Verbose and lyrical. Twisty turny. What was the point? Young Indigo is a corrupted and manipulative person afraid to be alone who has the world at her fingertips. Young Azure is a scared girl looking for someone to love her. There were inconsistencies throughout, especially with the graduation timeline, as it would bend and morph like the house. Also, this is more mystery than fantasy. Overall, this was a gothic and atmospheric slog of a read.

Content Warnings

A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland

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dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

Rambled on far too long. Jean was terribly obsessive and there was a hill of repetition. Lots of descriptions of nature back in the day.

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How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang

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emotional lighthearted reflective fast-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

4.0

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Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper

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emotional funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

A cozy witchy fantasy with a dash of bisexual/lesbian romance. The fall vibes of Gilmore Girls set in the Midwest, specifically Illinois, with a modern bent. The magic of this world is intriguing and the plot of a magical tournament to determine which family reigns over the magic for the next 50 years is a delightful spin.

Emmy Harlow, the main character, is torn between her new non-magical life in Chicago and the implications of magical life in Thistle Grove. She does waffle about this issue for a good portion of the book.

There is some diversity in the main characters but they are mostly white, abled, and Millennials.

I have to appreciate any book that has romance but doesn't give much emphasis to sexual content so if you're looking for spice, this book isn't it. But, if you're like me, and like romance for all the other bits, this might be perfect for you!

Lastly, knowing there are more books in this series, I seriously hope that Talia, Rowan, Linden, and even the eff-boy Gareth get their own spotlight. I especially loved Linden and would love more time with her!

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Rainbow Rainbow by Lydia Conklin

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

Based on individual story ratings, my overall star rating is 3.7.

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson

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emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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 book is a melody. An ode to space and rhythm, of finding those spaces to live and grow in. An anthem of Black life, joy, and sorrow.

It was repetitive, often the same sentences repeated, which is why this was a 4.5 and not a 5 star for me.

Content Warnings

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

There are multiple POVs and the novel is split between the Sand Creek Massacre and present day. A meandering story of violence, of erasure, of trauma (both original and inherited), and addiction.

I don't quite grasp what I have read. Be warned that this book does tackle some heavy topics so check out content warnings! It was also a slow read for me, which I think was do to the long, verbose, and wandering sentences.

If you are a fan of more plot, this book may not be for you, as it's more character driven with a tangential plot.

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Dances by Nicole Cuffy

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emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-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

3.5

If you aren't familiar with ballet or dance terms, it will be difficult to see the true beauty of the words. I only know a handful. The writing is lyrical and the book is split into what I'm assuming are the parts of a ballet. Cece is a Black ballerina with a heavy weight on her shoulders, dealing with family and relationship issues.

The writing was however a bit disjointed and it felt like it ended in the middle of a thought. All in all, a slow burn read that focuses on a Black ballerina.

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liamliayaum's reviews 214 reviews

liamliayaum's reviews
214 reviews