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corabookworm's reviews
236 reviews
She's Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Beginning was very iffy for me because the main character annoyed me and the romance moved to fast and all the dialogue seemed kinda cheesy and fake, but once the actual plot set in it was pretty good. Definitely not amazing but an entertaining YA thriller.
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Not for the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The war between the Sherrif of Nottingham and the Merry Men didn’t end when Robin Hood retired. Clem, a cheerful and talented healer from a small village, is reminded of this rather abruptly when Robin Hood’s granddaughter kidnaps her. Mariel is grumpy, fierce, and determined to prove herself, especially when her father is captured by the Sheriff’s men. On their way to rescue him with the help of Mariel’s small band of misfits, the two girls find themselves growing closer… and beginning to question the line between right and wrong.
Once again, Lex Croucher has created a wonderful historical* fiction, packed with queer characters, cute romance, and nonstop banter. The lighthearted found family vibe was once again the centerpiece of the book, and I adored it. Every interaction between these characters was hilarious and heartwarming and absolutely precious. The only flaw with the romance is that it was very “trope-y”, by which I mean that some parts of it felt like they were written just to insert specifc tropes. Like the “one bed” scene. It kind of seemed to follow a trend that I find concerning in the modern publishing industry, which is writing more for tropes than for story/characters. I’m making it sound much more dramatic than it actually was, though! It didn’t pull from the story too much at all. And the romance was VERY cute. As much I don’t like focusing on tropes, I go weak in the knees for a good grumpy/sunshine couple. Especially a sapphic one. Their personalities contrasted nicely and the banter between them was top notch. I also really appreciated the slower development of their relationship. Even if it was a little fast, it felt way more natural and less insta-love-y than a lot of books!
Also, the whole plot of this book was really interesting! It a wonderful collection of silly little adventures through the woods with plenty of heists and battles. But it was also a good critique of systems of oppression, and discussed how the systems designed to fight them can be flawed themselves, especially when they operate to further the interests of their own hierarchies. It all felt very relevant to the world right now.
Overall, this book was absolutely delightful. Sure, its a YA book with a “trope-y” romance, but it was cute and lighthearted and meaningful and all the little characters own my heart. I will definitely pick up Lex Croucher’s next books, and I loved this one.
*Besides one mention to France, it's not really clear that this story is supposed to take place in a real historical place. I honestly thought of it more as a fantasy book, without the magic.
The war between the Sherrif of Nottingham and the Merry Men didn’t end when Robin Hood retired. Clem, a cheerful and talented healer from a small village, is reminded of this rather abruptly when Robin Hood’s granddaughter kidnaps her. Mariel is grumpy, fierce, and determined to prove herself, especially when her father is captured by the Sheriff’s men. On their way to rescue him with the help of Mariel’s small band of misfits, the two girls find themselves growing closer… and beginning to question the line between right and wrong.
Once again, Lex Croucher has created a wonderful historical* fiction, packed with queer characters, cute romance, and nonstop banter. The lighthearted found family vibe was once again the centerpiece of the book, and I adored it. Every interaction between these characters was hilarious and heartwarming and absolutely precious. The only flaw with the romance is that it was very “trope-y”, by which I mean that some parts of it felt like they were written just to insert specifc tropes. Like the “one bed” scene. It kind of seemed to follow a trend that I find concerning in the modern publishing industry, which is writing more for tropes than for story/characters. I’m making it sound much more dramatic than it actually was, though! It didn’t pull from the story too much at all. And the romance was VERY cute. As much I don’t like focusing on tropes, I go weak in the knees for a good grumpy/sunshine couple. Especially a sapphic one. Their personalities contrasted nicely and the banter between them was top notch. I also really appreciated the slower development of their relationship. Even if it was a little fast, it felt way more natural and less insta-love-y than a lot of books!
