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thereadingchallengechallenge · 4 months

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Review: Imogen Obviously by Becky Albertalli Rating: 4/5

Meet Imogen, #1 Straight Ally™ to her queer friends and sister, who's so caught up in not being queerphobic that she hasn't spent any time questioning why she feels so connected to the queer community. But when she goes to visit her friend, Lili, and meets her queer friend squad, Imogen begins to realise she's maybe not as straight as she seems.

This book was a wild ride. Imogen is an absolute mess. Lili and Edith and Tessa are wonderful. Don't talk to me about Gretchen. But also, oh god, we need to talk about Gretchen and how she's a perfect example of how queer people can still be queerphobic as all sweet hell and how they can make spaces just as unsafe as straight queerphobes do.

And misuse of the term "queerbaiting" aside, the social commentary in this novel is amazing. About questioning people, unlabelled people, people who don't feel the need to come out, celebrities coming out - it was all wonderful. Albertalli really put in the work to work through these topics and I really hope people take the points she makes to heart because I can't watch another young celebrity be forced to out themselves to stop online harassment.

But my favourite part was absolutely the romance between Imogen and Tessa. It was so sweet and Tessa was so obvious and Imogen was so oblivious and it was just lovely when they finally got together. I loved it.

If you've loved Becky Albertalli's other novels or you're looking for a light but well-written YA contemporary to round out the year, give Imogen Obviously a go.

#imogen obviously #becky albertalli #booklr #bookblr #book review #reviews #4 star reads #trcc original #lgbt books #wlw reads

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shannoneichorn · 3 months

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Gonna try this here...

The RIGHTS OF USE paperback is $8 on Amazon right now: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/173243400X/

If you want a hopeful alien abduction story full of gallows humor, flying saucers, body-possessing aliens, and an underfunded, secret government program, now is a great time to buy it!

#scifi #science fiction #discount books #why amazon why #please I need more reviews #4 star reads

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book-petals · 6 months

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Review: The Homewreckers by Mary Kay Andrews

The Homewreckers is a breath of fresh air. Some genres are just like that, you find yourself reading some gritty thriller or high fantasy with so much detail you're left satisfied but also with mushy brain. You need something clean and fun to read after, this book is the remedy. It's a nice package; containing a sort of meet cute/enemies (sort of) to lovers, a little mystery and some fun twists, a loveable main character and a trope I've never read before (romcom is a genre I haven't really read a lot of before).

Likes: • A really cute and interesting trope. The setting of this book is in Georgia and the main character finds herself as the leading role in a predicted hit reality show about restoring and flipping homes. • This book doubles as a sort of romcom meets cozy mystery. Two great genres represented well here. • Not really a dull moment. The story had my attention from the first page. • A great story about grief and healing. Hattie has really been through it and within the timeline of this book we get to read about her healing and growing through the process. • The mystery storyline was really good. It could have been a book on it's own, but it felt like the best bonus to The Homewreckers.

Dislikes: • It felt like the characters in this book didn't really have depth. I wanted more emotion and thought with them but it was lacking where it could have been expanded. • Some aspects of the restoration process felt rushed and unrealistic. It was almost like there was a few magic wand moments. • I wasn't really happy with Hattie's romantic choice in the end. She didn't have to choose one or the other and I would have chosen neither, personally. But that also goes back to my first point in dislikes, maybe there was more thought in the author's mind about the characters than what I read.

Overall, I enjoyed The Homewreckers. Mainly for the fun storyline about restoring a home for a reality show and the cozy mystery side story was what made me rate this one higher than I would have without it. Sometimes I start a book blind, so I wasn't expecting it.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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theheelerbooklifereads · 7 months

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Thank you, Macmillan audio, and NetGalley for the ALC/ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Forest Grimm is the first book set in a new young adult romantasy series. We follow our 17-year-old main character, Clara as she embarks on a quest into the deadly and dangerous Forest Grimm to find a magical book called the Sortes Fortunae (aka the Book of Fortunes). Typically, no one ever makes it out of the forest out alive, but she will go to great lengths to break the curse that is placed on her village and to rescue her mother. What Clara does not know as she ventures through the forest, she and her friends that tag along will encounter some well-known fairytales.

