rhi_xo's reviews
125 reviews

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

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

5.0

it was so hard to put this book down sometimes & other times it was hard to keep reading. this is definitely a dark read, but important nonetheless. I think anyone who has a hard time accepting the title of "victim" should read this. & it should go without saying that I definitely cried!!
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

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

3.0

I really respect the way this book is structured. it’s clear that so much time & attention was put into making the book interactive & reflect the minds of the characters within. there’s also a lot of really emotional moments in here. however I would absolutely never attempt to read this again lol beware to all!!
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

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

5.0

this book was nuts lmao I already knew the story because I had seen the movie years ago when it first came out (on Valentine's Day) so I didn't really plan to be surprised by anything but I was still so engrossed while reading this. the cool girl monologue is truly something else & I think it literally altered my brain chemistry lmao even though I know Amy is off her rocker, it was so much fun to be inside her mind for a while. Gillian Flynn is such a brilliant writer of woman villains & I will read anything she writes!!
Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

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

3.0

I ended up liking this book more than I thought I would considering I’m not a huge fan of urban fantasy & alternate worlds. I really love how dark this world is & there were a lot of cool story elements in here. but I did start to lose interest the more I read it. I guess I just wasn’t totally understanding everyone’s abilities in the book & I felt like there some things that were kind of glossed over. but I think I’ll still read the rest of the trilogy!
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

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

3.0

this was a really sweet book with some lovable characters in it (especially Dickon). I really liked the message of how you can expel bad thoughts with good ones & the positive effects of using your body & being outdoors. the story itself was different than what I expected it to be & I don’t know how I feel about the focus shifting from Mary to Colin. It would have been cool to get a glimpse into the kids’ futures to see how they turned out, but all in all it was a very sweet story.
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

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

4.0

this is the first jane austen book I’ve read without already knowing how the story goes. I’ve read pride & prejudice & emma & I already knew how both stories ended before reading them because of having watched the movies. it was so enjoyable to read this & not know who ends up with who!! it had it all: classic jane austen sarcasm, pining, gossip, & pretty much a story about nothing lol I loved it! however I felt like the leading men were not pining ENOUGH hence the 4 stars. sadly, nothing can top “if I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.” *sigh*
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

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

3.0

has some cool ideas buy way overhyped. 800 pages & I wasn’t attached to a single character. I just felt like something was missing!!
Circe by Madeline Miller

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adventurous emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

wow. just wow. this book absolutely deserves all of the hype. circe just felt so real & sympathetic. the dialogue in this book was so heartbreaking at times. every sentence delivered such profound emotion. I’m so so glad I read this.
Orange World and Other Stories by Karen Russell

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

3.0

first collection of short stories that I've read in a while & I was pleasantly surprised to find that one of the short stories in here I had already read for a Vampire Literature course in college (it's the "Black Corfu" one)! unfortunately it ended up being the best story in the collection so the rest went downhill from there :/ there were some shining moments in some of the other short stories like "The Gondoliers," but some of the others were just a little too weird for my taste.
Sex and Rage by Eve Babitz

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fast-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? Yes

1.0

I had pretty high hopes for this book because I've heard a lot of good things about this writer, but this just really did not impress me. I was not invested at all in Jacaranda or any of the other characters. I don't understand her relationship with Max & the dialogue just read really weird to me at times. Also I kinda hate books that talk a lot about NYC or LA or any other major city because I just don't think they're as interesting as residents of those cities like to think... sorry! All in all, not enough sex & not enough rage. :(