ekgranstro's reviews
18 reviews

Medea by Eilish Quin

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Babel by R.F. Kuang

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence, Slavery, Vomit, Medical content, Stalking, and War

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Deportation

Moderate: Sexual content, War, and Injury/Injury detail

She Gets the Girl by Alyson Derrick, Rachael Lippincott

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abandonment

Minor: Sexual content

Main character’s mother gets into a car accident from DUI

Train Go Sorry: Inside a Deaf World by Leah Hager Cohen

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Racism, Rape, Slavery, and Sexual harassment

How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

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

4.5

I was giggling and kicking my feet, then gasping while my heart dropped. I thoroughly reccomend!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion

challenging emotional informative reflective

4.5

For a Gen Z who avoids pop culture, Joan’s references and discussions of popular ideologies, people, shops, etc. were hard to understand. I feel I may have missed some deeper, pivotal meanings because of it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Murder

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Sexual violence and Toxic relationship

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Definitely a fun and engaging read, but prepare for a deluge of cringe moments. Also smut.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Chronic illness and Grief