laedyred's reviews
280 reviews

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

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adventurous hopeful fast-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

4.0

Stronger than the first two books in the series. I actually liked Jude at this point. Cardan was actually fleshed out, given time to shine as more than a troubled young man. Their connection was more believable. My problem with the story is too many conveniences, characters who suddenly change their minds in conflict. I enjoyed the book, but it is not without its small faults.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

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dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was about 100 pages too long. I enjoyed learning about the daily struggles of the time, but I can't say I liked even a single character. Now I am aware that this is not supposed to be a happy ending story that leaves readers satisfied, but I also can't really see the hype around it. There are some good quotes and strong ideas to ponder related to redemption and power relations. 
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The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking

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informative slow-paced

1.5

This was a slog and I didn't like it. He has some interesting fun facts about Danish history but the rest of the book is just rehashing the same shit over and over again. I skipped an entire chapter about Christmas. This whole thing could have been a bullet point list, which probably would have been more helpful. He says some gross stuff about women and takes on this persona of the expert on every person in Denmark. Dude, everyone likes candles, blankets, and cake. This isn't Denmark-specific. This book was a boring, fetishizing take on a concept that doesn't need 300 pages. 
Heaven and Hell by Jón Kalman Stefánsson

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dark reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

This was a slog to get through at times. Most chapters focus on the backgrounds of different characters in a town, which was engaging and helped to add at least a bit of complexity. Otherwise, there was so much philosophical exposition that seemed to repeat itself. I wrote down a few lines that spoke to me but as a whole I can't really place what this book was trying to say besides "death is tricky". Maybe I'll change my rating as I process the pages, but I cannot say this is a favorite. Side note, it loses points for having a typical "men writing women" POV making most of the female characters props, boasting about their breast's, and showing horny men as typical, as if they cannot control themselves.
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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? No

5.0

Beautiful book. I connected with it, cried a bit. The characters are lovable but complicated. This is a nice mix of story and philosophy. Loved it. 
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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mysterious 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

2.0

I expected more from this book. It wasn't terrible, but it is forgettable. The twist is not expected per say, but it also doesn't come as a surprise. My experience was lukewarm. I feel as if this is not enough material to analyze beyond the surface level.
The Wicked King by Holly Black

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I wasn't a huge fan of the first book and this one had many of the same problems, amplified. The writing is so basic, even for a young adult book. Characters' personalities are surface level. The world of the fairies is at least interesting, and I did choose to read the second book in the series. However, this is not a book that sticks with you. It's a quick read.
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I got a lot out of this read, but there are so many problems I cannot deal with. A woman giving up her boundaries to have sex with a guy who is literally on his knees because he's horny. Romanticizing domestic violence. A few casual sexist comments. Characters' main personality trait is "troubled." I feel like I should give it another half star because I did connect with it emotionally. But I also want to take a star away for the issues it contains. 
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Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book requires an analytic, critical lens of a literature student to get the most out of it. The prose can drag at times but this isn't exactly an action-packed story. The horrors of the Nigerian civil war are on full display. Besides the two women protagonists, I hated every character. Men are truly the scum of the earth. 
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The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty

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

3.5

I'm really debating whether this book deserves 3.5 or 4/5. The story itself is engaging and I loved the setting. All I want is more pirate women who don't fit the "hot girl" stereotype, but I felt these characters lacked enough depth. Amina could be more complex, at times it seems she is just too powerful for there to be any real tension. The pacing is weird; nothing really happens for the first 100 pages, which doesn't bode well for a plot-focused novel. It often felt like there was too much text with not enough substance. All that being said, I did enjoy the tale of adventure. I would be interested to give a sequel a try if it promised more focus on the characters and created a reason for me to care what's happening to them.