Scan barcode
xoxobookishgirl's reviews
446 reviews
Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.0
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rep : Chinese-American, Sapphic MC
CW : Sexual assault, racism
💄Discussion of beauty standards
💸Makes fun of what rich people will do for money
🩸Cult vibes
😱Slow-burn horror
"Songs that depicted the country people often told me to return to, but that I had never seen."
"Between the two of them, they appropriate an impressive number of cultures."
What I Loved
1) The writing style was really engaging and helped get me out of a reading slump
2) This feels like a more well developed Rouge by Mona Awad. The writing felt very similar in the like off the cuff comments that are included, but this book definitely worked better. If you are a fan of Mona Awad, you definitely need to pick this up I think you'll love it (also jellyfish are also mentioned in this book which really reminded me of Rouge)!
3) I love how the main character calls out everyone's bullshit in her head such as 'I realise I should thank her for supporting the vague "arts", which in this instance is me'.
4) This style of slow-burn horror worked really well as we kept getting hints of something sinister going on and after every reveal it kept me intrigued for more, even though technically nothing had happened yet.
5) The twist had me SHOCKED I love how everything comes together at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley, Canelo and Ling Ling Huang for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
Rep : Chinese-American, Sapphic MC
CW : Sexual assault, racism
💄Discussion of beauty standards
💸Makes fun of what rich people will do for money
🩸Cult vibes
😱Slow-burn horror
"Songs that depicted the country people often told me to return to, but that I had never seen."
"Between the two of them, they appropriate an impressive number of cultures."
What I Loved
1) The writing style was really engaging and helped get me out of a reading slump
2) This feels like a more well developed Rouge by Mona Awad. The writing felt very similar in the like off the cuff comments that are included, but this book definitely worked better. If you are a fan of Mona Awad, you definitely need to pick this up I think you'll love it (also jellyfish are also mentioned in this book which really reminded me of Rouge)!
3) I love how the main character calls out everyone's bullshit in her head such as 'I realise I should thank her for supporting the vague "arts", which in this instance is me'.
4) This style of slow-burn horror worked really well as we kept getting hints of something sinister going on and after every reveal it kept me intrigued for more, even though technically nothing had happened yet.
5) The twist had me SHOCKED I love how everything comes together at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley, Canelo and Ling Ling Huang for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Sexual assault
Love Potion by Cindy Paul
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
3.5
⭐⭐⭐✨
Rep : Sapphic MCs
🪄Witch MC
🏰Princes Love Interest
🧝Magical creatures
🖌️Written as a novel with illustrations throughout
What I Liked
1) The art style is amazing and really brings the story to life. I've checked out the artists site and I'm definitely buying prints from them. I love how it feels like you're reading a fairy-tale book because of the mix of text and illustrations.
2) If you want to read a romance but not commit to a full book, I feel this novella is perfect to get a satisfying story while remaining short.
3) The creatures in this book are absolutely adorable
What I Disliked
1) The romance was cute but ultimately the story just felt ok. Without the art and unique formatting I think the story would have been lacking.
Overall, if the format of this book intrigues you I would recommend you pick it up and I would read more illustrated books by this author. I also saw they made a colouring book for some scenes on their website and it looks so cute.
Rep : Sapphic MCs
🪄Witch MC
🏰Princes Love Interest
🧝Magical creatures
🖌️Written as a novel with illustrations throughout
What I Liked
1) The art style is amazing and really brings the story to life. I've checked out the artists site and I'm definitely buying prints from them. I love how it feels like you're reading a fairy-tale book because of the mix of text and illustrations.
2) If you want to read a romance but not commit to a full book, I feel this novella is perfect to get a satisfying story while remaining short.
3) The creatures in this book are absolutely adorable
What I Disliked
1) The romance was cute but ultimately the story just felt ok. Without the art and unique formatting I think the story would have been lacking.
Overall, if the format of this book intrigues you I would recommend you pick it up and I would read more illustrated books by this author. I also saw they made a colouring book for some scenes on their website and it looks so cute.
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, and War
The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Lindz McLeod
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rep : (Implied) Lesbian MCs, Sapphic Romance
🛏️Only One Bed
❤️Regency Historical Romance
🖤Recently Widowed
📖Pride and Prejudice Retelling
😔Discussions of Grief
👭Friends to Lovers
🏳️🌈Discovering Sexuality
'How long can one hold a friend's hand without being thought odd?'
