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1.84k reviews by:

caseythereader

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dark emotional funny 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

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

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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emotional funny lighthearted slow-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

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

- This book was by no means an easy read - like Arnett's previous work, it was even downright difficult and uncomfortable at times. However, I truly appreciate that we've arrived at a place where not every queer character must be a perfect person, and we can explore messy and unlikable characters.
- I was there for the examination of queer adult/married life, and how the characters struggled with trying to match heterosexual norms while also losing their connections to other queer people.
- Every character in this book is just horrid and makes such terrible decisions, and yet you can't help but feel for them. It's quite a trick, and Arnett is the master of it. 

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challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

 - Per usual, when I try to sit down to write about an Emezi book, I cannot find the words. Their work is simply beyond my ability to discuss. Each book bends my mind and cracks open the world a little differently.
- DEAR SENTHURAN is a look inside their brain, their heart, their soul. It's an extended discussion of how to deal with a world that does not want you, on several levels. It's the pain and joy and revenge of making space for yourself anyway.
- Even beyond the larger ideas explored, the actual writing and words of this book are expansive, visceral, horrifying and elegant. They are truly a master of their craft.
- Also, I've listed content warnings below: please take them seriously. Emezi does not hold back on some graphic descriptions, particularly about suicide and self harm. 

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

 - I've been following Ford's writing online for many years, so I knew this book would be good. If you need further proof, though, I listened to the entire audiobook while stuck in traffic for ten hours and was riveted the whole time.
- SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER is an exploration of not only growing up and finding yourself, but finding your parents, too - the good and the bad parts of them. It's a book about loving difficult people, and holding conflicting parts of yourself and your loved ones at the same time.
- One thing that really stuck out to me is the way Ford illustrates how confusing childhood can be, when you're often punished for breaking rules you didn't know existed and the adults don't give any further explanation. 

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

 - What a great spin on enemies to lovers, where one character is not quite human! I love a book that digs into what makes one human, and CRIER'S WAR delivers.
- I also love a prickly heroine, which Ayla is (and then some). Following her struggle to square her beliefs with her reality was wonderful.
- There's also some excellent palace intrigue amid all the sapphic longing. This is really not one to be missed! 

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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

 - Ow, my heart! That's it, that's the review.
- Okay, not really. But whew. Hashimoto really puts readers through the queer longing and angst wringer with this one.
- I think a big reason why A WORLD BETWEEN hit me so hard is that I'm roughly the same age as the characters. I was in college in 2004, and though I wasn't out at the time (even to myself) I saw a lot of my friends go through these things (really, like, exactly), plus the references to past pop culture and news items felt VERY LOUD, haha. Following Eleanor and Leena as they grew up and together and apart was like following lives that ran parallel to my own.
- Reader be warned, this is one of those books where everyone makes some bad decisions and sometimes you don't like the characters, but somehow you still want to hug them close and help them figure it out. 

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