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eloise_bradbooks's reviews
750 reviews
The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
This was a very solid YA contemporary focused on Shireen, a fat sapphic Bengali-Irish teen, entering a baking competition on national television to help her parent's donut shop. Things get complicated when her ex-girlfriend also shows up and Shireen seems to be getting close to another contestant.
The book was a blast to read, you'll get stuck in the story like I get stuck in a chocolate fudge cake, gulfing it down, wanting more and more.
The author's note at the end also summed up something that felt so incredibly refreshing: we follow a fat character who loves food, and never is she fat-shamed!
Also, it was great to see chapter titles made out of baking puns. Bring back the chapter titles in books!
For me this isn't a five-star because there were just a couple of things I couldn't quite accept:
The things that happened, how they happened, all while filming a nationaly televised show? No way it would actually happen that way...
Also, the romance didn't feel like a great big romance, but it wasn't really meant to be. On the one hand it's refreshing, but I'd be lying if I said I would have liked to feel more from the romantic aspect of the story, I didn't quite feel the romantic connexion between the endgamers.
Anyway, that's just the pros and cons of fiction: sometimes you've got to bend the truth so that a story can be interesting...
Which this was.
The book was a blast to read, you'll get stuck in the story like I get stuck in a chocolate fudge cake, gulfing it down, wanting more and more.
The author's note at the end also summed up something that felt so incredibly refreshing: we follow a fat character who loves food, and never is she fat-shamed!
Also, it was great to see chapter titles made out of baking puns. Bring back the chapter titles in books!
For me this isn't a five-star because there were just a couple of things I couldn't quite accept:
The things that happened, how they happened, all while filming a nationaly televised show? No way it would actually happen that way...
Also, the romance didn't feel like a great big romance, but it wasn't really meant to be. On the one hand it's refreshing, but I'd be lying if I said I would have liked to feel more from the romantic aspect of the story, I didn't quite feel the romantic connexion between the endgamers.
Anyway, that's just the pros and cons of fiction: sometimes you've got to bend the truth so that a story can be interesting...
Which this was.
Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
There's everything to love in this book. Sapphic dark fantasy, lonely women finding each other. The villain getting her happy ending...
But in the end it didn't really tick all the boxes for me.
It is heavily focused on Mina's relationship with the witch whom she falls in love with before the witch does anything nice, they almost never speak (kindly) to one another before then... (or we just don't really get to see it as time goes by quite fast in the book). Stockholm syndrome, much?
I also felt a little unease when Mina engaged a nonconsensual kiss / 'suprise-kiss' (that ended up making the witch happy because it was "needed" for the witch to understand that Mina really did love her?)
The dark mystery behind the witch and why she needs companions was intriguing but not really that surprising.
I did appreciate the writing, the ambiance, the way it ended.
But in the end it didn't really tick all the boxes for me.
It is heavily focused on Mina's relationship with the witch whom she falls in love with before the witch does anything nice, they almost never speak (kindly) to one another before then... (or we just don't really get to see it as time goes by quite fast in the book). Stockholm syndrome, much?
I also felt a little unease when Mina engaged a nonconsensual kiss / 'suprise-kiss' (that ended up making the witch happy because it was "needed" for the witch to understand that Mina really did love her?)
The dark mystery behind the witch and why she needs companions was intriguing but not really that surprising.
I did appreciate the writing, the ambiance, the way it ended.
They Hate Each Other by Amanda Woody
5.0
AAAH ! I absolutely loved this !
It has fun (so funny), it has romance (swoon worthy, enemies-to-lovers, fake dating before they realise they're meant for each other), it has heart (SO MUCH HEART!).
I hadn't felt this deeply moved by a story in a long time.
These boys have gone through shit and, although they do become each other's safe space in some way, they're actually not their main or only safe spaces. Their personal 'issues' are solved by accepting it themselves and not because they've found a boyfriend. And that was very refreshing.
Books like these are the reason I still believe in YA.
Thank you! When is the next Amanda Woody book?
It has fun (so funny), it has romance (swoon worthy, enemies-to-lovers, fake dating before they realise they're meant for each other), it has heart (SO MUCH HEART!).
I hadn't felt this deeply moved by a story in a long time.
These boys have gone through shit and, although they do become each other's safe space in some way, they're actually not their main or only safe spaces. Their personal 'issues' are solved by accepting it themselves and not because they've found a boyfriend. And that was very refreshing.
Books like these are the reason I still believe in YA.
Thank you! When is the next Amanda Woody book?
Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar
3.75
This was a very enjoyable book.
The main issue for me was the romance which didn't really feel like a romance. From the title and synopsis it sounds like there would be a heavy focus on these girls developing relationship but in the end the development was minor. I would have liked to see more going on there and their transition from casual acquaintances to feel less rushed and out of the blue.
Anyway, it did allow more focus on family which felt much more developed and therefore much more interesting than Hani and Ishu's relationship (which is ashame since that's kind of the title and vibe of the book).
The main issue for me was the romance which didn't really feel like a romance. From the title and synopsis it sounds like there would be a heavy focus on these girls developing relationship but in the end the development was minor. I would have liked to see more going on there and their transition from casual acquaintances to feel less rushed and out of the blue.
Anyway, it did allow more focus on family which felt much more developed and therefore much more interesting than Hani and Ishu's relationship (which is ashame since that's kind of the title and vibe of the book).
You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
4.0
This was a very solid YA horror read, with a chilling atmosphere and a plot to keep you turning every page til you get to the end of it.
There was a little something that was missing for me to give it a 5-star rating, to make it really memorable. Maybe a little more surprise? A little more development between characters? I'm not sure.
But it felt like a good book with one little bit of spark missing for me.
There was a little something that was missing for me to give it a 5-star rating, to make it really memorable. Maybe a little more surprise? A little more development between characters? I'm not sure.
But it felt like a good book with one little bit of spark missing for me.
Ana et l'Entremonde, Tome 1 by Marc Dubuisson
4.0
Ah bah oui c'était bien. Une jolie introduction à ce qui semblent être de bons personnages et un entremonde intriguant. C'est dommage que ce soit si cours, il me faut la suite de suite !
Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa
5.0
A beautiful story about love and finding a home. About casual racism and what undocumented people have to face in the US. About art and meaning.
I also loved how Ander being non binary and using they/them pronouns is never questioned. There isn't any transphobia or any kind of queerphobia for that matter. This book focuses on Ander's journey of figuring out what they want in life, and about trying to keep their boyfriend as safe as possible while knowing their future together is fragile.
It gave us the perfect dose of tough truths, horrible situations, empowering hope and strong love.
I also loved how Ander being non binary and using they/them pronouns is never questioned. There isn't any transphobia or any kind of queerphobia for that matter. This book focuses on Ander's journey of figuring out what they want in life, and about trying to keep their boyfriend as safe as possible while knowing their future together is fragile.
It gave us the perfect dose of tough truths, horrible situations, empowering hope and strong love.