'She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the ache. A lifetime's worth of repression spilling out. "I thought I was quite alone."'
What I Loved
1) The regency vibes were perfect!
2) The discussion of what it's like to be a widow in the regency era and the expectations put on a widow
3) I love all the disses to Mr Collins in Charlotte's head. They had me laughing so much.
4) The banter and chemistry in the romance was exactly my taste. The slow burn had me so invested!
5) The discussion of Charlotte grieving Mr Collins not being in the way that is expected I could see make a lot of people being seen.
6) Often in books with one person discovering their sexuality, the other is really pushy but in this I truly felt Mary was being respectful and waiting until she was 100% comfortable with anything.
What I Disliked
1) After the couple got together, it basically went from a complete slowburn to being a lot of sex scenes at once and it's just not my personal preference.
Thank you to Netgalley, Little Brown Book Group and Lindz McLeod for this arc in exchange for an honest review
Rep : (Implied) Lesbian MCs, Sapphic Romance
🛏️Only One Bed
❤️Regency Historical Romance
🖤Recently Widowed
📖Pride and Prejudice Retelling
😔Discussions of Grief
👭Friends to Lovers
🏳️🌈Discovering Sexuality
'How long can one hold a friend's hand without being thought odd?'
'She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the ache. A lifetime's worth of repression spilling out. "I thought I was quite alone."'
What I Loved
1) The regency vibes were perfect!
2) The discussion of what it's like to be a widow in the regency era and the expectations put on a widow
3) I love all the disses to Mr Collins in Charlotte's head. They had me laughing so much.
4) The banter and chemistry in the romance was exactly my taste. The slow burn had me so invested!
5) The discussion of Charlotte grieving Mr Collins not being in the way that is expected I could see make a lot of people being seen.
6) Often in books with one person discovering their sexuality, the other is really pushy but in this I truly felt Mary was being respectful and waiting until she was 100% comfortable with anything.
What I Disliked
1) After the couple got together, it basically went from a complete slowburn to being a lot of sex scenes at once and it's just not my personal preference.
Thank you to Netgalley, Little Brown Book Group and Lindz McLeod for this arc in exchange for an honest review
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Sexism
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
Gruesome Getaway by R.N. Cogley
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
⭐⭐✨
Rep : Achillean MC
🍀Set in Ireland
🎃Near Halloween
😮Cult Horror
What I Liked
1) I love that the MC is a forensic psychologist since its the career path I want to go into
2) It was entertaining enough but it was so surface level. It sort of feel like the first 100 pages in a full novel setting up stuff but then immediately skips to the climax. The pacing was really off I wish more time was spent learning about the cult as personally the cult vibes are why I was interested in this.
What I Disliked
1) I hated that the main focus of this book was the MC being cheated on because it just took up way too much of what is meant to be a horror.
2) I'm usually not bothered by pop culture references but there was a lot and it just took me out of the atmosphere.
3) To say he is meant to be a forensic psychologist he does not take all of the signs that some shit was going on serious enough.
4) Declan was sooo dumb it was frustrating to read. Their actions and reactions to stuff don't make logical sense its like they don't have a sense of danger.
Thank you to Netgalley, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and R.N. Cogley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review
Rep : Achillean MC
🍀Set in Ireland
🎃Near Halloween
😮Cult Horror
What I Liked
1) I love that the MC is a forensic psychologist since its the career path I want to go into
2) It was entertaining enough but it was so surface level. It sort of feel like the first 100 pages in a full novel setting up stuff but then immediately skips to the climax. The pacing was really off I wish more time was spent learning about the cult as personally the cult vibes are why I was interested in this.
What I Disliked
1) I hated that the main focus of this book was the MC being cheated on because it just took up way too much of what is meant to be a horror.
2) I'm usually not bothered by pop culture references but there was a lot and it just took me out of the atmosphere.
3) To say he is meant to be a forensic psychologist he does not take all of the signs that some shit was going on serious enough.
4) Declan was sooo dumb it was frustrating to read. Their actions and reactions to stuff don't make logical sense its like they don't have a sense of danger.
Thank you to Netgalley, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and R.N. Cogley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Torture, and Violence
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
So you’re telling me the love interest has watched her grow up? Absolutely not.
Uzumaki by Junji Ito
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
One Piece, Vol. 1: Romance Dawn by Eiichiro Oda
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0