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theblushbookworm's reviews
636 reviews
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
“First Lie Wins” is a winner of a thriller! The espionage plot was fun and engaging, and I really connected with our spunky main character Evie. I loved how we get more and more of a window into who she is with the chapters told from her previous jobs/aliases. The story is fast paced and consistently engaging, but the last third really seals the deal. The ending is so satisfying in that way where all the puzzle pieces slot together to form a complete picture. Just a great execution of the thriller genre!
Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I find this particular kind of coming of age story told through a questionable dating history is usually a hit or a miss for me. This one was a miss for me, but if you like the genre, you’ll probably enjoy it. I think what sealed me not liking it is my inability to connect with Adelaide even though her emotions are an open wound on the page. I’m also not sure if I would’ve liked it better if I hadn’t read it as an audiobook. I’m not sure if the narrator or the prose gave Adelaide the overly earnest, cringey voice that I couldn’t get past. Nonetheless it’s well-written, has an interesting plot, and I imagine is relatable for many people. I’m just not one of them.
The Wizard's Mark by Janette Rallison
adventurous
medium-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
This fit the bill for what I expect of a romantasy, but I think there are better options out there. The characters were a bit one note, and their relationships also felt a bit simplistic. It almost felt like YA in that the writing and plot were a little juvenile. Now I like YA fiction, and I wouldn’t say I didn’t like this. It just didn’t wow me. I also feel like the romantic tension aspect of the romantasy was missing and wasn’t a huge fan of how dependent the FMC was on the MMC. All these complaints aside, I really don’t think this was bad. I also don’t think it was good. It was firmly meh.
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
dark
emotional
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? No
4.5
This was one of my first reads after the 2024 presidential election, and it has reminded me that 74 years after this book is set we have to keep fighting for justice for people like Robert and Gloria Stephens. The story is based on a real school in Northern Florida during the Jim Crow South and is clearly very well researched. The author has tragic familial ties to the school, and I could read her passion for talking about the injustice of juvenile incarceration and systematic racism. There is a vivid villain in Superintendent Haddock, and two strong and despairingly young main characters in Gloria and Robert. The side characters also added a lot of color to the story, particularly Redbone, Miz Lottie, and Mrs. Hamilton. At first I wasn’t sure if the book needed its paranormal aspect, but I ended up really valuing its window into Black spiritualism and its function as an allegory for the way our society pits Black and marginalized people against each other. “The Reformatory” is a very heavy, harrowing read that I highly recommend you pick up. Reading is political, and this book is a call to action.
Villette by Charlotte Brontë
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Villette” by Charlotte Brontë is an underrated classic. I liked it as much as I liked “Jane Eyre”. It was classed as a romance at the time, but I like it much more thinking of it as a contemporary fiction (now turned classic) or a Bildungsroman. I continue to not be a fan of her male love interests, but I adore her heroines. The novel was so ahead of its time in its portrayal of Lucy Snowe, an English teacher in the fictional town of Villette based off of Brussels, Belgium. We see Lucy deal with depression, which is surprisingly written about without judgement despite this being a 19th century novel, and we also watch her fight for workplace autonomy and subtlety critique slavery. The novel is full of imperialist and anti-Catholic sentiment. As much as I disavow prejudice, I find it interesting to reflect upon how people thought incorrectly in the past. It brings clarity to how we’ve corrected these prejudices with time. I highly recommend reading this and really any classic in the Penguin Clothbound editions. They have notes and an introduction (don’t read that until the end) that add a lot of valuable context to the novel like that “Villette” is largely auto-biographical. I loved the ending and find it so subversive in its original intent. Brontë’s father did influence it to be more ambiguous to fit the desire for a HEA, but I still loved it. Overall Brontë’s writing style is consistent, so if you like Jane Eyre for any of these reasons, I encourage you to try “Villette”.
The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake
informative
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
A solid continuation to this series. My only complaint is the switch to long chapters, but otherwise I enjoyed continuing the magical and academic journey of The Atlas Six.
Five Survive by Holly Jackson
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book is like a Lifetime movie, thrilling and entertaining but incredibly cheesy. The beginning was slow for me and had me questioning if I enjoyed locked room thrillers. When the action picked up, I got more into the story, but I feel like the mafia aspect was handled in the most cliché way possible. I also found all of the characters to be irritating and pretty one note. The suspense and plot twists did have me hooked. I was going to give this three stars for being entertaining but not particularly artful, but the cringe of the ending knocked an additional half star off. Overall I get why people might enjoy this, and I think I did a little just in more of a guilty pleasure hate read sort of way.
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
challenging
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
“The Atlas Six” is mind-boggling but in a good way. The six are each varying shades of morally grey and incredibly powerful. Libby is definitely my favorite, and I find her insecurities and impostor syndrome relatable. But she along with the other five got on my nerves at times. These characters had a way of worming their way into my brain and eliciting strong emotions. I’m excited to see where the story goes in book two!
Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I’m really sad to say I found this to be a mediocre read. I’m not sure how much of that is related to its inability to live up to “The Unmaking of June Farrow”, but honestly I think it had more to do with the fact that I didn’t find the plot or characters engaging. The devious small town island setting was intriguing, but the constant POV and timeline switching made it hard for me to connect to the story. Unfortunately I won’t be recommending this one.
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
funny
lighthearted
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
4.5
What an introduction to marriage of convenience! I was not expecting to love this vampire-werewolf romance, and read it partly because Ali Hazelwood’s books are so much fun to read and partly because I wanted a Halloween read. I ended up loving it. Misery and Lowe are in my mind the perfect execution of the marriage of convenience trope (though admittedly I think they’re my introduction to it), which reminds me a lot of my favorite trope fake dating. Their banter and chemistry are knock your socks off fantastic. I also loved the fantasy world building in this one, and I am obsessed with Misery and Lowe’s baby sister Ana’s relationship. Such a fun read for Halloween or any time of year!