bookynooknook's reviews
290 reviews

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

Kind of felt like I’d landed halfway through another book. I will try the author again

Things We Do Not Tell the People We Love by Huma Qureshi

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A

3.0

Solid short stories. 

The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

I appreciated what it was trying to do, but I just didn’t find it as dystopian as I’d have liked. Might say more about me than the book

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

The Funeral Cryer by Wenyan Lu

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up by Selma Blair

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

I love Selma Blair. This was like sitting in a room chatting. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, and Death of parent

Minor: Ableism and Abortion

Phoebe by Paula Gooder

challenging dark slow-paced

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

2.5

I was hoping for something in the same vein as a Greek retelling but was ultimately sorely disappointed. Great, I imagine, if you are a lover of religion. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, Rape, Slavery, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism

Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Set in Bosnia, features families and friends who stay while war and genocide rages. Emotional, destroying and oh so important. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and War

Minor: Rape

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Abortion, and Abandonment

Why Solange Matters by Stephanie Phillips

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

Not so much about Solange (for the uninitiated like myself) but about her influences and her influencing 

Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5