whatsmacksaid's reviews
1296 reviews

This American Ex-Wife: How I Ended My Marriage and Started My Life by Lyz Lenz

4.0

The Killing Grounds by Joan Tierney

dark emotional inspiring mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

When Battered Women Kill by Angela Browne

dark informative slow-paced

A lot of the science is either outdated or bordering on it, but the stories of the women that Browne interviewed are still just as relevant today. If you read this and are looking for more, I'd suggest "Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men" by Lundy Bancroft; it covers a lot of the same ground, but is focused on what's wrong with the men who are abusers rather than the women who are abused.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence

Minor: Child abuse, Infidelity, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting

Sociopath: a Memoir by Patric Gagne

dark informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

The writing wasn't the best, but the story was deeply compelling and fully accessible.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Stalking

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

I loved this so much more than I expected to.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness

Moderate: Death, Grief

Minor: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion

Finding Echoes by Foz Meadows

dark emotional hopeful mysterious

4.5

A little slow in the middle, but otherwise such a good read.

A Wolf Steps in Blood by Tamara Jerée

dark emotional mysterious

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

4.5

Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London

hopeful

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

2.5

This story was a mix of lighthearted and very serious, and it balanced the two well. It's also a love letter to fandom culture and ff, and I enjoyed the various ways that's expressed (via podcast transcripts, texts, etc.). Even the excessive question and exclamation marks were endearing. 

Unfortunately, all that is weighed down by the mediocre writing--I actually skimmed the last sixty pages because I got bored.