Scan barcode
A review by discarded_dust_jacket
Lipstick & Camera Clicks by D.J. Murphy
emotional
funny
medium-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
3.75
First of all, I have to say this really impressed me for being a debut. I honestly thought—occasional typo aside—the writing was solid and displayed real confidence.
There was a good blend of action, dialogue, and interiority (I think newer authors can fall into the trap of spending pages upon pages inside a character’s head and that pulls me out of the story every time).
The characters were interesting and easy to become emotionally invested in. The conflict had me stressed OUT far more than I was expecting to be. And honestly, the story in general just felt a lot more high-stakes than your typical cartoon cover romcom, and I found that really worked for me.
My only complaints were that towards the end, I got a bit lost as to the finer details of the plot. I felt like I needed a visual aid to keep track of the underlying motivations behind all the different characters’ actions.
Also there were a couple throwaway lines that read as trans-exclusionary (“I notice the bulge in his pants and my eyes stretch wide. … “Put that thing away.” I attempt to move past him, but he blocks me, holding either side of the door frame. “I’m a man. What’d you expect?”) and ableist (someone’s toxic and violent behavior is described as “demented”). Neither felt malicious, but I still noticed them.
All in all, this book was a pleasant surprise. I picked it up because the cover is lovely, but I knew nothing about the author, which is always a gamble. I’m glad I did though. D.J. Murphy is officially on my radar! Can’t wait for a sequel.
There was a good blend of action, dialogue, and interiority (I think newer authors can fall into the trap of spending pages upon pages inside a character’s head and that pulls me out of the story every time).
The characters were interesting and easy to become emotionally invested in. The conflict had me stressed OUT far more than I was expecting to be. And honestly, the story in general just felt a lot more high-stakes than your typical cartoon cover romcom, and I found that really worked for me.
My only complaints were that towards the end, I got a bit lost as to the finer details of the plot. I felt like I needed a visual aid to keep track of the underlying motivations behind all the different characters’ actions.
Also there were a couple throwaway lines that read as trans-exclusionary (“I notice the bulge in his pants and my eyes stretch wide. … “Put that thing away.” I attempt to move past him, but he blocks me, holding either side of the door frame. “I’m a man. What’d you expect?”) and ableist (someone’s toxic and violent behavior is described as “demented”). Neither felt malicious, but I still noticed them.
All in all, this book was a pleasant surprise. I picked it up because the cover is lovely, but I knew nothing about the author, which is always a gamble. I’m glad I did though. D.J. Murphy is officially on my radar! Can’t wait for a sequel.