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betweentheshelves
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! It was just the meet cute romance that I needed as the weather gets warmer. While it has a few flaws, I absolutely flew through this book!
Yes, enemies to lovers is my favorite trope, but fake dating might become a close second! Especially fake dating that leads to real relationships. While the trajectory of the relationship was a bit predictable, I enjoyed seeing Noah get to fall in love and experience traditional romance tropes. It's great to have such a happy, upbeat book for a trans main character!
Noah's friendship with Devin is probably one of the best things about this book. Devin is questioning eir gender and pronouns, and e and Noah have some great conversations about it. For a teen who is also questioning their gender, seeing this play out on a page with a character who changes eir pronouns with a friend who just rolls with the punches? Priceless. Much needed representation.
That being said, Noah isn't the most likeable main character. He has a lot of maturing to do, which makes sense because he's 16! But he has a lot of great support around him, people who are incredibly patient. And his brother! I loved getting to see his support in the book and to have him stand up for Noah at points, too. I would have a loved a little more growth from Noah in the book, but by the end, you can definitely tell that he's headed in the right direction.
All in all, if you're looking for a swoon worthy rom-com, this one is for you! Emery Lee is definitely one to keep an eye on.
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This has a lot of great things going for it, with a few flaws along the way. Mostly here for the side characters, as they definitely helped carry the story. Stay tuned for a full review later this week!
This has a lot of great things going for it, with a few flaws along the way. Mostly here for the side characters, as they definitely helped carry the story. Stay tuned for a full review later this week!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Transphobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicide, Vomit, Suicide attempt
The suicide mentions are referencing something from the past, it doesn't actually happen within the events of the book.
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While this isn't a genre I normally read, I was intrigued by the premise. Plus, Cherie Dimaline is a fantastic writer. This is infused with myth and darkness. At times, it feels like there are too many characters to follow, even though Joan grounds the entire story. And that ending! Dimaline wasn't afraid to end on a bold note.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Gore, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use, Car accident
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-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
There is so much to love about this book. A fat-positive romance with characters that have great chemistry. Entertaining and engaging, even it if was a bit predictable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual content
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First of all, the narrators for this audiobook were phenomenal. They brought so much to these characters and really brought the story to life. Smart plunges you right into this world she created, and while it took me a minute to get my bearings (a downfall sometimes when listening to fantasy books on audio), I loved the complexity behind the characters. Can't wait for the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Torture
Minor: Rape
funny
lighthearted
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:
Yes
What I loved about this one was that even though they lost, there's still room for improvement. Plus, the character growth! Kageyama has come so far, and his relationship with Hinata. Perfection.
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes
We're here just to see how the Karasuno volleyball team does. I love the breakdowns of the different plays and changes that they make when they're playing a game. As someone who's just getting into volleyball, it's really informative! Plus, the characters are just great.
emotional
informative
slow-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
Thanks to Abrams for sending an ARC of this book to the library where I work! This book was on my radar and I was happy to get a chance to read it early. And I'm happy to say that I'm not disappointed! A strong coming of age story about a trans guy finding his voice.
Many of the young adult books I've read recently focus on trans teens who have already gone through their coming out. What I liked about this is it takes us through Dean's process of coming out, the highs and the lows. He joins a support group, and they show him that there is no single way to be trans. This group, this found family is one of the best things about this book. Dean gets the support he needs through them, and his friends from school.
However, Dean's journey isn't without struggles. There are some instances of bullying and his mother isn't super accepting. Stoeve does an excellent job showing the complex feelings surrounding Dean's relationship with his mother. The analogies they use throughout the book are helpful for all kinds of readers, but I especially think trans teens will connect to it.
There were also a lot of great discussions about privilege within the queer community, since Dean's best friend is Black. There's also a lot of emphasis on the fact that trans teens need spaces to figure out their identity, to be able to have the support of others that know what they're going through. All around, there are just so many great messages in this book.
Since I'm not trans myself, I'd recommend checking out some own voices reviews on Goodreads!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Transphobia
Moderate: Biphobia, Deadnaming, Violence
Minor: Suicide
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this to review! I had heard some things about it on Instagram and admit I was intrigued! Plus, just look at the cover. It definitely is one of those that makes you want to read it!
The characters are the strongest aspect of this book, by far. I immediately felt the chemistry between Tal and Athlen, and it just grew as we got more into the story. Tal's relationship with his siblings also carries the story forward, as it's clear they would do anything for each other. The overall core of the story is built on strong relationships that make up for some of the falters in the plot.
For me, the plot felt a little rocky throughout, maybe feeling a bit more drawn out than it needed to be. Some of the dialogue also didn't quite feel natural. But, we could attribute that to this being a different world than ours.
Despite these faults, I loved this world that Lukens created, even if I could have done with a bit more detail. The idea of magic and the mythical creatures felt fresh and unique, and the characters embodied these traits so well. You really get a lot about the world just from the ways that the characters interact.
All in all, this is a fun sea adventure that will have you flying through the pages. I know I did!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Minor: Violence, Vomit
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think this one might be my favorite of the trilogy. Even if the ending was a bit too convenient. The pacing felt better to me than the second one (which dragged quite a bit for me). The twists in the plot helped to keep the plot moving at a good pace and some of the side characters grew on me. Alina still isn't my favorite narrator, but I loved her little group of rebels. They were great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Death of parent
Moderate: Body horror, Rape, Toxic relationship
Minor: Body shaming, Mental illness
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
This was such a great graphic novel! Not only was the art gorgeous, but I loved all the characters in it and the quest/adventure aspect. It felt kind of like a Dungeons and Dragons-esque story, honestly. I can't wait to read more in this series eventually!