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fangirljeanne's reviews
1184 reviews
The Daymakers by Grace McGinty
Did not finish book. Stopped at 61%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 61%.
DNF 61%
CW: Intimate partner abuse (on the page), graphic description of assault, anti-sex worker slurs and rhetoric (despite the FMC being essentially a sex worker), internalized ableism, ableist slurs.
So, this is very obviously Sleep Token fan fiction. Which isn’t a bad thing, at all. It’s part of had me interested in reading it. Sadly, its handling of disability and sex work is so sloppy and hypocritical that it ruins any potential promised by the premise.
The FMC has volunteered to be available for sex with the band members while they’re on tour. That is sex work. While she talks a good game about it being her choice and there’s nothing wrong with her doing this very specific kind of sex work, she and all the other characters constantly disparage other sex workers. Even making comparisons between her situation and other sex workers (using slurs to refer to them).
She’s not like other sex workers. *eye roll*
It’s clear that she’s the exception, especially because the men she’s haired to sleep with are all hot and fall in love with her almost upon first sight. I don’t have an issue with people living out their sex worker fantasy via fiction, but they better show some damn respect for the profession and people who do that work.
One of the members of the band is an amputee. There’s a lot of dialogue around how he struggles with other people’s negative reactions to his prosthetic and of course the FMC has no problem with it (unlike other girls *epic eye roll*). While this would indicate some thought was put into this representation several of the characters repeatedly use ableist language when talking about the disabled character. It’s so sloppy I was cringing.
The plot is paper thin, which isn’t necessarily something I’d complain about when it comes to this kind of fantasy fulfillment story, I’ll forgive a lot if the sex scenes are good. These were serviceable at best.
I also have a personal issue with how polyamory/open relationship dynamics were depicted. Two of the men are in a long term sexual and emotional relationship with each other that “never seemed to quite work until (the FMC) came along.” The characters say out loud that she makes them complete. That was the last straw for me.
I don’t doubt that there polyamorous folks that have felt this way, but when we’re talking about fiction where there are no other explicitly queer characters making a relationship between two men only work once a woman is involved feels homophobic as hell.
Just ew.
CW: Intimate partner abuse (on the page), graphic description of assault, anti-sex worker slurs and rhetoric (despite the FMC being essentially a sex worker), internalized ableism, ableist slurs.
So, this is very obviously Sleep Token fan fiction. Which isn’t a bad thing, at all. It’s part of had me interested in reading it. Sadly, its handling of disability and sex work is so sloppy and hypocritical that it ruins any potential promised by the premise.
The FMC has volunteered to be available for sex with the band members while they’re on tour. That is sex work. While she talks a good game about it being her choice and there’s nothing wrong with her doing this very specific kind of sex work, she and all the other characters constantly disparage other sex workers. Even making comparisons between her situation and other sex workers (using slurs to refer to them).
She’s not like other sex workers. *eye roll*
It’s clear that she’s the exception, especially because the men she’s haired to sleep with are all hot and fall in love with her almost upon first sight. I don’t have an issue with people living out their sex worker fantasy via fiction, but they better show some damn respect for the profession and people who do that work.
One of the members of the band is an amputee. There’s a lot of dialogue around how he struggles with other people’s negative reactions to his prosthetic and of course the FMC has no problem with it (unlike other girls *epic eye roll*). While this would indicate some thought was put into this representation several of the characters repeatedly use ableist language when talking about the disabled character. It’s so sloppy I was cringing.
The plot is paper thin, which isn’t necessarily something I’d complain about when it comes to this kind of fantasy fulfillment story, I’ll forgive a lot if the sex scenes are good. These were serviceable at best.
I also have a personal issue with how polyamory/open relationship dynamics were depicted. Two of the men are in a long term sexual and emotional relationship with each other that “never seemed to quite work until (the FMC) came along.” The characters say out loud that she makes them complete. That was the last straw for me.
I don’t doubt that there polyamorous folks that have felt this way, but when we’re talking about fiction where there are no other explicitly queer characters making a relationship between two men only work once a woman is involved feels homophobic as hell.
Just ew.
Enemies With Benefits by Roxie Noir
Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
DNF 50%
CW: anti-sex worker slurs, classism, former bullying, cancer (referenced), death of a parent (mentioned).
The writing was strong and the relationship dynamic was intriguing, but I couldn’t get past the FMC’s internalized classism. While I can relate to the struggle with having been “trailer trash,” it’s more suited to a younger (teen, college student) character. It’s also never really challenged. If anything it’s supported by the heavy emphasis on the lead characters’ higher education and the “redneck” neighbors being used for comic relief. It feels like the FMC’s “poverty” (honestly, owning the trailer outright is a privilege) exists to show the MMC’s a “good guy” because he doesn’t care.
