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mrsmiralda's reviews
156 reviews
The Project by Courtney Summers
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wow, this book was so good!!! Reading about cults is so intriguing, and while the twists were predictable, I really enjoyed it.
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
5.0
Wow. That was…fantastic.
Instamom by Chantel Guertin
funny
inspiring
reflective
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
This book was so sweet and I found myself nodding my head at a lot of the super relatable things MC Kit Kidding was saying. She created her online persona around being voluntarily child-free (not to be confused with childless). When she meets Will, her child-free life is put to the test and she starts questioning her true intentions for living the way she lives.
I want to point out that I loved that this book advocates for women who choose not to have children, because it most definitely is a choice and it’s sad that it’s expected of us simply because we can procreate. The story centers around the theme of societal pressures and struggling with changing your mind about something you thought you were so sure about and that defined your life.
It was also cool to see someone struggle with keeping up her social media presence as her career. Although that’s not exactly how most of us run our booksta page, a few of us do paid promotions and are sponsored to make posts. This book shed light on some of the feelings surrounding that! The romance in this book is light but prevalent, and while some of the side characters pissed me off, I found myself really rooting for Kit.
I really enjoyed this one and I recommend it to you all 😊
I want to point out that I loved that this book advocates for women who choose not to have children, because it most definitely is a choice and it’s sad that it’s expected of us simply because we can procreate. The story centers around the theme of societal pressures and struggling with changing your mind about something you thought you were so sure about and that defined your life.
It was also cool to see someone struggle with keeping up her social media presence as her career. Although that’s not exactly how most of us run our booksta page, a few of us do paid promotions and are sponsored to make posts. This book shed light on some of the feelings surrounding that! The romance in this book is light but prevalent, and while some of the side characters pissed me off, I found myself really rooting for Kit.
I really enjoyed this one and I recommend it to you all 😊
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-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
4.0
I actually really loved this book! I felt like it had such good pacing and the storyline, while a bit predictable, kept me entertained. It’s written in two different times, the present and the year 1791 and covers the span of a few days in each timeline. The way it’s written is so clever, with each chapter somehow overlapping the timelines in regards to content and what we find out. It’s a bit of a mystery but it’s more about the adventure than the mystery itself. I love the air of magic surrounding this story, and while the writing wasn’t the best I’ve ever read, I would happily read this one again!
May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
1.0
This book could’ve been great but it was missing so much. Not only is the main character Jeremy so incredibly problematic and toxic, there’s just some horrible things that happen in this book that go unaddressed and ignored. Lukas, who is autistic, is questioning his sexual identity after his ex boyfriend (Jeremy) transitioned ftm. There’s plot points I won’t get into, but at one point Lukas shares videos of Jeremy before he transitioned as an oversight (which seems like a crappy oversight, seeing as Jeremy makes it very clear all of the time how he wants zero association with who he used to present as) and Jeremy threatened to out Lukas’s autism to the school. Lukas feels some type of way about his autism so that was really uncool, but it was glossed over and not really talked about afterwards…???
Also, the school administrators SUCKED. As a future educator, I would’ve liked to see some positive teachers or administrators but instead all we see is teachers who deadname and misgender Jeremy, physical abuse due to transphobia being ignored, and the school system overall disappointing neurodivergent children. It was really frustrating for me to read because it’s unfortunate that this is the reality for most students. I vow to be different and I just wish there was some semblance of hope among the adults in this book. But not one of them was a positive influence.
I can’t speak on the trans rep or the autistic rep, but from my perspective, the book was missing key elements to make it be an empowering story. It was full of miscommunication that made me want to tear my hair out, and the ending felt rushed. I’m just disappointed.
Also, the two side characters that were used for plot development felt like diversity points. Sol is a Hispanic non-binary person and Naomi is an Asian girl and they are both used and treated like trash the entire time. And somehow they both forgave the trash they were handed without so much as apologies? Are they not worth anything?
There was also a line in the book that was quite lesbophobic about TERFs being mainly lesbians? Completely unnecessary.
Just…this book made me so angry. I don’t recommend this unless you like dumpster fire.
Also, the school administrators SUCKED. As a future educator, I would’ve liked to see some positive teachers or administrators but instead all we see is teachers who deadname and misgender Jeremy, physical abuse due to transphobia being ignored, and the school system overall disappointing neurodivergent children. It was really frustrating for me to read because it’s unfortunate that this is the reality for most students. I vow to be different and I just wish there was some semblance of hope among the adults in this book. But not one of them was a positive influence.
I can’t speak on the trans rep or the autistic rep, but from my perspective, the book was missing key elements to make it be an empowering story. It was full of miscommunication that made me want to tear my hair out, and the ending felt rushed. I’m just disappointed.
Also, the two side characters that were used for plot development felt like diversity points. Sol is a Hispanic non-binary person and Naomi is an Asian girl and they are both used and treated like trash the entire time. And somehow they both forgave the trash they were handed without so much as apologies? Are they not worth anything?
There was also a line in the book that was quite lesbophobic about TERFs being mainly lesbians? Completely unnecessary.
Just…this book made me so angry. I don’t recommend this unless you like dumpster fire.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia
Moderate: Drug use and Grief
Minor: Death
Shutter by Melissa Larsen
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.5
That ending! I was left wanting more
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
emotional
funny
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
Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield
emotional
sad
tense
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
5.0
This book was incredible. I absolutely loved reading this, and it also hurt so so much.
Be warned, there’s plenty of triggers in this one: sexual, physical, verbal, and domestic abuse vividly described, abortion, death, loss & grief, bad parenting, defamation of character, experiencing a Hurricane, colorism and racial bias
Tilla’s story is one that resonated with me in ways I didn’t imagine. While my dad was never as emotionally disconnected as Tilla’s he still left our family to lead a different life. That hit home with me and her experience wondering why she wasn’t good enough for her father. This book also reminded me of the summer I spent in Cuba when I was 16, my first time returning after having emigrated to the United States. My experience there was similar to Tilla’s in terms of a summer fling and some culture shock. It’s interesting to be in your motherland and feel so disconnected from it that you start to really wonder where you belong.
Though this book was far more dramatic and climactic than my life, it hit close to my heart and I will treasure it forever. Also listening to patois on audiobook was an amazing experience and I was amazed at how much of it I naturally understood. Sometimes I was like, “Tilla, come on, that phrase is easy to understand!” But maybe that’s just me 🤷🏻♀️
Be warned, there’s plenty of triggers in this one: sexual, physical, verbal, and domestic abuse vividly described, abortion, death, loss & grief, bad parenting, defamation of character, experiencing a Hurricane, colorism and racial bias
Tilla’s story is one that resonated with me in ways I didn’t imagine. While my dad was never as emotionally disconnected as Tilla’s he still left our family to lead a different life. That hit home with me and her experience wondering why she wasn’t good enough for her father. This book also reminded me of the summer I spent in Cuba when I was 16, my first time returning after having emigrated to the United States. My experience there was similar to Tilla’s in terms of a summer fling and some culture shock. It’s interesting to be in your motherland and feel so disconnected from it that you start to really wonder where you belong.
Though this book was far more dramatic and climactic than my life, it hit close to my heart and I will treasure it forever. Also listening to patois on audiobook was an amazing experience and I was amazed at how much of it I naturally understood. Sometimes I was like, “Tilla, come on, that phrase is easy to understand!” But maybe that’s just me 🤷🏻♀️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Racism
Moderate: Grief and Racial slurs