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teeclecticreads's reviews
280 reviews
Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Gosh this was good! When I finally got to read the book without distractions I ended up finishing it in one whole day. It was giving me serious Squid Games/Hunger Games meets Bridgerton vibes. I must admit that the pacing was too slow in the beginning and there was a lot of talking in riddles until we got to the action. Adina was also annoying me a lot with all the terrible decisions she was making, but I enjoyed her determination to succeed. The juiciness of the plot and the ending made up for all of that though. I just love that it also highlighted a serious issue that minority groups, especially black people, face where we try to work twice as hard in a world with an uneven playing field just to get a chance at making a better life for ourselves. Definitely a fav read of the year so far.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw by Eddie Ndopu
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
5.0
Eddie is such a great storyteller and truly immersed me into his world through this audiobook. I was able to learn so much about the experiences of wheelchair users (as I am also disabled but I am ambulatory) There were a couple things that I could relate to with my own life and I found myself getting angry at the way that he was treated; knowing what it feels like personally. He endured so much in trying to get tertiary education at Oxford University, and I'm very glad he was able to overcome while also finding humour to sprinkle throughout the retelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Excrement, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Abandonment
One More Shot by Anise Starre
emotional
funny
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? Yes
5.0
I’m grateful to Anise Starre to have been chosen as an ARC ready for yet another one of her awesome books. I love romance but I especially love romance where black women are loved on and treated well. Eliott was representative of a large portion of black women who give their all and usually taken advantage of by those they give to. She was ambitious, hard-working, but also super hard on herself which I could relate to.
I also enjoyed seeing Dane’s development throughout the story. He’s also a great example of black men who have been hurt and seem to write off their chances of finding love ever again, resulting in them just having fun with women but never settling. He was confident and assertive without it coming off as being asshole. His banter with everyone was also light and fun.
This is a storyline that I’ve never seen in another book before also which is fresh. Another great book by Anise down.
I also enjoyed seeing Dane’s development throughout the story. He’s also a great example of black men who have been hurt and seem to write off their chances of finding love ever again, resulting in them just having fun with women but never settling. He was confident and assertive without it coming off as being asshole. His banter with everyone was also light and fun.
This is a storyline that I’ve never seen in another book before also which is fresh. Another great book by Anise down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Bliss and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield
3.75
I’m really grateful that I was chosen by the Audrey team to be an Audrey reviewer. I’ve enjoyed the listen-alongs that I’ve done in the past and this is no different. I can admit that I’m not a major fan of classics so some of these stories didn’t particular pique my interest. However, I love the format of a collection of short stories with the accompaniment of guides to give fascinating information at the end of each.
The research that went into these is commendable and I think Mr Reginald Peacock’s Day, Pictures, and The Little Governess were the most memorable.
The research that went into these is commendable and I think Mr Reginald Peacock’s Day, Pictures, and The Little Governess were the most memorable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
Normal People by Sally Rooney
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Not only was this whole book about a toxic relationship between these two, but the ending was so lacklustre. Also, why is she not using quotation marks??? I didn’t like that :/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Genocide, Vomit, and War
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Now THIS is what I call a murder mystery!!! Holly did such a great job with setting the scene and roping me along for the wild ride that was to come. I didn’t guess this at all — in fact I was so off! I love that I was interested the whole time. Though Pippa was a bit reckless at times, it reminded me that she was just a teen girl taking on a big task. Plus the project logs and little map sketches really added to the finer details. I’m so excited for book 2!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Kidnapping, and Murder
The Vanishing Girls by Callie Browning
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
There were a lot of great elements in this book and I love the history that was incorporated. However, I think I enjoyed the first half more than I did the second. I can admit that I didn’t have the mystery figured out at the beginning, which is a good thing, but the pacing to me was waaaay too slow. The romance also confused me because they only started falling for each other around 50% of the book. It felt forced and almost unbelievable further along the line. Then the epilogue….oh my gosssshhhhh I hate hate hate when that happens. I just feel a little disappointed with the series of events.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
5.0
I feel like I was given a long, tight hug and told that things will be ok 🥹
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Transphobia