obscurepages's reviews
374 reviews

 Okay, this is just classic romcom. One that I probably needed because I've been in a book slump for quite a bit!

Here's what I loved:
- the fat rep (I love the discussions in this book about being fat, e.g. how shopping is messy, how there are no fat princesses/not much fat MCs in the media, how fat people also eat healthy and are healthy but still disregarded, the small insecurity/doubt fat people still have despite being confident, these are all so important and so real/relatable, and I love that the author clearly showed that)
- mental health rep (not talked about a lot, but still I love that it was highlighted)
- the main plot didn't pit women against women! I love that the author showed camaraderie between Ariel and the other Court princesses, especially Lana. At first I thought they were going to be against each other, but I love how they sort of came together and understood each other at the end
- the romance. I have to admit there were some swoon-worthy stuff in here
- funny and light prose/writing style

What I didn't exactly like:
- they kept saying "fat-ist" in the book?! Just say fatphobic, please, it's really right there (sorry, this annoyed me lol)
- at times, I feel like the book is actually such a cliche, but I feel like that's exactly the mission of the author. Especially since Ariel herself likes romcom movies so much and is a sucker for these cliche/classics.
- Characterization. I've gotten to know Ariel and Rhys pretty well in the book, but I feel like the minor characters didn't shine that much.

Overall, Cupcake is such a fun book and I enjoyed reading it! If you're looking for a quick, romcom read with great fat rep, this is it!

Exact rating: 3.75/5

CW: fatphobia, mentions of eating disorder in the past, bullying (verbal, physical (on a flashback not on page)), mental illness, food/desserts

Thank you so much to Entangled Teen for sending over an ARC! (This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.) 

 Okay, so. I just finished this book and???? That was not the ending I expected! I don't know how I feel about it 😭 I like it? But at the same time, it just feels harrowing and melancholic, and yet hopeful at the same time??? I don't think I can process much of my feelings and thoughts right now.

So what did I like about the book? I absolutely love the magic system and the world-building. I'm a sucker for scifi/fantasy books with intricate world-building, so it's not a surprise that I loved the world and the magic here in What We Devour. I also liked the eeriness of it. I liked the writing style, which was both poetic and dark. I liked the characters, especially Lorena's character arc. It's not perfect or righteous, but instead we see someone change and do things, not just for their family and friends but for other people. I also absolutely loved the asexual rep in this book! The word wasn't mentioned here at all, but the way Lorena thought about it, explained it, and how people always judge and misunderstand her felt raw to me.

My only issues with the book? I guess wanted more action? I wanted more of that dangerous/high stakes feel? But that's just my personal preference for this story. This was still very much entertaining and the plot twists did not disappoint me.

Overall, this was a good read. A perfect choice this spooky season!

E-arc from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book. 

 Okay, wow wow wow. I don't even know how to explain this book. This was a beautiful and heart wrenching story of being human—of getting lost, making mistakes, trying to make a connection with others, of falling in love, dealing with our problems, and more. I came for some magic, (and there is magic, yes), but I think what made this book so compelling is the way the author gave me a glimpse of the complexity of reality instead. I love that. 🤧

The writing style is just brilliant. I absolutely love how the author isn't afraid to dive deep into the psyche of the characters, and show the readers how unstable/unreliable the characters are, how lonely they are, what drives them to do things or to cope with the things around them.

In a way, I see Some Faraway Place as a character study that's just so heartfelt and complex and raw. If I shed a few tears reading the last few chapters, well, no one saw it okay 🤧😂 (Also, I adored the queer rep + fat rep! And the way I got to meet all the previous characters from the past books, too! I think really missed Caleb and Adam)

This series is so underrated and honestly deserves more love. 

Wow wow wow. This took me on quite a ride and made me question what we know about the world.

It dove into the paranormal/supernatural, the secret organizations, the magic and the scientific theories that surround us, the reality that we know, the hardships that people go through, the society and the system we live in.

Another thing that really impressed me is the writing style and the prose. It was dark and eerie and so captivating. And the fact that the author blended horror, fantasy, and science fiction and he did it so brilliantly. 😭👏

There are a lot of characters and it can get confusing/hard to keep up. However, the way these different characters and their perspectives intertwine was so cool and impressive. (And hello??? That unnamed narrator?!) Kudos to the author for creating such an intricate yet satisfying network of point of views.

I really enjoyed reading this y'all. This one surprised me and I loved it!

E-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Full review soon! 

 I liked this. This was simple, and quiet, and beautiful.

I feel like it took me some time getting used to the writing style and the tone. But once I had a grasp of it, I enjoyed reading and dissecting the prose and poetry here! This was a collection of writings and illustrations about identity, love, sex, loss, healing, queerness, and it was thought-provoking, earnest, and meaningful. On the other hand, I wish this was longer. I wish the author dove into these themes with more writings. Right now, it feels like it ended abruptly. Still, this was a really nice read. That much, I can't deny.

Thank you so much to Augur Editions for sending over a copy! (This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.) 

 Oh, this was so irresistibly good 😭 Now I know why so many of my friends love this!

The Witch King has it all, I think? It has political intrigue, angst and pining, slow burn (helloo?????), "there's only one bed" trope, intimate discussions and honest thoughts about gender identity and sexuality (which is probably my absolute favorite thing in this book), the world-building and the magic system, modern lives meshed with magic, plus the gorgeous writing style and the prose??? Also, it's such a fun book. Yes, there's seriousness in this book and sometimes it can get a little dark, but it's also highly entertaining. This book checks all the boxes for me and I love it.

I think my only issue is that I expected more action for the climax? However, I know the story is far from over and we're only getting introduced to the bigger picture and the next plot to uncover. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL

Exact rating: 4.5 stars. Full review on my blog soon (hopefully!) 

