puddlejumper's reviews
726 reviews

Murder in Shades of Blue and Green by Ripley Hayes

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

3.25

 I thought this was a police procedural with a gay main character. It's actually a gay romance book with a police procedural background. The focus is very much on the developing relationship and not the crime.

I didn't really like the MC or the writing style. After reading some reviews I found out this was a spin-off from another series. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I'd read the other series first. 
The Trouble with Trying to Date a Murderer by Jennifer Cody

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funny lighthearted 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? N/A

5.0

Creepy Cat, Vol. 1 by Cotton Valent

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

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

0.5

That was not an enjoyable read. The pacing was all over the place. The start was way too slow and the end too fast. 

There were way too many characters. None of which had any personality or development. I didn't like any of them. I didn't find this an emotional read because I did not care.

The twist was predictable and implemented in a really confusing manner. It's just not good. 
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

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challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Absolutely loved this! It is very much a war epic with complicated characters and plots within plots.

Though there is a fantasy element I would place this as historical fiction over fantasy. It covers Zhu Yuanzhang's rise to power in 14th century China and the eventual establishment of the Ming Dynasty. 


Fallow by Jordan L. Hawk

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

4.5

This was my least favourite in the series so far. I enjoyed getting to know more about Griffin's past and his family but the setting didn't work for me.

Still a great series. 
Vegan Vietnamese: Vibrant Plant-Based Recipes to Enjoy Every Day by Helen Le, Helen Le

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informative

4.5

This is a beautifully designed book. Every recipe has a photo which I really appreciated. Metric measurements were also provided which was great for me and made the recipes much more accessible.

There was a comprehensive section at the start which covered the essentials, sauces, and ingredients. It was a great reference and I learnt how to make sticky rice.

I have a lot of food intolerances which means I couldn't taste test all of the recipes, mostly the ones with tofu or seitan. It's still a great resource and such a pretty book. 

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.


Murder and Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood

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

1.0

This cosy murder mystery was seriously confused. The two murders had completely different tones and it ruined the flow for me.

I haven't read many books in this series and probably won't read anymore because Phryne Fisher is the most annoying Mary Sue style character I've encountered.

She's so amazing and seductive that even gay men have and will have sex with her. Seriously. No.