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charvi_not_just_fiction's reviews
669 reviews
The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes
The only reason I picked this one up is because so many friends and mutuals raved about it and gosh, I'm glad I got to read it <3
Lately YA contemporary has been a hit or a miss and this was a definite hit. It was an absolute emotional rollercoaster centring around Yamilet who is a closeted lesbian who recently switched schools to keep her brother safe. It's just as well because her best friend at the old school outed her so she gets a fresh start here. But handling Catholic school, new crushes, protecting her brother, a lack of money at home and simply being herself might be too much for one girl.
I love Yamilet's personality, it shone through the book. Her relationships with her brother, mother and Bo were rocky and complex but wonderful to read about.
I don't want to say too much about this book because I don't want to spoil anything but just know you'll need the tissues, I was crying at so many points!
emotional
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
The only reason I picked this one up is because so many friends and mutuals raved about it and gosh, I'm glad I got to read it <3
Lately YA contemporary has been a hit or a miss and this was a definite hit. It was an absolute emotional rollercoaster centring around Yamilet who is a closeted lesbian who recently switched schools to keep her brother safe. It's just as well because her best friend at the old school outed her so she gets a fresh start here. But handling Catholic school, new crushes, protecting her brother, a lack of money at home and simply being herself might be too much for one girl.
I love Yamilet's personality, it shone through the book. Her relationships with her brother, mother and Bo were rocky and complex but wonderful to read about.
I don't want to say too much about this book because I don't want to spoil anything but just know you'll need the tissues, I was crying at so many points!
Parting Shot by Linwood Barclay
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Linwood Barclay never disappoints, he always has me hooked!
While I didn't read the others in the Promise Fall series (you don't need to either), I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It might be because I had read at least one other book set in Promise Falls but I was able to keep track of the characters and plotlines.
I love the way Barclay writes his characters and weaves multiple stories into the main plot. It's often hard to tell what might happen and while I had some guesses, I was still left shocked multiple times. The mystery in itself is engaging and fascinating as is the history of the town but I also liked how it explored the impact of social media, vigilante justice and the psychological conditions of young people who are framed as criminals. I won't go into any details to further maintain the suspense but I really flew through this book.
My only complaint is that the ending is so freaking abrupt! I get the intention and even though I was screaming at the choice my contention is that yes we got our answers but it felt like the book literally ended mid-paragraph.
Oh well, here's hoping it won't keep me up at night!
While I didn't read the others in the Promise Fall series (you don't need to either), I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It might be because I had read at least one other book set in Promise Falls but I was able to keep track of the characters and plotlines.
I love the way Barclay writes his characters and weaves multiple stories into the main plot. It's often hard to tell what might happen and while I had some guesses, I was still left shocked multiple times. The mystery in itself is engaging and fascinating as is the history of the town but I also liked how it explored the impact of social media, vigilante justice and the psychological conditions of young people who are framed as criminals. I won't go into any details to further maintain the suspense but I really flew through this book.
My only complaint is that the ending is so freaking abrupt! I get the intention and even though I was screaming at the choice my contention is that yes we got our answers but it felt like the book literally ended mid-paragraph.
Oh well, here's hoping it won't keep me up at night!
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
4.0
I did enjoy this more than the last one and thank goodness for that.
It was an adorable story and I loved getting to know Eve Brown! She's such a talented girlie who believes she's not good at anything? Who let her confidence down like that, I'm asking for punching purposes.
Jacob was a great character as well, and really fun to get to know. Together their banter and interactions had me cracking up! It was very amusing and then simply adorable to watch them get together. The romance was great and I'm glad that the third act was slightly different than the usual breakup and was better written than certain other romances. All in all, I loved having the audiobook in the background as I went about my day :D
It was an adorable story and I loved getting to know Eve Brown! She's such a talented girlie who believes she's not good at anything? Who let her confidence down like that, I'm asking for punching purposes.
Jacob was a great character as well, and really fun to get to know. Together their banter and interactions had me cracking up! It was very amusing and then simply adorable to watch them get together. The romance was great and I'm glad that the third act was slightly different than the usual breakup and was better written than certain other romances. All in all, I loved having the audiobook in the background as I went about my day :D
Super Chill: A Year of Living Anxiously by Adam Ellis
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
I love Adam's artwork!
