purplepenning's Reviews (1.72k)

emotional mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional hopeful slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes

I should probably make "Hallmark movie but make it steamy" an official tag. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes

T. Kingfisher's middle grade-ish fantasies give me the same inventive, cozy fantasy feels as Diana Wynn Jones. And this one, with its eccentric family of artists and one young member's emerging talents, has Encanto vibes as well! Add in drawings of fanged radishes, an easily distracted corvid, a very cool magical system, and family and friend issues that avoid some of the typical fantasy cliches (no cut-throat rivalries, no chosen-one sacrifices) and you have a delightful story that is perfect for kids, classic fantasy lovers, and families who read together. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes

A charmingly original debut with a Fredrik Backman vibe! Tova is an older woman who has lost her share of loved ones and, sometimes to her friends' dismay, copes by staying busy and applying Scandinavian stoicism. While staying busy at her cleaning job at the aquarium, she makes an unexpected friend — a surprisingly deft, gently humorous giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus. Observing what others may not,  Marcellus unlocks the mysteries of the past and opens the possibilities of the future. 

I loved Marcellus the first time I read this, but the audiobook version is so good that I fell even deeper for him on the second read/listen!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

A queer medieval alt history with all the camp, humor, and heart of a Knight's Tale!

Betrothed enemies Gwen and Art become reluctant (read: blackmailed) beards for each other during a time of increasing unrest in the medieval kingdom descended from Camelot. An unlikely but hugely likeable group of friends emerge, splinter, and rise anew in a tale of hope, identity, courage, found family, shenanigans, and adventure.

Armor your heart — it's about to get battered, bruised, and absolutely stolen by this merry medieval band!

[I listened to the audiobook for part of this one, and did not prefer it.]

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Expand filter menu Content Warnings