pages_with_panda's reviews
165 reviews

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent

The Unseelie Prince by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Gore, Infertility, Rape, Violence

Written In The Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

funny inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

3.5

Allie and Bea by Catherine Ryan Hyde

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted

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

4.0

Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti

adventurous emotional lighthearted

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

4.0

The Hunt by Frost Kay

adventurous medium-paced

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

1.5

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

"This city is filthy and deep in the thrall of unending sin, so saturated with the kiss of decadence that the sky threatens to buckle and crush all those living vivaciously beneath it in punishment." 

This is the story of Romeo and Juliet killing a monster in 1920s gangster-run Shaghai. Gong does an amazing job of describing the city as alive, and as its own character with its own desires.

The story is slow-paced and Gong takes her time to describe the setting but I loved it - it's poetic, just as a Shakespeare retelling should be. The relationship between the characters is revealed slowly, through the POVs of each characters which I liked. It was a bit confusing to follow some of the politics or the characters but if you stick through it it starts to make sense.

The characters are a diverse mix as well. For being a historical fantasy, we have LGBTQIA+ rep. that I loved.

I loved the forced alliance between Roma and Juliette as well and the slow-burn between their relationship, but this is not a romance. They're relationship is not the main point of the story. There's a mystery going on within the city that they're trying to solve. 

The ending was a huge cliff-hanger and I can't wait to start reading the 2nd one! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence

Moderate: Drug abuse, Racism, Transphobia, Blood

A Veil of Truth and Trickery by Analeigh Ford

adventurous mysterious

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark mysterious 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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

Sea of Ruin by Pam Godwin

adventurous dark emotional fast-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape