caleighh's reviews
208 reviews

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

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emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

this book was a rollercoaster, to say the least.

there were so many parts that i hated. the first half of the book felt so pretentious and dense, and i constantly wanted to throw it across the room. literally.

the characters are beyond frustrating. sadie and sam got on my every last nerve for a good portion of the novel. especially when they would go years not talking to each other for the most petty reasons? i wanted to strangle them oh my god.

but i also loved them. marx specifically held such a special place in my heart for the entire book (miss zevin i will never forgive u for ‘the npc’). sadie and sam, while frustrating, were also just so real. they were complex and - forgive me for the cliche - perfectly imperfect.

this story is 100% more about the characters than the plot, but i still found the process of creating a video game and forming a company to be really intriguing. along with everything else that our characters had to endure throughout the course of these 400 pages.

the only true complaint i have here is the writing style. i think if this book was written differently, it would be a six star read for me. looking back on it, i think it’s the writing that made this feel so, well, pretentious and dense. it reads like an overly detailed nonfiction book at points (aka not my thing).

i hated this book. i loved this book. i was mad. i was at peace. i was laughing. i was sobbing. this is one of those books that leaves you just ... feeling. you know how you feel, but it’s impossible to put it into words. which, in my opinion, is the best way to feel about a book.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

whoever told me this was boring LIED

Behind the Net by Stephanie Archer

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

4 - “being fucked by Jamie Streicher is a religious experience” - stars ✰

this might be my new favorite romcom ... ever.

first of all, the characters. i adored them.
pippa was relatable on so many levels, and it was really nice to watch her growth and character development. you couldn’t help but root for her.
and jamie ... whew. he was the basic hot hockey player, but there was so much depth there too. he was genuinely really supportive and caring of those around him. top tier book boyfriend.

overall their stories were really fun to read! i loved them as individuals as well as together, which always makes for a good romance. the two had undeniable chemistry throughout and - get this - NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP!!! NO MISCOMMUNICATION!! stephanie archer i love u for this. (also the writing was so good yes)

i will say i got frustrated with them at points, because they constantly thought about how they couldn’t be together, blah blah blah. a few things made me cringe, but honestly that’s to be expected in romance novels for me at this point.

now i sit here and wait impatiently for hazel and rory’s book because i just KNOW the tension there is going to be chef’s kiss.

The End of Her by Shari Lapena

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dark tense fast-paced