rebekah_florence's reviews
192 reviews

Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert

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challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad 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

3.5

I love Talia Hibbert! Her romances are so lovely and I love the little quirks that she gives every character. We stan MoroccItalian king Samir Bianchi!! I think this book handled the topic of domestic abuse incredibly well.  Also, it was nice to see Ruth and Evan from A Girl Like Her!
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

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funny informative lighthearted tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I’m so sorry but I found the main characters incredibly immature and insufferable! I appreciated the Author’s note and I think the discussion of
workplace harassment and gendered powered imbalance
was incredibly important.  BookTok…why’d y’all do me like this 🥲 
She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore

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adventurous dark hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-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? No

4.25

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

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funny reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

The Mothers by Brit Bennett

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challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

If you’re a fan of the show Greenleaf, I would highly recommend this book.  As a Black woman who grew up in the church (specifically with family members who were pastors of an A.M.E. Zion church) this book felt like coming home to me.  The mothers of the church-their drama, adages, gossiping, compassion- were written in such an authentic way that I could hear their voices as they spoke.  I could gush about this book all day.  I love that the title is a nod to not just the mothers of the church but also the mothers of our three main characters in the novel.  Each of their mothers has traumatized them in one way or another, and that trauma has brought them to they way each of them navigates their own life presently.  I loved that the story was told from multiple points of view.  Maybe it’s the theatre-lover in me but each time the “Mothers” narrated the story, I felt that they operated as a Greek chorus of sorts. If I had to make a complaint about this book, I would say that I wish the ending was a little more fleshed out without
the major time jump
but perhaps that’s for the best.  Much like Nadia’s situation and relationships, some things will
always be left unresolved
.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A

2.75

Normal People by Sally Rooney

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reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I really wanted to love this book!! I had seen so many people gush about it on TikTok and YouTube. I felt like nothing happened in this story.  I struggled to wrap my head around why Marianne was so unlikeable in high school.  I feel like Rooney doesn’t delve into that, so I was left feeling like that was unbelievable. I thoroughly enjoyed any time Lorraine was present, specifically the portion where she
rips Connell a new one for not taking Marianne to the Debs!!
.  
I think I’ll try Conversations With Friends before I give up on this author!
Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements by Charlene Carruthers

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Did not finish book.
I borrowed this book online and the time ran out!  I haven't been able to pick it up since :(
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

lovely and stunning and heartbreaking.