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shereadytoread's Reviews (824)
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
This book was an infuriating look at how a flawed study and money/media backing was used to silence adult survivors of childhood SA by their parents, including the authors own story. It was well-researched and their rebuttals are specific and detailed. My largest issue with the book was slightly confusing formatting/organization in some points. If you are interested in memory/false memory studies and legality and/or psychotherapy of trauma victims, this is worth the read.
Disclaimer: I received a gifted finished copy.
Disclaimer: I received a gifted finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
I enjoyed this little novella. It was well-written and easy to get through. However the very emotional pieces happen so quickly because of the action that I never really felt connected to the stakes of the story. The book is about 160 pages and we don’t see the creature until 100 pages in. It’s very much alien-esque, monster on the lose but a bigger backstory and some good twists.
adventurous
emotional
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:
Complicated
This book was a fun mix of a lot of different things. A deal with a demon as a backdrop, a stranded spaceship crew, a family owned donut shop and a sapphic romance but the core of the story is a journey of a trans girl trying to find her way and identity through music. I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like this before, but I’m very glad I did.
Pros:
- complex, well-written characters
- multiple layers of growth for multiple women in the story
- genre blending
- serious story with some fun aspects
Cons
- the world building with multiple genres was a little lacking (but you could still understand the story fine)
- how “hell” works in a universe with multiple galaxies didn’t make a ton of sense to me
TW: transphobia, death of a child, child abuse, sexual exploitation
Pros:
- complex, well-written characters
- multiple layers of growth for multiple women in the story
- genre blending
- serious story with some fun aspects
Cons
- the world building with multiple genres was a little lacking (but you could still understand the story fine)
- how “hell” works in a universe with multiple galaxies didn’t make a ton of sense to me
TW: transphobia, death of a child, child abuse, sexual exploitation
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Child death
inspiring
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
This was a fun read but gets repetitive at times due to the fitness scenes. I think that could have been better spent on more romance based scenes or general character building.
I also thought there would be a bigger payoff with the ex who continues to appear but that is tossed aside at some point.
I really enjoyed the food aspects, as well as the family and friendship dynamics. Saavy herself I felt wasn’t the most striking MC and the larger friend group and family connections I found more interested than her specifically.
I also thought there would be a bigger payoff with the ex who continues to appear but that is tossed aside at some point.
I really enjoyed the food aspects, as well as the family and friendship dynamics. Saavy herself I felt wasn’t the most striking MC and the larger friend group and family connections I found more interested than her specifically.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Minor: Toxic relationship
The book was just okay. It seemed to present big betrayals and issues that were immediately resolved or forgiven with no impact. It seemed to be a book designed around the sex rather than a good plot with smut scenes added.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a book that has a more interesting concept rather than being well written. We follow a couple who is meeting at a coffee shop prior to their weekly marriage counseling sessions after an affair. But due to the snippets we never get a real sense of who either character is or why we should care about them or root for the relationship. It’s mostly off-handed jokes with a little growth for the relationship but there was no real difference between the chapters and I was glad that it was done.
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
I think this book presents an interesting premise but leaves us with an anti-climactic ending that attempts to be "open-ended". The plot is suspenseful but a bit repetitive and in the end everything seems meaningless. Not my favorite from this author but very similar writing style.
dark
sad
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book presented a not so far off future where lack of resources, climate change and economic disparities have driven society to chaos and violence.
I thought this book made so many bold choices in character and plot, but it felt like a set up for the second book rather than its own complete story at times. I found it extremely interesting but wondered about some of the choices. I really enjoyed the large variety in characters, the moral issues presented and while the violence of the society was hard, it was very well-written with very specific imagery.
This is one I may revisit once I read the sequel to see if I think of the story differently.
I thought this book made so many bold choices in character and plot, but it felt like a set up for the second book rather than its own complete story at times. I found it extremely interesting but wondered about some of the choices. I really enjoyed the large variety in characters, the moral issues presented and while the violence of the society was hard, it was very well-written with very specific imagery.
This is one I may revisit once I read the sequel to see if I think of the story differently.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Drug use, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent
This is intense, grounded trans horror. It includes a lot of ruminating on identity and queerness in addition to the dangers of society. The house as it's own characters plays into elements of gothic horror, but those portions of the story felt less grounded to me and took away from the story. Having it's own POV took away from the horror of the story imo. Each of the main characters, Ila and Alice are difficult and complex in their own ways, not particularly likeable, but not meant to be. They are haunted by what happened in the house, and you watch it play out as they have simultaneously become a victim and a predator. Definitely check the trigger warnings on this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Transphobia
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I found this romance to be utterly lacking of romance, there is so much mention of a TV revival that ends up playing no part and overall I found it dull. I found it to just be boring all the way around.