obscurepages's Reviews (410)

 I liked this. This was simple, and quiet, and beautiful.

I feel like it took me some time getting used to the writing style and the tone. But once I had a grasp of it, I enjoyed reading and dissecting the prose and poetry here! This was a collection of writings and illustrations about identity, love, sex, loss, healing, queerness, and it was thought-provoking, earnest, and meaningful. On the other hand, I wish this was longer. I wish the author dove into these themes with more writings. Right now, it feels like it ended abruptly. Still, this was a really nice read. That much, I can't deny.

Thank you so much to Augur Editions for sending over a copy! (This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.) 

 Oh, this was so irresistibly good 😭 Now I know why so many of my friends love this!

The Witch King has it all, I think? It has political intrigue, angst and pining, slow burn (helloo?????), "there's only one bed" trope, intimate discussions and honest thoughts about gender identity and sexuality (which is probably my absolute favorite thing in this book), the world-building and the magic system, modern lives meshed with magic, plus the gorgeous writing style and the prose??? Also, it's such a fun book. Yes, there's seriousness in this book and sometimes it can get a little dark, but it's also highly entertaining. This book checks all the boxes for me and I love it.

I think my only issue is that I expected more action for the climax? However, I know the story is far from over and we're only getting introduced to the bigger picture and the next plot to uncover. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL

Exact rating: 4.5 stars. Full review on my blog soon (hopefully!) 

 Okay, I'm so sorry and so sad, but I might have to DNF this.

I'm just not feeling this book 😭 The pacing and the writing style is just not for me, 50% in and nothing's really happening yet.

The MC is okay, but I don't exactly feel the need to root for her. I find it off that she keeps judging people/giving comments based on their body types too. I get that it's because she's so insecure but damn. I also feel like she's a bit too judgmental towards her mother when it comes to the fact that she's now trying to date after her husband left. She hasn't been the best mother yes, (oh she definitely hasn't and I didn't like her for that), but I also didn't like how judgy Lori was.

I like that the book tried to highlight social and political issues in South Africa, that's great and quite educational for readers. But using it as a turning point in Lori's character arc feels a little off for me. Like she has suddenly found her voice only when she started doing paintings about social gender-based issues, when she didn't seem to care about it at the start of the book.

Also the romance feels lacking? Idk but I was not feeling the chemistry 😅

Here's what I really liked tho: The MC's brother is on the spectrum and I love that the book highlights that. He is the best character in here tbh.

I also like how therapy/medication is normalized. The MC goes to see a therapist and I think that's great.

I made it to 60% of this book before I decided I can't continue anymore. A shame because I was so excited for it and the fat rep, and I tried really hard to continue. But yeah, this is not for me I think. 😢

Of course, thank you so much to Wattpad Books for sending over an ARC in exchange for a review. 

 I seriously wanted to just lay down and stare at the ceiling after reading this. This had been incredible. *cries*

Diving into this book, I was excited to pick up where we left off. The first 30% was slow, and there was little to no action (which is a bummer, I think I would have liked more action). However, as you read, you'll find that there's so much details to uncover, a lot of history and magic, and I love that.

Sirscha as main character just has your attention. It was hard to look away from the book because a) she's a compelling character and you want to root for her b) the little plot twists and the details from her perspective catch you off guard and by then you want to keep reading.

As for the other characters, I really wanted to see more Price Meilyk and Saengo and just dive into their characters more. While I didn't exactly get that, there was one character that pleasantly (or oddly?) surprised me--The Soulless. Here, I thought we'd have a villain that needs to be defeated, that's it. But as Sirscha gets to know a little more about The Soulless, I started to realize that there was more to it. There was a part that made me pause because he was starting to make more sense than the supposed "allies" and I was starting to sympathize with him. Don't get me wrong, I still think he's a manipulative jerk. But damn, his backstory and the depth that the author gave him just got to me.

