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caseythereader

emotional funny informative sad slow-paced

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

 - MADAME RESTELL tells the life story of an important historical figure I had no knowledge of before reading this book. Restell was a self-taught abortionist in the 1800s, and was loudly public about it and about the need for this kind of care.
- Wright tells this story with dry humor and sarcasm, and delights in Restell's over the top antics.
- It's both fascinating and saddening to see how rhetoric around and social acceptance of abortion has both changed greatly since the 1840s and also how it's stayed very much the same. 

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

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

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

 - I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU is a bit of a "ripped from the headlines" novel, in that discourse about true crime's virtues and flaws is a recurring topic of debate these days. I found this fictional case to be quite compelling, layered as it was with issues of race, class, gender, and more. There's a lot to chew on.
- I didn't attend boarding school, but my college was insular in similar ways to the book's Granby school, which may be why I felt so drawn into this story. The way gossip slowly builds into truth over time rang true to me.
- It does get quite slow and introspective in the middle, but the revelations at the end had my mouth hanging open. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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: No

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

 - Hello, I need to do some queer screaming about FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE! I loved absolutely everything about this book. Mahalia is a fantastic protagonist: energetic, optimistic, sure of herself, but also a bit selfish at times.
- This book is so full of love and joy and discovery. It does touch on some difficult topics - tight finances, racism in the school curriculum, and more - but the exuberance never dies.
- This book is everything great about YA. Messy feelings, discovery of yourself and your relationships, learning how to maneuver through the world, and taking pride in who you are. 

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emotional funny lighthearted 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 Avon Books for the free advance copy of this book.

 - TAKE THE LEAD is a reissue of Alexis Daria's first book. You can see where her writing has improved over the years, as well as what she's always been great at: chemistry that sparks right off the page.
- To be honest, romance novels where the man is so huge and the woman is so tiny have never really been for me, and this book kept hammering their sizes home. Your mileage may vary, of course.
- I did love the dance competition show setting though. All those rehearsals of intimate dances made for excellent tension building! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny reflective sad 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: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional 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: Yes

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

 - AND OTHER MISTAKES is the book you're looking for if you want a coming of age story that's messy, emotional, and filled with all the uncertainties of being a teenager.
- Not only that, but it's a diverse cast that's being allowed to be messy and difficult, featuring kids from many different background and with varying identities.
- I loved the exploration of the lines between friendship and love, and how extra messy they can get when queerness enters into the equation.
- Please do check the content warnings, since this book is pretty heavy. If you're up for it, it's more than worth it. 

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