bookishkellyn's reviews
284 reviews

Waiting in Vain by Colin Channer

challenging tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Paraphrasing the author, Fire ‘Adrian’ and Sylvia were lovers well before they shared their bodies with each other. Reading this story felt like looking through a blurry camera lens that comes into focus at the end as it examines them and their artistic, interconnected, social circle (e.g. Ian, Margaret, Phil, Lewis, Virgil). It was gritty and most of the cast lacked redeeming qualities. The depth of the author’s pen was felt but the book is a little outdated, and the formatting threw me off at times when POVs and scenes switched with no warning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, and Grief

Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

Sincerely, Her Gangsta by Mya

hopeful tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This had its cute moments. I like instalove, but the (short) third act breakup, Tyler Perry-ish baby daddy storyline, and romanticization of Sincere’s mommy issues irked me. In some ways, this lowkey reminded me of Luca by Grey Huffington.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Chronic illness, Stalking, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Come Inside: a risqué novella by ShanicexLola

funny relaxing

4.0

This was more romance than erotica. The spice was pretty tame, but the chemistry between Kiyah and Nixon almost made up for it. It gave believable instalove vibes after a whirlwind weekend.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Chronic illness and Death of parent

For His Pleasure: Virgin Territory by Kimberly Brown

adventurous

2.0

Ivy loves Declan’s soft love but wants the hard d*ck he’s been denying her, because her sex toys hate to see her coming–literally–at this point. The book wasn’t believable to me. The plot quickly dissipated, and it felt like she was just throwing BDSM scenes at readers hoping it would stick.

The Coldest Secret Ever: Standalone by N'Dia Rae

mysterious

1.5

Wow, this was bad. There was a lot left to be desired with the writing–especially the evil twin’s motivations. I didn’t DNF because it was a buddy read. I gave some pity points for the author’s attempt to incorporate some razzle dazzle with the plot twist(s).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Kidnapping, and Stalking

Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Violence

Never Say Never: An Urban Crime Thriller by Toni Larue'

mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

What do you get when you mix an insecure housewife, a secretive husband, and a “good cop/bad cop” duo? You get this easy, popcorn thriller. I liked that the ending didn’t come completely out of left field, but I easily guessed the plot twist.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Violence, Grief, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Infertility, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark

adventurous dark funny mysterious

• 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

This book has a seriously unserious humor that’s highlighted by the FMC (Eveen) as she quips about how down bad she had to have been to sign a “contract to work while I’m dead.” Her latest “shipping” goes awry, and the personal implications lead her on an adventure. I won’t name anything this book reminds me of as it would ruin the plot, but it was refreshing. It’s more mystery than fantasy, so it’s great for people who aren’t into high fantasy. The audiobook narrator was fantastic and really brought this to life with the various accents (e.g. Fennis, Baseema, Aeril) and different voice inflections.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror, Child death, Torture, Blood, and Murder

The Air Between Us by Shameka S. Erby

hopeful relaxing

3.5

Why-choose romances are my guilty pleasure but can be really hit or miss, and this second chance/instalove poly romance was mid. Nasim ‘Lil Baby’ was kind of pitiful to me, but Trevino ‘Truck’ & Bashir ‘Butta’ loved her down. The dialogue was vomit-inducing sweet but scenes were spicy, and I’m a sucker for a HEA.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Biphobia

Minor: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Grief, and Pregnancy

Something Like Right by H.D. Hunter

hopeful reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It was a book about first love and second chances but also felt like a book about nothing at all with a touch of sad boy lit. I’m not exaggerating when I say that nothing really happened in the first half of the book, but the second half was creative enough to almost make up for it. Pros: The author’s pen game was nice. I was fully invested in Zay’s character and his bonding with the male characters (Kenny, Smith, Keith). Cons: Zay’s unbalanced attachments to the two most important female characters (Tameka, Feven) felt unexplored–they got off too easy.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and Abandonment

Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find-and Keep-Love by Rachel S.F. Heller, Amir Levine

4.5