beesneysbooks's reviews
303 reviews

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

funny informative lighthearted mysterious tense 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? No

4.0

this book was another wonderful addition to the finlay donovan series! we got to see our favorite characters return, more drama unfold, and got more love triangle! 
also, the way the books line up almost perfectly with the books finlay is writing is so satisfying and such a fun plot point! 

Love, Hate & Clickbait by Liz Bowery

emotional funny lighthearted sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

i was recommended this book and i’m glad i read it! at first, i found myself hating every character—but in the way that makes them interesting— and it was really fun to see the characters slowly come out of their work characterization into the real them. 

lenny was insufferable the entire time and i am SO glad that she got what she fucking deserved. i am sad Felicia didn’t have a come to grace moment though. 

 

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

emotional funny 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

4.5

this book was honestly SO! fun! i love a good murder mystery, but the idea of an accidentally contract killer is so funny to me. i loved the character development throughout the book and cannot wait to see what the next book brings. 

Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

this is such a cute example of non-toxic masculinity in a hyper-masculine setting. i love examples of “boys will be boys” that truly embrace and embody non-toxic masculinity, and this was such a refreshing story to read 

Battle of the Bands by Eric Smith, Lauren Gibaldi

emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.75

if you’re looking for something to consume quickly, this book was so fun in audio! there are sixteen short stories, all documenting one night at Battle of the Bands. it was so interesting to see how all of the stories ended up intertwined, even where you weren’t necessarily expecting the crossovers. it was easy to follow along, as it was a full cast audiobook and had a ton of voices to help separate the stories. 
my only downside is that i wanted more from each story, however i am also a girlie who loves a LONG epilogue, so im not shocked that short stories left me wanting more. 

This Is All Your Fault by Aminah Mae Safi

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

3.75

a friend found this book & shared it with the group chat, and after some avoidance (entirely because i was in a reading slump), i finally decided to pick it up for real. 
the story was complex, confusing, and detailed… in all of the best ways. i felt like i was inside of each characters head and felt the rush they were feeling on their journey to save Wild Nights. 
would for sure recommend this in a text-based-medium as the amount of characters and timelines can get… confusing. 
there are some pretty dark topics mentioned, so, as always, check tw/cw and put yourself first. 

How You Get The Girl by Anita Kelly

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

WOW WOW WOW ANITA KELLY (they/them) STRIKES AGAIN!!

going into any book by Anita Kelly, i know im about to have the gayest, emotional, introspective experience of my recent life and i will never get over it. their ability to write books that speak to the parts of my soul i didn’t know existed is unmatched. im a big fan of interconnected standalones because I love getting to learn more about characters and hate saying goodbye to them at the end of the book. AND THIS SERIES MEANT I DIDNT HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE. i got to keep experiencing life with them, and i am forever grateful for the ability to know these characters.

Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? No

4.0

i loved this book. i loved the conversations it brought up about girls in games, but also about knowing one’s worth and not allowing others ideas or promises change that. 
i really enjoyed the story and the characters, especially the dynamics between all of the characters. the fact that aaron and divya didn’t change who they were throughout the story made me so happy, because the media forcing girls to change/limit the sass they give to people they’re interested in is SUCH a tired take. eric knocked it out of the park with this one. 
related, there’s a law and order svu episode that is similar to this story and it’s one of my favorite episodes, so it was nice to relive that without the really bad parts. 

You Can Go Your Own Way by Eric Smith

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

this was such a cute read. i felt all of the emotions so strongly that i had to stop multiple times because i was crying too hard. 
i’m not a huge fan of miscommunication plots, but the way this resolved so quickly made it better for me. 

Daniel, Deconstructed by James Ramos

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

i love james ramos. that could be the entire review but it wouldnt perfectly describe my love for this book. nothing i say can describe my love for this little universe james created. the characters felt so real to me and whenever i closed the book (metaphorically, because i read it on my kindle) i would have a moment of surprise that the world stopped existing. 
daniel, mona, and gabe were such unique characters that fit into each others lives so well despite how different they are. adding in phoebe and bridge and aisha, the character dynamics were perfect. this book has autistic rep (in male and female characters, as well as trans characters), as well as aromantic rep that wasn’t dependent on asexual rep. 
mona and daniel’s friendship made me feel so seen in a way i hadn’t expected. truly a perfect book.