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tayloranne's reviews
402 reviews
I'll Be There for You: The One about Friends by Kelsey Miller
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
As a friend's lover I really enjoyed this book! It was nice to listen to something that was produced before Matthew Perry's passing, because he was still being referred to in the present tense. I'm a '98 baby so I didn't know any of the discourse and gossip happening during filming so it was really cool to hear about it from someone who lived through it.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
If I could give 6 stars I would. What a moving piece. When Will's brother is shot dead by, he assumes, a rival gang member, Will takes justice into his own hands as deemed by 'the rules'. Justice for his brother's death brings him to the elevator that the story takes place, where he rides with the souls of others in his life taken because of gun violence. I'm not sure if the ending is telling us that Will did not follow through with his revenge after hearing all of the stories of his loved ones in the elevator, or if it shows that he did follow through and joined them. Sean didn't react to or acknowledge his brother until the very very end, and that could show that Will has joined him in death OR, I think, that Will has decided to turn back to his life and forget the so-called rules.
The Shadowhunter's Codex by Cassandra Clare, Joshua Lewis
Absolutely loved the little notes from Clary, Jace, and Simon! They're mostly what I read since I've read the codex before a looking time ago.
The Goddess Inheritance by Aimée Carter
3.0
It was good, and it kept my attention! But again, this was not written for me as I'm no longer than audience of any YA books really. I liked how Carter ended Kate's story and the world she built was great for young readers. Very nostalgic.
How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
While I did enjoy this book, I found my attention wanting kind of often so it wasn't amazing and drawing me in unfortunately.
Goddess Interrupted by Aimée Carter
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Good book, and I love the twist Carter has put on the gods and the mythology rather than another retelling of Persephone and Hades. Everything moves quickly, and I have to constantly remind myself that this is YA and that's why it feels faster and why a lot of it has to do with her thoughts and feelings and her misunderstanding of things and the people around her. She jumps to conclusions and is terrible at communicating, but she's 19 so of course that's how she is! But I will say Kate is pretty insufferable since all her problems could be solved by just talking to Henry.
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
sooooo bored. I didn't care what was happening or would be happening to the characters or within the world. I enjoyed the first book quite a bit but that may have been thanks to nostalgia since I read it when it first came out. I never got around to the next one's before and I don't think I was really missing much. Which is unfortunate because I quite like the author on tiktok, she makes great content that helps aspiring authors!
Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love all Blake's books, but I felt like I could relate extra hard to both Stevie and Iris in this one! Stevie is an anxious actress who finds solace and confidence on the stage while donning a mask of anyone but herself and that was my life to a tee for a very long time before I even realized. Iris is a romance author, artist and small business owner who is having a difficult time getting into the swing of things for her next book and needs Stevie's help to amp up the romance of her life to help. As an author myself struggling to write my next piece I felt pushed to try harder to get out of my comfort zone like Iris.
Great read!!
Great read!!
The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It was a good book and it was very nostalgic to read it again because I barely remembered anything. It was like reading it for the first time again since I haven't read these books in 12 years.
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was great, and I think it's an important read. Butler uses first person narrative, and I think that makes it that much more impactful. We see everything through Dana's eyes, the lens of a black women from 1979 America thrown into the ante bellum south. Having her account of slavery rather than a third person narrative allows us to put ourselves in her shoes since we're literally in her mind. The use of "I" ensures the reader is constantly at the center of the story, if that makes sense.