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caseythereader's Reviews (1.84k)
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Sexual content
adventurous
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thanks to FSG Books for the free copy of this book.
- MOONBOUND is set in the same universe as my beloved MR. PENUMBRA’S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE but this time we’re far into the future and humans have lost a battle with dragons that now live on the moon.
- I loved Ariel and pretty much every character we encountered throughout the story. Sloan is so good at mixing heart and humor that absolutely everyone is lovable.
- This book starts off strong with an intriguing premise and lots to say about narrative and archetypes, but as we reach the second half it begins to drag and become overly convoluted. Still, many ideas and images from this book are going to stick with me.
- MOONBOUND is set in the same universe as my beloved MR. PENUMBRA’S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE but this time we’re far into the future and humans have lost a battle with dragons that now live on the moon.
- I loved Ariel and pretty much every character we encountered throughout the story. Sloan is so good at mixing heart and humor that absolutely everyone is lovable.
- This book starts off strong with an intriguing premise and lots to say about narrative and archetypes, but as we reach the second half it begins to drag and become overly convoluted. Still, many ideas and images from this book are going to stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: War
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to PRH Audio for the free copy of this book.
- I love a character driven mystery/thriller, and THE GOD OF THE WOODS is a top tier example of the genre.
- Moore weaves a story that features two timelines and quite a few different POV characters, but none of it is extraneous. Each person and each jump in time and perspective add necessary details and are perfectly placed to advance the mystery.
- Much of the story is driven by class and gender differences, which Moore explores deftly. The characters and their specific circumstances all feel completely real.
- I love a character driven mystery/thriller, and THE GOD OF THE WOODS is a top tier example of the genre.
- Moore weaves a story that features two timelines and quite a few different POV characters, but none of it is extraneous. Each person and each jump in time and perspective add necessary details and are perfectly placed to advance the mystery.
- Much of the story is driven by class and gender differences, which Moore explores deftly. The characters and their specific circumstances all feel completely real.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use, Abortion
Minor: Eating disorder, Fatphobia
I just simply cannot buy that these two people who were never in a relationship and haven’t seen or spoken to each other in 13 years would immediately have a tension filled conversation about kissing each other and their sexual habits within five minutes of seeing each other again for the first time. Oh, and they’re also sitting smack in the middle of her mom’s Christmas party.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thanks to Bramble Romance for the free copy of this book.
- What a joy CURVY GIRL SUMMER is! I adored Aaliyah and Ahmad, both on the friendship level and the relationship level. They were the best mix of spicy and sweet.
- Danielle Allen doesn’t shy away from what it can be like to be a fat Black woman in how both Aaliyah’s relatives and her dates treat her. But Aaliyah’s belief and confidence in herself never wavers: she knows what she’s worth.
- For me, Aaliyah hung on to “we’re just friends” a little too long, which made the plot spin its wheels in the middle for a bit. But once she and Ahmad do get together, the wait is worth it.
- What a joy CURVY GIRL SUMMER is! I adored Aaliyah and Ahmad, both on the friendship level and the relationship level. They were the best mix of spicy and sweet.
- Danielle Allen doesn’t shy away from what it can be like to be a fat Black woman in how both Aaliyah’s relatives and her dates treat her. But Aaliyah’s belief and confidence in herself never wavers: she knows what she’s worth.
- For me, Aaliyah hung on to “we’re just friends” a little too long, which made the plot spin its wheels in the middle for a bit. But once she and Ahmad do get together, the wait is worth it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol
Moderate: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free copy of this book.
- THE STARDUST GRAIL was my first Yume Kitasei book and it certainly won’t be my last. I was fascinated by this universe and its history, which was expertly layered into a great heist plot.
- The story brings in elements ranging from artifact repatriation to what makes a creature sentient and human. There’s so much going on, but it’s all held together on the strength of the main band of characters.
- Also, I would die for Auncle. Anything for Auncle.
- THE STARDUST GRAIL was my first Yume Kitasei book and it certainly won’t be my last. I was fascinated by this universe and its history, which was expertly layered into a great heist plot.
- The story brings in elements ranging from artifact repatriation to what makes a creature sentient and human. There’s so much going on, but it’s all held together on the strength of the main band of characters.
- Also, I would die for Auncle. Anything for Auncle.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thanks to Forever for the free copy of this book.
- Ooh did I love JUST PLAYING HOUSE. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, serious, silly, and just a little spice.
- Farah Heron said she wrote this book to show that sick people and people with high risk of becoming sick are worthy of being loved just as they are, and boy did she knock it out of the park. This book is filled with hard feelings and thorny conversations, but it feels safe and tender the whole way through.
- Marley and Nikhil had such great chemistry, and I loved this version of second chance where they barely had a first chance and were figuring out if they were ready to try it for real.
- Also, love a low key queer romance: Marley is bi and demi.
- Ooh did I love JUST PLAYING HOUSE. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, serious, silly, and just a little spice.
- Farah Heron said she wrote this book to show that sick people and people with high risk of becoming sick are worthy of being loved just as they are, and boy did she knock it out of the park. This book is filled with hard feelings and thorny conversations, but it feels safe and tender the whole way through.
- Marley and Nikhil had such great chemistry, and I loved this version of second chance where they barely had a first chance and were figuring out if they were ready to try it for real.
- Also, love a low key queer romance: Marley is bi and demi.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Sexual content, Medical content, Alcohol
Moderate: Racism
Avra’s antics are too tedious for me, they slow everything down and are repetitive. He feels like an Alexis Hall side character dropped into OFMD, and those characters are best in small doses.