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pucksandpaperbacks's reviews
627 reviews
Dear Mothman by Robin Gow
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
CW: Grief; mention of a car accident and car accident death; death of a child; bullying; deadname (on-page)
Written in verse, Dear Mothman was a wonderful exploration of gender identity. I loved how Gow made cryptids and monsters into an allegory for transness. This book made me silently weep as Noah, our MC comes to terms with his gender identity; a trans boy. While he also grieves the death of his best friend, Lewis who was also a closeted trans boy. You'll come out this book wanting to hug the kids in your life and want to protect every trans kid. I did, at least.
Throughout the book, Noah becomes more open about being a boy but there's a journey to get there. In the meantime, he's dedicated to finding "Mothman", a cryptid Lewis was fixated on. When their class gets ready for the science fair, Noah decides Mothman will be his science fair project.
Noah is also autistic & Gow is an #ActuallyAutistic trans author.
"I am so happy they get it— Mothman’s not just a hobby or something— that being “Noah” is hard because I feel like I have to be a different version of myself in different places."
"A world of Mothmen? Maybe Mothman is lost. Sometimes I feel lost, like I ended up in the wrong time line. Maybe I’m from a realm of people all like me and Lewis— of all trans people. I guess I’m happy I’m trans then because that world sounds supercool."
Written in verse, Dear Mothman was a wonderful exploration of gender identity. I loved how Gow made cryptids and monsters into an allegory for transness. This book made me silently weep as Noah, our MC comes to terms with his gender identity; a trans boy. While he also grieves the death of his best friend, Lewis who was also a closeted trans boy. You'll come out this book wanting to hug the kids in your life and want to protect every trans kid. I did, at least.
Throughout the book, Noah becomes more open about being a boy but there's a journey to get there. In the meantime, he's dedicated to finding "Mothman", a cryptid Lewis was fixated on. When their class gets ready for the science fair, Noah decides Mothman will be his science fair project.
Noah is also autistic & Gow is an #ActuallyAutistic trans author.
"I am so happy they get it— Mothman’s not just a hobby or something— that being “Noah” is hard because I feel like I have to be a different version of myself in different places."
"A world of Mothmen? Maybe Mothman is lost. Sometimes I feel lost, like I ended up in the wrong time line. Maybe I’m from a realm of people all like me and Lewis— of all trans people. I guess I’m happy I’m trans then because that world sounds supercool."
Both Can Be True by Jules Machias
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
CW: grief, dog death, divorce, transphobia, outing, bullying, discussions of an animal being "put down".
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? Yes
CW: Racism, racial slur (on-page), homophobia, car accident, minor mention of a suicide attempt, drug use, mention & scenes of visiting an incarcerated person, hate crime, violence, blood, injuries.
This debut was phenomenal. It is promoted as a dark academia thriller but I'd also say it's a horror.
When the only two Black students at Nevus Academy are picked as Senior Prefects, things start going awry as texts of the students, Chiamaka and Devon's deepest secrets (and some lies) are spread throughout the school by an anonymous texter, Aces.
This was an excellent YA thriller that shows how systemic racism works in the academic setting. As our protagonists grow to uncover the truth about their school, they learn a lot about themselves the people around them. Both characters are also queer! I really enjoyed seeing queer joy in between the darkness the teens experience.
Please note that this book is very dark. But, as the author intended, it does have a happy ending. I HIGHLY recommend this. I hybrid-read with the physical copy and audiobook and I thought the audiobook was fantastic as well.
This debut was phenomenal. It is promoted as a dark academia thriller but I'd also say it's a horror.
When the only two Black students at Nevus Academy are picked as Senior Prefects, things start going awry as texts of the students, Chiamaka and Devon's deepest secrets (and some lies) are spread throughout the school by an anonymous texter, Aces.
This was an excellent YA thriller that shows how systemic racism works in the academic setting. As our protagonists grow to uncover the truth about their school, they learn a lot about themselves the people around them. Both characters are also queer! I really enjoyed seeing queer joy in between the darkness the teens experience.
Please note that this book is very dark. But, as the author intended, it does have a happy ending. I HIGHLY recommend this. I hybrid-read with the physical copy and audiobook and I thought the audiobook was fantastic as well.
Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins
But Garrett (our cinnamon roll) shows her what a healthy relationship and a kind man is. By asserting and accepting Spring's boundaries, listening and accepting her. Very early in the book, Spring declares that she doesn't want to marry and later on we learn she is child free by choice. Garrett is okay with that. Whenever I read romance, I always say this: THIS is a healthy romance. I thought this was great and very refreshing to see a historical romance where the female protagonist is child free and the love interest is okay with it.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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? Yes
CW: Mention and description of sexual assault; sexual harassment; racism; racial slur; violence; gun violence; death; mention of slavery and being enslaved; blood; taxidermy; mention of alcoholism; mention of death by child birth, mention of child abuse, sexual harassment, alcoholism, animal still birth.
Wow! I knew I wanted to pick up Beverly Jenkins for the Diverse Baseline Challenge prompt "historical fiction" for February. But that window is over now that it's almost April. Regardless, I'm thankful to the challenge for giving me an opportunity to finally pick up her work!
