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fangirljeanne's reviews
1180 reviews
Year One by Nora Roberts
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
A more optimistic version of The Stand, with magic and Fae lore. Just a bit too much Christianity, even though the leads are “witches.” Right down to the chosen one, magical pregnancy.
Very white middle class take on an apocalypse. Beautiful writing, compelling storytelling with a fairly even steady pace. Great character work, even for small appearances.
The romance is pretty schmaltzy, though maybe because the main relationship is already establish when the story begins. The other relationships are brief background stuff, blink and you’ll miss it.
Over all a decent read, but not interesting enough to get me to read the rest of the series.
I recommend it to fans of The Stand, The Walking Dead and The Strain who are looking for something with a more optimistic view of the death of the old world and birth of the new.
Very white middle class take on an apocalypse. Beautiful writing, compelling storytelling with a fairly even steady pace. Great character work, even for small appearances.
The romance is pretty schmaltzy, though maybe because the main relationship is already establish when the story begins. The other relationships are brief background stuff, blink and you’ll miss it.
Over all a decent read, but not interesting enough to get me to read the rest of the series.
I recommend it to fans of The Stand, The Walking Dead and The Strain who are looking for something with a more optimistic view of the death of the old world and birth of the new.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A solid meh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death and Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent
What Lies Beyond the Veil by Harper L. Woods
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
Another great example of why I’m deeply uncomfortable with white people writing about colonialism and/or slavery in fantasy. This feels a lot like oppression tourism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, and Sexual harassment
Happy Place by Emily Henry
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
I have thoughts, mostly about the marketing and reception of the book.
TLDR it’s clunky at times, undercooked, and unpolished, but manages to get it legs underneath it after around 30% and becomes an entertaining (white straight) New Adult Romantic Military Fantasy.
I’d recommend this to fans of YA looking for something a little more brutal (violent action) with open door sex scenes. Basically New Adult. And this might also be a great entry point into fantasy for those who might be intimidated by the big name Fantasy series.
Overall, I don’t think it’s as fantastic or terrible as people are saying. It’s just okay. *shrug*
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I have thoughts, mostly about the marketing and reception of the book.
TLDR it’s clunky at times, undercooked, and unpolished, but manages to get it legs underneath it after around 30% and becomes an entertaining (white straight) New Adult Romantic Military Fantasy.
I’d recommend this to fans of YA looking for something a little more brutal (violent action) with open door sex scenes. Basically New Adult. And this might also be a great entry point into fantasy for those who might be intimidated by the big name Fantasy series.
Overall, I don’t think it’s as fantastic or terrible as people are saying. It’s just okay. *shrug*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, and War
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Military propaganda that’s clumsily challenging at the very end. The world the character lives in has the features of an imperialism, but functions like a military dictatorship. While it has a lot of diversity in the characters, especially the normalization of sign language, it feels incongruent with the structure of the government and way the society so willing accepts the death of countless young people for not being “strong enough” to survive training.
If Only You by Chloe Liese
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Always Only You by Chloe Liese
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
Too many Harry Potter references ruined it for me.
The Valentine's Hate by Sidney Halston
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Absolutely freaking adorable. Hilarious dialogue. Compelling and lovable characters. An all around delightful RomCom.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, and Death of parent
An Indecent Proposal by Katee Robert
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The audiobook for this one finally came in at my library, so I could complete the series. Strangers to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, especially when the relationship begins with sex and then deepens emotional as time goes on. This is a solid Mafia Romance series that has dark themes, but also does hard work to subvert a lot of the misogyny and bigotry common in the genre. Both characters are dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for different reasons. Love doesn’t “fix them” so much as it gives them stability and an emotional grounding they both need.
Katee Robert is so good at showing the growth of a relationship, even when it moves at lightning speed. An the sex scenes are pretty damn good too.
Katee Robert is so good at showing the growth of a relationship, even when it moves at lightning speed. An the sex scenes are pretty damn good too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Toxic relationship
Grief, kidnapping, panic attacks, graphic violence, toxic past relationship.
Leech by Hiron Ennes
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
DNF
I was really enjoying aspects of the story and the audiobook narration by Abigail Thorne is fantastic, but the excessive and unnecessary (imo) anti-fatness kept taking me out of the story. It’s the classic the mean, bigoted, rich white guy is fat and is always described in exaggerated details explicitly depicting his fatness not only as disgusting but symbolic of his internal corruption.
Otherwise it’s a wonderful exploration of identity and a fun take on parasites and body horror with liberal dashes of dark humor.
Such a shame.
I was really enjoying aspects of the story and the audiobook narration by Abigail Thorne is fantastic, but the excessive and unnecessary (imo) anti-fatness kept taking me out of the story. It’s the classic the mean, bigoted, rich white guy is fat and is always described in exaggerated details explicitly depicting his fatness not only as disgusting but symbolic of his internal corruption.
Otherwise it’s a wonderful exploration of identity and a fun take on parasites and body horror with liberal dashes of dark humor.
Such a shame.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Racism, and Xenophobia