The world-building, wow. I loved reading the first book especially in terms of world-building. But somehow Broken Web was even richer! I loved reading all about their lands, and the history of the kingdoms, the people, their struggles and their conflicts from the past until the current. It was all so riveting. This book reminded me why Fantasy the genre that made me fall in love with reading. Because of this. Because the fictional world pulls you in, because the magic and mythology makes your mind run wild, and because the same time, it also reflects bits and pieces of reality and humanity. I just really loved this.

Also, I have to talk about something and just highlight something in this review: Sirscha is bi. The way I gasped when I saw the author confirm it on IG/Twitter days before I started to read the book. I was super excited, and so elated! Reading the first book, there was a small part of me that thought Sirscha might be queer and that she might have feelings for Saengo. There was just a lot of times that I felt like her love for Saengo is more than friendship. But I discarded that thought because nothing happened between them in the first book. Now though, reading Broken Web, I am honestly living for bi Sirscha. And I've definitely started to ship Sirscha and Saengo. I can't help it *cries*

Overall, Broken Web was a great read! I regret I wasn't able to read this sooner, and I try not to be too harsh on myself about it because I know life happens. But reading this now, wow. In some ways, it felt like a respite. Like it was the book I needed and read at just the right moment.

Exact rating: 4.5

Thank you so, so much to Page Street for sending me an ARC. This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book. 

 Finished this book at 3 AM in the morning and all I could think about is Ruben and Zach and Angel and Jon *cries*

This book was just incredible. Yes, I expected boyband romance, yes, I expected angst and pining. But damn, it still caught me off guard.

What Sophie and Cale has created here is a riveting story about the pressure towards young artists (esp queer/marginalized artists), young people being exploited and controlled by the industry, trying to figure out your sexuality, figuring out what you really want and standing by it, finding family among strangers and coming together, and about finding strength and hope. And of course, a story about love.

This book has left a mark on me and I'll forever cherish this story about Ruben, Zach, Angel, and Jon. Kudos to the authors for this book! I cannot wait until it releases to the world! 💜

(E-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.)

Also, I am officially part of the If This Gets Out Street Team! Look out for exciting stuff on my platforms and the whole team! 

 Oh, this was a riveting read! I loved the atmosphere of this book. The eeriness of the setting and the melancholic tone definitely pulls you in as a reader. You get invested in the story and the characters and you're anticipating and making theories as you read. I loved that!

The characters were great and I loved Logan as the main character! It was amazing how the author managed to give the characters each their own spotlight and give proper characterizations to them. As I read I knew more about their wants, their desires, their flaws, their mistakes. That made the story all the more interesting for me.

I guess, you could also say there was little to no action (I guess I was expecting more). But do not be deceived! You still get hooked with the story and mysteriousness of the plot. Also, the prose here is just poetic, and sad, and a little bit dark, which added more to the flow of the story and the build of the characters.

Above all, I love how it featured a queer family and queer love stories. It also showed that sometimes we have to strive to live in a world that hate us. It was heartbreaking, and also very real.

This was a really great read. Perfect as the spooky season nears!

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for sending over an e-galley! (This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.) 

 HELLOOOOOO I just finished this book and it was the cutest!

XOXO is one of the my most anticipated this year and it did not let me down. This was light, funny, but also emotional and inspiring in its own way!

Love the writing style—humorous, but also full of anticipation. As for the characters, it was easy to get a grasp of the main character and root for her. Reading the story through her perspective was enjoyable. Also, Jenny learning about idol groups and the basics of K-pop industry reminded me of myself when I started getting into TWICE and BTS last year! lol

Jaewoo is adorable (obviously). I also loved the other minor characters, especially those who became Jenny's best friends. (I think I just became a Sori supremacist)

I adored the romance and the overall plot! Some parts can come off as cliché, but it's the stuff you'd expect at romantic K-dramas and I am here for it. I do wish there was more to Jenny's relationship with her mom, and her mom's relationship with Jenny's grandma. I guess wanted more closure/resolution, still it was good. Career is also an important aspect in the story (both in Jaewoo's side and Jenny's side) and I appreciated that there were a few discussions on how Korean and the Western perspective differs when it comes to having a dream and having a responsibility to your family.

