vale_reading's reviews
93 reviews

The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, and War

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, and Hate crime

Moderate: Cancer, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, and Blood

Minor: Pregnancy

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Violence, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Murder, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Kidnapping and Suicide

Minor: War and Torture

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

adventurous dark funny informative reflective fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Violence, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Cannibalism, Murder, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Death

Moderate: Xenophobia and War

Minor: Suicide and Death of parent

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

3.75

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

Beautiful, thrilling and heartbreaking

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Car accident, Drug abuse, Addiction, Drug use, Xenophobia, Murder, Suicide, and Body horror

Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Torture, Murder, Child death, War, Trafficking, Xenophobia, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit and Terminal illness

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

I stopped reading back in April. I just got a bit fatigued with the Grishaverse. I want to get back to it before the end of the year.

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

It was more Princess Diaries than Crazy Rich Asians. This book should probably be geered more towards the younger side of YA, maybe even middle grade. It's a very light coming of age love story. It aims to tell the story of a girl recconecting with her family and heritage in a fantastical way. Cute and entertaining, but don't expect much dept to it. The first person narrator, I think, is what holds this story back the most. We only know or explore as much as the naive teenage Izumi does. Younger readers would appreciate it more because it is pretty straight forward. There is no need for nuance or analysis which as an older reader is underwhelming. If you liked the satire and wittiness of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, you won't find it in this fairy tale.