emreads56's reviews
263 reviews

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory

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

4.0

I love how mature the characters were. Yes they were rough at the start but there were REAL "I'm sorry I hurt you" moments, no 3rd act breakup, real "I am overreacting. I need to breath before I talk to him/her" moments. It was a great basic romance to relax into 

Butter by Asako Yuzuki

dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Rouge by Mona Awad

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

I respect that not everyone is going to like the turn this book takes, but it reminded me a lot of the video game Gris. When grieving the loss of a hard relationship with a parent, it is never easy. Awad does a great job of talking through those difficult emotions. Where our parents tried (and failed) to love us, how the beauty industry can bank on our insecurities, and how disconnected from the world we can become when absorbed by grief and envy.
I really only took .25 star off for the end being a little on the nose with the explanations, but maybe that was just me being used to Awad's writing. I found the references pretty clear as it went. But it was still nice to see Mirabelle understand the reality after the feverdream

My three fav quotes:
 

•  “If she did ask, I would say it was grief. The deepest grief. I know she would accept that as an answer. No one knows what’s inside grief. Anything at all can be there.” 

•  “Didn't you envy? Didn't you want? A mirror is only a mirror, Belle. It only ever reflects back what we desire and long for” 

•   “Without the sun, what’s the moon? Just a rock in the outer dark. Its illumination just a trick. Just a trick from the sun’s light, which it steals. And that’s what Beauty is too.” 

 

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun

emotional inspiring medium-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? Yes

4.0

The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

dark funny mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim

dark emotional tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.5

 We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado

•   An HOA horror about poc lesbian couple (Dominican and Korean) moving into a gated community  
•  Could have been could but our mc is SO negative that it detracts from the story. Like I get racism and phobias can get to you but this btch needs help. She hates all her therapist, her wife, the community, her coworkers, etc. Girl what DO you like? 
  
  
• I feel like none of the plot made sense and had a ton of red herrings. The message was pretty harmful imo. Spoiler for ending and racism (imo) ||
  it end with our mc just Realising that she really does love her wife, get everyone drunk, becomes HOA president, and mind controls all of them
  ... not joking  

• TW: Alcoholism, racism to MC and wife, homophobia, whitewashing... all the things that go with HOA suburbia 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Outing

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.5