purplepenning's reviews
1649 reviews

Grave Expectations by Alice Bell

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Drug use, Racism, and Medical content

Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson

3.75

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore

4.0

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Sexual content, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and War

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher
Did not finish book. Stopped at 41%.

I feel like I gave it up just when the plot was finally going to kick in, but I just couldn't do it any more. I've had this issue with these authors before — the high-angst, slow-reveal method of storytelling just doesn't work for me. (But it does work for others. What I call frustrating, others may call a page-turner.) It's a particular shame this time, because I was actually interested in the story and entertained by the tongue-in-cheek fantasy setting. Just not enough to offset how miserable these characters are and how miserable and frustrated they're making me! Maybe I'll come back and skim to the end sometime.

Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin

The woodsy-PNW-witchy vibes and YA nemesis-to-lovers tropes (complete with "only one tent") are on point. But this one wasn't for me — as sometimes happens with YA, I just couldn't get past the main character (an 18-year-old) doing a Very Dumb Thoughtless Dangerous Thing that kicked off the whole plot. 

You Had Me at Happy Hour by Timothy Janovsky

emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

3.75

Queer, new adult rom-com with excellent mental health rep that goes hand in hand with steamy, toy-assisted sex positivity. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol

Moderate: Mental illness and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Car accident

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent

Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts

Drowning, PTSD, poverty, home insecurity, food insecurity, thieving

The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates

challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

4.5

No one needs my basic, white, Gen- X, middle-class thoughts on Ta-Nehisi Coates's latest message in essays. It's not very long — go read it for yourself. 

The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.25

A standalone fantasy rooted in traditional Welsh folklore, The Wild Huntress slips the reader into the edges of the uncanny world of the Fae before plunging them deep into the dark adventure of the Wild Hunt.

Where The Drowned Woods (same world, different standalone tale, also recommended) gave us morally gray, complicated magic users, thieves, rulers, tricksters, and an adorable corgi, this one gives us morally gray, complicated magic users, thieves, rulers, tricksters, and a cat who may be more than it seems. 

For an extra treat, and to hear the beautiful Welsh pronunciations, check out the audiobook narrated by Moira Quick.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Torture, Dementia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol