It's not that I'm stingy with my 5-star reviews, it's just that for me, I save them for thPerfection.
Brilliant, painful, heartbreaking, and hopeful.
It's not that I'm stingy with my 5-star reviews, it's just that for me, I save them for the books which (1) I wouldn't change a single thing and (2) I want to scream and shake people and bash them over the head in my desperate attempt to get them to read the book.
Dawson does an excellent job of weaving in both her own lived experience as a transgender woman as well as an honest portrayal of what it means to3.5⭐
Dawson does an excellent job of weaving in both her own lived experience as a transgender woman as well as an honest portrayal of what it means to be Black in Brittain.
So the book is important in that regard. But the narrative overall didn't blow me away.
And if I'm being honest, I have a feeling like I would have DNF'd HMRC if I had been reading the physical copy. Nicola Coughlan of Bridgerton does an absolutely fantastic job bringing the large cast of characters to life and nailing the various regional accents.
If you're going to give this a shot, let it be the audiobook....more
Something that Carissa Broadbent does exceedingly well is her development of her villains. My whole damn heart belongs to those characters. I nev4.25⭐
Something that Carissa Broadbent does exceedingly well is her development of her villains. My whole damn heart belongs to those characters. I never again want to settle for baddies with motivations I can't make heads or tales of, or who feel two-dimensional. I understood EVERYTHING they did and EVERYTHING they felt. A++
Looking back on the entire series, I wish the magic system had been more defined. It felt muddled and blurry at the edges, and while some of that was surely done on purpose because we experience the world through Tissanah's eyes within her POV chapters, learning about the world as she does, by the end significant gaps remained. Not a deal-breaker by any stretch, but a gripe nonetheless.
In sum, this series is 100% worth your time and you should absolutely give it a read....more
Is book two my favourite in the trilogy? I think so!
How rare is that??
The writing is stellar, the character development is top-notch, nothing is4.5⭐
Is book two my favourite in the trilogy? I think so!
How rare is that??
The writing is stellar, the character development is top-notch, nothing is heavy-handed, pacing was done well enough that I never noticed it aka I was never bored or experienced whiplash.
There is a reveal in book two, and even though I saw it coming early on, it was nevertheless far more impactful than I could have ever hoped for.
I won't say more because, spoilers, but those who've read the series will know what I mean when I say that those two characters have my whole heart. Cruel and unfair, I didn't want them to experience any of the horrific trials they were subjected to.
Also of note, however: I forgot to mention on my review for book one the thing I disliked the most: The narrator who voices Max's chapters. The other narrator does an excellent job bringing Tissanah and all the other characters to life. The male narrator? Yikes. Why did he need to suck in the most ragged of gasps between every sentence? It was insanely distracting.
I did not reduce my rating because of this, though. It's not the author's fault. ...more
Open Water is a rare gem; a bold and gutsy meditation on life as a Black man, place and belonging, art and creativity, violence, and how masculinity iOpen Water is a rare gem; a bold and gutsy meditation on life as a Black man, place and belonging, art and creativity, violence, and how masculinity is, unfortunately, often at odds with the vulnerability necessary to live and love as one's truest self.
It is a gorgeous story brilliantly told in lyrical, second-person prose that forces the reader into the shoes of our main character.
Perfect. I read 44 books between July, August, and September of 2022 and this was the only 5⭐ novel.
Olivie Blake's talent as a writer and storyteller Perfect. I read 44 books between July, August, and September of 2022 and this was the only 5⭐ novel.
Olivie Blake's talent as a writer and storyteller is on full display in AWYITE. Written in achingly beautiful prose that is also highly experimental, I promise you've never read anything like it....more
After DNF’ing American Prince at a merger 2% into the audiobook because the male narrator was *that* painful, I’m glad to have given this series anothAfter DNF’ing American Prince at a merger 2% into the audiobook because the male narrator was *that* painful, I’m glad to have given this series another chance.
In typical Sierra Simone fashion:
- It’s beautifully written - There are boatloads of fiery smut - And you get a decent helping of angst, predominately around the theme of sacrifice
Take home message: It’s not her best work, but it is worth reading.
⭐3.75
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June 2022 Original review, for the audiobook:
DNF at no joke, 2%
It's possible I was so turned off because of the voice actor. With his delivery, Embry's words read astoundingly childish. I can see that some of my book besties loved this, but I probably won't give it another go unless I get my hands on the physical book from my library. Currently, they do not stock a single Sierra Simone novel soooo DNF it is....more
Update! Adding in what I wrote for the Washington Post article I was featured in:
“Juniper & Thorn” reimagines the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “The JuniUpdate! Adding in what I wrote for the Washington Post article I was featured in:
“Juniper & Thorn” reimagines the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “The Juniper Tree,” one of their darkest and most violent fables. Reid leans into Hungarian and Jewish folklore to tell the story of a third daughter trapped in a meagre life by her cursed, tyrannical father, a xenophobic wizard. After slipping away with her sisters to see the ballet, she stumbles across a young man whose deepest desires mirror her own, setting in motion a painful journey toward emancipation. I knew I was reading something special when I found myself scribbling in the margins at 3 a.m., unable to put the book down. I’ve read more than 150 novels in 2022, and nothing comes close to “Juniper & Thorn’s” rich and often vicious imagery. In an era when far too many fantasy novels suffer from unnecessary bloat, this book is the antidote; Reid doesn’t waste a single sentence.
