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1.84k reviews by:
caseythereader
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 Scholastic for the free advance copy of this book.
- THIS TIME IT'S REAL is one of the cutest fake dating romcoms I've ever read. I adored Eliza and Caz, especially Eliza's drive to succeed (and her low key anxiety about it all).
- I felt like Eliza and Caz's relationship blossomed so naturally, and at the same time alongside that, the misunderstanding of each others' feelings also felt natural, given what we knew about their particular fears and anxieties.
- I also appreciated the part of the plot that explored how important platonic friendships are, and how a friend breakup can be just as hard as a romantic breakup.
- THIS TIME IT'S REAL is one of the cutest fake dating romcoms I've ever read. I adored Eliza and Caz, especially Eliza's drive to succeed (and her low key anxiety about it all).
- I felt like Eliza and Caz's relationship blossomed so naturally, and at the same time alongside that, the misunderstanding of each others' feelings also felt natural, given what we knew about their particular fears and anxieties.
- I also appreciated the part of the plot that explored how important platonic friendships are, and how a friend breakup can be just as hard as a romantic breakup.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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
Thanks to Wednesday Books for the free advance copy of this book.
- Lauren Blackwood excels at writing fiery, headstrong young women who are determined to prove their worth and humanity. Victoria is a force, both in terms of her magic and her personality.
- The jungle and the creatures in it were gripping and terrifying. I was also a fan of the magic system in this book, in which certain people, Wildbloods, can manipulate blood into weapons.
- This book does get a bit bogged down in love triangles (literally every boy is in love with Victoria) but if you're willing to accept that, this book is definitely one to check out if you love dark YA/NA fantasy.
- Lauren Blackwood excels at writing fiery, headstrong young women who are determined to prove their worth and humanity. Victoria is a force, both in terms of her magic and her personality.
- The jungle and the creatures in it were gripping and terrifying. I was also a fan of the magic system in this book, in which certain people, Wildbloods, can manipulate blood into weapons.
- This book does get a bit bogged down in love triangles (literally every boy is in love with Victoria) but if you're willing to accept that, this book is definitely one to check out if you love dark YA/NA fantasy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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 William Morrow Books for the free advance copy of this book.
- VENCO is a tense adventure and a story of sisterhood through the ages. I loved the women of this novel, always willing to jump in to a situation with no questions asked if it meant supporting the coven and their greater cause.
- I do wish there had been more about VenCo itself and its history and structure. Maybe Dimaline will expand on it in a later book, as the ending of this one was left open...
- VENCO is a tense adventure and a story of sisterhood through the ages. I loved the women of this novel, always willing to jump in to a situation with no questions asked if it meant supporting the coven and their greater cause.
- I do wish there had been more about VenCo itself and its history and structure. Maybe Dimaline will expand on it in a later book, as the ending of this one was left open...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use
emotional
funny
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:
No
Thanks to Wednesday Books for the free advance copy of this book.
- Oh my heart! This book! I love it! It's tender and prickly and full of confusion and love and passion.
- Miles and Eric are so sweet. I loved watching them figure out themselves and each other, even when they made silly teenagery mistakes.
- This book does have elements of transphobia and queerphobia, but it's ultimately about joy. Joy in yourself, in your hobbies, in your relationships.
- Oh my heart! This book! I love it! It's tender and prickly and full of confusion and love and passion.
- Miles and Eric are so sweet. I loved watching them figure out themselves and each other, even when they made silly teenagery mistakes.
- This book does have elements of transphobia and queerphobia, but it's ultimately about joy. Joy in yourself, in your hobbies, in your relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Infidelity, Transphobia, Dysphoria
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism
Minor: Sexual content
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Transphobia, Dysphoria
hopeful
reflective
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:
No
Thanks to Tor Books for the free advance copy of this book.
- THE TERRAFORMERS reads like a blend of classic and modern sci-fi: ethical debates about the environment and who counts as human mixed with queerness and anti-capitalism.
- There's a lot going on in this book, but it still struck me as quite leisurely. There are long conversational debates, lots of internal processing. The characters have a lot to chew on, which means you're chewing on it, too.
- It also covers a huge span of time, with each section jumping forward in time and centering a different protagonist (which reminded me a lot of Octavia E. Butler's books). I thought at first that I would miss the characters of the first section, but I quickly fell in love with each new introduction and setting. Flying moose? Sentient trains? Considering accessibility for earthworms? Sign me up!
- THE TERRAFORMERS reads like a blend of classic and modern sci-fi: ethical debates about the environment and who counts as human mixed with queerness and anti-capitalism.
- There's a lot going on in this book, but it still struck me as quite leisurely. There are long conversational debates, lots of internal processing. The characters have a lot to chew on, which means you're chewing on it, too.
- It also covers a huge span of time, with each section jumping forward in time and centering a different protagonist (which reminded me a lot of Octavia E. Butler's books). I thought at first that I would miss the characters of the first section, but I quickly fell in love with each new introduction and setting. Flying moose? Sentient trains? Considering accessibility for earthworms? Sign me up!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Sexual content, Slavery, Excrement, Medical content, Alcohol, Colonisation, Classism
emotional
reflective
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Miscarriage
Moderate: Blood, Alcohol