prettyghostboy's reviews
67 reviews

An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

The relationship to the source material feels a little strange - in a lot of ways it feels like an adaptation of Carmilla in name only.  But the relationship dynamics really compelling.   I love these fucked toxic lesbians <3

I think my main problem with the novel is that I find the dynamic between Laura/Carmilla/DaLafontaine so interesting in the first part of the novel - the way Laura and Carmilla are constantly vying for DaLafontaine's approval, the way DaLafontaine pits them against each other.  There's this moment where it almost seems like Laura is about to eclipse Carmilla in their competition for DaLafontaine's affection - but then Carmilla is turned and Laura spends the rest of the novel feeling like a 3rd wheel.  This is also where I feel like the novel stops being a Dark Academia and just feels like a supernatural love story that happens to take place at a school.  I enjoy Carmilla and Laura's dynamic together a lot - though i feel like they went from being rivals to being girlfriends way to quickly.  I still like their dynamic together very much. 

The Wearle by Chris d'Lacey
Did not finish book.

the world building is A Lot for me but tbh i'm also reading a billion books for class rn and am a lil bit too overwhelmed to delve into like a Fantasy Epic

Evocation by S.T. Gibson

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom

adventurous emotional funny inspiring

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

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

3.75

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

adventurous dark sad 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? Yes

4.0

It's very clear imo that these are some of the Author's fav characters.  Enjoyable backstory for two central actors in the first book.  I think about the structure of these books a lot - there's a part of me that thinks that if you spliced the Every Heart A Doorway and this book together it would build the tension of that book more elegantly.  But IDK! I still enjoy this one a lot! I think putting it in the context of the rest of the books in this series, it's a great prototype for the structure of this series (odds being present timeline/ evens being flashbacks) 

Brooms by Jasmine Walls

adventurous hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Magical Boy, Volume 1 by The Kao

adventurous funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0