breandthebooks's reviews
156 reviews

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

Ace is such a poignant necessary read for anyone wanting to either learn more about asexuality. Or deconstruct from what you think the binary of sexuality/Asexuality, Angela Chen masterfully is able to intersect how race, disability, and social constructs shape our understandings of desirability and bias’s when it comes to asexuality. 

This book is so necessary and important for anyone wanting to either learn more about Asexuality, or deconstruct from their own understanding of what Sexuality is and could be. 

Coming Home by Brittney Griner, Michelle Burford

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Take Me Away by Kami Holt
Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.

Crossroads by Devney Perry

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Crossroads was my first ever Devney Perry book and it did not disappoint, this book had so much heart and heartfelt emotion. West and Indya are the quintessential right person wrong time couple, from the moment we meet these two you can just feel the longing and the history they have together. 

This story just gets better and better as you dive deeper into West and Indy’s history, what I loved most was the moments we got to see of them growing up and just knowing they are in love with each other, but too afraid to admit it. 
What I wasn’t expecting was to cry so hard over this book, this story brings out so much raw emotion and you feel the pain and grief with these characters. Devney truly has crafted such an emotional, beautiful, and heartfelt romance. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Grief, and Death of parent

Twisted Love by Ana Huang

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted 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

3.75

Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

Nick and Charlie’s story just keeps getting better, and you just love these characters along with their story more as you follow them on their journey.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Self harm

Rifqa by Mohammed El-Kurd

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

This is a poetry collection you have to sit with, consume slow, and then reflect. The words of Mohammed El-Kurd hits you deep and leaves a lasting impact on your mind. 

Paolo DeLuca by Tamika Brown
Did not finish book. Stopped at 23%.

Dear Vicky by Octavia Grant

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No

Unhinged 

Shu by Alexandria House

dark emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

“You need to quit that job” line is what got me!! I really enjoyed the character development of these two characters, nothing about this entire series felt rushed or incomplete. I loved that we got to see each of the characters have fully fleshed out character growth and plot lines. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death and Pregnancy

Minor: Drug use and Murder