Cassie, at first (she grew on me, though), and there wasn't a ton of plot to this book.
If you're looking for a cute romance and an easy read, this is the book for you.
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
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
4.5
This was absolutely adorable. It's a great, mostly light-hearted romance retelling. I could not put it down.
The characters were amazing. They were so well-written to the point that they seemed like real people, not just ink on paper. I could see them clearly in my head as I was reading. I loved the banter in this book, and I especially loved all of the relationships and friendships the characters have with each other.
The writing was also fantastic and well-done. I did get confused a few times, but I don't have a massive complaint about that.
It's a very adorable romantic read. Great if you need a lighter story.
The characters were amazing. They were so well-written to the point that they seemed like real people, not just ink on paper. I could see them clearly in my head as I was reading. I loved the banter in this book, and I especially loved all of the relationships and friendships the characters have with each other.
The writing was also fantastic and well-done. I did get confused a few times, but I don't have a massive complaint about that.
It's a very adorable romantic read. Great if you need a lighter story.
Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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
5.0
Can I give a book 6 stars? This book was absolutely stunning. I have so much to talk about.
First of all, the writing was honestly perfect. It was gorgeous, an absolute work of art. Something I thought was especially genius was the formatting of Seren's chapters. Her chapters are written like poetry when she's a monster, but when she's human, it's prose. I never would have thought of that.
The characters were also perfect. Joanna Ruth Meyer definitely knew what she was doing when she gave Owen a baby sister. My heart was melting the whole time. My ovaries were exploding.
I loved the idea of a gender-swapped Beauty and the Beast retelling. It's always the man who's the monster and the woman has to fix him, but it's the opposite. And honestly, Owen doesn't even really fix Seren. She fixes herself and becomes her own person. It's genius.
Easily one of the best books I've ever read.
First of all, the writing was honestly perfect. It was gorgeous, an absolute work of art. Something I thought was especially genius was the formatting of Seren's chapters. Her chapters are written like poetry when she's a monster, but when she's human, it's prose. I never would have thought of that.
The characters were also perfect. Joanna Ruth Meyer definitely knew what she was doing when she gave Owen a baby sister. My heart was melting the whole time. My ovaries were exploding.
I loved the idea of a gender-swapped Beauty and the Beast retelling. It's always the man who's the monster and the woman has to fix him, but it's the opposite. And honestly, Owen doesn't even really fix Seren. She fixes herself and becomes her own person. It's genius.
Easily one of the best books I've ever read.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Finally, a love triangle that ends in polyamory. About time.
I'm going to start off with the world. Um... Holy shit? The world was awesome and also presented in a way that mostly made sense. I will say there was slight info-dumping, but it really wasn't that bad.
The writing was also stunning. Even if you didn't like the main character, you have to admit the writing was good. It was stylistic, I almost felt what Zetian was feeling, that's how good it was.
Now the characters. I have no notes on Shimin and Yizhi, they're amazing and I love them. They're my babies. I've heard some opinions on the main character, and while I did like her, there were a few times she was insufferable, but one time, she even considered one of her actions as cringey in hindsight, so I let that one slide.
That's really my only complaint, though. I loved this book and I can't wait for the second one.
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
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
4.75
I'm going to start off with the world. Um... Holy shit? The world was awesome and also presented in a way that mostly made sense. I will say there was slight info-dumping, but it really wasn't that bad.
The writing was also stunning. Even if you didn't like the main character, you have to admit the writing was good. It was stylistic, I almost felt what Zetian was feeling, that's how good it was.
Now the characters. I have no notes on Shimin and Yizhi, they're amazing and I love them. They're my babies. I've heard some opinions on the main character, and while I did like her, there were a few times she was insufferable, but one time, she even considered one of her actions as cringey in hindsight, so I let that one slide.
That's really my only complaint, though. I loved this book and I can't wait for the second one.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.5
I was on the edge of my seat throughout this entire book. I can't believe it took me this long to get to it. To be fair, it is a BookTok favorite and I have trouble trusting BookTok, but I'm glad I read this one.
The writing was really good, especially for a semi-trashy YA read. I loved the formatting, too. I also loved that there were some pictures in it, which gave me a much better understanding of what certain things were. The Persons of Interest list that went throughout the book helped me keep track of everything.
There's something I need to bring up, though. Adult authors seem to have a difficult time understanding what age gaps are appropriate for teenagers. A twenty-year-old has no business being with a seventeen-year-old. Eighteen should be the max, I'll let nineteen slide occasionally, twenty is a hell no. To actually enjoy the book, I had to ignore the age gaps.
Anyways, that's my only issue. It's a solid YA mystery book. I really enjoyed it and I can't wait to continue the series and watch the show!
The writing was really good, especially for a semi-trashy YA read. I loved the formatting, too. I also loved that there were some pictures in it, which gave me a much better understanding of what certain things were. The Persons of Interest list that went throughout the book helped me keep track of everything.