This could be completely removed from the story and have no real impact on the characters or their relationship, much less the plot which is paper thin.
Meh.
CW: anti-sex worker slurs, classism, former bullying, cancer (referenced), death of a parent (mentioned).
The writing was strong and the relationship dynamic was intriguing, but I couldn’t get past the FMC’s internalized classism. While I can relate to the struggle with having been “trailer trash,” it’s more suited to a younger (teen, college student) character. It’s also never really challenged. If anything it’s supported by the heavy emphasis on the lead characters’ higher education and the “redneck” neighbors being used for comic relief. It feels like the FMC’s “poverty” (honestly, owning the trailer outright is a privilege) exists to show the MMC’s a “good guy” because he doesn’t care.
This could be completely removed from the story and have no real impact on the characters or their relationship, much less the plot which is paper thin.
Meh.
In a Jam by Kate Canterbary
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
I am fast approaching full on Stan for Kate Canterbury.
CW: anti-fat comments (that are addressed), emotional abuse (from an ex), religious trauma, emotionally neglectful parent (not the leads), incarcerated parent (not the leads).
Can you call it a second chance Romance if it was a one-sided high school crush? I would argue that this book does a good job making the one friend is in love with the other who is oblivious version Friends to lovers not seem creepy. Namely because that dynamic is in the past and age appropriate, and is a source of a lot of the MMC’s conflict over his feelings for the heroine. That gives it a tasty enemies to lovers undertone to the Romance.
Both characters come to their relationship with baggage, and both get time and space to process it both on their own and as a couple. The supporting cast is great, as is the small town farming community setting. The farm isn’t just a background but practically a character of its own. A lot of ink is spilled explaining how it runs as well as details on the making and marketing of jams. Something that usually would bore me to tears in other novels but here I was intrigued and charmed by how into it Noah (the MMC) was.
Likewise I found Shay’s deep investment in being an educator and advocate for kids endearing. They felt like individuals rather than components in a trope. That lent a great deal of credibility to their developing relationships and made the conflicts standing in the way seem less contrived. I really worried how they were going to make it work.
The ATV scene nearly gave me a heartache. Rude!
This was a cozy and heartfelt Romance about two imperfect but genuinely good people finding love and family together.
Also the sex scenes are smoking hot and a little bit kinky. Highly recommend.
CW: anti-fat comments (that are addressed), emotional abuse (from an ex), religious trauma, emotionally neglectful parent (not the leads), incarcerated parent (not the leads).
Can you call it a second chance Romance if it was a one-sided high school crush? I would argue that this book does a good job making the one friend is in love with the other who is oblivious version Friends to lovers not seem creepy. Namely because that dynamic is in the past and age appropriate, and is a source of a lot of the MMC’s conflict over his feelings for the heroine. That gives it a tasty enemies to lovers undertone to the Romance.
Both characters come to their relationship with baggage, and both get time and space to process it both on their own and as a couple. The supporting cast is great, as is the small town farming community setting. The farm isn’t just a background but practically a character of its own. A lot of ink is spilled explaining how it runs as well as details on the making and marketing of jams. Something that usually would bore me to tears in other novels but here I was intrigued and charmed by how into it Noah (the MMC) was.
Likewise I found Shay’s deep investment in being an educator and advocate for kids endearing. They felt like individuals rather than components in a trope. That lent a great deal of credibility to their developing relationships and made the conflicts standing in the way seem less contrived. I really worried how they were going to make it work.
The ATV scene nearly gave me a heartache. Rude!
This was a cozy and heartfelt Romance about two imperfect but genuinely good people finding love and family together.
Also the sex scenes are smoking hot and a little bit kinky. Highly recommend.
The Billionaire's Wake-up-call Girl by Annika Martin
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
This would have been a four star, but it lost points for the perpetual anti-sex worker jokes and the heroine blaming an abused woman for her death. The pacing is all over the place, largely because the unnecessary manufactured conflict that draws out the story and left me bored.
It also suffers from the Not Like Other Girl in disguise. Where all but one of the other women in the story are antagonistic (jealous) or one dimensional background characters. The one other female character (friend, sister, mother, etc) is only slightly more developed but primarily exists as a confidant and cheerleader for the leading lady. That way it’s less obvious about the internalized misogyny, but it is definitely there.
The bright spots of this book are the banter between the two leads during the sexy wake up calls and their love scenes. They have great chemistry and are a fun twist on the grumpy/sunshine dynamic, where her sunshine is snarky but only with him. Which he likes a lot. Sadly, the romantic side of the developing relationship fizzles into a cliche “she fixes him by teaching him to feel” trope that left me bored.
