alyxthebookdragon's reviews
137 reviews

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

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funny hopeful 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

5.0

I am a sucker for tlc. Anxiety ridden boy with my only the best intentions and the occasional show of resolve and strength being taken care of by his guards who are loyal because he’s, at his core, a good person? Yea ok. I’ll read the heck out of it and love every second and maybe cry a little when it’s over.
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Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I love this book so much. Chaos characters are my favorite and Kiem fits the bill. I love the friendship and then some that he builds with Jainan. I love Bel and how she doesn’t take Kiem’s BS. The universe is fascinating and I love the politics at play in the plot. It was intriguing and it hit me in the feels.
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Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell

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adventurous funny 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

5.0

I love chaos characters. And so I definitely loved this books. The characters are so engaging. The plot moves quickly and I love the universe it’s set in.
How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC Davis

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informative fast-paced

5.0

Dancer from the Dance by Andrew Holleran

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2.0

It’s the casual racism for me. Everything people wax poetic about this books is true. Beautifully captures a time post stonewall and pre aids crisis. Gay gatsby. But we have to hold space to honor the history of those before us while critically examining the things they got wrong. This is a white, privileged book just as much as it is a tale of gay melancholy. We can sympathize with the oppression of these gay men in Dancer and also reach for a more intersectional mindset. 
I’m glad I read it, but I would be reluctant to recommend it. And never without heavy warnings.
Future Feeling by Joss Lake

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hopeful reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I struggled with this one. It is at time exceptionally insightful and there are passages that I found beautiful and moving. But overall it isn’t going to be one of my favorites. It is an embodiment of white queerness  and reflects (i think accurately)a lot of flaws that us white queers have. While the author tries to tackle a conversation in race, I didn’t find it helpful.
The main character curses someone, spends the whole book trying to help that person, and yet the focus of the story is only ever on the main characters growth. And while there is some growth, it was self centered and white centric and I did not like who the main character started or ended as
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin

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adventurous hopeful inspiring tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book definitely put NKJ in the top five of my favorite authors. It is a stunning second book, and I thought it couldn’t get any better than Stone Sky.
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The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was enraptured from the start. I fell head over heels for these characters and this world and this book broke me. It punched me in the face and I said thank you. It is dark, so if you aren’t in a good headspace be very careful. 
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After Squidnight by Jonathan E. Fenske

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funny medium-paced

5.0

This books is such a fun read. The rhythm of the words is engaging and the squids are fantastic. It’s one my child and I have read many times and always love it.
On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

The colors? The feels? The gay? I loved this book. Space and restoration and finding yourself and uncovering histories. All told with breathtaking art. I wanna frame many of these pages.