cacole's reviews
205 reviews

The Weavers of Alamaxa by Hadeer Elsbai

adventurous challenging inspiring tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Police brutality

Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Torture, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Excrement

The Parisian by Isabella Hammad

hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai

adventurous informative medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Moderate: Death, Police brutality, Abortion, Murder, Classism

Minor: Homophobia

The Faithless by C.L. Clark

adventurous emotional medium-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? Yes

5.0

Babel by R.F. Kuang

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Under Darkened Skies by H.E. Bauman

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Alcohol

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Death of parent, War

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen

adventurous fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Slavery, Torture

The Queue by Basma Abdel Aziz, Elisabeth Jaquette

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

I would describe THE QUEUE as a modern, Egyptian 1984.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Police brutality

The premise of the novel is the government gaslighting its citizens and wearing them down to complicity.

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

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? Yes

5.0