paperbrownies's reviews
397 reviews

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-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? No

3.5

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Go to review page

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-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

3.0

The Loophole by Naz Kutub

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

2.5

Love Is an Ex-Country by Randa Jarrar

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

Blood Orange by Yaffa As

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad tense

5.0

The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

Stone Fruit by Lee Lai

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

stone fruit
by lee lai
~format: ebook
~about: lgbtqiap+, graphic novel, adult, contemporary, fiction, new beginnings, mental illness (depression), family dynamics, siblings, child care, grief and a shot at healing 
~ w|w
~ rep: chinese sapphic mc, trans white sapphic mc

ending things with uncertainty but with a newly forged understanding, the fact that supporting is so much greater than understanding, that stuff names me want to bawl my eyes out LIKE YES BRON!! I GET YOU SO MUCH AND THAT IS FUCKING TERRIFYING!! especially the moment she is talking with gracie and she talks about how she feels like everybody hates her and her leaving ray was absolutely like ...!!!!!!!!idk man 😭😭😭😭😭😭 

this book is definitely hitting my top reads from this year!!
also beautiful story telling and the way the art style changes when they are having fun turning into something more earthy, and gnarly and positively beautiful and brimming with emotions, so well done!! 

~cw: depression, abandonment, minor mentions of transphobia and minor mentions of religious bigotry (no on-page actions were taken), divorce
Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

dear wendy by ana zhao 
~format: ebook 
~about: lgbtqiap+, new adult fiction, contemporary, coming of age, set in college, aromantic and asexuality rep, instagram rivalry, fun chapter titles!! 😭😭, discussions on gender and sexuality, 
~ side w|w 
~ rep: chinese aroace mc, white aroace mc, indian bengali lesbian side character and chinese american demisexual love interest, black lesbian sc, sapphic rep

everytime i listen to a love song or even a song such as bondhu chol i want to throw up bc it fills me with so much existential dread if im forever going to be sad and alone knowing fully well that im going to be anything but bc…..reasons and seeing jo go through these same feelings as me and going so far as to finding a friend, and even seeing a foreseeable future with them, in just the way they want- makes me happy, sad for myself and eternally grateful that even tho i might never reach those levels of happiness, i can atleast read about people who indeed have found one!! 

~cw: aphobia (challenged), queerphobia (minor), 
Peter Darling by Austin Chant

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense 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

5.0

peter darling 
by austin chant
~format: ebook 
~about: lgbtqiap+, adult fiction, fantasy, β€œPeter Darling is a queer, trans reimagining of Peter Pan.”, exploration of gender identity, love, home and family, angsty, age gap, happily ever after, TINKER BELL!!!!! 
~ m|m
~ rep: trans gay protagonist and gay love interest 

a series of emojis to describe my experience while reading this book:
πŸ˜³πŸ˜Άβ€πŸŒ«οΈπŸ˜²πŸ˜¨πŸ˜ŸπŸ₯ΊπŸ˜πŸ₯³πŸ₯ΊπŸ€­

~cw: transphobia, deadnaming, misgendering, internalised transphobia, injury/injury detail, on page and off page death of loved ones, violence, trauma, grief