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redlipstickandreading's reviews
413 reviews
Original Sins by Erin Young
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I started this book not realizing it was the second in a series. Fortunately while there are references to the first book it was able to be read as a standalone. Unfortunately, that meant I kept at it when I probably should have DNFed. This is a more of a traditional crime novel versus the more thriller type I usually read. I found the pace SO slow even though I ended up listening at 2x speed. Really nothing in the book was exciting or different. I found the plot predicable and plodding and felt like it could have been 25% shorter and everything still would have happened the same.
Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
So I'm still catching up on reviews for January reads. I had surgery on Friday and I anticipated a lot of reading time but it's more napping and doom scrolling so far. But back to the book at hand. This was a book I knew I was going to like but somehow I still put off reading it for months. I got to meet @laurapiperlee at @romance_con and hear her talk on a panel about writing comedy in romance and she's so awesome and sweet. Truly this book is SO fun. Made me laugh out loud several times, while also really relating to Hannah despite objectively being very different (aka I am a single Pringle and Hannah is a recently dumped single mom). There's something so relatable about knowing what your problem is mentally but still struggling to execute the solution. My one small gripe is what Hannah asked of River was such the bare minimum and he still made it a big deal. But seriously, a great book. Also she has a new related novel (Zoe Brennan, First Crush) coming out that I will definitely be reading much quicker! Also highly recommend checking out her newsletter for a cut scene from Hannah Tate involving curing mastitis with a vibrator. I cried laughing 🤣
A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Adrienne Young is an auto buy author for me so I had to get this one as a book of the month add on. This book follows James who returns to her small hometown after years away following the unexpected death of her twin brother Johnny. As she investigates she believes her connection with Johnny is still active and begins seeing things through his eyes. Young's writing style is evocative and atmospheric which really feeds the story and feeling of the book. I really enjoyed the gentle fantasy/sci-fi elements, but this is mainly a story about family and the lengths you will go for family and loyalty. I wish the ending wasn't quite so tidy but highly recommend.
The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was my book of the month pick for January. I'm not sure what exactly I thought this was going to be like but it really surprised me. The book is set up as a faux memoir of mysterious author Cate Kay which includes her recollections, excerpts from the book she wrote, but most interestingly it includes parts written by the other characters in the book. What I like most is sometimes these inclusions directly contradict both Cate's (aka Annie aka Cass) and others sections. You see Cate's footnotes throughout which I thought were really fun, just a little thoughts that made it feel so personal. The character main character felt so fleshed out and tangible which was an interesting contrast to the themes of identity and self discovery. This is outside the genres I gravitate towards and it surprised me in a really nice way.
The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner
emotional
funny
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
Despite a resolution to post reviews soon after I finish the book I am behind on my January reads. This was a surprise 5 star read. I picked it from the TBR Jar and it ended up being great timing since the book is set a New Years where the main character Sadie wishes for a do-over of the past year. I liked that it wasn't a one for one last time this event happened and I'm going to do better. There were some obviously, but it did make it feel like her decisions had stakes. This book had my favorite early 2000s rom com vibes while still dealing with some heavier stuff (trigger warning for sexual harassment). I read this book in one sitting i liked it so much.
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This is one of those books that made me wish I was better a DNF-ing books. I was in the mood for a thriller but never vibed with this one. It was clear what was developing on the island and the twist to make it come together felt a little like 'we'll just fo this and it will all tie together'. I liked the multiple perspectives but Abby's chapters felt a little too Gone Girl esque. This was a book I finished just to say I finished. High point? A very cute dog named Columbo.
Moral Injuries by Christie Watson
mysterious
tense
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
3.0
This was an interesting one. I bought it a while ago and just got around to listening. Three friends from medical school get involved in teens accident that is reminiscent of something that has plagued them since middle school. It was an interesting exploration of family both biological and the family you choose and the lengths you will go to protect and be loyal to those two groups. But the three main characters felt a little too superficial at times and the ending felt a little too tied up with a bow given how ambiguous most of the book was.
Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.5
When I saw this one I knew I had to read it 😂 and yes it's what you're thinking, he shape shifts into the Loch Ness monster at night. Only Lana Ferguson can take monster f*cking and make it mainstream. This is a fated enemies to lovers story between Lachlan (Nessie) and Key who travels to Scotland to reconnect with her family after her father dies. This book is so silly but definitely a fun read. I will say you can see the 'twist' (I hesitate to even call it that) a mile away. Plus once they read the full curse I was literally screaming that the answer was SO obvious. Still a fun read especially since it was an audiobook I listened to on my commute.
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Today is a rough day for some of us Americans. So as a little escapism let me tell you about one of the most badass ladies you've never heard of, Virginia Hall. She said I don't want to be a socialite I want to be a diplomat. But despite being highly qualified, the State Department said you can be a secretary. So she did that for a few years until he lost her leg below the knee in a hunting accident, after which everyone thought she was going to go home and be a spinster. But nope, she started driving ambulances in France during the beginning of WW2. When it got too dangerous she didn't go home she got recruited by the British SOE to go into Nazi occupied France and work to build a resistance network. Which she did better than literally every other man they sent in. She was so effective she was the subject of a Nazi manhunt. And she escaped by climbing a mountain range, again with a wooden leg. Then instead of saying well job well done it's too dangerous she went back to France and continued to be the best resistance leader until the end of the war. Highly recommend checking out this book or any biographies of Virginia Hall because she is so amazing and I want more people to know about her. Mini rant over.
Wildfire by Hannah Grace
lighthearted
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
3.0
The start to this year has been a bit of a reading dud. This was pick number 2 from the TBR Jar and again it was just okay. I read Icebreaker years ago and wondered if I had overhyped it in my head, and honestly Wildfire kind of confirmed that. I liked the summer camp setting and that it showed two different ways confronting your family issues can go. But I kept waiting for something more to happen plot wise and it never did. It felt like there were plot threads that the author just let dangle. Overall fine and enjoyable but nothing to write home about.