jennametheny's reviews
163 reviews

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

One of the most unique writer’s voices I’ve read to date. It was funny, heartwarming, terrifying, it was everything.

Content warning: multiple instances of SA
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

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adventurous 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

3.5

The 100 by Kass Morgan

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adventurous tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous emotional 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

4.0

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

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

3.5

Daughter of Sparta by Claire M. Andrews

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I ripped through this quickly because it’s so plot-heavy, it does capture your attention and make you curious about the way it all ends. But I also decided to speed-read once I realized that I would experience very little, if any, connection to these characters.

I can see where the author was trying to go with Daphne’s struggle with her own identity, and it came close to full circle at one point. But even then, the character development doubled back on itself, as many things in this book do. Other than that, any attempt at emotional connection falls flat, making the love story almost pointless.

I give three stars because it did hold my attention enough to finish, and I liked the concept. But I’d never return to this story or these characters again, despite the ending leaving a strong possibility for a sequel.
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This book is fascinating and well written enough that I could finish it in just one sitting. But it was heart wrenching. The story stays strongly rooted in the original myth, but focuses heavily on the theme of women facing punishment for the sins of men. But if you’re looking for a story about a woman taking agency of her own story, keep moving. While the epilogue may hinge on something of a hopeful note, the story itself is quite depressing.
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green

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adventurous reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Very entertaining sequel! There were definitely a few moments where I gasped out loud, and I appreciated Green avoiding the cookie cutter ending. I probably won’t ever re-read this duology but it was a fun ride!
The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Cassie is a mess but in the lovable sense. It’s refreshing to follow a protagonist who’s kind of falling apart the same way we are. This book is, funnily enough, a great airplane read. It’s not a work of high art, but it is a page turner of a mystery. My only complaint is how quickly things wrapped up. We spent so much time asking questions with Cassie and the second we got an answer- boom it was over. But I enjoyed it.