✨I discovered Kathryn Purdie's books back in 2020 when Bone Crier's Moon came out and ever since I have been reading some of her books which I end up enjoying. When I saw The Forest Grimm go up on NetGalley, I instantly went to request it since I know Kathryn is an author I enjoy.

✨When The Forest Grimm first opens up with the villagers having their names drawn to see who would go into the forest to break the curse my first thought was: "is our main character going to yell-I volunteer as tribute?!" That part just made me think of The Hunger Games and no there was no one who yelled that they volunteered as tribute with those exact words.

✨Kathryn Purdie does such an amazing job setting up this world and the atmosphere. She really draws you in and makes you feel like you are in this dark, bleak forest with odd run ins with fairytale characters. I should note that these fairytale characters are not the Disney ones that a lot of us know but the darker ones that we encounter with the Brother Grimm Fairytales. You can expect Cinderella, Hansel + Gretel, Rapunzel, and a few other characters to appear in this book. With that being said I really enjoyed seeing the different characters and how they are portrayed as well interact with the main characters and the world.

✨When it comes to the characters, I for the most part enjoyed them but did find Henni and Clara to be aggravating at times. But I did love the friendship and the even more than friends' dynamic between Clara and Axel.

✨The pacing for the most part was great and fast but there were areas that felt like it dragged out. I was very engaged in this story and curious about what was going on and what would happen.

✨I've been seeing a lot of mixed reviews on The Forest Grimm about it feeling too young as well as other things. To put in perspective: I will be 28 this fall, and I did not find it juvenile or targeted for a younger range. To me this felt like a good, clean (no smut) romantasy retelling that I would have encountered when I was a teenager. Everyone does perceive things differently, so it is all good if people find this too young, but I just wanted to say for me it felt fine and I think many people who want a clean YA romantasy, a dark fantasy retelling, or to feel reminiscent of YA a decade ago then you'll enjoy this.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxLLeHrgvuM/?igshid=MWZjMTM2ODFkZg==

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wakingupnexttoyou · 7 months

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A friend reccomended me the first book in this one's sister series sometime last year and I've been running with it ever since! I prefer the other series (in Persephone's POV) but this one has my heart as well. I believe this is the last book in this series and the other series has one more that comes out in November that covers both points of view I believe.

4⭐

I can't wait for the conclusion to this story!

#4 star reads #4 stars #today's read #what i'm reading #a game of gods #a touch of darkness #a game of fate #hades x persephone saga #hades saga #greek mythology #fantasy #fantasy romance #romance #booktok #popular books #bookstagram #canada #canadian

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leleslibrary · 8 months

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I saw this book recommended as similar to “Divine Rivals” by Rebecca Ross, and I can totally see where you get that comparison. I loved this book. The setting and world building and lore were unique and fresh. The supporting characters were absolutely lovable. Mercy’s family are hilarious, and Hart’s apprentice, Duckers, is so precious I want to squeeze him.

I love that Mercy isn’t a damsel in distress who needs the “Hero” to save her. She is able to work through the main conflict she’s facing (with the help of her sister and ex boyfriend [and a hemorrhoid pillow]) and take care of her problems mostly on her own.

The part where I thought this could have used some work was in the transition from enemies to lovers. It felt a bit like a switch had been flipped, and I felt it could have been more gradual and natural. I do love Hart and Mercy though, and while I didn’t see the ending coming the way it did (which was nice because I can usually predict things coming a mile away), I was very pleased with how it worked itself out.

Highly recommend if you like enemies to lovers tropes, secret pen pals, lady undertakers, and semi-fantastical settings.

#liddy reads #the undertaking of hart and mercy #megan bannen #lit #review #4 star reads

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adrireadsstuff · 11 months

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#eleanor oliphant is completely fine #bookaddict #book review #journal #read free ebooks #4 star reads #SoundCloud

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whitneydaniell · 11 months

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by: Leah Konen Published: Jan 3, 2023 Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction 352 Pages, Paperback

★★

GoodReads Synopsis:

When Janie's boyfriend Max doesn't come home one night, she's doesn't know what to do. Why would he leave her and their baby daughter, with no explanation? Then the police turn up, asking questions about the body of a woman found outside a local bar. They want to know where Max was last night. Where Max is now - but Janie has no idea. They want answers, but Janie only has questions. She loves Max more than anything. But did she ever really know him at all? And if he's capable of disappearing, could he be capable of murder too?