The comics were funny and relatable, and overall an enjoyable read.
The comics were funny and relatable, and overall an enjoyable read.
The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-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? Yes
4.0
This book was absolutely beautiful.
I went in with zero expectations but I love how the author managed to weave together so many lives and stories. We have Julian, an old man with regrets. Monica with her failing cafe and unfulfilled life desires. Hazard, an addict trying to get better. Riley, absolute sunshine personified and many others are added to this eclectic cast as we go on. Each character has a differnet story and I love how they interact with each other to support and bring out the best in their friends.
There's so much life and love in this book. One of my favourite themes was old age and how one's life deteriorates as you age, socially, physically and emotionally. Another core theme was friendship and connections and how we are really nothing without our support system. Different characters and their arcs taught me so many lessons and I love how the author's simple language style was so heart-touching and beautiful at the same time.
And even though I didn't expect it from this contemporary/literary fiction, there were plot twists that caught me off-guard! All I'll say is nobody is really authentic until the very end and none of these characters are simply good or bad (except maybe Riley and I wish the author had done something about that rather than just making him say he's not always sunny and left it at that.)
The only reason I docked one star is that I hated how certain people ended up romantically set up with others, I was literally fuming and yelling and I'd have preferred them to either stay single, true to themselves or have an open ending leaving time for the romance to develop because it came out of nowhere. Kinda made me feel that the author just wanted to wrap everything up in a neat bow.
Other than that, this book was so perfect and even ended beautifully, in the best way possible (except for that romance).
All in all, I'd highly recommend it!
I went in with zero expectations but I love how the author managed to weave together so many lives and stories. We have Julian, an old man with regrets. Monica with her failing cafe and unfulfilled life desires. Hazard, an addict trying to get better. Riley, absolute sunshine personified and many others are added to this eclectic cast as we go on. Each character has a differnet story and I love how they interact with each other to support and bring out the best in their friends.
There's so much life and love in this book. One of my favourite themes was old age and how one's life deteriorates as you age, socially, physically and emotionally. Another core theme was friendship and connections and how we are really nothing without our support system. Different characters and their arcs taught me so many lessons and I love how the author's simple language style was so heart-touching and beautiful at the same time.
And even though I didn't expect it from this contemporary/literary fiction, there were plot twists that caught me off-guard! All I'll say is nobody is really authentic until the very end and none of these characters are simply good or bad (except maybe Riley and I wish the author had done something about that rather than just making him say he's not always sunny and left it at that.)
The only reason I docked one star is that I hated how certain people ended up romantically set up with others, I was literally fuming and yelling and I'd have preferred them to either stay single, true to themselves or have an open ending leaving time for the romance to develop because it came out of nowhere. Kinda made me feel that the author just wanted to wrap everything up in a neat bow.
Other than that, this book was so perfect and even ended beautifully, in the best way possible (except for that romance).
All in all, I'd highly recommend it!
Us by Curtis Wiklund
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
This was so adorable!
Hats off to the artist for doing a 365-day art challenge, it was so interesting to see different kinds of sketches and paintings from him. You could tell the days he was fed up and the days he was struck by inspiration. Regardless, it all made a lovely compilation.
Hats off to the artist for doing a 365-day art challenge, it was so interesting to see different kinds of sketches and paintings from him. You could tell the days he was fed up and the days he was struck by inspiration. Regardless, it all made a lovely compilation.
Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I am so disappointed that I couldn't end up loving this book.
Honestly, as an ownvoice reviewer, I can say that the aro-ace representation gets a 10/10. I think Dear Wendy absolutely knocks it out of the park with the discussions on asexuality and aromanticism and the intersection of those identities as well. It goes deep into what it truly means to be on the ace-spectrum and I truly love it from the bottom of my heart for that.
I could really connect with Sophie (I'm a complete type A like her) and the Wellesley experience in the book at least, felt very similar to my university experience. Unfortunately, apart from that, everything went downhill.