Also, the whole plot of this book was really interesting! It a wonderful collection of silly little adventures through the woods with plenty of heists and battles. But it was also a good critique of systems of oppression, and discussed how the systems designed to fight them can be flawed themselves, especially when they operate to further the interests of their own hierarchies. It all felt very relevant to the world right now.
Overall, this book was absolutely delightful. Sure, its a YA book with a “trope-y” romance, but it was cute and lighthearted and meaningful and all the little characters own my heart. I will definitely pick up Lex Croucher’s next books, and I loved this one.
*Besides one mention to France, it's not really clear that this story is supposed to take place in a real historical place. I honestly thought of it more as a fantasy book, without the magic.
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
A Dowry of Blood is primarily driven by the relationships between characters, from the abusive possessiveness of Dracula to the strange bonds developed between his lovers. Their interactions and connections guide the story in a very powerful way. The sex scenes were a little much for me, especially at the end, but I loved seeing openly queer romance in a vampire book. The overall moral and plot of this story was really good, and it was incredibly well written. I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction, romance, and vampires.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Perfect for fans of Addie LaRue and Interview with a Vampire, this book is a twist on the story of Dracula, following Constanta through the perils of being both a vampire and his wife.
A Dowry of Blood is primarily driven by the relationships between characters, from the abusive possessiveness of Dracula to the strange bonds developed between his lovers. Their interactions and connections guide the story in a very powerful way. The sex scenes were a little much for me, especially at the end, but I loved seeing openly queer romance in a vampire book. The overall moral and plot of this story was really good, and it was incredibly well written. I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction, romance, and vampires.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Incest, Self harm, Sexual assault, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was absolutely amazing. The plot unfolded spectacularly, and I really liked the incorporation of mythology and religion and historical settings into a fantasy story. Mostly, though, I liked the characters. The found family (and blood family) was adorable, and I loved all of the characters so much. Especially Amina. And her poisoner. Even her demonic husband was kinda silly. I read it as an audiobook, and the narration was incredible! If you like classic pirate adventures, with monsters and treasures and sea battles, but want one enriched by history and packed with vivid characters, including a badass female captain, you should definitely pick this book up.
The Walking Dead: Here's Negan! by Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn, Robert Kirkman
dark
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Like pretty much everyone else said: this doesn't really explain why Negan became Negan. He's was an asshole before the world fell apart, and he climbs to power about the same way you'd expect. So no surprises or backstory, really. But it was kind of interesting to see another perspective on the beginning of the apocalypse and see him collecting the members of his group. So it was a fun read, and very short. Could be worth it if you just want to see more of TWD world. :)
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent
References to some traumatic events in the life of the author and her students, including death of family/friends. Dark humor overall with mentions of and jokes about suicide.
Fate Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
A bit of a Game-of-Thrones-copycat book but honestly who couldn’t use more of those stories?? I really enjoyed this book and this series: the big cast of characters and the found family vibes and the complicated storylines were all done brilliantly. Perfect for anyone that likes high fantasy.
Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
Despite this book’s premise, it wasn’t really about octopi. Mostly, it was about the concept of intelligence, explored through humans, nature, and AI, and the struggle for power around the world that erupts over this idea. It was a really cool concept that was executed very well. The Mountain in the Sea is a web of stories, following different characters, that slowly overlap and weave together. It was a little confusing to follow, but also really really interesting. And Ray Nayler’s writing was absolutely gorgeous. I loved this book.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In the near future, a deep-sea octopus species rises into the shallows and its intelligence is revealed to humankind. Dr. Nguyen is sent to an island to study them, joining an intimidating security agent and the world’s first true android.
Despite this book’s premise, it wasn’t really about octopi. Mostly, it was about the concept of intelligence, explored through humans, nature, and AI, and the struggle for power around the world that erupts over this idea. It was a really cool concept that was executed very well. The Mountain in the Sea is a web of stories, following different characters, that slowly overlap and weave together. It was a little confusing to follow, but also really really interesting. And Ray Nayler’s writing was absolutely gorgeous. I loved this book.