Oh my god, do I love this story. The brilliance of Emily Henry continues: I laughed out loud so many times while listening to the audiobook, (which byOh my god, do I love this story. The brilliance of Emily Henry continues: I laughed out loud so many times while listening to the audiobook, (which by the way was expertly narrated) and I also felt every emotional blow as January and Gus navigated their individual trials of grief and loss.
Henry's writing is just magic.
I will be re-reading this before the year is through, I guarantee it ♥...more
4.5⭐️ I would die for this couple. Williams' balance between angst and humour is elite.
This was the first time I read a novel where the MC deals with4.5⭐️ I would die for this couple. Williams' balance between angst and humour is elite.
This was the first time I read a novel where the MC deals with the same disability and mental health challenges that I have: utterly horrific migraines and depression. Let me tell you it was a powerful experience to see myself reflected in the pages of a book I'm reading.
I absolutely loved: ✓ hurt/comfort trope ✓ detailed flashback chapters interspersed in the main narrative timeline ✓ one-liners that had me barking with laughter ✓ mental health and substance abuse challenges are grounded and the antithesis of gratuitous
It gets 4.5 stars only because the ending felt very rushed. But other than that, it's spectacular....more
"He released a low groan that sounded like a lifetime of agony fading from his soul."
This story cracked me open in the best way. It's everything a nov"He released a low groan that sounded like a lifetime of agony fading from his soul."
This story cracked me open in the best way. It's everything a novel should be. Fanfiction or not, if it's literature that sweeps the floor with 98% of everything else I read this year, I'm calling it a novel.
LovesBitca8 and her two brilliant beta-readers/editors deserve all the praise this story gets. The writing is gorgeous. The characterizations of not only Hermione and Draco but almost all the secondary characters were so well done, riding the line of being canon-compliant enough not to jar the reader while also being 100% believable within the context of the alternate universe (AU) we inhabit within The Auction.
I have no doubt I'll be re-reading this many times in the years to come. It's perfect....more
After seeing WithCindy's YouTube reviews of all the ACOTAR novels, I didn't think I'd ever read any SJM. I was soooo 4.5 stars Review is spoiler-free!
After seeing WithCindy's YouTube reviews of all the ACOTAR novels, I didn't think I'd ever read any SJM. I was soooo surprised at how much I enjoyed this.
Things I loved: - The main protagonists; all of them - Bryce is an icon. Not a whiff of 'pick me' girl syndrome in sight. She's girlie, wears high heels, tight dresses, does drugs, has casual sex, and -- shock horror -- IS STILL AN AMAZING FRIEND AND GOOD PERSON. omgggg women can be all those things at once!?! it's about time I read a fantasy heroine like this. Bryce has my whole heart - Hunt is surly and grumpy and the perfect counterpoint for Bryce. The dialogue between them is snappy and hilarious. For a book that deals with the loss of loved ones as a major theme, this pairing provides an amazing amount of levity. - The sexual tension between these two is *chef's kiss* slow burn - Unlike in ACOTAR, there's (not at a lot, but still) queer and BIPOC representation - Bits of the character's pasts are dolled out at perfect intervals. We learn things when we need to, and this allows those revelations to feel earned.
All in all I had a blast reading this, it was a genuine joy. Very much looking forward to the 15th of Feb 2022!...more
This is one of the most spectacular feats of literature I have ever had the honour of reading.
I really could All the stars. All of them. Perfection.
This is one of the most spectacular feats of literature I have ever had the honour of reading.
I really could write a thesis on this opus. Don't worry, I won't, but I will say this: I have never read a more magnificently paced story in my entire life. I have no idea how Sen did, especially given this is no short fanfic, but I was suspended in a state of such intensity the entire way through, from start to finish. It was like being grabbed at the throat and then instead of that grip loosening over time, it tightened.
I hope one day Sen is able to remake and publish this as original work because she deserves a veritable treasure trove of riches for her talents.
Now excuse me while I go cry about this again xx...more
Took me a while to get into this one. Did I like it? No. But are we supposed to like it? I don't think so. Ace of Spades was (1) written for Black4.5⭐
Took me a while to get into this one. Did I like it? No. But are we supposed to like it? I don't think so. Ace of Spades was (1) written for Black readers (2) written to make White readers stfu, listen, and reflect on how our behaviours--even when they aren't conscious or malicious--contribute to the continued disenfranchisement of Black individuals. ...more
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