At its core, this book brings up important and thought-provoking topics around gender, sexuality, immigrant children, bipocs and many such themes but it feels like the book is just that. It reads like a discussion happening in a college class where people are trying to get all their points across as quickly as possible. Or an essay converted into a fictional story. That's to say, there's very little life to the story on its own. There is no such plot or plot structure which becomes incredibly frustrating because the entire book is based on the Wendy and Wanda Instagram beef which is extremely childish, nonsensical and boring.
I was just so bored reading this book. The main characters sound so same, I literally couldn't differentiate between their POVs. The humour seemed forced, and oh my god, I got sick of all the Wellesley details. It's clear the author loves her university but I think the details could have been cut way back down.
The third act confrontation was kind of predictable and I was so annoyed with Jo by that point because of what they'd been doing regarding their roommates. Granted I knew the source of their actions was a deep-rooted fear but at that point, I was ready for the book to be over. It still did not end, there were like fifty pages more that I skimmed through.
Do I recommend this book?
Um I think yes? I still stand by the fact that the aro-ace rep is so tremendously wonderful and refreshing and I crawled through the book for it and it was kind of worth it. And it does seem like I'm in the minority here when it comes to enjoying the plot and narrative so maybe you'll end up enjoying it.
But yeah, as much as I loved the aro-ace rep, this wasn't it for me.
Honestly, as an ownvoice reviewer, I can say that the aro-ace representation gets a 10/10. I think Dear Wendy absolutely knocks it out of the park with the discussions on asexuality and aromanticism and the intersection of those identities as well. It goes deep into what it truly means to be on the ace-spectrum and I truly love it from the bottom of my heart for that.
I could really connect with Sophie (I'm a complete type A like her) and the Wellesley experience in the book at least, felt very similar to my university experience. Unfortunately, apart from that, everything went downhill.
At its core, this book brings up important and thought-provoking topics around gender, sexuality, immigrant children, bipocs and many such themes but it feels like the book is just that. It reads like a discussion happening in a college class where people are trying to get all their points across as quickly as possible. Or an essay converted into a fictional story. That's to say, there's very little life to the story on its own. There is no such plot or plot structure which becomes incredibly frustrating because the entire book is based on the Wendy and Wanda Instagram beef which is extremely childish, nonsensical and boring.
I was just so bored reading this book. The main characters sound so same, I literally couldn't differentiate between their POVs. The humour seemed forced, and oh my god, I got sick of all the Wellesley details. It's clear the author loves her university but I think the details could have been cut way back down.
The third act confrontation was kind of predictable and I was so annoyed with Jo by that point because of what they'd been doing regarding their roommates. Granted I knew the source of their actions was a deep-rooted fear but at that point, I was ready for the book to be over. It still did not end, there were like fifty pages more that I skimmed through.
Do I recommend this book?
Um I think yes? I still stand by the fact that the aro-ace rep is so tremendously wonderful and refreshing and I crawled through the book for it and it was kind of worth it. And it does seem like I'm in the minority here when it comes to enjoying the plot and narrative so maybe you'll end up enjoying it.
But yeah, as much as I loved the aro-ace rep, this wasn't it for me.
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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? No
5.0
What an addictive read!
We have morally grey characters left and right, lol.
I loved reading about Lucca's journey and her many identities as she navigates her jobs and tries to survive while staying two steps ahead of everyone. Overall this is a fast-paced and engaging read where you're trying your best to unravel all the mysteries before the book ends.
Love a good mystery-thriller like this one <3
We have morally grey characters left and right, lol.
I loved reading about Lucca's journey and her many identities as she navigates her jobs and tries to survive while staying two steps ahead of everyone. Overall this is a fast-paced and engaging read where you're trying your best to unravel all the mysteries before the book ends.
Love a good mystery-thriller like this one <3
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
lighthearted
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
3.0
This book has recently joined the hype train and I expected to love it... unfortunately, I didn't quite enjoy it.
Let's start with part 1: which truly was the highlight of the book for me. I absolutely adored how the writer explored the magic of bookstores and the joy of reading and unravelled Sotorou and Takako's personalities through the narrative. It was beautiful and well-written.
