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thecaffeinatedlibrary's Reviews (290)
hopeful
lighthearted
As a barista, and as a romantic, this was just perfect for me. Best read with coffee (obviously).
Romantic, sweet, queer, and just full of love — Cafe AU Lait is perfect for everyone who romantices that adorable meet-cute with that cute barista, or customer. It perfectly embodies how coffee can bring people together, how it acts as a place holder for meaningful connections. What's more, is that this book felt like that first sip of coffee in the morning. Each story is unique, wholesome, at times hilarious, and stupid-grin inducing.
This was perfect, thank you to the author's and illustrators for this wonderful anthology.
Romantic, sweet, queer, and just full of love — Cafe AU Lait is perfect for everyone who romantices that adorable meet-cute with that cute barista, or customer. It perfectly embodies how coffee can bring people together, how it acts as a place holder for meaningful connections. What's more, is that this book felt like that first sip of coffee in the morning. Each story is unique, wholesome, at times hilarious, and stupid-grin inducing.
This was perfect, thank you to the author's and illustrators for this wonderful anthology.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
Where do I even begin with this book? THIS BOOK.
After book 1 (A Broken Blade), I didn't know how it could get any better, but book 2 (A Shadow Crown) was a whole extra level of amazing. I naively thought this again, "how could it get better?" And holy damn, did Melissa Blair deliver with A Vicious Game. Blair takes everything that makes ABB and ASC so incredible, and someone weaves that into the magic that is book 3.
Balancing the light and the dark, AVG discusses the darker sides of addiction and grief while still giving us SO much love. Honestly, the love these characters have for each other makes me cry happy tears while I'm reading it.
Plotwise, so so so much happens in this one. Each book picks up the pace just a little bit, and the tension is palpable in this one. The threat of war is breathing down your neck, weighing down every moment. The absolute gut-wrenching sadness I feel for Keera, Riven, Nik and Syrrha is a genuine physical reaction – I have not stopped thinking about this book since I finished it.
The prose is getting darker, more heavy-handed too. The strings Blair has been pulling throughout the series are finally being revealed with some absolutely mind-blowing plot twists. The kind of plot twist that made me physically put the book down and think back on every single clue Blair left us. And that ENDING gahhhh!
In summary: I need book 4 asap.
After book 1 (A Broken Blade), I didn't know how it could get any better, but book 2 (A Shadow Crown) was a whole extra level of amazing. I naively thought this again, "how could it get better?" And holy damn, did Melissa Blair deliver with A Vicious Game. Blair takes everything that makes ABB and ASC so incredible, and someone weaves that into the magic that is book 3.
Balancing the light and the dark, AVG discusses the darker sides of addiction and grief while still giving us SO much love. Honestly, the love these characters have for each other makes me cry happy tears while I'm reading it.
Plotwise, so so so much happens in this one. Each book picks up the pace just a little bit, and the tension is palpable in this one. The threat of war is breathing down your neck, weighing down every moment. The absolute gut-wrenching sadness I feel for Keera, Riven, Nik and Syrrha is a genuine physical reaction – I have not stopped thinking about this book since I finished it.
The prose is getting darker, more heavy-handed too. The strings Blair has been pulling throughout the series are finally being revealed with some absolutely mind-blowing plot twists. The kind of plot twist that made me physically put the book down and think back on every single clue Blair left us. And that ENDING gahhhh!
In summary: I need book 4 asap.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, Grief
Moderate: Self harm, Suicide
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I can't believe I waited so long to read this! A book deserving of the hype.
This is How You Lose The Time War is a sapphic, literary sci-fi that spans years between Red and Blue, two time agents who are on opposing sides of a time war.
It gave BIG Doctor Who vibes, which I was 100% here for. The banter between Red and Blue through their letters was feet-kickingly good. The slow, and subtle build from enemies to maybe something more was expertly written. At it's core, this story is about love and what you do for love.
Craft wise, TISHYLTTW is brilliant. The prose is dark where it needs to be, hopeful in others but always maintains an air of otherworldliness that thrilled me as a reader.
A personal favourite scene is when an Apatosaurus runs past one of the characters, which is not a huge scene but this dinosaur kid was THRILLED.
Don't be like me, don't wait. Just read it!
This is How You Lose The Time War is a sapphic, literary sci-fi that spans years between Red and Blue, two time agents who are on opposing sides of a time war.
