twirl's reviews
100 reviews

Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman

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emotional funny lighthearted

5.0

Definitely one of the best in the series, very raw and real and good. 
The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

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5.0

Entertaining in so many ways. Funny, adventurous, cute, and the subtle Greek history education is quite neat. Plus the shock of that ending? I couldn’t think of a way to make this book better. 
Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman

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funny lighthearted
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

30min read. So cute I couldn’t help but smile while reading ☺️ can’t wait to read more 
Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen

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  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No

2.0

Half reality tv comedy, half disassociated gore.

All of the 5 POV characters, including the main character, were soulless in an almost sociopathic way. Interactions between the characters lacked substance. The pacing was weird and the jump from the reality tv and “horror” sections did not mesh well. I also didn’t seem to understand the “messaging” the author was trying to convey. Almost seeming the perpetuate an “us vs them” that I feel is unhealthy and does not help society working towards undoing alienation of different people. 
The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

2.5


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I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

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adventurous funny lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0


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The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This book isn’t a murder mystery but a slow soap drama drawn out to a ridiculous length. An adequate summary of the book summarizes at the length of one word per page. 

The story is told in time blocks, one in the past, walking chronologically through events since their arrival at the lodge, and the other in the present, walking through the discovery that there has been a murder. I think if it wasn’t for the past time block, this book would feel unreadably slow. So rather than a “whodunit”, it’s a rehashing of past drama so the reader can guess which piece was worth killing over.

Part of what makes this book so difficult to read is the unlikable and unrelatable characters. Everyone is a rich bitch or a loner with a troubled past. There is very little depth to anyone. With multiple POVs, it’s a shame there isn’t one to enjoy.

Finally, the “twists” aren’t really twist. They’re heavily implied and while there are many red herrings, they didn’t dissuade me. As someone who loves mystery- true Agatha Christie level mystery, this isn’t for me. It’s more similar to the likes of Verity.

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Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

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

4.0