endemictoearth's reviews
3970 reviews

Skip and Loafer, Vol. 10 by Misaki Takamatsu

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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Skip and Loafer, Vol. 9 by Misaki Takamatsu

emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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? It's complicated

5.0

Cousin Bear Comes to Visit by Halie Finney

emotional lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

I wasn't expecting this to make me tear up; lovely little slice of life tale.

Miss Major Speaks: The Life and Times of a Black Trans Revolutionary by Miss Major Griffin-Gracy

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This casual interview style memoir was so quick to read, but also really fantastic. She has a lot to say about social justice and respectability politics and how so much of the 'progress' in recent years is so much lip service. I know that this moment is a grievously scary time for trans people, but it felt really empowering and comforting to read from someone with the long view who is super pragmatic about how you (and we all) have to be committed to surviving and thriving and taking care of each other.

Do You Read Me?: Bookstores Around the World by Marianne Julia Strauss

informative inspiring

4.0

Second Chance by S.B. Barnes

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.75

I enjoyed this second book even more than the first (though it is a narrow thing; both were wonderful.) While it shows I read this over a couple of days, I should mention, I read the second half in one sitting and stayed up until 2:00 AM to finish it. 

While the first book follows Daniel, this one focuses on Tony, and I thought it was a wonderful choice to give us insights to his experience of their relationship. I don't think I've read an experience with 'coming out' (quotations for various reasons) quite like Tony's, but it felt entirely natural. He's never made any declarative statements, but his friends have known for a while, and his family has recently figured it out. He's not trying to hide it, staying over at Daniel's most nights, but feeling like he's still sneaking around a bit.

The mysteries aren't the strongest part of this series; however, this one was still compelling (my bloodshot eyes can attest), and that aspect felt a little bit more assured than the first book. (Again, this is not meant as shade; I gave the first book the same rating, this one just felt slightly enhanced.)

I am mainly here for the feels, and Tony . . . TONY. You wonderfully semi-stoic softie, thinking your feelings and experiences aren't worth talking about or sharing. I think the character development in this book was also a cut above book 1, which makes sense. Daniel is older and more established; he does have realizations, but his life wasn't as upended as Tony's is.

Also, I must give five stars for the aspect of managing a sprawling cast of characters in a way that felt deft and not pure chaos. The chaos of particular moments is well described, but it never felt like I was lost in a sea of names that I had no reference for. 

I don't know if the author plans to continue in this series, but I wouldn't mind a book about Colette . . . or Gianna . . . honestly, I'd take a book about any of the side characters. However, I will add any future books by S.B. Barnes to my priority TBR.

Thanks to GRR for the advanced reader copy! It got me to read the first book that I purchased last year, and I found some new favorites. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Gun violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Murder

I Was Reincarnated as the Heroine on the Verge of a Bad Ending, and I'm Determined to Fall in Love!, Volume 3 by Kotoko

adventurous challenging hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

2.75

Eh, this volume was a bit too disjointed and the character motivations can be pretty opaque. I get that she doesn't know all the ins and outs, and that her 'brother' is keeping the true nature of their connection a secret (we don't even know what it is), but having a cavalcade of side characters who get a page or two of interaction before the next one . . . it's beginning to feel more like a wattpad light novel now. Not sure if I'll continue in the series, but I might give it a go if it continues to be available on hoopla.

Marked Out with Greater Brightness by K.L. Noone

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-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

3.75

Better Than New by Charley Descoteaux

2.0

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5