endemictoearth's reviews
4016 reviews

Crush by Tegan Quin, Sara Quin

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Junior High by Tegan Quin, Sara Quin

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

The Metalhead Next Door by Mamita

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

This one shot was a bit thin, but I really liked the work put into the characters. Despite not getting a ton of interactions and having to infer a year of their relationship, it was easier to do with the characters we are given. I'm not sure the

explicit epilogue was needed, and would have been fine with them moving in together properly as an end point.

The No-Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

Christmas on Mars. by Harry Kondoleon

challenging funny mysterious fast-paced

3.0

The English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt

funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This is by no means a perfect book, but I found it a refreshing take on several things. We have a fat MC who is ambivalent about her body, not actively hating it, but bracing for impact when it comes to the scrutiny of sexual and romantic partners. Highly relatable!

How you can get stuck on pining mode for years and end up forgetting what it is about the person you are pining for that you even liked in the first place. (If you haven't done this, congrats! But also, like, if you haven't done this, it probably feels very improbable and might account for the low-ish rating on this one. Believe me, the author got it very right. Not relatable to everyone, but those who get it GET IT.)

I agree that the withholding of information is frustrating, but it's also very believable to me. And the characters were so open with each other in many other ways, so it didn't bother me too much. I read this in basically a day and traditionally published romance doesn't always keep me reading straight through. 

I also don't mind a single POV, and I think it was effective here. Plus, the grand gestures were so cute and in character, and I don't know if it would have had the same impact if we'd been in Theo's head. He was a great cinnamon roll character, and some of the things he said were really swoon-worthy, but not out of character or over the top. Just . . . what we (and Marcela, of course) need to hear.

This reads like a refutation of other reviews, but I guess I'm mainly saying that things that seem to bother other readers actually really worked for me, and I'm definitely looking forward to more from this author!

Once Upon a Haunted Moor by Harper Fox

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

Heat Transfer by Katherine McIntyre

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.25

Sometimes I'm like "Do I actually like fake dating? Or have I been sold a bill of goods?" And then I read a book that does something a little different with the trope and I'm right back in it.

I think bi-awakening can be a slippery slope, but it was done well here. I also appreciate books where the bi being awakened has a chill reaction to being awoken. Felix was a cool dude with very few qualms about unlocking a new area in his sexual attraction.

This was low angst, but not low interest, with just enough angst and uncertainty from Cormac, who feels that despite being large-boned and well-built, he is overlooked and taken for granted by a lot of people in his life. Felix gives him a lot of attention and he doesn't want to misinterpret it, but can't help hoping.

I thought the catalyzing event being a black tie dinner that includes an armor and armaments exhibit was such a cute and sweetly nerdy thing. Of course Felix is going to ask if he can have a plus one and tell his client that he's bringing Cormac, who makes a simple assumption. 

The reveals later on about how they started as a romantic ruse were also quite cute and low angst . . . just like this whole book. 

Finally, I appreciated how we got introduced to some characters who definitely be MCs in future books, however, I couldn't tell you which brother is going to be next up, and I prefer it that way. I've read way too many books where the final 10-15% is setting up a new book instead of giving us time with the MCs we are here to read about.

I kindly received a review copy from GRR.

Look Up, Handsome by Jack Strange

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-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

3.75