2.09k reviews by:

poisoned_icecream

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

Miller is planning to marry her fiancée Florence. She has had to distance herself from her abusive mother, Sylvie. Unfortunately, Sylvie tracks Miller down and manages to persuade her to spend a weekend with her in a secluded cabin. Just like everything else I've read by Caitlin Marceau, this made me feel so much dread and fear each time I turned the page. Anyone who's ever had to grow up with a cruel and manipulative parent will relate to the events in this novella.

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

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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

This is a truly beautiful book about grief, anger, and family (both blood and chosen).

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

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emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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

This is a delightful sapphic retelling of the classic fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast. It starts off the way it always does, but with some differences. For example, in this book Alys, the daughter who goes to live with Phillippe (the beast), is aromantic. Another difference is that the beast lives with a sister named Grace who is kind to Alys. They work together to keep each other as safe as they can from Phillippe, who is emotionally abusive towards them. I've read many retellings of fairy tales, and this is going to be one of my all-time favorites now. I will definitely reread this over and over.

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book has been on my radar for a while and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it. Sir Violet is a knight who has to constantly visit a dragon living in a cave to retrieve whatever shiny object he has stolen from a villager. When the baker goes missing, Sir Violet's first suspect is the dragon. There is so much kindness and respect in this novella, and it is very inclusive and queer. I had a lot of fun with this mostly low stakes, cozy fantasy.

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challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Short and lovely sapphic fantasy romance between an undead warrior woman and a dryad. Hal is set on revenge against whoever killed her, and along the way she meets a dryad named Cedara. She helps Hal on her quest. I really adore the ending to this story. I will definitely check out D.N. Bryn's full length novels.

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