readingpicnic's Reviews (500)

Mexican Gothic

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

4.5

challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

Heartstopper Volume 4

Alice Oseman

5.0

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

Heartstopper Volume 3

Alice Oseman

5.0

challenging lighthearted fast-paced

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

Heartstopper Volume 2

Alice Oseman

5.0

challenging lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

Heartstopper Volume 1

Alice Oseman

5.0

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

Her Body and Other Parties

Carmen Maria Machado

4.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

Erika L. Sánchez

3.75

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious fast-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

I feel like the book started off very strong for me, but then I started to lose interest towards the middle since the book was trying to do so many things at once. This book is advertised pretty heavily as a mystery, but there was a huge chunk of the book where the mystery went stagnant with no progress towards figuring it out, so it felt like it was on the back burner. I did like the narrator’s voice a lot, and I’m surprised she was able to keep a sense of humor with all of her trauma, but she felt very authentic. I loved when she would get angry and tear into people, basically harassing them for their behavior or appearance because I love a woman that doesn’t hold back in their insults. I really disliked the romance in this book because it felt so cheesy and naïve, although it could just be that I’m outgrowing YA romance (and straight romance). I honestly think the romance with Connor could be removed from the book and nothing would be lost, but I also just didn’t like him from the get-go, and I think she could do much better.

Content Warnings