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caseythereader's reviews
1697 reviews
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
- Tanya Byrne has the incredible ability to write books that feel both real and ethereal, and IN THE SHALLOWS is no exception.
- I loved Mara and her group of girlfriends. They were a wonderful mix of loving and sniping, always there for each other but also willing to tell hard truths.
- I also liked the perspective of the book. It’s told as if an older Mara is looking back at this time in her life. There’s a lot of “I understand now that...” and “if only I had known” and I think made the intense subject matter a bit of a lesson for younger readers without literally spelling out morals.
- As soon as I understood what was happening with the central mystery, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Truly: I read this whole book in one day because I had to know what was going to happen.
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Cursing, Medical content, and Death of parent
- 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
4.5
- It feels sort of cliche these days to call a YA novel “important,” but THIRSTY really is. It tackles not only drinking, but also race, class, and more.
- I loved the way Blake’s drinking was portrayed in this book. She was drinking socially, drinking to feel like she belonged, drinking to make friends. She didn’t have one huge rock bottom moment, but rather a slow building of moments that finally came into focus for her.
- It’s sometimes a hard read, when Blake and others are making repeated bad choices. But it’s also filled with love and understanding for Blake and her mindset.
- After adoring Hammonds’ WE DESERVE MONUMENTS and now THIRSTY, they’re an autobuy author for me now. Can’t wait to see what’s next.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Vomit, Outing, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content
3.75
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Cursing, Deadnaming, and Pandemic/Epidemic
- 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
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia, Medical content, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Racial slurs
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
- I both loved and was frustrated with THE HONEY WITCH. I adored the isle of Innisfree, with its beautiful cottage and friendly spirits and bees. Truly, the beauty of nature is on display in this book.
- I also loved the romance element of the story. The concept of bringing a skeptic around to believing in magic and falling in love along the way was so sweet.
- However, the world building of this book left a lot to be desired for me. Unrelated magical powers popped up when they needed to, the rules of society were never quite clear, and the plot reveal at the end was so obvious so early on that it actually became frustrating waiting for the characters to figure it out.
- This book also kind of confused romantic love and physical intimacy in a way I didn’t like. I don’t want to go into it here due to spoilers, but I’d love to talk about it if you’ve read this book.
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Racism and Classism
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Rape and Suicide
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
- ICON AND INFERNO is the sequel to STARS AND SMOKE, and it’s even better than the first book.
- I loved being back with Winter and Sydney. Their chemistry and care for each other is such a great mix.
- The audiobook, narrated by Becca Q. Co, had me on the edge of my seat during action scenes (literally, I was on the Metro and nearly missed my stop)!
- The twists and turns of the plot were fantastic, and I wish this series was a dozen books long.
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Car accident, and Murder
Minor: Sexual content
- 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
- Whew, I loved GAY THE PRAY away so much I read it in one sitting. What an accomplishment to make such a tender story about breaking out of a life and shattering everything you’ve known.
- Valerie and Riley were so cute. I loved seeing them push the boundaries of their lives and find joy and hope in each other.
- My only complaint is I wish it had been longer. Due to the short page count, Valerie’s deconstruction happens pretty quickly. I would have liked to spend more time in that investigative phase.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Cursing and Racism