writewithapendragon's reviews
251 reviews

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Cursing, Alcohol, Medical trauma, and Medical content

I probably missed a few I read this strictly during nighttime baby feeds.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

challenging reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Grief, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness

This one is sad, folks.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

The Winter Soldier: Cold Front by Mackenzi Lee
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.

Didn’t like the weird characterization choices 

The Tea Dragon Society by K. O'Neill

lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

Very sweet illustrations, MG level read. 

Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman

emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-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

Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Outing, and Eating disorder

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle

funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

Very cute and definitely benefits from three separate voices weaving their stories together for a holiday ensemble cast :)

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

challenging mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book is short but it took me a longer time to read than I expected. Vo’s prose is beautifully poetic, each word carefully chosen. I want to go back and annotate, I enjoyed the language so much. Gatsby itself is so over-done that I wasn’t expecting this to be so unique and captivating, but it is a truly singular work.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Abortion, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Racism, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Car accident, and Physical abuse

Minor: Abandonment, Classism, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Racism, Toxic friendship, War, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Deportation, Xenophobia, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus by Caitlin Schneiderhan

adventurous emotional fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, and Classism

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Gun violence, Sexual content, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Heartstopper Volume 3 by Alice Oseman

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

Still absolutely enamored with this series. This volume starts to dip into heavier subject matter but I still like a warm sweater for my heart.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder and Self harm

Minor: Sexual content, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Bullying, Cursing, Mental illness, Vomit, and Outing