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stephjayne4_reads's reviews
145 reviews
Out On a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young
emotional
funny
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
4.5
UGH I LOVE THIS BOOK! Hannah Bonam-Young just does not miss. The disability representation in this book was so well done. Tender, heartwarming, and funny, I cannot wait to recommend this book to others
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
You can’t beg the world to do what you want. You can’t ask it nicely. You must bend it to your will.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wowww I am so impressed by this book! I loved that the author addressed the elephant in the room right off the bat - the fact that a man wrote a book about women, motherhood, female empowerment, etc etc.
If you’re looking for a witchy, fight the patriarchy read to escape the day-to-day craziness that is American politics, I highly recommend this one.
The main characters of the book are a group of young unwed mothers sent to a group home to wait out their pregnancy so they can give birth, give their babies up for adoption, then return back home as if nothing happened. But when they meet a strange librarian who gives them a book of spells and the chance to get even, things get really interesting. ⚡️
OK OK now onto Onyx Storm!
Next To You by Hannah Bonam-Young
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Loved this - not quite as good (imo) as Next of Kin, but still a really solid romance with lots of depth, touching moments, and witty banter. I love the mental health representation in this one, but the trauma hit a little too close to home for me
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
4.0
“Any maybe there is no nation or citizenry; they’re just territories mapped in place of family, in place of love, the infinite country.“
Wow, what a powerful, heartbreaking, maddening story. Definitely read the trigger warnings before going into this one, because the subject matter is heavy.
Wow, what a powerful, heartbreaking, maddening story. Definitely read the trigger warnings before going into this one, because the subject matter is heavy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, and Deportation
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
James by Percival Everett
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book deserves all the praise it gets. Should be required reading - this one will stay with you long after you read it.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was my second time reading Fourth Wing (in anticipation of Onyx Storm), and my rating has definitely gone down a bit.
The first time I read this, I was addicted, so I overlooked a lot of things that were much clearer to me this time around. The writing is not… great. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Am I still excited for Onyx Storm? You bet! Is this the beat piece of fiction out there? Definitely not.
I think all these things can coexist, as long as you go into it expecting an entertaining read and don’t pay very close attention to the prose.
The first time I read this, I was addicted, so I overlooked a lot of things that were much clearer to me this time around. The writing is not… great. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Am I still excited for Onyx Storm? You bet! Is this the beat piece of fiction out there? Definitely not.
I think all these things can coexist, as long as you go into it expecting an entertaining read and don’t pay very close attention to the prose.
Leather and Lark by Brynne Weaver
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-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? Yes
4.0
This series is so fun… I think I liked this one even better than the first!
I really like how the characters and couples have a through line in all the books (I think the third is coming this year). You really get a chance to get to know and love them, and then they show up again in subsequent books in a larger way than a passing comment or scene in one chapter.
I really like how the characters and couples have a through line in all the books (I think the third is coming this year). You really get a chance to get to know and love them, and then they show up again in subsequent books in a larger way than a passing comment or scene in one chapter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Pedophilia
Book of Night by Holly Black
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
“The universe belongs to the curious.”
This was a dark, sometimes overly complex, super unique magic system, fantasy book. It’s like nothing I’ve ever read, but sometimes was a bit too dark for me. I enjoyed it overall, though
This was a dark, sometimes overly complex, super unique magic system, fantasy book. It’s like nothing I’ve ever read, but sometimes was a bit too dark for me. I enjoyed it overall, though
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow… I DEVOURED this book. Such good character development and twists and turns - the hype is soooo warranted in my opinion. I thought at the beginning it would feel too long (the book is fat), but the length was actually perfect. Highly recommend!
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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
I loved this book. It’s a historical fiction told with dual timelines, by a woman playwright in 2024, and her ancestor writer in Elizabethan times.
Ever heard the rumor that Shakespeare didn’t actually write his iconic work? This book examines that, from the perspective of a woman thought to have contributed to his great success.
I think this was a little too long - it started to drag maybe the last 100 pages. Super interesting though and makes me want to research this more!
Ever heard the rumor that Shakespeare didn’t actually write his iconic work? This book examines that, from the perspective of a woman thought to have contributed to his great success.
I think this was a little too long - it started to drag maybe the last 100 pages. Super interesting though and makes me want to research this more!