I also loved XOXO, of course! They reminded me a bit of BTS, in terms of the group dynamics and the talent they have. Still, they're so different from each other and I know XOXO has taken a life of its own, especially in this story. I also loved how it was emphasized here that K-pop is just music, and definitely not something to be embarrassed about. That it can be amazing if you just give it a chance.

Overall, this was such a fun read. I enjoyed it a lot! Looking forward to reading the author's future works for sure!

A big, big thank you to Epic Reads for sending over a copy! This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book. 

 OKAY, I AM SCREAMING I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. I guess I have another new fave?? 😂

This was just beautiful! It's funny, it's heartwarming, it's poignant, it's moving, it's simple.

What I thought was simply going to be a fun, enemies-to-lovers romance, turned out to be this beautiful, hilarious, profound, sex-positive, body-positive book about seeing yourself and loving yourself, dealing with the good and ugly sides of family, and falling in love. It challenged fatphobia and misogyny; it talked about mental illness, domestic violence, prejudice against sexually-active women, how religion can sometimes trigger worst in people; it also had a bit of disability rep and queer/sapphic rep.

Also, Moon Fuentez as a main character is already a compliment itself. I loved her! I loved her character, her personality, her character arc, everything. She made this book so lively and definitely relatable.

This book has it all. It's an instant favorite for me. 😭

CW: fatphobia, bigotry mostly influenced by religious views, misogyny, domestic violence/child abuse, unstable mental health, parental death, implied suicide, slut shaming, sexual harassment (minor/mild), sexual content (mild to graphic)

Please look forward to my tour stop on August 14th with TBR and Beyond Tours! (https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/2021/07/08/tour-schedule-how-moon-fuentez-fell-in-love-with-the-universe-by-raquel-vasquez-gilliland/)

(And seriously, please go preorder/request this book!) 

 Okay, this is the best book I've read so far this year. It's currently at the top of my list right now *cries*

Y'all, this book was incredible and everything about it just completes it into an irresistible, engrossing masterpiece.

The writing style and prose is incredible and makes you hold your breathe every chapter. The characters are complex and have multiple layers, especially our two main characters Zhu and Ouyang. The plot and the politics of it all is so good as well! It's a little complicated and yet so engrossing.

Also, I am so amazed how this book tackled gender identity. There's something so raw and real about it and I can't help but feel for the characters. (I think this is my first time seeing genderqueer rep on a fantasy novel, I love it!)

I have a lot more on my mind right now, but that's all for now 😆 I'll write a full review soon and ramble there! For now, I'm giving this a million stars (oh if only)

CW (provided by the author): Dysphoria, Pre-existing non-consensual castration, Misgendering, Internalised homophobia, Life-altering injury (amputation), Ableist language, Non-graphic depictions of death by torture, Major character death, Offscreen murder of a child, Scenes depicting extreme hunger/starvation, Graphic depiction of a person burning to death
Also, sex scenes (not too graphic)

--
E-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book. 

 I have two words to describe this book: weird and dark.

I guess I don't know how to properly rate this? Because I guess I liked it? But somehow it still lacks for me? (And this is just me of course).

I liked the grittiness of the writing. I liked that it showed how messy high school is and how it can drive people to do things they wouldn't normally do if it doesn't change. I liked the supernatural element, but I feel like it fell flat. Like I wanted more of that supernatural element and I wanted to see how it can further plot, but I didn't get that by the end of the book.

Also, the fatphobia in this book is just bad. I think it might have even made me more uncomfortable than the gore-y scenes in the book. I know it will be triggering for some, so be very careful!

Overall, this was an okay read. If you like horror, and weird and dark books, you'll probably enjoy this book!

CW: fatphobia, bullying, murder/death, gore, violence, cannibalism

Thank you to Wattpad Books for sending over a copy! This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.