bravokidroxy's reviews
59 reviews

Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian

lighthearted

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

2.0

The autism rep is …fine…doesn’t feel outstanding but also not blatantly problematic. At the beginning of chapter 18 there’s a transphobic joke. There are maybe two people of color in the whole book. Besides that it’s a Lifetime movie plot. Idk what else to say. 

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and Injury/Injury detail

Beijing Payback by Daniel Nieh

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

3.0

TLDR: it’s a book

The most interesting part of this book was the last 6 pages. There’s lots of drama and tension and blood in the book as a whole but none of it feels worth anything. No stakes were convincing enough for me to really care, it felt like this could be the action movie on in the background of a 10 year olds birthday or something. I guess minus the sex scene which was written well enough but there were plenty of more interesting ways to finish the story of a side character who’s job it is to seduce creepy men than to have her seduce our MC and <redacted> 

I did not see the twist coming because I was so focused on the fact that Victor reads as on the Asexual spectrum to me and was hoping for that to be written on page at some point. 

There was an on page use of the n word, by a black character to a black character as a term of endearment but the author is Chinese American so I’m not sure I feel great about that. Also there’s a weird recurrent fascination with the “Mongolian dwarf” who works at on the Beijing nightclubs, not sure what that’s about, think it’s supposed to be funny tho. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Grief, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

adventurous inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

It’s gay it’s space it’s music it’s magic I love everything. It’s about donuts, violins, gender identity, aliens, demons, mother hood, anger, promises, legacy, high level maths, plans within plans, enjoying the simple things, fighting for yourself and your family, what even is family anyway. there are not any actual cohesive thoughts here but I did love this book. 

Anger Is a Gift by Mark Oshiro

challenging dark sad tense 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? No

3.5

It’s gay. It’s sad it’s gory is hard it’s harsh it’s shaking you by the shoulders screaming “pay attention!!“  there’s a part towards the end where Esperanza says “I never got it until today” and this book wants to be your today. Very important read. Terrifying and difficult and heavy  but that’s the point. Mind the CW Read this book

Real by Peyton Goddard, Carol Cujec

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Physical abuse

Minor: Gore

The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.

The central plot conflict in the beginning of this New Adult “I graduated college a year ago and don’t know what to do with my life yet” book, is that she accidentally followed a dude she was into on Instagram…is this a level of cringe reaction that people my age still have? Am I the lucky one for leaving that level of self consciousness in Hugh school?

Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Racism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Lots of ice and winter weather injury and physical trauma

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

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

5.0

In the Heights: Finding Home by Jeremy McCarter, Quiara Alegría Hudes, Lin-Manuel Miranda

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced