inked_in_pages's reviews
888 reviews

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune

3.0

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

3.5

Penitence by Kristin Koval

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No

3.0

They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

3.0

Genre: Horror, YA, Environmental Fiction
[TW: Off Page Sexual Assault, death of loved ones, minor gore]

Thank you to Libro.fm and their ALC program for the chance to listen!

This was such an interesting read for me and definitely outside of my typical scope.  I must say, the title of the book and the beautiful cover had me drawn in and invested in this book immediately. 

There were some parts that were absolutely in line with the "horror genre" with a monsters among us type of theme and a bit of a creature feature. There were some parts that were commentary on environmental impacts as well as the impacts of financial disparity and inequity. 

The writing was done well, the audio itself was really haunting and overall the production of this novel was top-notch. I appreciated the cultural references to Vietnam and the way that the lore of those cultures was also incorporated into the novel. While I enjoyed this one quite a bit, there were some parts that fell flat for me...it makes me wonder if it would have been helpful to have the physical copy to follow along with. 


 

Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West

emotional sad

4.5

Just Our Luck by Denise Williams

3.0

Sweet Vidalia by Lisa Sandlin

emotional inspiring slow-paced

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

2.0

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

"What's on the other side of sublime? What happens after you see it? Youre supposed to just go back to your old life, sneaking around and cleaning up after white folks? You're supposed to accept that a view is the closest you'll ever get to being limitless?"

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine introduces the readers to Delilah June, "Junie", as she works as the handmaid for a plantation owners daughter, Violet. Throughout the novel, the reader sees Junie grow in her understanding of the evils of the world while at the same time, never losing the fight or hope for a different life. 

Junie combines historical fiction with some paranormal facets that are both a nod to the spiritual beliefs of Black Slaves while also personifying eternal hope. In the author's note, Eckstine writes "I wanted to explore what it would look like to see a character with dreams, ambitions, love, grief, and flaws in the same way every human has; not as a way of diminishing the horror, but instead shining a light on the individual humanity of a group of people many have grown to perceive monolithically." With Junie, she is absolutely successful in her mission.