Reviews by cowboylikeb | The StoryGraph

311 reviews by:

cowboylikeb

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Beach Read

Emily Henry

4.5

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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: Complicated

Piranesi

Susanna Clarke

4.0

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Wow. An excellent slow burn of a novel, like peeling away layers of paint to discover what was beneath. I grew very attached to Piranesi over the course of the novel. The only reason this isn't a 5 star is because the ending underwhelmed me. It's worth the read, I just personally wish there was a bit of something more. And I'm not entirely sold on the fantasy tag it's been given.

Zipper Mouth

Laurie Weeks

2.5

challenging dark sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

The Chosen and the Beautiful

Nghi Vo

2.5

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I'm... well... disappointed. I guess I hung to heavily on the prospect of magic and ultimately hoped there was much more than the book actually offered. I found that I was far more interested in the magical elements and the paper cutting than I was about the very literal re-telling of The Great Gatsby.

I enjoyed Jordan as the choice for narrator, but that hardly helped me enjoy any of the characters more, including Jordan. I was quickly reminded that I probabl like the idea of Gatsby's extravagant parties and the images they conjure up far more than the actual story itself.

Now if something else had been done to explore the paper cutting and the magic, I would've been more enthralled. Give me that book, I want to read that one!

Mary Jane

Jessica Anya Blau

4.25

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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: Complicated

Content Warnings

One Last Stop

Casey McQuiston

5.0

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad 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: Complicated

Who have Casey the right to hit me squarely center in my feels like this??? 😭

This book is... everything. Found family, drag queens, time crime, pancakes, queer love, pop culture callbacks, NYC subway rides, modern sleuthing, and more. If this is what paranormal romance is, I am here for it. I love everything McQuiston crafted, I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with these characters. 💌

The narration of the audio book was very well done!

Content Warnings

Man, Fuck This House

Brian Asman

4.0

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Over-look the editing errors and enjoy this quick read horror romp for what it is - a delightfully, horribly weird story about a house

that just wants to be loved

. Real talk though, Damien alone gives this book is 4th star - I really dug his character.

Content Warnings

As Good As Dead

Holly Jackson

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

No, not Holly Jackson writing a literal guide on how to get away with murder?! 🙈

An excellent closing to an excellent series. Despite the few times I almost threw this 3rd installment across the room, I thoroughly enjoyed it... might've gotten a bit distraught over our Pip and her actions, but I'll forgive her in a day or two. 😅

Content Warnings