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booknerd_life's reviews
216 reviews
Funny Story by Emily Henry
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I absolutely devoured this book. It was so incredibly messy and fun! I mean hooking up with your ex-fiancé’s new fiancee’s ex-boyfriend?! Sign me up!!
Miles and Daphne’s relationship was so lovely. Miles is just so GREAT. He’s so nice, and friendly, and considerate, and caring. I love me a fictional man who is so involved with the community. I really adored his growing relationship with Daphne.
I also really enjoyed Daphne’s character arc as a whole. Realizing who she is as a person, what she wants out of life, and sticking up for herself. She went through a lot in this book and she grew so much. I loved watching her make friends, especially with Ashleigh.
I AM knocking half a star off for that STUPID 3rd act conflict though. It was absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary. These characters had absolutely amazing communication and you’re telling me he couldn’t be honest with her??? Yeah, no.
Regardless, I did really love this book hence the me-finishing-it-in-3-days.
Also I WISH we had 24 hour Read-a-Thons?! Like that sounds SO FUN!!
Miles and Daphne’s relationship was so lovely. Miles is just so GREAT. He’s so nice, and friendly, and considerate, and caring. I love me a fictional man who is so involved with the community. I really adored his growing relationship with Daphne.
I also really enjoyed Daphne’s character arc as a whole. Realizing who she is as a person, what she wants out of life, and sticking up for herself. She went through a lot in this book and she grew so much. I loved watching her make friends, especially with Ashleigh.
I AM knocking half a star off for that STUPID 3rd act conflict though. It was absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary. These characters had absolutely amazing communication and you’re telling me he couldn’t be honest with her??? Yeah, no.
Regardless, I did really love this book hence the me-finishing-it-in-3-days.
Also I WISH we had 24 hour Read-a-Thons?! Like that sounds SO FUN!!
A Sign of Affection, Volume 6 by suu Morishita
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
This volume had a lot more backstory and focused more on some of the side characters! It was heavily focused on Itsuomi, his backstory, and his friends.
A Sign of Affection, Volume 5 by suu Morishita
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This series is so freaking cute! Itsuomi is the epitome of a green flag when it comes to words of affirmation and reassurance. He is a busy man, but always makes time for Yuki and I love that about him!
I will admit this volume made me feel bad for Oushi though. I’m a sucker for friends-to-lovers, so I feel bad for this man!!
But Itsuomi is just too good!!
I will admit this volume made me feel bad for Oushi though. I’m a sucker for friends-to-lovers, so I feel bad for this man!!
But Itsuomi is just too good!!
A Sign of Affection, Volume 4 by suu Morishita
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This volume was SO CUTE!! The sign language camping trip, the movie night, the friends. It was all so adorable! Had me blushing and kicking my feet!
Spy x Family, Vol. 1 by Tatsuya Endo
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This was so fun! And so cute!
Anya is so adorable and the little found family is so precious.
Anya is so adorable and the little found family is so precious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Blood
Mexikid by Pedro Martín
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
For some reason this one took me awhile to get through. It was very long!
But it was very good! A beautiful graphic memoir about going to Mexico to bring Abuelito to their home in the US. It had a mixture of childhood wonder and excitement mixed with somber and stress.
I loved the conversation of feeling in the middle. Being both Mexican and American and not quite feeling fully a part of either, but simultaneously feeling like both are a part of you. I thought Pedro finding his grito expressed this sentiment beautifully.
But it was very good! A beautiful graphic memoir about going to Mexico to bring Abuelito to their home in the US. It had a mixture of childhood wonder and excitement mixed with somber and stress.
I loved the conversation of feeling in the middle. Being both Mexican and American and not quite feeling fully a part of either, but simultaneously feeling like both are a part of you. I thought Pedro finding his grito expressed this sentiment beautifully.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, and Alcohol
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I am DEVASTATED.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Smash the Patriarchy: A Graphic Novel by Marta Breen
informative
fast-paced
3.0
A solid 3 star read! This is a good introductory read into how deeply embedded into patriarchy our world is, but the way its organized is rather overwhelming.
When the book focuses on one woman and tells their story and history, it’s really educational and awe-inspiring! But most times it just rapid fire names a bunch of women and the men who suppressed them without ever diving deep into the history.
There was also a random history spotlight on a man that felt very out of place. Like I expected him to end up supporting women’s rights or something since they focused so much on him, but I don’t think he did? I don’t know, it was an odd choice.
Overall it was an enjoyable read, but it could have been even more inclusive and even more modern.
**I also want to state this is a translated work and was originally published in Norwegian, so a translator bias and loss of original meaning may take place.
When the book focuses on one woman and tells their story and history, it’s really educational and awe-inspiring! But most times it just rapid fire names a bunch of women and the men who suppressed them without ever diving deep into the history.
There was also a random history spotlight on a man that felt very out of place. Like I expected him to end up supporting women’s rights or something since they focused so much on him, but I don’t think he did? I don’t know, it was an odd choice.
Overall it was an enjoyable read, but it could have been even more inclusive and even more modern.
**I also want to state this is a translated work and was originally published in Norwegian, so a translator bias and loss of original meaning may take place.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Body shaming, Suicide, and Blood
Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 3 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I am really enjoying this series! But this book suffered heavy from middle book syndrome. The backstory could have been a book all on its own because there was so much of it! Parts of the backstory were very interesting, but some were unsettling and I am pretending doesn’t exist.
This one also seemed to not flow as well as the other two books. The others had so many plot-lines, but they’d all come together in the end and tie everything together. This one didn’t really do that. Every plot-line was its own thing and none of them were really resolved.
Either way, I need more Hua Cheng and Xie Lian interactions in future books. They make this series and are such a joy to read about!
This one also seemed to not flow as well as the other two books. The others had so many plot-lines, but they’d all come together in the end and tie everything together. This one didn’t really do that. Every plot-line was its own thing and none of them were really resolved.
Either way, I need more Hua Cheng and Xie Lian interactions in future books. They make this series and are such a joy to read about!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Violence, Colonisation, War, and Classism