Wild Rain is a slow burn grumpy x sunshine romance between a female rancher and a reporter who comes into town. If you like the caregiver trope - you must pick this up. Set in the wake of the Civil War, Spring takes in Garrett during a blizzard thinking he will only be with her for a couple of days. However, Garrett is in town to interview her brother and doctor, Colt.
I loved how Jenkins played into the forced proximity trope and it was realistic! Even if it was at the hands of her characters getting injured, haha. What I appreciated and admired most about this romance is how the grumpy x sunshine element unraveled, showing the author's intent for applying it to this story. Spring is bold, fierce, and resilient. She has endured a lot of trauma due to the way men have treated her. Therefore, she wears her heart on her sleeve and doesn't allow men to let her in.
Wow! I knew I wanted to pick up Beverly Jenkins for the Diverse Baseline Challenge prompt "historical fiction" for February. But that window is over now that it's almost April. Regardless, I'm thankful to the challenge for giving me an opportunity to finally pick up her work!
Wild Rain is a slow burn grumpy x sunshine romance between a female rancher and a reporter who comes into town. If you like the caregiver trope - you must pick this up. Set in the wake of the Civil War, Spring takes in Garrett during a blizzard thinking he will only be with her for a couple of days. However, Garrett is in town to interview her brother and doctor, Colt.
I loved how Jenkins played into the forced proximity trope and it was realistic! Even if it was at the hands of her characters getting injured, haha. What I appreciated and admired most about this romance is how the grumpy x sunshine element unraveled, showing the author's intent for applying it to this story. Spring is bold, fierce, and resilient. She has endured a lot of trauma due to the way men have treated her. Therefore, she wears her heart on her sleeve and doesn't allow men to let her in.
"He was handsome, she supposed, but a pretty face often masked an ugliness inside, so she wasn’t impressed by the strong jaw or the pleasant features it anchored."
But Garrett (our cinnamon roll) shows her what a healthy relationship and a kind man is. By asserting and accepting Spring's boundaries, listening and accepting her. Very early in the book, Spring declares that she doesn't want to marry and later on we learn she is child free by choice. Garrett is okay with that. Whenever I read romance, I always say this: THIS is a healthy romance. I thought this was great and very refreshing to see a historical romance where the female protagonist is child free and the love interest is okay with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Racial slurs, Blood, Medical content, Slavery, Racism, Death of parent, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States by Samantha Allen
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
CW: internalized biphobia; mention of Pulse shooting and other LGBTQ+ hate crimes; death; transphobia; mentions and discussions of Trump’s presidency; Mormonism
Huda F Are You by Huda Fahmy
CW: Islamophobia; menustration mentioned on page.
Funny memoir about Huda Fahmy coming of age in high school and finding who Huda really is. Meanwhile, she experiences a lot of Islamophobia from teachers and peers. I really enjoyed this. It was a short and sweet read!
Funny memoir about Huda Fahmy coming of age in high school and finding who Huda really is. Meanwhile, she experiences a lot of Islamophobia from teachers and peers. I really enjoyed this. It was a short and sweet read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia
Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia
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
CW: mentions of COVID, racism, bullying, grief, death of a loved one, injury, medical content
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism, Grief, and Death
As You Walk on By by Julian Winters
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
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
CW: death of a grandparent, death of a teen; mention in detail of a car accident death, grief, mention of homophobia and misgendering, mentions of Ari & Dante Save the Universe (author is transphobic), underage drinking & drug use (edibles)
I think I found my favorite Julian Winters book with As You Walk on By. Julian Winters nails coming of age stories every time and I love the uniqueness of his characters and stories. Instead of the generic retelling of The Breakfast Club, Winters sets his during a high school house party. The book unpacks teenage years with the pressure of high expectations from parents, crushes becoming real, and distancing yourself from childhood friends, drama/angst and an emphasis on friendships. Although we do have a romance blooming, As You Walk on By heavily speaks to friendships and falling outs. If you want a book about friendship breakups and rekindling, Winters does them justice in this novel.
I absolutely loved the way Julian Winters tackled these topics through our protagonist, Theo. What I love about Winters' work is how unique the characters and storyline are. They turn common topics in YA fiction flipping them on their head and making you feel for the character and want to keep learning more.
I'm so glad I got to read this!
I think I found my favorite Julian Winters book with As You Walk on By. Julian Winters nails coming of age stories every time and I love the uniqueness of his characters and stories. Instead of the generic retelling of The Breakfast Club, Winters sets his during a high school house party. The book unpacks teenage years with the pressure of high expectations from parents, crushes becoming real, and distancing yourself from childhood friends, drama/angst and an emphasis on friendships. Although we do have a romance blooming, As You Walk on By heavily speaks to friendships and falling outs. If you want a book about friendship breakups and rekindling, Winters does them justice in this novel.
I absolutely loved the way Julian Winters tackled these topics through our protagonist, Theo. What I love about Winters' work is how unique the characters and storyline are. They turn common topics in YA fiction flipping them on their head and making you feel for the character and want to keep learning more.
I'm so glad I got to read this!
Poūkahangatus by Tayi Tibble
reflective
medium-paced
CW: animal death, racism, sexism
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, and Animal death