goblingirlreads's reviews
818 reviews

Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang

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adventurous hopeful inspiring 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

4.0

I've never really read Superman stories. The "perfect hero" thing just never really clicked with me but Gene Lien Yang made me really get it. This is a wonderful comic about belonging and embracing our similarities and differences. It's also about Superman punching the Klan and I can get behind that 100%. Fantastic character development, well-told story, I can see young and old loving this one.
The Fervor by Alma Katsu

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
Loved the Hunger but just can't get into this one. The characters don't feel fully flushed out or interesting and not much is happening.
Babel by R.F. Kuang

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challenging dark reflective 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

I find it much harder to explain why I love something perfectly and wholly than to describe a fault that made me cut a star. This book is a masterpiece. It is one of the most researched books I've ever read. It's stunningly beautifully written. I was in a multi month reading slump and this broke me out of it. I devoured it from beginning to end. It is not an easy read. It is about colonialism and violence, neither of which are easy. But it approaches these subjects with the gravity they deserve and through the eyes of characters who you see change as they learn more about the world they're in. This is a character driven novel for sure and that is my favorite kind. It's an amazing feat of writing, world-building, character development, and storytelling. I'm going to need some time to process it and then I'm going to shove it in everyone's face.
But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo

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dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Thank you to tordotcompub for my copy of this book. Billed as a mix of Mexican Gothic and The Shape of Water but sapphic, picking up this book was a no brainer for me and my tastes. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the advertising hype for me. Not enough environmental eerieness as Mexican Gothic, or monster loving as Shape of Water, and the central sapphic relationship felt empty. What I did like was learning about the creature and the mystery behind her, but it unfortunately wasn't enough for me to recommend this book to others. Nevertheless, I hope it finds its audience!

Through the Woods by E.M. Carroll

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dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Absolutely brilliant collection of short stories. The illustrations elevate everything and every story is chilling and memorable.
Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones

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challenging dark emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Jesus SGJ is some weird genius. For part of this book, I was really confused. There's a lot of symbolism and playing with reality. But SGJ wrapped the story up in a way that I found really moving because he's just like that. It's a bit of a gut-wrenching book about grief, trauma, and moving on (or not moving on) and I ended up really enjoying it.
Home Sick Pilots, Vol. 1: Teenage Haunts by Dan Watters

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adventurous dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Lots of really cool concepts here but I wish the storytelling was a little more clear. It was sometimes hard to tell what was going on. Still lots to enjoy here.
Camp Crypticon Seattle 2024: Writing Contest Anthology by

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

YES all the winners and honorable mentions KILLED it. This anthology is seriously as strong (and stronger) as other more mainstream horror anthologies I've read. Would honestly have taken a book double the length to feature even more honorable mentions, but either way am definitely hoping this gets made again next year. I plan on picking it up!
Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers

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dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Thank you to Levine Querido, Hear Our Voices tours, and Netgalley for my e-copy.

This short story collection is stunning. Many of the stories are inspired by classic monster stories but they are paired with real life horrors such as colonization and domestic violence. Andrea L. Rogers is Cherokee and also includes mythology, language, and the experience of Cherokee people over time. As with all short story collections, there were some stories I liked more than others. But overall, I'm very impressed - there's a lot of powerful imagery in here that I'm not going to forget. Excited to see what this author does next!
A Rose by Any Other Name by Mary McMyne

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
The period of history is interesting enough but I'm just not connecting with the main characters or the writing style. I think someone who likes a slow paced historical read with a strong bi female character would absolutely love this. The pacing just didn't work for me!