talknerdybookblog's reviews
2607 reviews

Cocktails & Chloroform by Kelley Armstrong

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Representation: Indian Biracial supporting character

Mature Themes: None

• No swearing
• No sexual content

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Sex trafficking
• Sex work
• Threat of gun violence
• Attempted murder
• Kidnapping
• Police corruption

Ending:

Mystery resolved, and Mallory realizes she doesn't want to return to her time yet. HFN

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

Representation: Ghanaian main characters, Ghanian biracial gay main character, Black main characters, Ghanian supporting characters, Ghanian mlm supporting character, Black supporting characters, Ghanian side characters, Black side characters

Mature Themes:

• Sexual content is described but doesn't linger
• Swearing
• Alcohol and drug consumption / abuse

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Enslavement
• Child abuse 
• R@pe
• Racism
• Racial slurs
• Death of children in a fire
• Kidnapping
• Confinement
• Murder
• Lynching 
• Colonialism
• Physical assault (including recounting of whipping)
• Drug addiction
• Parental abandonment
• Burning someone alive recounted and attempted burning someone alive
• Ableism
• Sexism
• Classism
• War themes
• Colourism
• Infidelity 

Ending:

Comes full circle and evokes a sense of 'coming home' despite all the trauma that the two families went through.

Dead to the World by Annabel Chase

adventurous lighthearted mysterious 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? It's complicated

2.25

No strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.

Mature Themes

• Minimal swearing

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Murder
• Physical assault

Ending:

Mystery solved and no cliffhanger. But, there are a few easter eggs pointing at a larger mystery unfolding (particularly the protagonist's background and what she is).

Alive and Wells by Bailey Hannah

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

3.0

<b>No</b> strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• Does have OM drama
- Heroine has left her abusive husband and is figuring out how to file for divorce without endangering herself. The fact that she's still technically married causes issues for the Hero and the ex comes back to cause drama.
• No OW drama
- But, the Hero's most recent ex (it's been a few years) has made him untrusting of women who seek his small town out as a place of refuge
• Does have the Hero pushing the Heroine away
• No separation

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Abusive relationship (scenes of domestic violence on page, including threat of gun violence)
• Death of Hero's mom and grandparent discussed
• Parental abandonment discussed
• Grief
• Branding and castration of cattle on-page and discussed 

Ending:

HEA

The Order of Blood and Ruin by K.M. Shea

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

No strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.

Mature Themes:

• Sexual content doesn't surpass kissing

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Kidnapping
• Gun violence
• Knife violence
• Attempted murder

Ending:

HFN

All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Representation: Chinese-American supporting character

Mature Themes:

• Sexual content doesn't surpass kissing

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Murder
• Death of a family member
• Grief
• Parental abuse discussed
• Toxic parental relationship recounted
• Parental neglect

Ending:

So sad for Sloane :'( but the murder mystery is solved. Also, we find out that everything IS about Cassie loll sry Lia.

Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Representation: Chinese-American supporting character

Mature Themes:

• Underage drinking featured

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Murder
• Toxic parental relationships
• Parental abandonment
• PTSD
• Kidnapping
• Gun violence
• Physical assault

Ending:

HFN - mystery wrapped, and Cassie has chosen a boy 👀

The Women by Kristin Hannah

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

Representation: Black supporting characters, Black side characters

Mature Themes:

• Non-descriptive sex scenes
• Swearing
• Alcohol and drug consumption and abuse

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Death of protagonist's brother in the war
• Medical trauma (e.g., amputation, surgery, gunshot wounds) 
• Children and pregnant women are described as victims of the war in Vietnam
• Gore
• Miscarriage
• Alcoholism
• Drug addiction
• Depression
• Suicidal ideation
• Suicide attempt
• PTSD
• War themes
• Death of supporting characters
• Grief
• Racism
• Police brutality discussed
• Sexism
• Infidelity

Ending:

HFN. Frankie has found peace with her past and has opened up a centre to help women who served. She's on the road to healing her relationship with her parents. And... there's an open-ended ending for the romantic subplot. I'll just say... OMGGGG I KNEW HE WAS ALIVE.

Sinfully Tempted by Kathleen Ayers

lighthearted 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? It's complicated

3.25

No strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.

An unsuccessful opposites-attract romance. They didn't have anything in common and were, frankly, bored by the other's interests. 

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OW/OM drama
• Does have the MCs pushing each other away (the Heroine more than the Hero)
• Does have a brief separation

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Classism
• Sexual harassment recounted
• Death of parents recounted
• Sexism

Ending:

HFN

A Marriage Made in Scandal by Elisa Braden

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-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

5.0

No strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

• No cheating
• Does have OW drama
- the Hero courted the Heroine's sister ~6 years ago and proposed marriage to her (they would've married if the Heroine hadn't been proposed to by the guy she was actually in love with)
- the Hero spends a few instances in the book comparing the Heroine to her sister, where the Heroine is idealized as "perfect" and the Heroine is "wild," ... but, personally, you can tell as the reader that to him the sister simply "made sense" (she fits the mould of a gentlewoman for the time, whereas the Heroine defies that mould)  
- the Hero is terrified about what he feels for the Heroine - and how his feelings don't "make sense" (i.e., he's very passionate), so he attempts to order his thoughts by creating a list ... where he unfortunately compares the Heroine to her sister. Of course, this list is found by the Heroine, and it causes a lot of issues, but the Hero actually apologizes (rip, the bar is so low, even in romance novels).
- It becomes evident that the Hero liked the Heroine's sister for the novelty of what their future could've looked like a warm, loving family, which he had never had before. It wasn't so much the sister as the <i>idea</i> of what their future would've looked like that hurt him after the sister decided to marry someone else. 
• Does have mild OM drama
- an OM at the Heroine's job is smitten with her and his presence around the Heroine <i>infuriates</i> the Hero despite the OM being harmless (and his feelings are totally unrequited) 
• Does have the MCs pushing each other away
• No separation

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Murder
• Attempted murder
• Knife violence
• Recounting of childhood abuse & neglect
• Gun violence
• Threat of gun violence
• Drugging

Ending:

HEA