It gave BIG Doctor Who vibes, which I was 100% here for. The banter between Red and Blue through their letters was feet-kickingly good. The slow, and subtle build from enemies to maybe something more was expertly written. At it's core, this story is about love and what you do for love.
Craft wise, TISHYLTTW is brilliant. The prose is dark where it needs to be, hopeful in others but always maintains an air of otherworldliness that thrilled me as a reader.
A personal favourite scene is when an Apatosaurus runs past one of the characters, which is not a huge scene but this dinosaur kid was THRILLED.
Don't be like me, don't wait. Just read it!
challenging
emotional
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
A Study in Drowning is cottagecore whimsy filtered through a much darker lense.
I loved Effy's journey throughout this book. The softspoken, slightly naive girl we meet in chapter 1 is a totally different creature to the Effy we see in the latter half of the book. She is brave and imaginative, but the ways in which she doubts herself are rooted so deep, they never quite leave her. Preston is honestly a delight, he reminded me a little of Palamedes Sextus from The Locked Tomb series. He's always thinking, theorising, but he is also such a kind-hearted soul that cares deeply, and will fight for those he cares about. I really loved these two together, their romance was touching and tender but never overshadowed the overarching plot of Effy's journey.
I loved the backdrop of the rotting, dilapidated house and how it became a character in and of itself. Reid's writing is full of lilting prose that is so atmospheric that I felt genuinely scared for Effy and Preston at times. The gently woven themes of misogyny, the deeply ingrained act of women doubting themselves when it comes to academia and literature, were slow and mournful before they turning vengeful, it was easy to empathise Effy here. I loved Reid's thought-provoking commentary on gender, and classism.
The magic system was less fantasy to me, and more magical realism. We're running on vibes and fairytale dreams, and you're never really sure if what's happening, IS happening. I would have loved to know about it all, the Sleepers and the Drowning, Reid has created an intriguing world. To me it felt as though there was a lot left unanswered in the end, not so much for our MC's, but for the world itself — which could be purposeful on the author's part.
If you like lush prose, haunting landscapes and dreamlike magic, give ASID a try 😊
I loved Effy's journey throughout this book. The softspoken, slightly naive girl we meet in chapter 1 is a totally different creature to the Effy we see in the latter half of the book. She is brave and imaginative, but the ways in which she doubts herself are rooted so deep, they never quite leave her. Preston is honestly a delight, he reminded me a little of Palamedes Sextus from The Locked Tomb series. He's always thinking, theorising, but he is also such a kind-hearted soul that cares deeply, and will fight for those he cares about. I really loved these two together, their romance was touching and tender but never overshadowed the overarching plot of Effy's journey.
I loved the backdrop of the rotting, dilapidated house and how it became a character in and of itself. Reid's writing is full of lilting prose that is so atmospheric that I felt genuinely scared for Effy and Preston at times. The gently woven themes of misogyny, the deeply ingrained act of women doubting themselves when it comes to academia and literature, were slow and mournful before they turning vengeful, it was easy to empathise Effy here. I loved Reid's thought-provoking commentary on gender, and classism.
The magic system was less fantasy to me, and more magical realism. We're running on vibes and fairytale dreams, and you're never really sure if what's happening, IS happening. I would have loved to know about it all, the Sleepers and the Drowning, Reid has created an intriguing world. To me it felt as though there was a lot left unanswered in the end, not so much for our MC's, but for the world itself — which could be purposeful on the author's part.
If you like lush prose, haunting landscapes and dreamlike magic, give ASID a try 😊
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual assault
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
Heartfelt, tender, sad and full of truth – The Place We We Were Made is an emotional journey through the upheaval of one woman's carefully structured life and new beginnings.
Kit is a delight, she is careful and logical and when her life is turned upside down, she bravely faces the fallout. Her heart and love is evident in every movement. Every character in this just raw and authentically themselves, and never apologies for it. I loved the family dynamic, and how much they all just loved each other, even when they were mad. The Easter eggs from TMHIE made me squeal with joy, every time Fletch was on the page I had a permanent grin. At the heart of this story though was Kit and Danny's absolute devotion to each other. I love those silly idiots with my whole soul.
TPWWM is about love, change, family and showing up for each other. I cried with joy, and with sadness. You'll read TPWWM for Wes, Hallie and Fletch's cameos and you'll stay for everyone else ✨️.
