bookobsessedmommy's reviews
1074 reviews

I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1: Madly Ever After by Ewan McLaughlin, Jean-François Beaulieu, Jeff Lemire, Dean Rankine, Chip Zdarsky, Nate Piekos, Skottie Young, Bill Sienkiewicz, Jock

adventurous dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

This book was surprisingly gruesome and graphic, but it's also funny. I won't continue the series though. A bit too much gore for me.

Pumpkin Everything by Beth Labonte

lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.5

If this weren't for bookclub, I would have DNF'd it. It's not particularly bad, just boring, which honestly might be worse. Amy is annoying, especially with the way she jumps to conclusions all the damn time, and takes personal responsibility for everyone and everything. Kit is perfect, though we don't get to spend that much time with him. The people in the town are super petty. Yeah she put you in a book, but it's fiction! And the miscommunication, my GOD! It was so freaking predictable, there was too much telling rather than showing, and honestly too many characters for the length. I did like the grandpa a lot, and Josie. 

Fangirl, Vol. 4: The Manga by Gabi Nam, Rainbow Rowell

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.5

This is by far my favorite volume of the manga series. I honestly wished it was longer, but it felt like the characters really came to life in this one and reflected the spirit of the book. 

Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!, Vol. 12 by Yuu Toyota

emotional 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? Yes

4.0

Cute, and as usual, I want more. There are bits that confused me where the characters seem to freak out for no reason, and I don't get the celibacy pact at all. When you're stressed at work a little bedroom fun time can relieve some pressure, no? I was surprised by how much of that sex scene we get to see. No body parts, but still. While I still love Adachi and Kiyoshi, I cannot wait for the rest of Minato and Tsuge's story.

I'll Be Gone for Christmas by Georgia K. Boone

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

This a really sweet Christmas love story. We have a black and queer twist on The Holiday, where 2 women swap homes for the holidays and find love along the way. I love the combination of coming out and small town romamce that we get with each MC. I wish we figured out a bit more about Bee's work issues and Clover's future plans, and their relationships overall and that the story was longer overall. If you're looking for a cozy holiday read, this perfectly fits the bill.

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley

emotional inspiring lighthearted sad medium-paced

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

3.0

Patrick is once again on a journey to help his niblings through a life transition, but realizes he's in the middle of a few himself. I enjoyed the back and forth between GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick), Grant, and Maisy as they trekked across Europe learning about love.  I didn't notice it in the first book , but Patrick is kind of a jerk. He has a lot of redeeming qualities, but once the other characters started calling him out on it, I realized his use of humor and need to make everything about him is kind of annoying. The story is a little slow, but once things pick up around the 75% mark we get a surprise completely out of left field. Part of me wanted to suspend my disbelief and sink into to the romance of it all, but the other part felt mislead. It's like we switch plots at that point, and while I enjoyed both separately, there's still a continuity gap that I can't overlook. 

Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin

5.0

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

challenging emotional reflective 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? No

5.0

Lily is a teenager in 1954 San Francisco pursuing forbidden love amid the fears of the Red Scare and the cultural pressures of Chinatown. The writing in this is exquisite. I felt like I was right there with Lily, feeling the excitement, confusion, fear, and rage. Lo paints every scene so intricately that I basically had a movie playing in my head. All the societal and cultural obstacles Lily has to navigate seem impossible, but she goes from being this mousy young girl dreaming of space to a strong young woman who knows her mind and is willing to fight for what she wants. I liked the additional peeks at the lives of her mom and aunt, because they give more context to who they once were and how they became who they are. I honestly want to read it again, and that right there is the hallmark of a great story. 

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.

This one is just took gory for me.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

I love this book just as much as I did the first time I read it, if not more. I didn't want it to end! I just want to read about Cath and Levi forever. This book makes me want to write fanfic about it! So meta lol. Rainbow Rowell has this way of making you fall in love with regular everyday people and what they're going through. Cath's fears are so palpable, and everything about her life has a depth that makes her feel like a real friend. I feel like I should be able to catch up with her and see how things are going. God I love this book. I know RR says there won't be a sequel, but a girl can dream.