Part 2 is where everything started going down the hill. I kind of hate Momoko. She single-handedly spoiled the book for me. I could rant forever but that would include spoilers. Let's just say that I found her to be a selfish woman with bizarre behaviour and her relationships felt strange and forced. I couldn't condone any of her actions and her overall plotline left me frustrated.
I guess the only ray of sunshine was Takako and Akira's sub-plot but I wish it had been explored more because I saw a lot of potential there.
Overall the book struggles a bit with pacing in the sense I found myself bored in the second part and there were no clear indications of the time leaps so I was often confused for a couple of sentences before I adjusted to it.
Sadly, this was a very average book.
Let's start with part 1: which truly was the highlight of the book for me. I absolutely adored how the writer explored the magic of bookstores and the joy of reading and unravelled Sotorou and Takako's personalities through the narrative. It was beautiful and well-written.
Part 2 is where everything started going down the hill. I kind of hate Momoko. She single-handedly spoiled the book for me. I could rant forever but that would include spoilers. Let's just say that I found her to be a selfish woman with bizarre behaviour and her relationships felt strange and forced. I couldn't condone any of her actions and her overall plotline left me frustrated.
I guess the only ray of sunshine was Takako and Akira's sub-plot but I wish it had been explored more because I saw a lot of potential there.
Overall the book struggles a bit with pacing in the sense I found myself bored in the second part and there were no clear indications of the time leaps so I was often confused for a couple of sentences before I adjusted to it.
Sadly, this was a very average book.
Icarus by K. Ancrum
It’s been a while since a book made me feel so many emotions. Icarus destroyed me.
The book introduces us to our protagonist Icarus, the softest cinnamon roll to exist. Actually, this book is filled with soft boys and I love it. Most of Icarus’ life has been spent stealing and replacing artworks with forgeries in Mr. Black’s mansion to exact revenge for the death of his mother. His father has some rules: no friends, don’t get to know others, no social gatherings and never ever inviting people home. So you can only imagine the kind of hell Icarus’ life is. But then he discovers Helios, Mr Black’s son who has been imprisoned in the mansion.
Icarus and Helios were made for each other, it’s a fact and there’s no denying it. Their romance is the sweetest, purest thing and both of them just made me cry with how raw and untethered they were. Except together, they made sense.
The friendships in Icarus were the shining light, they made me feel warm and happy and reminisce about my college days. Celestina, Luca, Julian and even Sorell add so much light and life to Icarus’ life. Time and time Icarus does his best to push everyone away but they find a way to make him a part of their lives.
If you’re looking for a retelling, I’d say this was a rather loosely based retelling but I loved it all the same. All in all, I’d highly recommend this book.
Also, here's the full review on my blog, including details on how the author's note just had me full-on sobbing.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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
“If you’re such a good thief, then why haven’t you stolen me yet?”
It’s been a while since a book made me feel so many emotions. Icarus destroyed me.
The book introduces us to our protagonist Icarus, the softest cinnamon roll to exist. Actually, this book is filled with soft boys and I love it. Most of Icarus’ life has been spent stealing and replacing artworks with forgeries in Mr. Black’s mansion to exact revenge for the death of his mother. His father has some rules: no friends, don’t get to know others, no social gatherings and never ever inviting people home. So you can only imagine the kind of hell Icarus’ life is. But then he discovers Helios, Mr Black’s son who has been imprisoned in the mansion.
Icarus and Helios were made for each other, it’s a fact and there’s no denying it. Their romance is the sweetest, purest thing and both of them just made me cry with how raw and untethered they were. Except together, they made sense.
“I feel . . . meeting him feels like learning about a part of myself that I haven’t been allowed to understand until now.”
The friendships in Icarus were the shining light, they made me feel warm and happy and reminisce about my college days. Celestina, Luca, Julian and even Sorell add so much light and life to Icarus’ life. Time and time Icarus does his best to push everyone away but they find a way to make him a part of their lives.
If you’re looking for a retelling, I’d say this was a rather loosely based retelling but I loved it all the same. All in all, I’d highly recommend this book.
Also, here's the full review on my blog, including details on how the author's note just had me full-on sobbing.