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alimarie's reviews
62 reviews
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
5.0
I went into this book thinking the sole focus was romance. I was surprised that it wasn't but I couldn't have loved this more. As a white bisexual, I will never understand the experiences of lesbians or WOC. This book taught me so much and I really enjoyed learning about Nishat's culture. I tried to think of reasons why I would give it less than 5 stars, but my mind was blank. This has become one of my new favorite books. Priti and Nishat's relationship is another part of the book that I didn't expect, but it made it all the better. If you're looking for a story that not only has a beautiful romance and an amazing sibling dynamic, but also tackles racism, homophobia, cultural appropriation, and many other important topics, this is the book for you!
Circe by Madeline Miller
5.0
I am so in love with this book. Literally everything about it is beautiful. It starts off a bit slow but even in the slow parts I was hanging on every word. Madeline Miller's writing in this was just so eloquent. I expected a sapphic romance, because hello? But I wasn't disappointed at all. All of her romances brought something to the table and I loved seeing the pieces of them she was left with. What's better than Greek mythology retellings? Greek mythology retellings with pretty witches!
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
5.0
Oh my god. I loved this book. Everything about it was so compelling. It reminds me a bit of Six of Crows, which is one of my favorite books, but at the same time the books are completely different. They’re both amazing in their own aspects. The romances in this book are to die for, and the plot kept me hooked the entire time. I loved the setting and the characters as individuals as well. The found family was also one of my favorite parts. If you like heists, diverse characters, and historical fantasy you have to read this!
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
4.0
I loved this! I did have a few problems with it, mainly because I didn’t get how they had yet to be fired, but whatever, it’s fictional I won’t question it. Anyway, they were just so adorable and the romance had be squealing half of the time and I was so invested that I could barely but the book down. Overall, I really enjoyed it! :)
The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi
5.0
Oh my god. I usually find that sequels aren’t as good as the first, but I loved this. I would give it a 4.75 if I could only because it was a bit slow in parts. Anyway, can I just say how in love I am with Zofia and Enrique <3
Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC! I think what I learned from this is that I love lesbian romcoms with competitions. This kind of reminds me of The Henna Wars except Aideen and Meabh aren't competing against each other, but similar to 'The Henna Wars,' there's history there. They both give me such a nice vibe, like having a warm fuzzy blanket wrapped around you. I really liked the slowburn of their relationship. While I enjoyed the romance, I also found myself loving the supporting characters and the storyline involving Aideen's mom. Also, can I just say that I love Aideen? Not only is her inner monologue super interesting to read as she figures things out, but she was so funny too. This was overall just so good!
Crier's War by Nina Varela
5.0
Nina Varela you are a genius. This book has everything I could ever ask for. Lesbians, royalty, the "I'm Supposed to Kill You but I Fell For You Instead" trope, sharing a bed, and another that I absolutely love but I'm going to keep spoilers out of this. Anyway, I cannot wait to read Iron Heart because oh my God. I am not okay this book was just too good. Also, is Crier free anytime soon? Because I'm literally in love with her.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
3.0
I had very high expectations considering how popular it is and I was afraid I wouldn’t like it. I wouldn't say this book is bad, but it could've been better. Is this the best book I’ve ever read? No. However, it had some cute moments and it felt like I was watching a romcom. The writing itself was good and I liked the vibes of the book. I didn't like the commentary on politics and the glorification of the Democratic party. Don't get me wrong, I hate Republicans, but Democrats aren't much better. They're still complicit. I also didn't like a comment about "Israel," which wasn't criticizing them. It really didn't add anything at all. If they were going to be mentioned, then it should be to spread awareness. I did enjoy Henry and Alex’s relationship, and the supporting characters were great too. They really carried this book.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
4.0
I liked Red, White & Royal Blue (however I did have problems with it), so I had fairly high expectations. This was definitely better than I expected. It was slow in the first few chapters, but once it got going it was better. I liked all of the main characters, especially Jane. Oh to wear her leather jacket and listen to old music. But anyway, the romance was cute and all of the characters added something to the story which I loved. I didn't like that the chapters were a bit long (I prefer shorter ones) and I definitely didn't like something August says to Jane about homophobes and racists in the 21st century. I agree that's it's better than it was in the past, but people are still actively homophobic and racist and I don't think that's something we can ignore.