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leahrosereads's reviews
1029 reviews
Twenty-Four Seconds From Now by Jason Reynolds
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
Black boys deserve love stories, and Jason Reynolds gave them one of hopefully a million to come. This was a fun, stream of consciousness story surrounding first love, first times, and graduation. It was cute!
Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
emotional
hopeful
tense
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? Yes
5.0
This was an absolutely stunning companion prequel to Pet. There was so much important commentary on monsters, humanity, revolution, and art explored on these pages. I can see classes reading this book and discussing it for years to come. This, like Pet, are modern classics that need to be protected from bannings and shared widely.
Emezi truly excels not only at strong storytelling narratively but connecting the reader to every aspect of the characters' struggles, desires, pain, and triumphs. The empathy that these kids have is inspiring and also a reminder so that we don't become the monsters we're fighting to stop.
Emezi truly excels not only at strong storytelling narratively but connecting the reader to every aspect of the characters' struggles, desires, pain, and triumphs. The empathy that these kids have is inspiring and also a reminder so that we don't become the monsters we're fighting to stop.
The Bookshop Sisterhood by Michelle Lindo-Rice
Skimmed the last 30ish pages cause the drama got to be too much for me. So first DNF of the year, and I'm ready to move on from this.
If this was only about one of the friends going through what they did, it'd have been a solid story. But all 4 made it disjointed and most things didn't get resolved at all.
If this was only about one of the friends going through what they did, it'd have been a solid story. But all 4 made it disjointed and most things didn't get resolved at all.
Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.75
If you've dealt with any form of Christian religious trauma and want it exercised out of you in the most horrific way, this book may be for you. Holy fuck with this a rough read.
Predictable but poignant with some incredibly important conversations around cults, conversion therapy, and what evil really looks like.
Predictable but poignant with some incredibly important conversations around cults, conversion therapy, and what evil really looks like.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Homophobia, Torture, and Violence
The Friend Zone Experiment by Zen Cho
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
Just to get it out of the way, I don't know if I'd call this a "funny" romance as the synopsis suggests. There are lighthearted and humorous moments, but there are a lot of meaningful conversations around classism, corporate corruption, and abusive family dynamics.
Having read Zen Cho's fantasy, I was super excited to try this contemporar romance, and I of course, wasn't disappointed. The story kept me captivated, and I adored the characters.
Like always, I could do without the miscommunication trope, but I get that it's the go to trope in this genre. And like always, it feels like it came out of nowhere, felt disjointed, and wrapped up quickly.
Having read Zen Cho's fantasy, I was super excited to try this contemporar romance, and I of course, wasn't disappointed. The story kept me captivated, and I adored the characters.
Like always, I could do without the miscommunication trope, but I get that it's the go to trope in this genre. And like always, it feels like it came out of nowhere, felt disjointed, and wrapped up quickly.
Void by Veronica Roth
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed this until the end. It got a little corny there. I'd definitely read another mystery set in space though. That was fun as fuck!
How It Unfolds by James S.A. Corey
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I wanted to try something small by this author before I jumped into the big books, and I'm glad I did.
This was a clever, interesting story with science elements that I was starting to get near the end. Getting to see different versions or glimpses of the characters was also really neat. Though I guessed the ending of sorts, the journey was still a blast to explore.
This was a clever, interesting story with science elements that I was starting to get near the end. Getting to see different versions or glimpses of the characters was also really neat. Though I guessed the ending of sorts, the journey was still a blast to explore.
When Angels Speak of Love by bell hooks
reflective
fast-paced
First time in a while where I haven't rated a book, but, I think...no, I know I chose the wrong collection of poems this go around. Poems focused solely on love end up feeling really repetitive when its the same style, author, format, etc.
Home Body by Rupi Kaur
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
This both hurt and healed my heart. Rupi Kaur's poetry has and continues to be profound, raw, and an extraordinary balm to my soul. Her words make my scars feel a little less painful, and I'm forever thankful that she shares her art with the world.
Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda
challenging
dark
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
5.0
5 stars! This was completely fucked. Jawbone is a non-linear weird girl horror lit that was as haunting as it was captivating. It's told in broken bits of therapy appointments, conversations between the two BFFs, and from multiple POVs - none who are reliable in any way due to trauma, mental health, and dysfunctional, toxic relationships.
This book wormed its way under my skin and oozed into parts of my brain I wish I could wring it from. There are parts that I hated with every fiber of my being, and yet, with the prose the way it was, and the characters as damaged as they were, and with the horrifying imagery, I was hooked.
I ended up listening to this because the stylistic choices in the writing, which worked perfectly for this, was too hard for my brain to process when it went pages and pages without a paragraph break. I wish I had kept my physical copy cause there are so many parts I want to highlight and annotate. Definitely going to repurchase a copy and maybe I'll end 2025 like I began it.
Reading this completely fucked story.
Trigger and content warnings
Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Body horror,Child death, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Animal death, Rape, Alcohol
This book wormed its way under my skin and oozed into parts of my brain I wish I could wring it from. There are parts that I hated with every fiber of my being, and yet, with the prose the way it was, and the characters as damaged as they were, and with the horrifying imagery, I was hooked.
I ended up listening to this because the stylistic choices in the writing, which worked perfectly for this, was too hard for my brain to process when it went pages and pages without a paragraph break. I wish I had kept my physical copy cause there are so many parts I want to highlight and annotate. Definitely going to repurchase a copy and maybe I'll end 2025 like I began it.
Reading this completely fucked story.
Trigger and content warnings
Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Body horror,Child death, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Animal death, Rape, Alcohol