camp_redwood's reviews
85 reviews

Hamlet Is Not OK by R.A. Spratt

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adventurous funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

V cute! Much deeper than I expected it to go- I would absolutely recommend this one for most of my middle schoolers. (TBH it would make a super cute humanities book project, as well. My gears are turning… 💜🧑‍🎤✨)
The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez

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reflective slow-paced
Mixed feelings reflecting on how to rate this. Store ALC, I was immediately drawn to the art and description, and it was queued up for the shops book club programming- obviously it had it happen. It has a ridiculously cool concept, I felt committed to finishing it, and there were a lot of thoughtful layers. I wish I had enjoyed it? I feel guilty for not enjoying it. Maybe it wasn’t the right timing for me with this one.  🤖
The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

This book is fantasy the way pink La Croix is grapefruit flavored.  Cute concept- but it was too much cheesy romcom to actually read it as a fantasy…  Maybe I’ve just been ruined by dark drama lately but the potential for fiction about creatures like this in a zoo could go so far… That being said, If you go into it with adjusted expectations you’ll probably enjoy it more. 

"Bisexual enemies to lovers: while young (fantasy animal) zoologists (with catty college mean girl drama) fight 
the red tape of global conservation and protect their zoo from poachers" would have been a closer mark on it. 

Fingers crossed the next edition has a cover redesign so it gets stacked with beach reads instead of high fantasy, and I will adjust my rating accordingly. 🤣

Lore Olympus: Volume Two by Rachel Smythe

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

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lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

Endearing plot, very unlikeable main characters. In theory they’re cool late twenties queer foodies, but in reality they’re bougie pretentious entitled little shits. I have low expectations of men, but was hella disappointed at how they portrayed the NB/they/she MC. Ugh. 
After the Forest by Kell Woods

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

I was hooked immediately and felt so immersed, but it was also dark dark dark and I lost focus in the second half. For fans of fairy tale telling, who also like family trauma and body horror. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

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lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

“Best friends” miscommunicate, feelings get hurt, life keeps going, and they accidentally reunite after a decade of unrequited love. 

It was cute, the characters were likeable, and the flirty interactions were the least cringy I’ve read in a minute! 

If your here for the WLW, the 🌶️🔥 I know you’re looking for is around chapter 9/10ish?  (I gotchu boo😘) so overall, it was a lovely modern (and realistic) sapphic romance. 
A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

3.75

It was okay I guess? Idk if it was low key boring or I’m just out of adderall. 
Refusing Excalibur by Denise Baker, Paul Simpson, Zachary Jones

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 2%.
I attempted this read at a friend’s request- but honestly I couldn’t get past the volume of grammatical errors DURING a REALLY COCKY opening  acknowledgement about how much editing there was. My fourth graders do better proofreading. I wish it was a rough draft so it might could change? It has good bones……..In short, I could not even.