raisingself's reviews
519 reviews

Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

dark funny hopeful reflective sad slow-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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual content

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• 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

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

3.5

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

adventurous emotional 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? It's complicated

3.5

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul

emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.5

The Women by Kristin Hannah

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-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

3.5

This was a difficult read. Strongly written in many ways. I do slightly feel biased against it because of Barbara’s characterization as the black woman. It teetered on tropes. A sexual, angry, and existing to prop up or save her non-black counterpart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Violence, Suicide attempt, and War

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

emotional relaxing slow-paced

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

1.5

Something  just did not translate for me.

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

3.5

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5