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alyxthebookdragon's reviews
137 reviews
The Two Lions by Nagisa Furuya
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Transphobia, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Strictly No Heroics by B.L. Radley
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
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? No
5.0
I had the immense pleasure of beta reading this. I can barely fathom that it’s a real book now! GAHH! I love this book so much. It’s wickedly funny, and aching heartfelt. A nice little f-u to the status quo. Also sapphic badassery and sweetness:):):):):):). I’ll go to my grave claiming that frank and bill have nothing in Aaron and the Captain. (And they’re just the background art here). There’s henchmen who unionize. What’s not to love about this book?? Radley is a stunning author and this is a story I’m going to carry with me for a very long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
How To Bite Your Neighbor & Win A Wager by D.N. Bryn
adventurous
emotional
fast-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? Yes
4.5
A Betrayal of Storms by Ben Alderson
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart by Alicia Garza
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Honest about where we are and hopeful for where we can go. This is a book about community building, and therefore squiring power, to change the world for the better. We live in an incredibly broken society in the USA, and it’s easy to loose hope. This book is a reminder that though it is an uphill battle, it is a battle that can be fought and won. We have to remember why we fight— for everyone to be able to live and love and thrive, to be known and to know others, to be supported by and offer support to the community we build around ourselves. Anyone looking to organize should read this book and take notes.
Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
I am not a fan of myth retellings. That’s pretty much my only qualm with this book. This is a pretty interesting retelling of beauty and the beast, full of horror and spice. And the ending is quite the twist, too. I’m just the type of person that cringed at every familiar trope. I almost quit reading at the library. It’s a testament to the writing that I finished it. If you enjoy books inspired by beauty and the beast and horror, this is a great book. It’s just not my cup of tea. But I hope it’s true fans find it and show it all the appropriate love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Suicide attempt
Alfajiri by Michael LaBorn
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is a very accessible book. The language is easy and the pace is quick. It’s an interesting world for anyone dipping their toes into the fantasy realm. I was left with a lot of questions that I hope get answered in another book.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A cast of characters who are hurt and who often misunderstand the hurts of other. This is a book about being human, about coping with loss and tragedy, disability and mental illness, about hoping for a better world and shaping what you can of the world into something better. It is sad (my favorite character died). And I am so glad I read it. Gender nonconformity is not front and center here, but it is casually accepted. Gay marriage is honored even if the laws forbid it, even if society is against it. It tackles many other things and just allows them to exist in the messy conundrum of humanity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Mass/school shootings