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bookish_bailee's reviews
110 reviews
Sweet Vengeance by Viano Oniomoh
4.5
Really fantastically done.
I absolutely love the gender + body neutral language throughout, and the way that accidental misgendering was handled the one time it came up — no fanfare or over the top apologies, just correction and moving on.
I generally try to steer clear of fiction with SA plots, but this was very well done. No graphic descriptions, no power or name given to the victimizer in the story, and no glossing over it as if it were just a plot point. Joy’s feelings, healing and revenge were believable and cathartic.
The romance was also incredibly sweet.
I absolutely love the gender + body neutral language throughout, and the way that accidental misgendering was handled the one time it came up — no fanfare or over the top apologies, just correction and moving on.
I generally try to steer clear of fiction with SA plots, but this was very well done. No graphic descriptions, no power or name given to the victimizer in the story, and no glossing over it as if it were just a plot point. Joy’s feelings, healing and revenge were believable and cathartic.
The romance was also incredibly sweet.
Content Warnings
past described SA, drink drugging, past CSA/incest, grief, death of a parent, victim blaming, violence, murder
The Tea Dragon Society by K. O'Neill
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
5.0
I want to crawl inside this story and live there. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
The art is absolutely beautiful, the characters are completely precious, the queer + disability rep made me tear up, and the story is magic.
I wish it was a bit longer with a bit more plot, because I didn’t want it to end.
The art is absolutely beautiful, the characters are completely precious, the queer + disability rep made me tear up, and the story is magic.
I wish it was a bit longer with a bit more plot, because I didn’t want it to end.
Solomon's Crown by Natasha Siegel
emotional
reflective
sad
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
5.0
"Nothing had mattered, with a pair of thrones between us, and my heart clutched like a rosary between his hands."
I have not read such compelling romantic tension, flirtation, and banter in a very long time. Absolutely beautifully written with well-rounded characters and concise story-telling over long periods of time so that even a "slow" plot felt engaging at every moment.
The prose felt authentic to the time period without being overly flowery or inaccessible.
And god, the yearninnnnnnggggggg. My heart.
There was some in my opinion unnecessary use of archaic offensive language.
I have not read such compelling romantic tension, flirtation, and banter in a very long time. Absolutely beautifully written with well-rounded characters and concise story-telling over long periods of time so that even a "slow" plot felt engaging at every moment.
The prose felt authentic to the time period without being overly flowery or inaccessible.
And god, the yearninnnnnnggggggg. My heart.
There was some in my opinion unnecessary use of archaic offensive language.
The Stand-In by Lily Chu
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
3.0
A fun, sweet, slow-burn rom-com, with great audiobook narration! I highly recommend listening versus reading for this one.
The concept of filling in for a movie star is creative and unique, and Gracie’s characterization at its core is compelling — she struggles with her racial and personal identity, familial stresses, past workplace sexual harassment, and her mental health, all of which makes her feel authentic, relatable and easy to root for.
It was very long, with much of that length filled with Gracie’s (often repetitive) internal dialoguing, and this, for me, made the story feel drawn out and the plot/relationship/character development sort of meandering + at times unbelievable.
A little suspension of disbelief, though, and the audiobook on 1.3x speed, made for an overall enjoyable read.
The concept of filling in for a movie star is creative and unique, and Gracie’s characterization at its core is compelling — she struggles with her racial and personal identity, familial stresses, past workplace sexual harassment, and her mental health, all of which makes her feel authentic, relatable and easy to root for.
It was very long, with much of that length filled with Gracie’s (often repetitive) internal dialoguing, and this, for me, made the story feel drawn out and the plot/relationship/character development sort of meandering + at times unbelievable.
A little suspension of disbelief, though, and the audiobook on 1.3x speed, made for an overall enjoyable read.