howlinglibraries's Reviews (1.85k)

This was super cute and I enjoyed it a lot. It didn't "wow" me and some of the commentary on feminism actually felt very out of left field (like don't get me wrong, I agreed with the points being made! I just wasn't sure how it related to the actual topic at hand sometimes), hence 4 stars instead of 5, but generally I'm just always gonna be here for cute queer girls and girls of color having each other's backs, kicking asses, and being hilarious and awkward.

Wow. Wow. I can't believe I didn't read this sooner, because once I started it, I devoured it in a single sitting. I didn't expect it to be so beautiful and so emotional. I'll review this once I can stop feeling too many things

This is how he wins, how he makes me all dizzy and soft: he smiles, for real, and for me.

Talia has yet again scripted a stunning slow-burn romance, this time between two very soft fire-and-ice queer men. Featuring past traumas and current mental illnesses, Work for It is a tough read at times but is crafted with the utmost of care and promises a sweet and satisfying ending.

Check out my full review here!

This was honestly one of THE sweetest, best romances I've read in a very long time and probably THE best friends-to-lovers I've ever seen. *swoon* I'll review this when I have time to properly put all of my gushing feelings into words.

I never went to a summer camp once as a kid, so I don't know why this is the case, but I'm such a sucker for summer camp stories. When I saw that this was set in the 90s, too? Sold. I'm so glad I picked this cute little graphic novel up, because I enjoyed it SO much. It was absolutely hilarious, I was living for the goth/grunge main character, the music references were delightful, and Elodie's little band of redheaded misfits... I seriously was almost in tears laughing over some of their antics. The mystery had a twist that I loved probably more than I should have, and there was a slow-blooming romantic subplot that had my queer little heart swelling with joy. I can't recommend Camp Spirit highly enough. ♥

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was an absolutely beautiful story with some of the most precious art I've ever seen, and more diversity in one place than I've probably ever found elsewhere. Two queer women of color as our leads, tons of QPOC and POC side characters, disabilities, disordered eating, anxiety, polyamorous relationships, and more. It was gorgeous.

As far as the storyline itself went, the plot is definitely a bit thin here, and things tend to feel pretty "slice of life", which I didn't mind at all but I know won't work for every reader. That said, even if you generally prefer more solid plots, it's such a quick-moving and lovely read that I don't think most people will mind. Austen frustrated me for a while with some emotionally manipulative behaviors, but everything we see these characters struggle with is used as a launching pad for growth, development, and important conversations, so I'm glad I was patient and didn't write her character off too early on! And, of course, the love story itself was soft, sweet, and genuine.

Sweet, angsty babies. ♥ RTC

How very sweet and warm. ♥ This was my first Cat Sebastian book, but it surely won't be my last. RTC

I've really enjoyed the other stories I've read from Terry M. West, so I had very high hopes for The Devil's List, and while it sadly wasn't a new favorite for me, I did still have a lot of fun reading it! It takes place in the 80s and in a very rural, "country" sort of setting, and the language — not only in the dialogue, but in the narrative voice as well — reflects that flawlessly. I was amazed at how totally absorbed into the setting I felt.

I also loved the idea of this demon swaying this young man to do its bidding, and the fact that it seemed so inspired by the boy's late mother's terrifying stories she used to tell him. With such an unreliable narrator, I spent so much of the story wondering if the demon even truly existed, and while I won't spoil anything, I will say that I'm still reeling from some of the back story surrounding this guy!

All of that aside, my only real struggle with The Devil's List is that I didn't enjoy the slur usage or the fact that our murderer spent so much time targeting gay men. This is one of those stories where I'm glad it wasn't the first thing I picked up from West, because I knew enough to rest easy feeling that it was only a way of vilifying the narrator, and not the author's own personal viewpoints.

These complaints aside, I'll still heartily recommend Terry M. West as an author, and I can't wait to read more from him. I know my complaints are the sort of thing that a lot of other horror readers will be able to more easily separate themselves from while reading, so definitely give this or another of Terry's stories a chance if you're looking for a fun, incredibly engaging little horror read.

Thank you so much to the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a super quick, fun little spooky read, and I really enjoyed it! Having grown up on Goosebumps, it was nice to see a new author doing something similar that's more updated for today's kids (with pop culture references, mentions of his iPad and cell phone, etc.). Of course, everything felt very predictable and the ending was cheesy and over-the-top, but in that quintessential, delightful middle grade way that I enjoy so much. I highly recommend this for anyone who generally enjoys MG horror, and I especially recommend the audiobook, where the narrator did a great job.

Thank you so much to LibroFM for providing me with this ALC in exchange for an honest review!