maggie_ackbooks's reviews
166 reviews

We Called Them Giants by Kieron Gillen

adventurous dark reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

The Names by Florence Knapp

emotional reflective fast-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

5.0

If you are in active trauma, please don't read this book. 

The Names is a beautiful novel about not only the power of a name, but how domestic violence and trauma affects a family. Over the three different timelines, I bonded with all three iterations of the son. While I cannot speak to the depictions of domestic violence, the depiction of sexual assault closely reflected my own experience and I felt it was handled very well. 

I borrowed an advanced copy from my place of work and cannot wait for its official release so I can read it again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia, Murder

The Sirens by Emilia Hart

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

emotional funny fast-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

4.0

Nantucket Monsters by B. Lawson Hull

dark lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

I love Hull's creativity using the burlap tarps used to protect shrubs from the winter weather as inspiration for monstrous creatures. Each photo is presented in pairs, the before and after of Hull's imaginative edit. The combination of photos and poetic sentences beautifully reflects Hull's imagination not only as a writer but also as an artist. 

The Butcher's Daughter by Corinne Leigh Clark, David Demchuk

dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

This book sits beautifully at the intersection of my two passions:  epistolary novels and Victorian penny dreadfuls. I loved it! With the turn of each page I felt like I was reading these letters alongside the inspector and, in turn, our missing journalist, trying to piece together not only what happened to Miss Gibson but our suspected Mrs. Lovett as well. Often I ended up flipping back to prior letters to fact check against new information and revelations. This book was mysterious, gruesome, queer, and full of shocking twists! 

Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood

lighthearted fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

Bright I Burn by Molly Aitken

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

A Sunny Place for Shady People: Stories by Mariana Enríquez

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was an incredible read! The collection was pretty consistent and my enjoyment of the unnerving horrors Enríquez envisions was not hindered by the cultural barrier. The last of the collection was my favorite and startled me to the point of physical hiccups! 

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

mysterious reflective slow-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