stardust_heidi's reviews
462 reviews

Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-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? Yes

5.0

This series 🥰🥰🥰
So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison

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

4.0

This was a wild ride, that’s for sure. Overall I really enjoyed this. It was fast paced and super fun to listen to. I found the FMC pretty unlikable, but yet at the same time, it was super relatable. Admittedly, she did get on my nerves more than once, but I think part of it is that I saw a lot of things I dislike about myself in her behavior, and seeing that mirrored in the book was off-putting. I liked that things weren’t shiny and instantly perfect, especially after they changed. It was chaotically imperfect, which fits the mood haha. I read a few other reviews on here and definitely agree with the one individual who stated that they wished we had gotten to see more true/full character development from Sloan, but it was too early in her “transformation” to really experience that. It makes sense, given that the entire book takes place over the course of only 5 days or so. I’d love a second book, years down the road, with some new sort of hijinks that allow us to see how this Naomi and Sloan are doing. 

I liked the focus of friendship > romance, though I wouldn’t mind a Henry/Sloan novella. ;) 
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Mirrored Heavens by Rebecca Roanhorse

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

I can’t wait for StoryGraph to add their pause feature! I started this in October (immediately after the first two books), got bored and paused while I went on holiday for a month, and I forced myself to return to it several days ago (December). 

Anyway. I’m not even sure how to rate this book. This series. Maybe it’s because I listened to it vs read the physical book, and that particular format made it more difficult for me to follow at times? Who knows. Whatever it is, getting through this book/series was a massive struggle. I had a really difficult time connecting to the characters by the end, and a huge part of me just didn’t even care anymore. There were moments throughout that I really enjoyed the plot and story — I think Belam’s parts were the most disconnecting for me. Xiala’s storyline definitely moved me the most. 

The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab

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5.0

Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I first attempted this book earlier this year but wasn’t feeling it at the time. I’m glad I gave it another go, because honestly, this is a delight. I adored Shesheshen’s POV and how she attempts to understand human nature. The romance element is excellent and completely unique. I think it did drag at times (I kind of zoned out during some of the body morphs) and I’m still undecided if I enjoyed the narrator or not. 
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Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings

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emotional funny lighthearted sad tense 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

4.25

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense 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

Trails and Tribulations: The Running Adventures of Susie Chan by Susie Chan

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adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0

Loved this so much! What an inspiration. 
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 53%.
Just not feeling it. On holiday, and the mood is fickle. 
Palestine, Israel, and U.S. Empire by Richard Becker

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challenging informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This book is fantastic. It’s the third book I’ve read about Palestine this year, and it was by far the easiest to understand and read. I am not an academic, and some of the other books out there on Palestine and its history are a slog to get through. This felt far more approachable for me, and I so appreciate the short chapters. They keep me interested and engaged. 

The information is well laid out and presented. Some of the different perspectives in the appendices are interesting. 

Honestly, if you want to know more about the history of Palestine and Israeli/US Zionist imperialism, this is an excellent place to start. It’s firmly anti-Zionist.