monarchbooks's Reviews (547)

A Million Junes

Emily Henry

5.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

Stream June in January by Dean Martin and cry over the parallels between this and Beach Read

What Happens After Midnight

K.L. Walther

5.0

adventurous emotional lighthearted fast-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

KL Walther does not disappoint with her sophomore novel featuring Lily and Tag, an absolutely Taylor Swift coded couple.

Along with Taylor, Gilmore Girls, Schitts Creek, The Sound of Music, and The Little Mermaid come together to create the perfect contemporary heist book that referenced over 4 hours of a Taylor specific playlist and Walther did not stop at the campus guards and, ugh, Daniel Rivera (nice guy alert 🤮🤮🤮🤮) when it came to creating tension. No, she puts Tag's life on the line with a subplot about diabetes that shook me to the core with my own ketchup obsessed partner's recent diagnosis. Truly spectacular in my opinion.

Also can I pls say that i loved Maya and Zoe and Alex and Anthony and Josh and Leda like oh my god everyone was perfect even Blair (Not Waldorf But I Think Could Give Her a Run For Her Money). Wish we had more time with all of them.

Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/10Rad6BBi9fKl6hLk74Huf?si=-fwE2-RMQjq1rsJ17CoQQw

The Do-Over

Lynn Painter

5.0

inspiring lighthearted fast-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

i shall quote myself as I describe this book the same way I did to my best friend: "the last great american dynasty but in a Vigilante Shit meets Everything Has Changed way"

In an Absent Dream

Seanan McGuire

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

ABSOLUTELY WRECKED ME SOMEONE BRING LUNDY BACK TO LIFE SO I CAN HAVE MY SAPPHIC PIE FIENDS BACK TOGETHER PLEASE

Beneath the Sugar Sky

Seanan McGuire

4.0

adventurous tense fast-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: Complicated

I was sick with worry this entire book because I knew it didn't have to end happily and what if I could not have Sumi back

We Are the Wildcats

Siobhan Vivian

4.0

emotional tense fast-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

The fact that the book ended before someone threw a water bottle at the coach's face is a travesty. Otherwise a good story, though there was some unnecessary information.

Imogen, Obviously

Becky Albertalli

5.0

emotional inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-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

The parallels to Simon and Bram???? Wow? The car kissing? The rain? The constant questioning? And oh my god Nora??? Is Ace???????? I'm screaming? I clocked her as demi years ago.

Anyways this was the gayest shit I've ever read and I will absolutely never recover and Imogen baby never be friends with Gretchen again okay never