1.84k reviews by:

caseythereader

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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: Complicated

Thanks to Libro FM for the free advance listening copy of this book.

- The second I finished the audiobook I needed to own my own copy of this incredible book. (And a sidenote that the audio is excellent: separate narrators for Anna and Quan's POV's really helped this audiobook newbie keep track of the plot.)
- It is a romance novel, but it's a HARD one. So many difficult things happen, ranging from family not accepting an autism diagnosis to terminal illness, but Anna and Quan are so tender that it's worth the tears. (Yes, I cried, and I am not a book crier.)
- Hoang is so great at writing multifaceted characters who just need someone to see them for who they are. Oh dear, I'm crying again just thinking about how kindly Quan treats Anna, especially when she doesn't treat herself with kindness. 

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad 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

 - I didn't know grumpy/grumpy was a potential romance trope, but here we are, and I loved it.
- Griff and Keynes are both learning that they deserve love and kindness even while still working through their past traumas.
- WORK FOR IT is a perfect "these dummies just need to say they love each other" book. It'll squeeze your heart until it pops, and you'll be wishing there were 200 more pages of it. Even if you don't read the preceding books in the Just for Him series, go for this one, it's worth it. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging 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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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

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

- GREEDY is the rare memoir-in-essays that manages to be both smart and funny, while never feeling like the author is working too hard to find the jokes.
- Winston's exploration of biphobia and bi erasure (both internalized and from others) is one of the most nuanced I've seen in nonfiction, taking on all aspects of how our society both demonizes and ignores bisexual people.
- Even if you're not bisexual (or even queer), I think there's a lot to love here, as it's also simply the memoir of a messy millennial sorting her life out. 

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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark 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

 - Whew, there is a lot going on in LIGHT FROM UNCOMMON STARS. Not to be cheesy about a book featuring a lot of classical music, but it's a symphony of storylines that seem disparate but come together beautifully at the end.
- It's truly one of a kind - this is the type of book where you can tell the author is writing with her whole heart.
- Such wonderful exploration of what it means to be yourself, to be embodied. Of what and who counts as family, and the lengths one will go to out of love for those people. Of how the parts of you that seem like liabilities or flaws can be what make you shine.
- I do want to make sure to point out that the summary makes this sound like a silly romp, and while there are definitely funny parts and ridiculous scenarios, it's also heavy with transphobia, racism and violence. Please see The Storygraph for all content warnings and take care if you need. 

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