 Okay, I'm so sorry and so sad, but I might have to DNF this.

I'm just not feeling this book 😭 The pacing and the writing style is just not for me, 50% in and nothing's really happening yet.

The MC is okay, but I don't exactly feel the need to root for her. I find it off that she keeps judging people/giving comments based on their body types too. I get that it's because she's so insecure but damn. I also feel like she's a bit too judgmental towards her mother when it comes to the fact that she's now trying to date after her husband left. She hasn't been the best mother yes, (oh she definitely hasn't and I didn't like her for that), but I also didn't like how judgy Lori was.

I like that the book tried to highlight social and political issues in South Africa, that's great and quite educational for readers. But using it as a turning point in Lori's character arc feels a little off for me. Like she has suddenly found her voice only when she started doing paintings about social gender-based issues, when she didn't seem to care about it at the start of the book.

Also the romance feels lacking? Idk but I was not feeling the chemistry 😅

Here's what I really liked tho: The MC's brother is on the spectrum and I love that the book highlights that. He is the best character in here tbh.

I also like how therapy/medication is normalized. The MC goes to see a therapist and I think that's great.

I made it to 60% of this book before I decided I can't continue anymore. A shame because I was so excited for it and the fat rep, and I tried really hard to continue. But yeah, this is not for me I think. 😢

Of course, thank you so much to Wattpad Books for sending over an ARC in exchange for a review. 

 I seriously wanted to just lay down and stare at the ceiling after reading this. This had been incredible. *cries*

Diving into this book, I was excited to pick up where we left off. The first 30% was slow, and there was little to no action (which is a bummer, I think I would have liked more action). However, as you read, you'll find that there's so much details to uncover, a lot of history and magic, and I love that.

Sirscha as main character just has your attention. It was hard to look away from the book because a) she's a compelling character and you want to root for her b) the little plot twists and the details from her perspective catch you off guard and by then you want to keep reading.

As for the other characters, I really wanted to see more Price Meilyk and Saengo and just dive into their characters more. While I didn't exactly get that, there was one character that pleasantly (or oddly?) surprised me--The Soulless. Here, I thought we'd have a villain that needs to be defeated, that's it. But as Sirscha gets to know a little more about The Soulless, I started to realize that there was more to it. There was a part that made me pause because he was starting to make more sense than the supposed "allies" and I was starting to sympathize with him. Don't get me wrong, I still think he's a manipulative jerk. But damn, his backstory and the depth that the author gave him just got to me.

The world-building, wow. I loved reading the first book especially in terms of world-building. But somehow Broken Web was even richer! I loved reading all about their lands, and the history of the kingdoms, the people, their struggles and their conflicts from the past until the current. It was all so riveting. This book reminded me why Fantasy the genre that made me fall in love with reading. Because of this. Because the fictional world pulls you in, because the magic and mythology makes your mind run wild, and because the same time, it also reflects bits and pieces of reality and humanity. I just really loved this.

Also, I have to talk about something and just highlight something in this review: Sirscha is bi. The way I gasped when I saw the author confirm it on IG/Twitter days before I started to read the book. I was super excited, and so elated! Reading the first book, there was a small part of me that thought Sirscha might be queer and that she might have feelings for Saengo. There was just a lot of times that I felt like her love for Saengo is more than friendship. But I discarded that thought because nothing happened between them in the first book. Now though, reading Broken Web, I am honestly living for bi Sirscha. And I've definitely started to ship Sirscha and Saengo. I can't help it *cries*

Overall, Broken Web was a great read! I regret I wasn't able to read this sooner, and I try not to be too harsh on myself about it because I know life happens. But reading this now, wow. In some ways, it felt like a respite. Like it was the book I needed and read at just the right moment.

Exact rating: 4.5

Thank you so, so much to Page Street for sending me an ARC. This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book. 

 Finished this book at 3 AM in the morning and all I could think about is Ruben and Zach and Angel and Jon *cries*

This book was just incredible. Yes, I expected boyband romance, yes, I expected angst and pining. But damn, it still caught me off guard.

What Sophie and Cale has created here is a riveting story about the pressure towards young artists (esp queer/marginalized artists), young people being exploited and controlled by the industry, trying to figure out your sexuality, figuring out what you really want and standing by it, finding family among strangers and coming together, and about finding strength and hope. And of course, a story about love.

This book has left a mark on me and I'll forever cherish this story about Ruben, Zach, Angel, and Jon. Kudos to the authors for this book! I cannot wait until it releases to the world! 💜

(E-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.)

Also, I am officially part of the If This Gets Out Street Team! Look out for exciting stuff on my platforms and the whole team! 

 Oh, this was a riveting read! I loved the atmosphere of this book. The eeriness of the setting and the melancholic tone definitely pulls you in as a reader. You get invested in the story and the characters and you're anticipating and making theories as you read. I loved that!

The characters were great and I loved Logan as the main character! It was amazing how the author managed to give the characters each their own spotlight and give proper characterizations to them. As I read I knew more about their wants, their desires, their flaws, their mistakes. That made the story all the more interesting for me.

I guess, you could also say there was little to no action (I guess I was expecting more). But do not be deceived! You still get hooked with the story and mysteriousness of the plot. Also, the prose here is just poetic, and sad, and a little bit dark, which added more to the flow of the story and the build of the characters.

Above all, I love how it featured a queer family and queer love stories. It also showed that sometimes we have to strive to live in a world that hate us. It was heartbreaking, and also very real.

This was a really great read. Perfect as the spooky season nears!

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for sending over an e-galley! (This, of course, did not affect my overall opinion of the book.)