Kit is a delight, she is careful and logical and when her life is turned upside down, she bravely faces the fallout. Her heart and love is evident in every movement. Every character in this just raw and authentically themselves, and never apologies for it. I loved the family dynamic, and how much they all just loved each other, even when they were mad. The Easter eggs from TMHIE made me squeal with joy, every time Fletch was on the page I had a permanent grin. At the heart of this story though was Kit and Danny's absolute devotion to each other. I love those silly idiots with my whole soul.
TPWWM is about love, change, family and showing up for each other. I cried with joy, and with sadness. You'll read TPWWM for Wes, Hallie and Fletch's cameos and you'll stay for everyone else ✨️.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
'She wouldn't let herself be confined, simmered down, erased. For once in her life she would make a choice that was fully her own.'
This book looked directly into my soul, saw the messy parts of me, and then cracked them wide open. Evil Eye lays bare all the grit, all the unfavourable things, of what living with trauma is like, and the ways our brains try to run from it.
In Evil Eye, Yara is learning how her trauma has impacted her life and the decisions she has made. She learns about intergenerational trauma, and how it festers like rot inside of us. She learns that she can break this cycle. The heart of Yara's journey is this intense desire to be better than her parents were, to be more. This entire novel moves through Yara's journey like a tidal wave in slow motion, it is as heartwrenching as it is hopeful.
Etaf Rum also does a really incredible job at showing the reader the ripple effects of intense familial trauma — in this case, the Nakba. She creates such empathy in the reader, that I'm sure it would be impossible for anyone to walk away from this novel with anything but intense sadness, and rage, over what has been done to Palestine and the effects zionism has had on its people.
Etaf Rum is now firmly in the 'favourite author' camp of mine, thank you for sharing these words with the world.
This book looked directly into my soul, saw the messy parts of me, and then cracked them wide open. Evil Eye lays bare all the grit, all the unfavourable things, of what living with trauma is like, and the ways our brains try to run from it.
In Evil Eye, Yara is learning how her trauma has impacted her life and the decisions she has made. She learns about intergenerational trauma, and how it festers like rot inside of us. She learns that she can break this cycle. The heart of Yara's journey is this intense desire to be better than her parents were, to be more. This entire novel moves through Yara's journey like a tidal wave in slow motion, it is as heartwrenching as it is hopeful.
Etaf Rum also does a really incredible job at showing the reader the ripple effects of intense familial trauma — in this case, the Nakba. She creates such empathy in the reader, that I'm sure it would be impossible for anyone to walk away from this novel with anything but intense sadness, and rage, over what has been done to Palestine and the effects zionism has had on its people.
Etaf Rum is now firmly in the 'favourite author' camp of mine, thank you for sharing these words with the world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence
dark
emotional
mysterious
Fun, punchy and fast paced, Illusions will appeal to the fans of The Vampire Diaries. I really enjoyed Isolde's journey through grief, and new love, while being handed the daunting responsibility of being the prophesied chosen one.
If you like lusty romance, and a fast-paced storyline this one is for you.
If you like lusty romance, and a fast-paced storyline this one is for you.
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
I first learned of Lesbia from reading She and Her Pretty Friend by Danielle Scrimshaw, and was enchanted by this Australian poet, her writing, and her queerness.
Lesbia’s poems are heartfelt, raw and beautifully reflective. They range from cosy, light poems that make you smile to ones that highlight heavier themes, prevalent both then and now. Some made me feel such joy, some made me weep, and some made me feel seen. I have many favourites from this collection, but I’ll just mention a few here:
- ‘I Count The Days Until I See You, Dear’
- ‘I Can’t Feel The Sunshine’
- A Soul In Flight
- ‘I Was Sad’
If you are a fan of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, I highly recommend picking up this sweet little number.
Lesbia’s poems are heartfelt, raw and beautifully reflective. They range from cosy, light poems that make you smile to ones that highlight heavier themes, prevalent both then and now. Some made me feel such joy, some made me weep, and some made me feel seen. I have many favourites from this collection, but I’ll just mention a few here:
- ‘I Count The Days Until I See You, Dear’
- ‘I Can’t Feel The Sunshine’
- A Soul In Flight
- ‘I Was Sad’
If you are a fan of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, I highly recommend picking up this sweet little number.