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_chrstnlvly's reviews
222 reviews
Eleven Eleven by Micalea Smeltzer
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
To Via: I understand. You're insecure. However, you're already in your 30s and you can't distinguish between things worth losing sleep over and those that are not. Your constant sharing and display of insecurities has become tiring. Also, you persistently compare Chase and Reid. Granted, you always mention Chase's faults (and you always counter it with “…but Reid is better”), but if I were Reid, I wouldn't be that patient with you.
To Reid: Yes, you're perfect. Since you're perfect, you need to hear this truth: you deserve someone better.
To Micalea Smeltzer: Your writing is easy to understand, but it's quite drawn out. Numerous chapters could be removed, reducing the book to half its length if you avoided reiterating points already made. Your readers can grasp how low Via's self-esteem is without its constant mention in nearly every other chapter. An effective author does not need to belabor their point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I'm glad I finished this book because I can finally say I read it, though it was just okay. The number of characters introduced in the first chapter was overwhelming. This is my third book by Rebecca Yarros, and it seems like she often includes a lot of information at once.
The unexpected twist at the end was surprising and emotional, but I moved on quickly, which personally meant it didn't fully satisfy me.
I enjoyed Scarlett and Jameson's love story, but Noah and Georgia's relationship felt forced.
To be honest, I might revise this review later, as I'm starting to feel more disappointed than okay.
The unexpected twist at the end was surprising and emotional, but I moved on quickly, which personally meant it didn't fully satisfy me.
I enjoyed Scarlett and Jameson's love story, but Noah and Georgia's relationship felt forced.
To be honest, I might revise this review later, as I'm starting to feel more disappointed than okay.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and War
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
All's Well by Mona Awad
This book confirmed my suspicion that Mona Awad will be an auto-buy author for me. Awad has indeed made it to my list of favorite authors because I have an affinity for the peculiar.
Articulating my thoughts on Awad's books is always a challenge, despite the excellence of her prose and storytelling. Rating All's Well was difficult as I found the ending slightly underwhelming. I sought more rage and a more unhinged narrative.
While I rate Bunny higher (I wish I could read that book for the first time again), All's Well is still a good read. It's just so frustrating for me to still not know what Miranda's, the main character of All's Well, mental health issue is, unlike in Bunny when it was clearly schizophrenia. However, maybe I'm overanalyzing and All's Well is merely about the dismissal of women's pain coupled with misogyny, even from women themselves.
dark
tense
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
3.5
Although All's Well is classified as horror, similar to Bunny, but it could be more appropriately categorized under magical realism (or perhaps surrealism), just like Bunny.
This book confirmed my suspicion that Mona Awad will be an auto-buy author for me. Awad has indeed made it to my list of favorite authors because I have an affinity for the peculiar.
Articulating my thoughts on Awad's books is always a challenge, despite the excellence of her prose and storytelling. Rating All's Well was difficult as I found the ending slightly underwhelming. I sought more rage and a more unhinged narrative.
While I rate Bunny higher (I wish I could read that book for the first time again), All's Well is still a good read. It's just so frustrating for me to still not know what Miranda's, the main character of All's Well, mental health issue is, unlike in Bunny when it was clearly schizophrenia. However, maybe I'm overanalyzing and All's Well is merely about the dismissal of women's pain coupled with misogyny, even from women themselves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Sexual content
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
While the book was enjoyable with satisfying pacing, it felt lacklustre overall.
Although it's labelled as a thriller, it seemed more like a cosy mystery due to the relaxed pacing despite high stakes.
The book's purpose was unclear. It followed a group of 60-year-old assassins… and then?
The characters felt flat, and their actions, typical of younger individuals, were unconvincing considering their age. Despite being trained assassins, their actions often seemed unbelievable for their age group.
The ending was abrupt, as if the author simply decided to stop writing. We saw glimpses of the characters' plans, but the conclusion felt empty and incomplete.
Although it's labelled as a thriller, it seemed more like a cosy mystery due to the relaxed pacing despite high stakes.
The book's purpose was unclear. It followed a group of 60-year-old assassins… and then?
The characters felt flat, and their actions, typical of younger individuals, were unconvincing considering their age. Despite being trained assassins, their actions often seemed unbelievable for their age group.
The ending was abrupt, as if the author simply decided to stop writing. We saw glimpses of the characters' plans, but the conclusion felt empty and incomplete.
I Temporarily Do by Ellie Cahill
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Car accident, and Death of parent
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, and Fatphobia
Minor: Domestic abuse
Love Redesigned by Lauren Asher
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Booktok and Booktube saying that this is the best Lauren Asher book so far is a lie. I only read this because it is the book pick of the month for one of my Fable book clubs.
The only positive I had was the cameo of the characters from the Dreamland Billionaire series, but other than that, it gave me nothing.
The pranks Julian and Dahlia pull on each other are very childish, considering they are both 30-year-olds. As for the dialogue, some parts were too cringey, but I can admit that Julian had his moments when he made me swoon. As for the spice, I mostly skimmed them since I thought there were too many for a Lauren Asher book. At one point, I just got exhausted from the spicy scenes and was rolling my eyes.
