expecto_padronum's reviews
142 reviews

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

As someone who is constantly second guessing my choices and wondering if I should have done XYZ other thing, this one really came to me at a good time. It is sweet, thoughtful, and optimistic. I loved the message.

I didn’t love the nurse/patient love story line because that’s quite the power imbalance but they did repeatedly address that generally it is not ok and this was a very special case so at least there’s that. In the end I LOVED the idea that, as long as you stick with the people who feel like home, everything will work out one way or another.
Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead

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3.25

The main character’s trust issues and all the cheating were a little over the top, and the political parts were a bit unbelievable to me. She swayed lots of people with logic way too fast when we all know that doesn’t usually work.  But it was cute! 
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 65%.
The beginning was good but I lost interest after she finished school. I persisted for a while but didn’t care about any of the characters enough to finish it. I should’ve known I wouldn’t like it bc I don’t like war stories but I loved Yellowface by the same author and this one had such good reviews + I saw it in a little free library so I figured I’d give it a shot. 
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

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emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

still love this book a decade later. The writing is so beautiful, reading it is truly an experience. Maybe it’s the nostalgia from reading it when I was younger, but it somehow manages to be a comfort book in spite of the sad subject matter because the characters are so grounded and their love so real.
Funny Story by Emily Henry

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

Emily Henry does it again, another delightful and funny romance with very strong subplots and character development. The woman never misses.
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes

4.5

This book made me sob. I predicted who she was going to choose about a third of the way in, but it was still one of those books that you devour in a weekend. It had a beautiful message and I really enjoyed reading / listening to it. 
Say Hello to My Little Friend by Jennine Capó Crucet

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medium-paced

2.5

I came into this as a fan of JCC’s other 3 books but this one really wasn’t for me. The heavy reliance on Scarface and Pitbull references felt gimmicky.  I get that JCC’s books aren’t meant to appeal to the widest audience possible, but it felt limiting to have this story that can’t stand on its own without these other two pieces of pop culture. I don’t like heavy reliance on pop culture in books period so that’s on me for still picking it up, but I wanted to give this one a chance since I like her other books so much. I enjoyed the Tia Tere / Izzy / Julisa chapters, but I started skimming over the whale chapters after the first few, it felt like overkill. 

I was going to give this 3 stars, but the ending knocked it down another half star.

I’ve never read Moby Dick so I’m guessing it ends the same way and I should’ve seen that coming. Books don’t have to be fair obviously but Izzy didn’t deserve that so it was disappointing to read, although his story wasn’t really going anywhere so. Yeah. Also the letter from Pitbull felt so presumptious and kind of illegal? It  doesn’t sit right with me for an author to put so many words into the mouth of a real person in order to further their own agenda in a story.
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book was WILD I gasped out loud a few times at major reveals. The ending was good and explained some things but didn’t tie everything together in the way that I had hoped. It was satisfying in a way but also left me wanting a little bit more. Overall really interesting commentary on feminism and motherhood and what it means for women to reach their full potential.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative 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? No

5.0

Loved this book so much!!! Much like The Martian, it’s wholesome, funny, and interesting from start to finish. 

Rocky was hilarious. Sassy, caring, and competent - everything I want in an alien bestie! Finding out that Stratt sent Ryland on the mission against his will had my jaw on the floor!!!!!!! What the hell!!!! I mean it worked out in the end but what the hell!!!! That was INSANE though totally in line with the character development we had seen from her up to the point.  Her history speech I thought was perfect in adding her context and reasoning, and I’m glad that Ryland stayed mad even though it worked out because I would too! Love that he still was able to be science teacher on the alien planet. So freaking cute.