_zoe_reads_'s reviews
100 reviews

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

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

5.0

That Time I Got Drunk And Saved A Demon by Kimberly Lemming

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

4.0

there’s this one tiktok (by @ariisaysso) about people who make their hometown their whole personality (buttersburg, buckeysville, west tickles town, etc.) and that was stuck in my head this whole time.

that being said, if you can put up with the cringe i think this book is well worth it. it’s fun and has a good balance of romance and actual plot. go into this with managed expectations and you will have a good time imo.
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

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

3.0

i don’t that i’m fully able to articulate my feelings about this book. i think this concept was very unique and the direction it went in was interesting, yet i never felt fully enveloped in the story. i like weird books, books without much plot, without many answers, and in weird settings, but this one didn’t land fully for me.
Only For The Week by Natasha Bishop

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adventurous hopeful 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

3.75

really fun and heartwarming, loved rome and janelle as a couple <3
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

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dark reflective tense medium-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? No

4.25

i have so many thoughts and feelings about this book. i loved it a lot but was also left wanting in terms of the ending. it felt like we were building to this great and epic moment and, while there were some tense moments, it felt a bit underwhelming. i loved the writing of this book and the style it was told in and i look forward to reading more from her!
This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings

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

2.5

i wanted to love this book so bad — the premise sounded right up my alley and i’ve been following hayley for a long time. however, i struggled with it more than i anticipated. the pacing, the plot beats (and the number of them), and the character development all just felt a bit off kilter for me. i think these things can be developed more in the second book, which i do think i will read. i want to see this author’s growth from her debut to her second book.
A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft

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

2.0

sigh. very disappointing. the mystery was predictable, the characters felt flat, and every emotion regarding sylvia and lorelei’s relationship felt unearned. 
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

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funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

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

3.0

look, i think the idea behind this book and the references in it were intriguing, and i liked the message that hendrix was trying to get across, i just don’t know that he was successful. at no point while reading this book did i feel like i HAD to keep reading to know what happened next, or like i couldn’t put it down. for me, this just fell a bit flat; that being said, it was still a fun time and i don’t hold any overtly negative feelings about this book or story.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells

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

3.25