julies_cozycontentclub's Reviews (264)

This poetry collection allows for a glimpse into the life experience of Estlin McPhee. However, "In Your Nature" is not just a collection of personal experiences but also gives you the opportunity to see famous characters and figures in a new light.

From Harry Potter and the comparison between his life and transgender life experiences (especially clever with that series' author‘s transphobic mindset) to Joan of Arc, characters for poems that will be stuck in my mind long after reading them can be found throughout.

Besides the people presented in the story, I also loved the thoughts on religion and relationships, no matter if romantic or familial, in connection to realizing your gender identity. Regardless of how much you can relate to the story being told, you will be left pondering these lines.

Incredibly personal and filled with intriguing concepts, this book is for everyone interested in reading about gender exploration in a magical and fantastical world. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the Brick Books for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review. 

 I will admit that I did not know nearly enough about the Second Sino-Japanese War before I read “The Poppy War“, but I took this as the occasion to correct this hole in my knowledge. This book does an excellent job of shining light on some of the atrocities of real wars committed in our history that some of us have never been exposed to before.

I immensely enjoyed the writing style and how beautifully the world was portrayed. This very descriptive writing style may be a struggle for readers who get triggered very easily; therefore, definitely read the trigger warnings before reading this book. It gets harsh and brutal and shows you the destructive force war really has, not just on infrastructure but also the horrors the civilians have to endure.

Rin is an incredibly facetious and interesting character, and you just want her to succeed after all she has been through. Her moral struggles are a consistent theme in the latter half of the story and get exceedingly prominently discussed, which offers such diverse insights into what humans can actually do to ourselves (minus the godlike fire powers, that is.)

This is a true masterpiece of a book. 

Looking for a murder mystery with hilarious characters fighting the pressure of being „normal“ with a hint of supernatural powers? Then you need to read "Dead & Breakfast“.

I can count on my hands how many times books have actually made me laugh out loud in the past, and this book managed it more than once. The balance of pop culture jokes, puns, and the absurd situations they were in made this the silliest mix of humor I have ever seen, and I loved every bit of it.

Not only were the jokes a breath of fresh air, but also the relationship between Sal and Arthur. Like seriously, when do you get a book where the main couple is already married and literally sticking together till death (or more like second death) do them part?

"Dead & Breakfast“  is hardly a serious book, but still the important messages were there, which makes it the perfect fit for everyone looking for a humorous book with lots of heart!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review.  

„A Study in Black Brew“ is a masterpiece.

I honestly don‘t know how I could sum up my love for this book in just a short review.

This reminded me of why I loved Sherlock Holmes stories in the first place. But while the Sherlock and Watson dynamic as well as the intriguing cases are already a great base for an interesting story, the way Marie Howalt put a creative spin on it by setting the story on a foreign planet and adding lots of sci-fi elements makes this even better than a classic retelling.

I would have loved to make a creative comparison to this story being like drinking coffee and getting a caffeine rush, with the plot getting faster and more addictive here, but that would simply not do this book enough justice. 

Right from the beginning, you are immediately drawn in by an intriguing main character, who‘s balancing the line between being a John Watson reimagining and still being a unique character, to perfection. And then you just never get pulled out of the thrilling adventure that this story is.

There is only one thing about "A Study in Black Brew“ that I was disappointed about. It‘s a standalone. Because how should I cope with the fact that this is all I get of Kellieth and Raithan‘s story?

I fell in love with the characters (a nonbinary, chronically ill chemist and a charismatic, incredibly intelligent agent-what's not to love?) and the planet as well as the writing style head over heels, I was hoping the book would never end. Well, I guess this means I will have to fight my sadness by reading every other book by Marie Howalt.

This story is a true gift to every Sherlock Holmes enjoyer as well as everyone who enjoys science fiction, crime solving, and an outsider perspective on our absurd human behaviors.


Thank you to NetGalley and Spaceboy Books for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review. 

My relationship with this series has some serious ups and downs.

The first story is a classic, but then the plot just feels a bit like a roller coaster, with all the crazy twists and plotlines it has. Ford's and Arthur's interactions were always fun, but the Fenchurch thing was a bit random. Random was VERY random, and so turning to a new page felt like reaching blindly into a candy bowl, where you never know if the next thing you're getting is something you hoped for or 42 mice doing experiments on us primitive humans to find the Ultimative Question to the Ultimate Answer they already possess.

Regardless, I really liked the ending, since it tied things up rather nicely (even if some questions still remain open). I could not imagine another ending that would be this satisfying and fitting. 

Somehow, for "Conflict Mediation" being such a short story, D.C. Emerson managed to get me mentally attached to the characters to the point where I desperately want to know how their story continues.

With trans rep, characters with a lot of emotional depth, and a setting that just spells out chaos, this makes for such a nice read when the current state of the world is getting a bit too much and you need a story with a conflict being solved with honesty and respect.