1.84k reviews by:

caseythereader

challenging emotional hopeful fast-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 Macmillan for the free copy of this book.

 - SOMETHING LIKE POSSIBLE is essentially "what if Leslie Knope was a bi teenager?" and I loved every moment of it.
- Madison's drive makes her at times a frustrating character, but I understood her and cheered for her throughout it all. Plus, Moreland is so good at writing complicated teenage emotions and delicate coming outs.
- This book takes a hard turn at the end into some heavy subject matter. I know it's sometimes annoying to call a book "important," but I think this is for young girls. It's something that's not often explored with nuance at this age level, and I'm glad for it. 

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funny informative fast-paced

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adventurous funny mysterious slow-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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny informative reflective medium-paced

Thanks to Forge for the free copy of this book.

- A few days after finishing RAW DOG, I'm still not sure what to make of it. I do know that I was riveted, deeply invested in Loftus' physical and emotional journey of eating hot dogs across the country.
- Loftus is able to place the history of the hot dog into the larger context of the country, connecting them to everything from the Great Depression to modern gentrification.
- It made me desperately want a hot dog, but also gave me vicarious meat sweats. While I think it was a bit overlong in the end, if you can stomach all the meat talk and want a read outside your usual lane, RAW DOG is worth checking out. 

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful 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: No

Thanks to Macmillan for the free advance copy of this book.

 - OF LIGHT AND SHADOW is one of the most action-packed and engrossing YA novels I've read in a long time. I immediately loved both Roshan and Navin as well as the world they inhabited, cheering them on as they fought for justice.
- You know I love a book with a headstrong girl at the center, and Roshan is one of the best. She's forging her own path, but also willing to learn from her mistakes in an effort to become a better leader.
- Along with some excellent character growth, this story is also full of twists, turns, and betrayals. I'm very much looking forward to reading more books by Bhathena in the future. 

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emotional funny hopeful fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging informative reflective medium-paced

Thanks to Dutton Books for the free advance copy of this book.

 - FLAWLESS is an exploration and investigation of the Korean beauty industry. Hu looks at
how the country's particular history and culture led to the norms and dominance we see today, as well as interviews with Korean women about how it has affected their lives.
- I knew that standards of beauty were high in South Korea before I read this book, but I had no idea how mandatory it is to look put together at all times. Hu really digs into how lookism permeates so many parts of life for Korean women (and men, to a lesser extent).
- There are lot of facts and figures in this book, but it isn't simply dry reporting. Hu offers her own insights and feelings throughout the book, making it a fairly easy read despite the heavy subject. 

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challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

 - WE WERE ONCE A FAMILY is investigative journalism at its best: a book that brings you the untold side of the story and uncovers corruption and neglect far beyond what you thought possible, while maintaining the full humanity of the families at the center of the story.
- This is one of the most enraging books I’ve ever read. It’s the story of people and systems that we sweep under the rug and ignore, because our society has preemptively deemed them as not worth saving.
- Asgarian is quite blunt in her conclusions: none of this had to happen, none of this should have happened, none of this need ever happen again in the future if we wake up and begin to treat everyone as a human worthy of love and care, and if we work to tear down the flawed and failed systems that allowed it. 

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