sarahyjackson's reviews
193 reviews

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Jenna Levine is such a snarky, swoony, snappy, steamy delight. 
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The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

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emotional funny lighthearted tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

There were parts of Ember’s story and behavior that made me feel like I did watching “Meet the Parents” which does *not* work for me narratively/connecting with a story. BUT I loved on the page indigenous love and Native Daddy Danuwoa could restart my computer anytime in the most respectful sense of the phrase. 
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The Wedding People by Alison Espach

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emotional funny sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

“And why is she always trying to reduce people, squeeze them into these knowable, tiny boxes where there is room for only one or two personality traits? Gary is the stage and Lila is the song, she thinks. But then she thinks: Nobody is ever like anything all of the time.”

A rocky start begot by my surprise but I forking loved it by the end. 
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The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song

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adventurous emotional 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

From the author’s note: 

“…I set out to write a Mulan retelling with a protagonist who does not dress as a man and join the army out of filial piety, but rather out of her own selfish desire to experience life freely. At the core of The Night Ends with Fire is the question: What does our ambition cost us?”

I found Meilin read aloud excerpts in therapy relatable and I thought her consideration and interrogation of her own longings and motivations within the context of broader systems SO WELL DONE. 

Magic system was a little loose for me but that might be the intended effect of the reader coming to an awareness of it alongside our heroine. 
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Passenger Princess by Morgan Elizabeth

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Bodyguard girl’s girl pink diva Miss Congeniality President’s Daughter confection NO NOTES
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The Pucking Wrong Man by C.R. Jane

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

4.0

Ballerina hockey player & he is absolutely delulu down bad for her. Lots of traumatic on the page flashbacks for the FMC and the MMC is a boundary pushing Daddy but sometimes you just want to read about multiple spanking induced orgasms on the home team’s bench YA KNOW. 
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Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi

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

4.5

A pre-colonial West African historical fiction narrative with some Hades x Persephone mythology winks.  

I was most absorbed by Òdòdó’s relationships with the other women throughout novel - and the ways systems and structures impacted those relationships.  
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Play Along by Liz Tomforde

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emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Fake dating! Athletes! Lady physicians! Spicy lessons! He is down SO SO bad! She thinks she is cold but GUESS WHAT! Only one bedish!
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Our Little Secret by Q.B. Tyler

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emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Cheating is hard for me! And I felt the MMC’s partner was written in a kind of chew the scenery villainous way. 

Spice was great and I liked how down bad he was. 
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Blind Side by Kandi Steiner

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emotional hopeful tense 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? No

5.0

Fake dating spicy lessons really Giana’ed my Jones. Clay’ed my Johnson. 
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