My Review *long read, sorry:

Janie awakens in the middle of the night by her crying baby but no Max, her loving, doting, boyfriend. As any new mother would, she soothes the baby back to sleep, to only be awakened yet again by her fussy baby but this time, she's all alone.

Let me just run down some main players:

Max just up and disappears and even though Janie feels that something isn't right; she's calling and texting with no response; she calls his parents and best friend -- both of which, act like there is no urgency to find him and Janie, just goes along with the sentiment.

Liana irritated my whole spirit!! She seemed to be in all the right places saying all the right things except, it seemed disingenuous. Something about her, I just didn't trust. Ugh, who wants to be around a "yes man" or as we used to call them, a "get with".

Molly is the best friend sent from heaven! More of her please because she was the only person in this whole book with some got damn sense!

Carl and Brenda whew, where do I really even start. Dysfunction and need to use their high-powered lawyer to divorce. She is a miserable shrew and he is a drunk.

Janie is insecure and naive. She really was not a character that I would typically root for. For context, both she and Max seem very accomplished in their careers and not poor or lower class by any means. I say that to say, she could have absolutely gotten the help she needed for her postpartum depression. Furthermore, the way that she has carried this "issue" with Bryan all the way through the story -- carried it like a 1ton weight and used it as a crutch to be self-loathing -- irritated me. She was not likable in a way that, I could not connect with her struggles, her story, or even her personality. I loved that Molly told her the 100% truth and then walked away when she wasn't ready to hear it but, kept the door open for her to come back when she was ready.

Final Thoughts: In all fairness, the characters made this a 1-star read for me but, as all the facts of the investigation are revealed, I gave another 'star' because I didn't see "that" coming. It was a quick read, definitely fast-paced, with only 1 POV and the whole story takes place over the course of 5 days, which means, there is not a lot to keep track of.

*Review edited 24 hours later: I had to drop some stars. After giving it a day, I really dislike Janie and just couldn't shake that the story could've been better; and the "twist" could have been more thought out. Janie was really insufferable.

#TriggerWarning -- r_pe and domestic abuse are discussed

One-Word Summary: Hendricks

#Leah Konen #you should have told me #murder mystery #fiction #thriller #mystery #books i read #books #tbr 2023 #4 star reads #reading #books i recommed #book shelf

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xenosagaepisodeone · 1 year

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#hello melancholic #manga #easiest 5 stars ive ever given to a yuri manga in the last 4 years PLEASE read this

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always-a-joyful-note · 7 months

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Enstars sure is an experience. Did I miss anything?

#are you guys all okay? i definitely am not okay #this is not the type of media that i usually go for yet it is EXACTLY the type of media that i would like #so many gaps so many stories WAY TOO MUCH READING I DONT HAVE THE TIME #i know i missed a lot because ive only watched the anime and read the main music story up to ch 4 of the second part #and i have read some events stories that were free #and maybe one or two outside from translations #but like thats it #this is like reading orv and getting hit with its deep metas on human life and the importance of stories #but instead im being clobbered by the most deranged storylines known to man (and again. i read ORV and am a bsd fan)#this isnt fantasy but there is nothing realistic about enstars and i unfortunately am attached #every day i spiral into east asian media that gives me an aneurysm #bsd -> orv -> link click -> enstars....i wanna say they keep getting more unhinged but theyre all unhinged in different ways #anyway please help me....#enstars #ensemble stars #fandom spamdom #stuff i say #i will admit i am mostly into the game for the stories #a consistent gamer i am not #but to unlock the stories ill push back the animes i have to catch up on etc etc #again. please help me....#edit: updated to remove queerbaiting because apparently i dont know whats going on

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thereadingchallengechallenge · 4 months

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Quick Review: Very Bad People by Kit Frick Rating: 4/5

An excellent boarding school mystery. I'm amazed this isn't a staple of dark academia book lists to be perfectly honest. It's pacy and nuanced and has so many things going on at once which really shows how good a mystery writer Frick is. The only reason this wasn't a 5-star for me is that I'm just a bit sick of reading about rich kids making bad choices but your mileage will vary.