The pacing was so off, and I'm facing the same issue as with Final Offer: it was longer than necessary. It was so long for no reason. It could have been 200 pages shorter, and the plot would not suffer. I didn't mind the numerous banter between the main characters because I understand that authors need the tension to make readers root for the couple. However, the constant reminder of how they had a falling out 10 years ago started to get annoying (as if it wasn't mentioned enough). It made me dread picking up this book and reading it because of how repetitive it was.
“Romance books don't need to be this long,” that's what we keep on saying. Please, listen to us.
The only positive I had was the cameo of the characters from the Dreamland Billionaire series, but other than that, it gave me nothing.
The pranks Julian and Dahlia pull on each other are very childish, considering they are both 30-year-olds. As for the dialogue, some parts were too cringey, but I can admit that Julian had his moments when he made me swoon. As for the spice, I mostly skimmed them since I thought there were too many for a Lauren Asher book. At one point, I just got exhausted from the spicy scenes and was rolling my eyes.
The pacing was so off, and I'm facing the same issue as with Final Offer: it was longer than necessary. It was so long for no reason. It could have been 200 pages shorter, and the plot would not suffer. I didn't mind the numerous banter between the main characters because I understand that authors need the tension to make readers root for the couple. However, the constant reminder of how they had a falling out 10 years ago started to get annoying (as if it wasn't mentioned enough). It made me dread picking up this book and reading it because of how repetitive it was.
“Romance books don't need to be this long,” that's what we keep on saying. Please, listen to us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
Backman, as always, knows how to tap into human emotions and explore humanity. What I appreciate most about his writing is his ability to take a simple truth and delve into it to the extent that it prompts a different perspective, making us recognize the significance of that truth. Kudos to Backman (and the translator!) for always knowing how to articulate the essence of humanity.
I enjoyed reading "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry" (in my opinion, Backman can do no wrong). However, I did notice one flaw that bothered me a little: Elsa, who is almost 8 years old, sometimes seemed unusually mature for her age. The only thing that reminded me that she is still a child was her fascination with the Land-of-Almost-Awake. If it weren't for her interest in this imaginary world, she would come across as someone in her teens who simply enjoys escaping reality by creating a different world in her mind.
However, this book reminded me that being different is not wrong. You should not allow society to bring you down simply because you are different.
As with any of Backman's books, he once again reminded me of the importance of kindness. It serves as a reminder that we never truly know the struggles and experiences that others are going through. We should always keep in mind that even the people we may dislike have their own challenges and reasons for behaving the way they do.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Death's greatest power is not that it can make people die, but that it can make people want to stop living.
Backman, as always, knows how to tap into human emotions and explore humanity. What I appreciate most about his writing is his ability to take a simple truth and delve into it to the extent that it prompts a different perspective, making us recognize the significance of that truth. Kudos to Backman (and the translator!) for always knowing how to articulate the essence of humanity.
I enjoyed reading "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry" (in my opinion, Backman can do no wrong). However, I did notice one flaw that bothered me a little: Elsa, who is almost 8 years old, sometimes seemed unusually mature for her age. The only thing that reminded me that she is still a child was her fascination with the Land-of-Almost-Awake. If it weren't for her interest in this imaginary world, she would come across as someone in her teens who simply enjoys escaping reality by creating a different world in her mind.
However, this book reminded me that being different is not wrong. You should not allow society to bring you down simply because you are different.
As with any of Backman's books, he once again reminded me of the importance of kindness. It serves as a reminder that we never truly know the struggles and experiences that others are going through. We should always keep in mind that even the people we may dislike have their own challenges and reasons for behaving the way they do.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Infidelity, Car accident, and Death of parent
The Goal by Elle Kennedy
I never really thought someone would top Garrett as one of my book boyfriends… until I read The Goal. There's something about sweet men and Tucker was the sweetest. As for Sabrina, I related to her not because of her family issues, but because of her drive and strength. Both MCs are much more lovable to me than the others, that's why The Goal made it to my top 1.
If it weren't for Garrett, I wouldn't place The Deal in the second spot. In my opinion, he saved that book. Garrett will always be one of my favorite book boyfriends. I felt that Hannah's character was a bit forced. Her overly cheerful personality seemed like she was trying too hard to be that type of girl.
As for The Mistake and The Score, they were just average for me (The Score was forgettable).
emotional
lighthearted
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? No
4.0
Now that I have finished the Off-Campus series (I still have yet to read The Legacy, but we all know that it's the epilogue book), I can now rank the books.
- The Goal
- The Deal
- The Mistake
- The Score
I never really thought someone would top Garrett as one of my book boyfriends… until I read The Goal. There's something about sweet men and Tucker was the sweetest. As for Sabrina, I related to her not because of her family issues, but because of her drive and strength. Both MCs are much more lovable to me than the others, that's why The Goal made it to my top 1.
If it weren't for Garrett, I wouldn't place The Deal in the second spot. In my opinion, he saved that book. Garrett will always be one of my favorite book boyfriends. I felt that Hannah's character was a bit forced. Her overly cheerful personality seemed like she was trying too hard to be that type of girl.
As for The Mistake and The Score, they were just average for me (The Score was forgettable).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use, Misogyny, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Aside from Noah occasionally being irritating due to his judgmental nature, this was good.