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caseythereader's reviews
1756 reviews
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Thanks to Del Rey Books for the free copy of this book.
- I had very high hopes for TO GAZE UPON WICKED GODS. It met some of them - an inventive magic system and a great world full of hard choices and morally gray characters. Plus, the staccato style of the writing kept everything moving at a breakneck pace.
- Where it fell short for me was characterization. Ruying has practically only one personality trait, a drive to protect her family. And we know this because she states it every other page, along with other basic facts of the story, over and over again.
- There is also a six month time jump in the middle of the book. During that span, we miss what sounds like some heart pounding action, and also the entirety of the budding relationship between Ruying and her colonizer captor. We’re simply told that she’s drawn to him, but we skipped the parts where she learned more about him and built trust.
- The trust part in particular is was very difficult for me to swallow. It’s glaringly obvious that he does not have the good intentions he professes, and yet Ruying is ready to follow him to the ends of the earth (and therefore, the end of her people and her country).
- I had very high hopes for TO GAZE UPON WICKED GODS. It met some of them - an inventive magic system and a great world full of hard choices and morally gray characters. Plus, the staccato style of the writing kept everything moving at a breakneck pace.
- Where it fell short for me was characterization. Ruying has practically only one personality trait, a drive to protect her family. And we know this because she states it every other page, along with other basic facts of the story, over and over again.
- There is also a six month time jump in the middle of the book. During that span, we miss what sounds like some heart pounding action, and also the entirety of the budding relationship between Ruying and her colonizer captor. We’re simply told that she’s drawn to him, but we skipped the parts where she learned more about him and built trust.
- The trust part in particular is was very difficult for me to swallow. It’s glaringly obvious that he does not have the good intentions he professes, and yet Ruying is ready to follow him to the ends of the earth (and therefore, the end of her people and her country).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
The Loneliness Files by Athena Dixon
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Thanks to Tin House for the free copy of this book.
- THE LONELINESS FILES was a book that unexpectedly knocked the air out of me. I did not expect to connect so frequently with Dixon’s descriptions of what it feels like to be lonely even when you’re always connected.
- The book begins with what are essentially case studies and slowly morphs into memoir.
- I particularly liked the exploration of how a person can feel lonely even when they have connections and relationships and knows they are loved by others. It’s something I think about a lot, how constant connectedness can paradoxically make interactions more shallow.
- THE LONELINESS FILES was a book that unexpectedly knocked the air out of me. I did not expect to connect so frequently with Dixon’s descriptions of what it feels like to be lonely even when you’re always connected.
- The book begins with what are essentially case studies and slowly morphs into memoir.
- I particularly liked the exploration of how a person can feel lonely even when they have connections and relationships and knows they are loved by others. It’s something I think about a lot, how constant connectedness can paradoxically make interactions more shallow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Grief, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Orbital by Samantha Harvey
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity
This Is Me Trying by Racquel Marie
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-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
5.0
Thanks to Macmillan for the free copy of this book.
- Racquel Marie’s books are so good I could scream. THIS IS ME TRYING is her darkest, most emotional book yet and one that I think is important to have on the shelves for young readers.
- The synopsis above doesn’t quite say it, but this story is set three years after Bryce dies by suicide. Beatriz, Santiago, and the rest of their small town are still very much in the aftermath of the event and many tangled feelings no one helped them deal with.
- As with Marie’s other books, it’s is full of queer kids and kids of color, and those identities are intrinsic to the story. I also can’t recall ever reading a YA book with a goth main character, so that’s pretty cool as well.
- Racquel Marie’s books are so good I could scream. THIS IS ME TRYING is her darkest, most emotional book yet and one that I think is important to have on the shelves for young readers.
- The synopsis above doesn’t quite say it, but this story is set three years after Bryce dies by suicide. Beatriz, Santiago, and the rest of their small town are still very much in the aftermath of the event and many tangled feelings no one helped them deal with.
- As with Marie’s other books, it’s is full of queer kids and kids of color, and those identities are intrinsic to the story. I also can’t recall ever reading a YA book with a goth main character, so that’s pretty cool as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer and Sexual content
Merciless Saviors by H.E. Edgmon
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
The Diablo's Curse by Gabe Cole Novoa
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Thanks to PRH Audio for the free copy of this book.
- What a fun ride THE DIABLO’S CURSE is! I adore Novoa’s proudly queer and trans teenagers, ready for adventure and love and everything inbetween.
- I loved the world of this book, and Novoa crafted a seemingly impossible conundrum at the heart of the plot. Both the action scenes and the relationships had me on the edge of my seat.
- Bonus: the audiobook is narrated by Vico Ortiz, which makes listening to this book feel like finding a lost Our Flag Means Death episode.
- What a fun ride THE DIABLO’S CURSE is! I adore Novoa’s proudly queer and trans teenagers, ready for adventure and love and everything inbetween.
- I loved the world of this book, and Novoa crafted a seemingly impossible conundrum at the heart of the plot. Both the action scenes and the relationships had me on the edge of my seat.
- Bonus: the audiobook is narrated by Vico Ortiz, which makes listening to this book feel like finding a lost Our Flag Means Death episode.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Open City by Teju Cole
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
This doesn't seem like it's going to go anywhere? Also multiple uses of r*tarded and cr*pple.
Beholder by Ryan La Sala
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Late Bloomer by Mazey Eddings
emotional
funny
reflective
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? No
4.25
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the free copy of this book.
- I adore Mazey Eddings’ writing. Her characters are such beautiful portrayals of neurodiverse people (autism and ADHD in this book), showing readers that thees people are full human beings worthy of being loved just as they are.
- The setup of this plot, on the other hand, I had a bit of a hard time wrapping my mind around. I think I just had a hard time believing that they would come around to each other, despite the incredible chemistry they had.
- Regardless, everything else about this book is lovely and tender.
- I adore Mazey Eddings’ writing. Her characters are such beautiful portrayals of neurodiverse people (autism and ADHD in this book), showing readers that thees people are full human beings worthy of being loved just as they are.
- The setup of this plot, on the other hand, I had a bit of a hard time wrapping my mind around. I think I just had a hard time believing that they would come around to each other, despite the incredible chemistry they had.
- Regardless, everything else about this book is lovely and tender.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Grief, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death
Minor: Drug use