beautynbks's reviews
319 reviews

All the Fighting Parts by Hannah V. Sawyerr

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

3.0

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

A Step Past Darkness by Vera Kurian

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0


Witches, potions, and Black girl magic? Sign me up!  The cover art for The Poisons We Drink reeled me right in, and the story itself wasn't a letdown. Venus Stoneheart, a potion brewer with a knack for love concoctions?  Intriguing, right?  

But here's the thing, while the audiobook narrator was fantastic, there was a lot to unpack.  The world-building  involved  Witcher  lore  and  nuanced details, and constantly rewinding slowed my progress. By the time the plot reached a pivotal point, I was lost in the sauce or brew. (pun intended)


Was it bad? Not at all!  The story itself is solid, but the audiobook format wasn't the best match for me.   If you're looking for a captivating fantasy with a strong Black girl lead, this might be your potion of choice. Just grab a physical copy for those intricate details!

The Atonement by Kiersten Modglin

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challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

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

2.0

I feel like I have been lied to, by whom I’m not sure. This book was on my TBR for a long time and I had the time to give it a listen. 

Ani Fanelli was not a sympathetic character. She survived a traumatic event in high school but her survival was polarizing to her community. Ani reinvented herself but she was shallow and deceitful. The woman needed THERAPY. The Luckiest Girl Alive didn’t seem that lucky to me. 
Wander in the Dark by Jumata Emill

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was so good and timely. Two brothers Amir and Marcel at at odds with each other. The murder of a white girl brings them together. 
The Serial Killer's Daughter by Alice Hunter

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez

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challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-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? Yes

4.0

Abby Jimenez does not miss.