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bitsandbobsdivination's reviews
217 reviews
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This BOOK!! wow *trying to form thoughts* I just… wow… this was written so beautifully and reminded me a lot of the show ‘This is Us’ in how we see multiple generations within one family and go forward and backwards in time. The layers are so honest and the trauma so evident when you see it threaded through these generations. We all have to sort through the boxes of inherited beliefs, values, dreams, pain, etc. from our parents and family, but we don’t have to keep it all and it’s healing to do the work to sort through it all in the end. I don’t know what I thought this book was going to be, but I am definitely going to need to own it, to reread it again and again soaking up all the nuances I missed. Beautifully flawed characters that make a truly honest story we can all relate to in some way. I loved it!
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I had pretty good hopes for this book and don’t get me wrong it’s a great book and I loved the diversity! It just didn’t hit in the ways I was hoping… (the rest is spoilers…) It just felt like everything got wrapped up with a nice bow at the end. Colonial all of a sudden has this big turn around even though he didn’t go to therapy or work his stuff out. Also, Yuki and her relationship was way too insta-love for me personally. And Grace took agessss to really develop or progress in the book. It was a lot of her just hiding away, which I get was the point but also annoying and frustrating to read. All in all, it was a solid book but just would have been better if the last third was more the bulk of the book and less of the rest of it…
Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
I read my very first lgbtqia+ book when I was 14 and only out to my parents and older sister. That book was Keeping You A Secret and it was the only one I had access to (others I found later on) and the librarian gave me such a face when I checked it out in a way that definitely made me feel shame for having done so, but I did it anyways because even then I knew I had to be brave… And that was in 2009… this was in the 80-90’s I believe and the author having the perspective of being lgbtqia+ way back in the 50’s gave so much richness to this story with such an elapse of time and so much having changed but also so much still hidden. This story hit beautifully for me and feels like a classic lgbtqia+ novel I will revisit for sure! The interview with Nancy was amazing as well! I would love to have a conversation with her! 5 stars!!
The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.75
I loved this so so much!! As someone who is learning more and more about my own mental health and being more open and venerable about it, this was such an important and impactful read! Plus their story was so real and honest! Loved it so much! Will definitely read it again!