read_with_blondie's reviews
583 reviews

Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Vol. 1 by CLAMP

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

A reread from my early middle grades day, CLAMP has had a choke hold on me for decades. I never did finish this series but as a huge fan of Cardcaptor Sakura, my hopes are high on me loving this whole series.

A Court of Sugar and Spice by Rebecca F. Kenney

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

2.75

A spicy retelling of the Nutcracker with magic and mischief sounded right up my alley. This book was not for me. While the spice was delightful, the audiobook narrator did not do much to reflect the differences in the main character's voices. It felt very easy to forget who was supposed to be narrating. The MMCs felt much more fleshed out and interesting, but the Clara and Louisa, despite their differences, feel flat for me. Maybe the sequel will be better?

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

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emotional funny medium-paced

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

3.5

Dream Girl Drama takes taboo romance, hockey romance, and the signature helping of Tessa Bailey's infamous charm and flirting to the next level. While I enjoy the spice and the slow burn tension, there was a lot about this book that sat weirdly with me. The will-they-won't-they of maybe becoming step-siblings felt really really dramatic. Like end of the world dramatic. This coupled with the insta-love and the frankly less than stellar lack of communication between our MMC and his parents made it really hard to enjoy the end of the book. Our FMC was bubbly, kind, and leaned heavily on her airhead qualities to make her feel believable.

Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas

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dark emotional funny medium-paced