There's something I need to bring up, though. Adult authors seem to have a difficult time understanding what age gaps are appropriate for teenagers. A twenty-year-old has no business being with a seventeen-year-old. Eighteen should be the max, I'll let nineteen slide occasionally, twenty is a hell no. To actually enjoy the book, I had to ignore the age gaps.
Anyways, that's my only issue. It's a solid YA mystery book. I really enjoyed it and I can't wait to continue the series and watch the show!
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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
5.0
This is hands down some of the best writing I've read. It was STUNNING. I would read and I'd just be like "damn, this writing is GOOD." It's what I aspire to be.
And the world was amazing. The world-building was amazing, you saw characters from all different places, which gave you an understanding of the different perspectives and ideas, it was AMAZING.
And then the romance. OH MY GOD IT WAS SO GOOD!! There was angst and fluff and RAAAAAHHH. I loved it. The ending of the book had me sitting on the edge of my seat and it was done so well.
So, yeah, this book was a slay. I loved it. One of the best YA fantasy books I've read. Pirate books are always a favorite of mine (I need to read more of them) and this was just amazing.
And the world was amazing. The world-building was amazing, you saw characters from all different places, which gave you an understanding of the different perspectives and ideas, it was AMAZING.
And then the romance. OH MY GOD IT WAS SO GOOD!! There was angst and fluff and RAAAAAHHH. I loved it. The ending of the book had me sitting on the edge of my seat and it was done so well.
So, yeah, this book was a slay. I loved it. One of the best YA fantasy books I've read. Pirate books are always a favorite of mine (I need to read more of them) and this was just amazing.
The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Sometimes, a trashy YA read just hits the spot.
As per usual with this series, I enjoyed the book. It's your basic YA mystery-esque book, but sometimes, that's just what you need. Also, as per usual, I loved the characters (I may or may not be in love with Grayson).
I especially loved the plot of this book. I couldn't stop reading. And I NEED to read the next book NOW. I'm extremely curious to see where the author takes this series, especially since this book seemed somewhat final. I'll have to see.
My only complaint was that it was confusing at times. Just a few times where I didn't really understand what was going on, but that could also just be me being distracted or straight-up stupid.
Note: I noticed that especially for a YA book like this, Avery and Jameson seem to have a pretty healthy relationship, which unfortunately, isn't that common in stuff like this, so props to the author for that.
As per usual with this series, I enjoyed the book. It's your basic YA mystery-esque book, but sometimes, that's just what you need. Also, as per usual, I loved the characters (I may or may not be in love with Grayson).
I especially loved the plot of this book. I couldn't stop reading. And I NEED to read the next book NOW. I'm extremely curious to see where the author takes this series, especially since this book seemed somewhat final. I'll have to see.
My only complaint was that it was confusing at times. Just a few times where I didn't really understand what was going on, but that could also just be me being distracted or straight-up stupid.
Note: I noticed that especially for a YA book like this, Avery and Jameson seem to have a pretty healthy relationship, which unfortunately, isn't that common in stuff like this, so props to the author for that.
The Lake by Natasha Preston
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
4.25
I made the very intelligent decision to read this book at a summer camp (Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp gang!). Thankfully, this deals with a very specific scenario that I personally haven't dealt with, so I wasn't very scared reading it. In fact, I think I was in the perfect environment to read this book in.
In my notes, I wrote, "lovely gore descriptions", so... yeah. The writing and descriptions were great. It was apparently very noticeable when the author was describing gore.
My only real complaint about this book was that the main romance was pretty insta-lovey. They kinda got together really quickly and it bothered me a bit.
And then, BRO THAT ENDING WHAT IN THE ACTUAL-
Anyways, I enjoyed this book. Solid thriller read.
In my notes, I wrote, "lovely gore descriptions", so... yeah. The writing and descriptions were great. It was apparently very noticeable when the author was describing gore.
My only real complaint about this book was that the main romance was pretty insta-lovey. They kinda got together really quickly and it bothered me a bit.
And then, BRO THAT ENDING WHAT IN THE ACTUAL-
Anyways, I enjoyed this book. Solid thriller read.
The House of Hades by Rick Riordan
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
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
5.0
Rick Riordan has done it again! (I never doubted him.)
I went into this with fear and excitement because of that CLIFFHANGER from the last book (I'm still mad about that) and I was nowhere near disappointed. The writing was especially gorgeous in this book compared to his other books. I would be reading it and I just kept noticing the beautiful writing.
And then, I also love the characters so much. They're my babies. In my notes for this book, I put "PERCABETH RAAAGH" so take that as you will.
Another slay from Uncle Rick.
I went into this with fear and excitement because of that CLIFFHANGER from the last book (I'm still mad about that) and I was nowhere near disappointed. The writing was especially gorgeous in this book compared to his other books. I would be reading it and I just kept noticing the beautiful writing.
And then, I also love the characters so much. They're my babies. In my notes for this book, I put "PERCABETH RAAAGH" so take that as you will.
Another slay from Uncle Rick.