shereadytoread's Reviews (806)

This is a middle grade that reminds me how wonderful middle grade stories can be. The story of misfits or outcasts becoming the heroes isn't a new concept but this story is fresh and fun. The story has a fun plot, tackles serious topics, and manages to provide a variety of complex characters that mirror different pieces of society.

I can't wait to read the sequel.

This was an excellent book that blended history, industry knowledge and cultural context with a show that is well known and loved. It discusses the impact of the show along with similarities and differences between it and other sitcoms about black families.

I think this is a great book for any fan of the show or TV sitcoms, TV writing, etc to read. It gives a lot of insight into certain choices of the show and the background of the characters and the actors. 

The book does have a lot of excellent information and focus on Alfonso, Will and James and a decent amount on Janet Hubert but some characters are given basic glance like Tatyana Ali and some (like little Nicky) not mentioned at all - even though they talk about Janet’s pregnancy which was the reason that a new child was brought into the show. 

There is also some skipping around when they discuss the shows episodes and seasons although it attempts (and for the most part succeeds) a chronological timeline. 

This book was an infuriating look at how a flawed study and money/media backing was used to silence adult survivors of childhood SA by their parents, including the authors own story. It was well-researched and their rebuttals are specific and detailed. My largest issue with the book was slightly confusing formatting/organization in some points. If you are interested in memory/false memory studies and legality and/or psychotherapy of trauma victims, this is worth the read. 

Disclaimer: I received a gifted finished copy.

I enjoyed this little novella. It was well-written and easy to get through. However the very emotional pieces happen so quickly because of the action that I never really felt connected to the stakes of the story. The book is about 160 pages and we don’t see the creature until 100 pages in. It’s very much alien-esque, monster on the lose but a bigger backstory and some good twists. 

This book was a fun mix of a lot of different things. A deal with a demon as a backdrop, a stranded spaceship crew, a family owned donut shop and a sapphic romance but the core of the story is a journey of a trans girl trying to find her way and identity through music. I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like this before, but I’m very glad I did. 

Pros: 
- complex, well-written characters 
- multiple layers of growth for multiple women in the story 
- genre blending 
- serious story with some fun aspects 

Cons
- the world building with multiple genres was a little lacking (but you could still understand the story fine)
- how “hell” works in a universe with multiple galaxies didn’t make a ton of sense to me

TW: transphobia, death of a child, child abuse, sexual exploitation

This was a fun read but gets repetitive at times due to the fitness scenes. I think that could have been better spent on more romance based scenes or general character building. 

I also thought there would be a bigger payoff with the ex who continues to appear but that is tossed aside at some point. 

I really enjoyed the food aspects, as well as the family and friendship dynamics. Saavy herself I felt wasn’t the most striking MC and the larger friend group and family connections I found more interested than her specifically. 

The book was just okay. It seemed to present big betrayals and issues that were immediately resolved or forgiven with no impact. It seemed to be a book designed around the sex rather than a good plot with smut scenes added. 

This is a book that has a more interesting concept rather than being well written. We follow a couple who is meeting at a coffee shop prior to their weekly marriage counseling sessions after an affair. But due to the snippets we never get a real sense of who either character is or why we should care about them or root for the relationship. It’s mostly off-handed jokes with a little growth for the relationship but there was no real difference between the chapters and I was glad that it was done.

I think this book presents an interesting premise but leaves us with an anti-climactic ending that attempts to be "open-ended". The plot is suspenseful but a bit repetitive and in the end everything seems meaningless. Not my favorite from this author but very similar writing style. 

This book presented a not so far off future where lack of resources, climate change and economic disparities have driven society to chaos and violence. 

I thought this book made so many bold choices in character and plot, but it felt like a set up for the second book rather than its own complete story at times. I found it extremely interesting but wondered about some of the choices. I really enjoyed the large variety in characters, the moral issues presented and while the violence of the society was hard, it was very well-written with very specific imagery. 

This is one I may revisit once I read the sequel to see if I think of the story differently.