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genevieve5's reviews
248 reviews
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Outing
Moderate: Bullying
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Sexual content
Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I admired the way this book explors religious trauma and how homophobic religious education can make figuring out your sexuality really stressful and confusing. And I really enjoyed some of the side relationships too. I also loved Chloe's moms!
The main relationship and characters, I think, could have benefited from a bit more devlopment, to make their intentions stronger and clearer. While there were moments I didn't like the main characters, I didn't dislike them overall. However, I didn't absolutely love them, like I did in her other books.
Still, a great read with lots of important discussions and laugh out loud funny moments. Definitely worth the read!
The main relationship and characters, I think, could have benefited from a bit more devlopment, to make their intentions stronger and clearer. While there were moments I didn't like the main characters, I didn't dislike them overall. However, I didn't absolutely love them, like I did in her other books.
Still, a great read with lots of important discussions and laugh out loud funny moments. Definitely worth the read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racism, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
The Merchant and the Rogue by Sarah M. Eden
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood and Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Racism, Trafficking, and Kidnapping
The Bachelor and the Bride by Sarah M. Eden
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.25
I received a free review copy of this book from NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
I have rarely been as dramatically and repeatedly shocked as I was with this book. When I started it, I had very high expectations, expectations that it seemed, at first, this book would not meet. I was not a huge fan of the writing style at first, as it struck me as a bit different from the other books, a fusion of that style and one or two London dialects. I also came upon a few passages I found slightly repetitive, and a particular characterization that I didn't know if I would like or not. But, the style slowly grew on me, and though I don’t like it quite as well as the styles in the other books, I liked it enough to fall in love with the book overall. And plot has a lot to do with that too.
The plot is, for sure, an area where this book really shines. This is, simply put, one of the most brilliantly plotted books I have ever read. From intensely involved, detailed, and meticulously well-researched plans to dark and complicated character pasts, from interweaving storylines from the previous books to jaw-dropping twists and turns within twists and turns that always kept me hooked and keep the stakes sky-high, the plotting of this book is genius and a very impressive balance of a multitude of details and characters. The romance I loved from the previous books was back with a new unique love story that, while again not my favorite of the series, did develop beautifully, and there were several more characters for me to get to know and fall in love with alongside the ones who had already won my heart in the previous books.
The ending was a pretty sudden escalation, which was both very exciting and a bit jarring (kind of felt like a gear shift almost) but, while it had little explicit build up, it all ended up making sense, and I certainly didn’t see it coming. In that way, this book was different from the others before it. The best way I can describe it is ‘epic,' and there was a sharper contrast, towards the end, between the action and the romance. It seemed, at times, as if Eden had almost spread herself too thin with the storytelling . . . the operative word there being almost, because she did manage to pull it off, and pull it off very well. She is a very skilled and capable writer, and I will eagerly read anything she writes in the future.
Overall, this book and series are absolutely stellar, and I cannot wait to read more. I cannot recommend this series highly enough! Thank you, Sarah M. Eden!
I have rarely been as dramatically and repeatedly shocked as I was with this book. When I started it, I had very high expectations, expectations that it seemed, at first, this book would not meet. I was not a huge fan of the writing style at first, as it struck me as a bit different from the other books, a fusion of that style and one or two London dialects. I also came upon a few passages I found slightly repetitive, and a particular characterization that I didn't know if I would like or not. But, the style slowly grew on me, and though I don’t like it quite as well as the styles in the other books, I liked it enough to fall in love with the book overall. And plot has a lot to do with that too.
The plot is, for sure, an area where this book really shines. This is, simply put, one of the most brilliantly plotted books I have ever read. From intensely involved, detailed, and meticulously well-researched plans to dark and complicated character pasts, from interweaving storylines from the previous books to jaw-dropping twists and turns within twists and turns that always kept me hooked and keep the stakes sky-high, the plotting of this book is genius and a very impressive balance of a multitude of details and characters. The romance I loved from the previous books was back with a new unique love story that, while again not my favorite of the series, did develop beautifully, and there were several more characters for me to get to know and fall in love with alongside the ones who had already won my heart in the previous books.
The ending was a pretty sudden escalation, which was both very exciting and a bit jarring (kind of felt like a gear shift almost) but, while it had little explicit build up, it all ended up making sense, and I certainly didn’t see it coming. In that way, this book was different from the others before it. The best way I can describe it is ‘epic,' and there was a sharper contrast, towards the end, between the action and the romance. It seemed, at times, as if Eden had almost spread herself too thin with the storytelling . . . the operative word there being almost, because she did manage to pull it off, and pull it off very well. She is a very skilled and capable writer, and I will eagerly read anything she writes in the future.
Overall, this book and series are absolutely stellar, and I cannot wait to read more. I cannot recommend this series highly enough! Thank you, Sarah M. Eden!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Stalking, and Murder
Please note: the toxic relationship is not between the love interests, but between one of the MCs and her family.
Forever . . . by Judy Blume
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
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? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0