I feel like the biggest letdown of this work, aside from the issues I’ve already mentioned, is that the author failed to explore the MMC’s very obvious degradation kink that makes the sexy scenes so electric. It’s as if she understood it worked, but either didn’t know or was reluctant to explore why. Which is a real shame, but not all that surprising given the rather vanilla branding of the series.
Oh well. I recommend it only for the sex scenes and the audiobook narration. Neva Nevarre and Jason Clarke gave great performances.
It also suffers from the Not Like Other Girl in disguise. Where all but one of the other women in the story are antagonistic (jealous) or one dimensional background characters. The one other female character (friend, sister, mother, etc) is only slightly more developed but primarily exists as a confidant and cheerleader for the leading lady. That way it’s less obvious about the internalized misogyny, but it is definitely there.
The bright spots of this book are the banter between the two leads during the sexy wake up calls and their love scenes. They have great chemistry and are a fun twist on the grumpy/sunshine dynamic, where her sunshine is snarky but only with him. Which he likes a lot. Sadly, the romantic side of the developing relationship fizzles into a cliche “she fixes him by teaching him to feel” trope that left me bored.
I feel like the biggest letdown of this work, aside from the issues I’ve already mentioned, is that the author failed to explore the MMC’s very obvious degradation kink that makes the sexy scenes so electric. It’s as if she understood it worked, but either didn’t know or was reluctant to explore why. Which is a real shame, but not all that surprising given the rather vanilla branding of the series.
Oh well. I recommend it only for the sex scenes and the audiobook narration. Neva Nevarre and Jason Clarke gave great performances.
Puck Me Secretly by Odette Stone
Did not finish book. Stopped at 58%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 58%.
The beginning was good, but the rest of it meanders into a convoluted mess. The writing could really use a good line edit. The FMC is needlessly incompetent to the point that it’s distracting and feels unrealistic. The Harry Potter references were the last straw.
Small Change by Roan Parrish
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-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
5.0
never thought I would swoon over a dude referencing the Care Bear Stare, but here we are.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment
At First Spite by Olivia Dade
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I don’t know what it says about me that I was sad that this didn’t have a happy ending, but it is what it is.
This is a great horror novel, beautifully grotesque and emotionally raw to an uncomfortable degree. It’s very much more lit fic than in tone and execution than horror or splatter punk, though it absolutely holds its own in both genres. The experience of being a woman, especially one who doesn’t fit the unattainable hypocrisy of socially acceptable feminine ideals, is a horrific mind-bending experience.
Maeve is not unique in her weird or messiness, take out the overt violence and this would be like many other women’s lit narrative about the trauma of living under patriarchy. But here, in the framing of a horror novel this narrative feels more authentic, more autonomous compared to the passive victimhood of a lot of white women’s navel gazing fiction, at least until the end. Maeve felt like she was going to give the cliche narrative of the weird girl, the creepy girl, the femme fatale a newer better ending. One where she embraces that aspects of herself that fear of society tells her to suppress and hate. While she escapes the typical fate of “fallen women” of literature, she is still punished for refusing to conform to society. That’s the only aspect of the story I disliked. It felt like a step back after so many subversive strides forward.
I get it, this is a horror novel. Heartbreak is an important aspect of that genre. But I would also argue that few things are quite as frightening to patriarchy as a villainous woman getting everything she wants including love and acceptance.
Highly recommended to fans of graphic horror and dark humor. If you love the movie May (2002) this book might be for you too.
This is a great horror novel, beautifully grotesque and emotionally raw to an uncomfortable degree. It’s very much more lit fic than in tone and execution than horror or splatter punk, though it absolutely holds its own in both genres. The experience of being a woman, especially one who doesn’t fit the unattainable hypocrisy of socially acceptable feminine ideals, is a horrific mind-bending experience.
Maeve is not unique in her weird or messiness, take out the overt violence and this would be like many other women’s lit narrative about the trauma of living under patriarchy. But here, in the framing of a horror novel this narrative feels more authentic, more autonomous compared to the passive victimhood of a lot of white women’s navel gazing fiction, at least until the end. Maeve felt like she was going to give the cliche narrative of the weird girl, the creepy girl, the femme fatale a newer better ending. One where she embraces that aspects of herself that fear of society tells her to suppress and hate. While she escapes the typical fate of “fallen women” of literature, she is still punished for refusing to conform to society. That’s the only aspect of the story I disliked. It felt like a step back after so many subversive strides forward.
I get it, this is a horror novel. Heartbreak is an important aspect of that genre. But I would also argue that few things are quite as frightening to patriarchy as a villainous woman getting everything she wants including love and acceptance.
Highly recommended to fans of graphic horror and dark humor. If you love the movie May (2002) this book might be for you too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism