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amalas_bookstop's reviews
91 reviews
The Enchanted Sonata by Heather Dixon Wallwork
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This story was so magical! As someone who grew up with a musical theory background I loved how this author wound The Pied Piper magic with this nutcracker retelling. I just thought this magical Russian town was so darling. This was the perfect book to read for Christmas!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This really is a work of art! It was refreshing to read an African American classic that focuses on the struggle to find love as a black woman. Zora Neal Hurston tackles so much in this book from colorism and even the struggles between male and females in the black race. I really enjoyed reading this.
It was really helpful to read this immersively with the audiobook. It really helped make the dialogue pop. Zora Neal Hurston does a fantastic job of writing African American southern dialect, that hearing it read to me sounded like a movie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was certainly entertaining!
For an adult this book was somewhat predictable, but I still marveled when the plot twists were revealed. I do have to say if a younger me read this book, the little girl who loved mysteries, this probably would have been a 5 star.
I really enjoyed the times the author let us a reader see the evidence through handwritten notes, that really helps with the immersive feeling of solving a crime.
If you are looking for an entertaining change of pace, you should read this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Racial slurs, Violence, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Self harm
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Woooh! This book was messy! Does it make me toxic that I liked it?! I cannot imagine a better ending than what was given. To be fair this was my least favorite Katniss for like the majority of this book (even though I understand she was dealing with a lot). However, the final stand in the capital was riveting and heartbreaking.
Even the way Suzanne Collins writes about the political and economic struggle that finally boils over. I still have tons of questions but this series deserves a standing ovation! Bravo!!!👏🏾
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Body shaming
Everything I've Ever Wanted to Say by Lauryn Norwood
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0
Overall I thought this was a really nice friends to lovers romance. I do have to admit Coco and her people pleasing ways had me yelling at her a bit, but everything work out in the end.
My only critique is that I wanted more of their relationship as a couple. For lot of this book they have other things going on and we really only see them together in the epilogue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Death of parent
The Ephemera Collector: A Novel by Stacy Nathaniel Jackson
dark
mysterious
slow-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
3.0
This book has a really interesting point of view. To be set in the future with a main female who is older using artificial intelligence to help her fight a rebellion in the midst of also losing her memories.
I had a really hard time keeping up with the point of views of the robots. Where there two? One that was helping her and other that was going through files? Honestly I don’t know. I think this book could do a whole lot more on clarity and smoothing out the transitions.
This could be because this is a genre that I do not normally read. It was just unfortunate that I could not connect to anything in this book.
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
I thought this book was so refreshing. To have two grown adults enter into a secured workplace romance with a twist. This book is the definition of diverse. Our FMC is black and our MMC is half black, half Korean. They are both successful and technically don’t need each other but want each other.
I want more romances like this please!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Beach Read by Emily Henry
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this universe! This is my first Emily Henry and I think this was a great start. Parts of the books did seem to drag, but I still enjoyed this universe.
I would actually love to read a novella of what January wrote!
I would actually love to read a novella of what January wrote!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
If a historical and literary fiction had a baby it would be this book. I highly recommend this book if you are someone who normally reads literary fiction but would like to read a fantasy.
In this story you have Anaques who is a native, because she obtains a dragon she has to go to an English school to be scholarly trained and to have the permission to keep her dragon. The author tackles social tension between English colonialism and Native Americans within this realistic but mythical land.
This book is a bit of a slow burn, the timeline of this book is the first year of school. I am also really thankful for the pronunciation guide. Overall I enjoyed this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Colonisation
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was certainly entertaining. I do have to admit there were some points that started to drag for me, maybe too much of telling me as a reader not enough showing. I didn’t need to know Violets every waking thought every time she saw Xaden, I was like girl you are giving to thirsty. I wish she would have had more inner empowerment without needing to wait for a guy to tell her what to do through so much of this book. I just wanted her to be more confident in her intelligence.
If we removed the spicy and suggestive scenes this book felt very young adult. I felt like the more political or economic make up just didn’t hit hard enough for me, or what I would expect from an adult fantasy.
I do give credit where it is due however and I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would.
If we removed the spicy and suggestive scenes this book felt very young adult. I felt like the more political or economic make up just didn’t hit hard enough for me, or what I would expect from an adult fantasy.
I do give credit where it is due however and I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, and Classism