lowkeymarie's reviews
557 reviews

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales

emotional funny lighthearted medium-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

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a review copy! Overall rating: 4/5

A YA romance where two girls are recruited to compete on a reality dating show called Second Chance Romance starring their ex-boyfriend. One of them is there to potentially pick up things where they left off, the other is there to get public revenge on him for cheating. But along the way, they find themselves drawn to each other instead...

This is the first book I've read by Gonzales and YA romance isn't a genre I usually spend much time in, so I didn't really have any expectations going in, other than the synopsis sounded like the kind of bisexual chaos that I crave at all times. And I was pleased to discover it definitely lives up to those chaotic bi vibes! (On a personal note, my inner child was absolutely overjoyed to read a story about two bisexual girls who are both completely confident and comfortable in their sexuality!)

My only real nitpick is one that I occasionally encounter in other YA, which is that I ended up wishing that the characters were just...adults. In this case, that might be more of a personal gripe than a legitimate criticism, but there it is. I'm also getting a tiny bit tired of the reality show trend in romcoms if I'm being honest and I think that aspect of the story could have used a bit more tweaking, but it's handled well enough.

Our two main characters, Maya and Skye, are both fantastic and have electric chemistry. I loved watching their dynamic evolve from enemies to allies to friends to friends-who-make-out-sometimes to lovers. I would have liked a little more depth to their backgrounds, but you get enough for them to be well-rounded characters whose motivations make sense, as well as some very satisfying character growth. There's plenty of snappy dialogue between these two and the rest of the girls competing, and there was a real sense of camaraderie and even protectiveness between the "competitors" that was wonderful to see.

Content Warnings

The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

It's exhausting. People hiding behind the asteroid, like it's an excuse for poor conduct, for miserable and desperate and selfish behavior, everybody ducking in its comet-tail like children in mommy's skirts.

An excellent read, with both style and substance! I'll admit that I was more into the general ~vibes than the mystery itself, but I'm not a big mystery reader anyway. I was really unsure how the hell the author was going to manage to wrap things up, but the ending was both moving and satisfying, and I will definitely be picking up the next in the trilogy when I get a chance.

Content Warnings

Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.

Why do I always think I'm going to have any attention span for domestic thrillers?

Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-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

4.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the review copy! Overall rating: 4.5

I previously read (and absolutely adored) Spoiler Alert and All the Feels by Olivia Dade, and I was really excited for this third installment in the Gods of the Gates saga. And while I will say that this is probably my least favorite of the three, I still loved it.

Peter and Maria are both compelling main characters and they have fantastic chemistry. So much flirting and teasing and bickering! Their relationship unfolds so satisfyingly, over a period of several years, and none of their ups and downs or inevitable miscommunications feel manufactured or tired. Something that has impressed me about Dade's writing through the whole trilogy is that the story never feels formulaic despite hitting all the requisite beats for a romcom.

Something I especially loved about this book is just...Maria. She knows what she wants, what she expects out of a partner, and most importantly, she damn well knows what she deserves and she will accept nothing less.

(Also, Alex continues to have my entire heart.)

Content Warnings

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

4.0

The actual story itself is a five star for sure, but I would have enjoyed it more as text than audio, and that's on me. The audio is actually really well done, I just don't have the attention span for this kind of story on audio. Lesson learned. 🥴 I will definitely be picking up more Backmans.

Content Warnings

Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

I wasn't as into this one as the last one, only because I didn't find the setting as compelling. But still so charming and beautifully told. Plus, a fat girl mermaid main character just speaks to my soul in a way that I didn't even know I needed. 🥲

Content Warnings