lili718's reviews
58 reviews

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

Britney truly bares herself to the world in this book. Starting from her childhood to current day you see what shaped Britney into who she is today and what happened behind clothes doors. 

This book made me cry, scream and laugh. 

Even as We Breathe by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle

reflective sad 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? Yes

3.0

I read this book for my book club and had it not been for that I do not think I would have finished. 

I thought I would be interested in this book due to the mystery aspect mentioned in the summary but you don’t touch that until you are almost done with the book, about 4-5 chapters from the end.
For that reason, this book was a bit of a let down for me.

The book does give you a glimpse into the Cherokee nation, their family dynamics and struggles they faced during WW2. This is very much so a coming of age story for two Cherokee teens finding their place in the world. If you are here with that as your main focus then this could potentially be a great book for you. 

The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.25

I didn’t know who to root for in this book, whose story or version of reality was true. This book kept me guessing until the very end. Still have mixed feeling about how it ended. 

The Locked Door by Freida McFadden

challenging dark mysterious fast-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

4.0

I found this book to be a bit different from how Freida’s books typically go. I can say that I truly did not expect the ending and would not have been able to guess it was a possibility. That being said I still question if the ending was a bit too far-fetched. Could see the potential for another follow-up story to this one. Overall still a really good read.

The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

adventurous challenging mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

I read this book for my job’s DEI bookclub. I didn’t go into the book with high expectations based on the description but I was pleasantly surprised to have absolutely loved this book. Not only does it make you seriously think about serious topics like cultural appropriation and minorities in the publishing world, but it also has a really good page turning thriller aspect to it. This book will make you question where your moral compass lies while keeping you thoroughly engaged in the mystery of Athena’s ghost.

Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.25

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

This book was a major let down for me. I was inspired to read it because I wanted to read this before watching the new Hulu series based off of it. While reading it, I found myself constantly confused and bored.

I feel like the book took forever to get to the point and then when it did, it was rushed into the last 2-3 chapters and the epilogue. I also wish the author had expanded more on certain characters storylines, like Kendra. I was highly disappointed with the ending of the book. 

I did go on to watch the Hulu adaptation of this book and would definitely recommend. The changes they make to the plot are what I wished I had seen in the book. 

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

adventurous challenging mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

Dare I say this one is better than the first… Finished this book in record speed. There is so much going on and things to discover that it was hard to put down.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

A thought provoking book that makes you question the different possibilities your life could have taken, what gives you value, and what truly makes you happy in life. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Addiction and Suicide attempt