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skudiklier's reviews
602 reviews
this boy is a rainbow by Sam Payne
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I love Sam's work in general, and it was so nice getting to finally read his first collection! This is so sweet and honest and I love the artwork that goes along with it. <3
This Time It's Real by Ann Liang
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Okay, so, I literally just finished this thirty seconds ago, and maybe I should take longer before I write a review. I want to say I really liked this and I was super invested and I think it was written well. I love a good fake dating romance and this one was peak fake dating I feel like.
(spoilers below for the ending, but not really if you know that all romances end with HEAs, there's nothing specific I guess)
But also.....what I'm feeling right in this moment after finishing it is a little frustrated. Everything was wrapped up and the ending was nice and all that, but with the final confession/getting back together scene, and them being happy together at the end, I just feel like it was missing something? I didn't get that final release really, it felt too fast or too fake and I just wanted to see Caz's reaction to her confession, have all that tension go away. The ending just felt weird despite all the boxes being ticked, and that was disappointing after how invested I felt in everything.
Okay but. Now that I said that, for real, I really liked this. I did feel a couple times like there was stuff they were glossing over (like, in relation to her becoming famous suddenly, or stuff with his show, sometimes it felt like they could have spent a lot more time on the effects of that on her life), but overall I liked it and think it was written well. I definitely like Liang's romances and will happily read more if she keeps writing them.
(spoilers below for the ending, but not really if you know that all romances end with HEAs, there's nothing specific I guess)
But also.....what I'm feeling right in this moment after finishing it is a little frustrated. Everything was wrapped up and the ending was nice and all that, but with the final confession/getting back together scene, and them being happy together at the end, I just feel like it was missing something? I didn't get that final release really, it felt too fast or too fake and I just wanted to see Caz's reaction to her confession, have all that tension go away. The ending just felt weird despite all the boxes being ticked, and that was disappointing after how invested I felt in everything.
Okay but. Now that I said that, for real, I really liked this. I did feel a couple times like there was stuff they were glossing over (like, in relation to her becoming famous suddenly, or stuff with his show, sometimes it felt like they could have spent a lot more time on the effects of that on her life), but overall I liked it and think it was written well. I definitely like Liang's romances and will happily read more if she keeps writing them.
The Bombay Prince by Sujata Massey
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I'm really enjoying this series, and I'm excited another one is coming out soon! I like how each mystery is theoretically readable on its own, but if you read them all in order you get more out of the characters and their evolving relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Minor: Vomit, Police brutality, and Pregnancy
On an Ebbing Seafoam Tide by Alannah Radburn
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This book is so full of beautiful poems. It's incredible how much queer love shines through the words, and how real the emotions are. Alannah Radburn is a gorgeous writer and this book is absolutely proof of that.
Thank you to Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the chance to read and review this ARC.
Thank you to Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the chance to read and review this ARC.
A Perfect Vintage by Chelsea Fagan
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-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
4.75
I got so swept up in this book. I couldn't put it down! I love it when romances are so in the head is the main character, and they're not 100% likeable but they feel very human and flawed in a real way.
My only complaint is that the word "gastronomic" was used way too many times. But other than that I really enjoyed this! I'd definitely recommend it to romance fans.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orsay Press for the chance to read and review this ARC.
My only complaint is that the word "gastronomic" was used way too many times. But other than that I really enjoyed this! I'd definitely recommend it to romance fans.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orsay Press for the chance to read and review this ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I liked this book just as much as the first one! I'd definitely recommend this series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Pregnancy
Heavy is the Head by Sumaya Enyegue
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This book is absolutely incredible. After finishing it I'm genuinely speechless, I don't know what to say to describe how much I loved it. Most of my notes on it are just the name of a poem followed by "!!!" or "holy shit" or "..........." There's so much I related to about girlhood and monstrosity. Sumaya's writing is a gut punch in the best way, and I'd highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the chance to read and review this ARC.
Thank you to Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the chance to read and review this ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Grief
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.75
I enjoyed this! I was very caught up in both timelines, and at every stage I wanted to know what would happen. The mystery wasn't too easy to figure out (for me at least), and i read the second half of the book in one day because I just needed to finish it. I'd definitely read more if this became a series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infertility, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Racism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I'm not sure how to review this when I read the whole webcomic all at once, rather than reading just this first volume, and on top of that the story isn't finished yet.
Overall for Lore Olympus as a whole, I like it. I'm definitely engaged and I couldn't stop reading it over the course of a couple days, until I was fully caught up. I think some of the criticisms are valid, but in general I think this is a nice enjoyable read. I'm definitely invested in where it goes from here!
And thinking about it being split into volumes like this, tbh if I'd only read the first 25 comics I feel like maybe I would think it was really slow and nothing really happened. So, idk. That's not really anyone's fault though, as the pacing for a book and a webcomic are naturally different.
Overall for Lore Olympus as a whole, I like it. I'm definitely engaged and I couldn't stop reading it over the course of a couple days, until I was fully caught up. I think some of the criticisms are valid, but in general I think this is a nice enjoyable read. I'm definitely invested in where it goes from here!
And thinking about it being split into volumes like this, tbh if I'd only read the first 25 comics I feel like maybe I would think it was really slow and nothing really happened. So, idk. That's not really anyone's fault though, as the pacing for a book and a webcomic are naturally different.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Always Human, Season 2 by Ari North
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.75
This is such a light lovely comic! There's drama without it being too angsty--for the most part this is just a nice, realistic (in terms of the relationship) look at a sweet new relationship. And the world and its technology is fascinating! Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a soft nice wlw romance with no risk of heartbreak <3 I especially like how this second season focuses on other relationships too, like her friendship with Rae.