arguhlincozzi's reviews
904 reviews

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

I loved this book! A map was at the heart of the story (a geographer's fav), critical discussions about justice and how to achieve it, plus more twists and turns than I anticipated! So excited for book two!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Addiction, and Cursing

The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

4.25

There were some writing choices that I felt needed refinement (using common, contemporary phrasing in a fantasy book) but the themes were far more complex than I had imagined, and I'm very excited for the second book!

Loki's Ring by Stina Leicht

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Body horror, and Death

Retrospective by Juan Gabriel Vásquez

dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

The Black Shoals: Offshore Formations of Black and Native Studies by Tiffany Lethabo King

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Perish by LaToya Watkins

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Incest, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

Amazing but extremely painful book, even though it's all handled with care by the author. Important book.

Daughters of Victory by Gabriella Saab

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

The writing is uneven between characters but the plot and intrigue move things along quickly enough to keep you engaged. Written from perspectives about a time period I had never really gotten a chance to look into.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Abandonment, Confinement, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, and War

The Falcon's Eyes by Francesca Stanfill

adventurous hopeful mysterious slow-paced

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

4.75

Bronze Drum: A Novel of Sisters and War by Phong Nguyen

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, War, and Violence