tajosima's reviews
90 reviews

The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? No

4.0

The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl

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dark emotional mysterious 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? No

2.0

If you’re going to have mental health representation, do your homework: OCD 👏 isn’t 👏 just 👏 counting 👏 stuff! 
OCD means OBSESSIVE compulsive disorder. There has to be an obsession, intrusive thoughts, thoughts that a person doesn’t want to have. Being anxious and counting stuff isn’t proper representation if you don’t explain what is making that person doing compulsions.. and specially if you write that people count things because it “distracts the brain”. writing that means you don’t know what OCD is because we don’t even choose our compulsions. And certainly doesn’t “distract the brain”, it gives a short lived and fake relief for anxiety, but then jt actually reinforces the obsession, meaning that doing compulsions is unhealthy. This is representation only helps keeping the stigma around OCD. It deserves 2 stars cause the characters and the story were good. Shamed it was ruined tbh
Nocturno by Tony Sandoval

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Probably didn’t understand the full story because it is complex, but still thought it was beautiful.
In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

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

3.5

Hated most of the characters. Which is the point. And they were interesting and complex. 
Babel by R.F. Kuang

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? No

5.0

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

This is, indeed, a very wholesome story. Like a slice of life filled with beautiful elements. I’m happy I have read it
Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf

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challenging dark emotional informative mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Even tho the characters aren’t the nicest people, this is a great story! And the fact that the main character is always on the edge, doubting everyone, makes us doubt everyone (imo). It is also good to see  representation about grieving, it was very well done. I’d say this is a story to consume via reading and audio, if you can. I listen to it on audio, which has a great narrator and it’s good to be able to listen to words and names how to say them correctly. But because I didn’t have the book to follow along, i would also like to have been able to see the words and letters. So imo both always are the way to go.
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The Stitchers by Lorien Lawrence

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adventurous dark mysterious sad 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? No

3.75

Another great middle grade spooky book. And the stakes felt real and high.
Ghost Girl by Ally Malinenko

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adventurous dark inspiring mysterious sad fast-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

4.75

Middle grade spooky books are sooo good and this is no exception. It gave me Small Spaces vibes, although it was a complete different story on its own.
The Break Up by Charlotte Barnes

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emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Sadly relatable, but I guess it means it was done very well.