#very bad people #kit frick #booklr #bookblr #book review #trcc original #portraits #4 star reads #reviews

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poorly-drawn-mdzs · 3 days

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[RHETORIC - Legendary 14]: Convince Kim you are in a timeloop.

(ISAT side of the swap)

#disco elysium #harry du bois #kim kitsuragi #ISAT #in stars and time #If you put HDB in a timeloop I truly think he would spend the his time trying to convince Kim he was in one.#The extra funny bit here is how counter it is to the *main plot of ISAT (*I HAVENT FINSHED. JUST STARTED ACT 4)#In which Siffrin is so strongly against letting anyone know they are trapped in a timeloop.#HDB would be doing everything in his power to try and get people to believe him.#and just like with the amnesia talk - Kim would pull the 'Detective we have a case to solve. Can we get back to work?' card.#How long would HDB last in a timeloop? If we make this loop the week that the case is...maybe a dozen loops?#He has the mystical detective angle on his side so I think he would stumble into the solution eventually.#Now. Odile could figure out someone is in a timeloop. I think It would take a *lot* for Kim to believe.#Anyways. [clicks on my powerpoint presentation that reads “Why Madame Odile could solve the deathnote case”]

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book-petals · 5 months

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Review: Floor 37 by Hannah Werner

I'm just going to keep reading and reviewing books I've found during free ebook events because the ones I've read so far have all been great! Unique stories and tropes, most of them are less than 300 pages so far so they're also quick reads, so wonderful for those of us with diminishing attention spans.

I read Floor 37 in just a few sessions, I'm a fan of mysteries and thrillers. This one has a fun sci-fi twist and it turned out to be as interesting as I hoped it would be.

Floor 37 dives right in with Cloe, our main character, and she's patiently waiting for her husband to show up for their anniversary date night. After it's apparent that he's not coming she rushes home and reports him missing. The next morning she wakes up and her entire world is turned upside down. No one knows who her husband is and she is sent on a rollercoaster ride of her worst nightmare, ending in a psychiatric hospital and things just get more chaotic from here.

Through the early chapters of the book we learn through Chloe's therapist that she has been suffering from horrific nightmares and violent outbursts for years and has since been prescribed an unregulated medication concocted by her therapist to counteract these symptoms, along with an experimental sleep study she took part in. Though, Chloe has no memories of these nightmares, or even her therapist or the medication she has supposedly been taking every night. She's presented with stacks of journals with accounts of everything that has been happening to her but Chloe is reluctant to believe them because the person who wrote the journals is the complete opposite of timid, kind Chloe.

Chloe plays along with the doctors and pretends to recover bits of her memories while planning her next steps in finding the husband everyone said she fabricated. After her release from the psychiatric hospital, Chloe begins to uncover clues in her own home that change this book from a mystery to a sci-fi.

I loved the reveal and the creativity behind the plot of Floor 37. I think the only thing I could have wished for to make this an even better read would be a more time exploring the places revealed in the last few chapters. But for a short read, it was very satisfying!

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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lynnesgalaxy · 29 days

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[you feel a tug on your stomach.]

#in stars and time #isat spoilers #in stars and time spoilers #isat #i keep rotating euphrasie in my mind #we got a lot of tidbits of info on her and it made me so curious #i read a bit ago the few fics that were there about her #i should check if there's any new now............#siffrin #euphrasie #head housemaiden #isat act 4 spoilers

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wakingupnexttoyou · 4 months

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This book. The last half of this book was a fever dream I swear. I have no idea what I just read but I fucking loved it. It had all my favourite things.

Fantasy.

Horror.

Mystery.

Romance.

This book was insane.

I'm starting the second one. RIGHT THIS SECOND.

4⭐