leahrosereads's reviews
1035 reviews

The Friend Zone Experiment by Zen Cho

hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

Just to get it out of the way, I don't know if I'd call this a "funny" romance as the synopsis suggests. There are lighthearted and humorous moments, but there are a lot of meaningful conversations around classism, corporate corruption, and abusive family dynamics.

Having read Zen Cho's fantasy, I was super excited to try this contemporar  romance, and I of course,  wasn't disappointed.  The story kept me captivated, and I adored the characters.

Like always, I could do without the miscommunication trope, but I get that it's the go to trope in this genre. And like always, it feels like it came out of nowhere, felt disjointed,  and wrapped up quickly.

Void by Veronica Roth

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

3.5

I enjoyed this until the end. It got a little corny there. I'd definitely read another mystery set in space though. That was fun as fuck!

How It Unfolds by James S.A. Corey

adventurous reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

I wanted to try something small by this author before I jumped into the big books, and I'm glad I did. 

This was a clever, interesting story with science elements that I was starting to get near the end. Getting to see different versions or glimpses of the characters was also really neat. Though I guessed the ending of sorts, the journey was still a blast to explore.

When Angels Speak of Love by bell hooks

reflective fast-paced

First time in a while where I haven't rated a book, but, I think...no, I know I chose the wrong collection of poems this go around. Poems focused solely on love end up feeling really repetitive when its the same style, author, format, etc.

Home Body by Rupi Kaur

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

5.0

This both hurt and healed my heart. Rupi Kaur's poetry has and continues to be profound, raw, and an extraordinary balm to my soul. Her words make my scars feel a little less painful, and I'm forever thankful that she shares her art with the world.

Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda

challenging dark tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

5 stars! This was completely fucked. Jawbone is a non-linear weird girl horror lit that was as haunting as it was captivating. It's told in broken bits of therapy appointments, conversations between the two BFFs, and from multiple POVs - none who are reliable in any way due to trauma, mental health, and dysfunctional, toxic relationships.

This book wormed its way under my skin and oozed into parts of my brain I wish I could wring it from. There are parts that I hated with every fiber of my being, and yet, with the prose the way it was, and the characters as damaged as they were, and with the horrifying imagery, I was hooked.

I ended up listening to this because the stylistic choices in the writing, which worked perfectly for this, was too hard for my brain to process when it went pages and pages without a paragraph break. I wish I had kept my physical copy cause there are so many parts I want to highlight and annotate. Definitely going to repurchase a copy and maybe I'll end 2025 like I began it.

Reading this completely fucked story.

Trigger and content warnings
Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Body horror,Child death, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Animal death, Rape, Alcohol

Ghost Radio by Leopoldo Gout

dark 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? Yes

5.0

Dude!! I get that this isn't going to be for everyone, but I fucking loved it! Especially that ending, oh buddy.  It ended up going the way I thought it would, and still don't know what's what, which I love even more. 

The nonlinear aspect of this book was one of my favorites. It was bizarre and hard to follow at times, but when I was able to get something,  that made it so much more satisfying. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the narration Pedro Pascal did and while I normally am not the biggest listener of books, this was a perfect one to listen to. It was the best kind of ghost story told at a campfire. Winding, haunting, and captivating. 

Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling by Elise Bryant

hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

I picked this book up immediately after reading It's Elementary by the author. I wanted more of her writing and this didn't disappoint at all. Even though it's YA, I could easily put myself in both Delilah and Reggie's shoes. Both had elements that brought back so many memories when I was younger and discovering myself.

No matter what anyone may say, it's really hard to be authentically yourself. It was when I was in HS, and with how much social media has evolved since then, it can't be easier.

I may have been screaming at Reggie often while reading this, I love the arc Delilah and he went through. He needed to grow to match Delilah's and when it happened, it was perfect!

It's Elementary by Elise Bryant

mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

This was exactly the book I was wanting to read! It was a cozier mystery with a lot of lighter elements interspersed with social commentary around diversity, equity, and inclusion, white folks centering themselves, microaggressions, and free forced labor and education by Black and Brown folks.

There's been quite a few folks in the bookish community who like to say reading isn't political, but this story showcases exactly how all books are inherently political - past, present, and future. 

Cruel Angels Past Sundown by Hailey Piper

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I'm not usually one for westerns, but I knew Hailey Piper would bring something uniquely hers to the genre, and I wasn't wrong!

Or disappointed. 

This book was an absolute fever dre-...err nightmare that kept me so completely enthralled.

The characters were so completely flawed,  but that's why I was rooting for them. Annette's anger was something dark and deep, and so very recognizable.

This was the perfect book to start October with! Gruesome, gory, and filled with feminine rage. Let's fucking go!