The flashbacks really pulled me out of this story, honestly. I've seen the movie, but it was a while ago. The present day story works better on its own, at least in my opinion.

Rounding up to 4.5 stars because this is a gut punch of a book! In a good way. Sass's writing feels so effortless throughout this, pulling you into this queer resistance story. It's about fighting back, finding found family, and finding your own strength. Docking half a star because the timeline doesn't quite make sense. But still worth all the hype!

This reminded me of a combination of Red Queen, The Selection, and An Ember in the Ashes. Zahru wasn't my favorite; the side characters were more interesting and provided more of the story, in my opinion. That cliffhanger, though! Still interested in knowing what happens next.

While I enjoyed the concept of this book, there were pieces that felt not quite believable to me. Plus, I felt like there were too many characters that made the story difficult to follow at times. I did enjoy the diversity here, and the teens were fighting for a good cause. Could be inspirational, to the right teen!

Review originally posted at between-the-shelves.com!

Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! Honestly, I thought that this was YA until I started reading it. Not in a bad way. But the characters, for the most part, aren’t teenagers. This is still a great read for October, with lots of spooky vibes and gothic feels.

I’d really emphasize the gothic feel because the overall tone of this book felt like Jane Eyre to me. Which is fantastic! Jane Eyre is one of my favorite classics. Plain Bad Heroines is completely different from Danforth’s first novel, both in genre and in form. You’re sucked in with the story of Flo and Clara at the beginning, and the rest of the stories always connect back. The weaving of the narratives is masterful; combining each level of story in such a way that you need to know what happens next.

The narration is almost a character on its own and adds a lot to the story as well. It’s never clear who is narrating the novel, and none of the characters ever know the full story. This adds to the mystery element of the story, and definitely what adds to its gothic appeal. And the characters! Though some of them weren’t as fully fleshed out as I would have liked, they really add to the whole atmosphere of the book. A full cast affected by the curse at Brookhants.

While I enjoyed each story in here, this book could have been trimmed down a bit. There were parts that felt a little dragged out. But the characters and the atmosphere by the end definitely make up for it.

Looking for a great sapphic horror to read just in time for Halloween? Definitely pick this one up!

Full review to come later tonight!

There's just something about Khorram's writing that sucks you in. This definitely isn't a plot driven book, but I loved it all the more for that. We get to see Darius as he fumbles through his first relationship, tries to figure out feelings for another book, and learns that maybe selling tea isn't his thing. A coming of age story full of emotion, heartbreak, and hope. I can't wait to see what Khorram does next!

I love Kamala Khan. Spider-Man may forever be my favorite hero, but Ms. Marvel is up there too. I love that this volume focuses a lot on the younger generation and fights back against how they're portrayed in the media. This is probably one of my current favorite comic series!

This was another fun volume! Kamala falls hard for someone, but of course, it doesn't go the way she expects. Great action scenes, great characters. I'm definitely loving this series!

Captain Marvel and Spider-Man?? This volume was fantastic. The pacing was great as well as the art. Everyone needs to get on the Ms. Marvel train!

This is such a fun book! And great on audio. Seriously, listen to the audiobook. You'll get even more immersed in these characters and I think it made me enjoy this book all the more!