ellareads2's reviews
30 reviews

A Little Kissing Between Friends by Chencia C. Higgins

emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I love this book for the representation and the fact that it exists but I think this one left me hoping for a little more in Chencia Higgins second traditionally published book. My main issues are 1) I thought the ending is rushed. Within most romances, I think readers have the expectation that the two MCs will end up together but it's just a matter of when and how. I accepted this, but the lack of communication/miscommunication between Cyndi and Jucee I felt went too long. It got to the point where I was genuinely frustrated with the way they were acting. Obviously this means Higgins wrote very believable characters by getting such a strong emotional reaction from a reader, so this could also be viewed as a plus. (2) To add to this, some scenes/dynamics just felt very cringe and possibly unrealistic but who knows, I haven't lived lives like Cyndi and Jucee lol. I would say I liked the characters and cared about what happened to them, but it definitely started to dwindle by the end. This book did not sweep me off my feet as much as D'Vaughn and Kris, but I'd still highly recommend it to anyone looking for Black queer contemporary romance!!

Content Warnings

She Gets the Girl by Alyson Derrick, Rachael Lippincott

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.5

This book was really cute! I haven't tapped into young adult in a bit and I just liked how easy it was to read for that reason. One thing I think this book did really well was the transitions and easing back and forth between the romance between the two main characters and their own personal/familial issues. I felt that is was a very accurate and intentional depiction.

For the romance between Alex and Molly, it wasn't super slow burn, but it still took till the very end of the book for both characters to confess to each other. The subtle hints that they were falling for each other was placed nicely so that the end wasn't a surprise, but it definitely built tension and sustained angst.

Content Warnings

Brownstone by Samuel Teer

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emotional inspiring lighthearted fast-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? It's complicated

4.25

This was such a cute book! (but also very sad/emotional) While I’m not Guatemalan or of Latin American descent, I related a lot to Almudena not feeling 100% within her ethnic community and navigating unconventional family structures. These are tough topics for anyone, nonetheless an adolescent, but I feel like Teer wrote them realistically and effortlessly. Also, the art in this book is amazing! I was reading from an ARC, so I did not see all the panels in color, but I really enjoyed Mar Julia’s detail in movement and expressions. I believe this book is middle grade, but I would recommend to anyone!!

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

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3.0

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

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dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced