grimalkintoes's reviews
127 reviews

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP 

The Circus of Hungry Clowns: A Horror Novella by Caesar Ruell

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Thank you to the author, Caesar Ruell, for letting me read his horror novella, The Circus of Hungry Clowns. A unique take on the killer clown subgenre with just enough creep factor to keep you engaged 'til the end. I'll never look at 1930's circus shows the same again *shudders* 

Mushroom Lullaby by Kenneth Kraegel

lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

My fiancée: "Are you going to add this to your yearly Reading Challenge?"
Me: "Duh."

Kenneth Kraegel's Mushroom Lullaby is a charming picture book detailing the daily adventures of a mushroom-seeker who lays their head down to rest in their cozy mushroom home each evening. I read this one to my cats, but your littles will adore it too. 

Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser

emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

5.0

A collection of shorts dedicated to the stories hair holds.

Jamila Rowser's Wash Day Diaries is but a glimpse into the lives of five friends living in the Bronx—twisting, knotting, braiding together. This slice-of-life graphic novel is simple, elegant, and tender. I immediately need more. 

Murder Book: A Graphic Memoir of a True Crime Obsession by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell

dark funny informative slow-paced

5.0

Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell's Murder Book is as much an exploration into the true crime genre as it is a chronicle about how true crime fascination is passed down generationally and communally. An absolute stunner of a graphic novel, packed full of personal quips and well-researched chapters of information. 

Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Proud member of the #DeadParentClub here to report that Tyler Feder's Dancing at the Pity Party looked me straight in the eyes and said "I see you, bestie." Relatable, vulnerable, and beautifully articulated. It was an honor to share literary space with Tyler and to hold her story so closely with mine, the likenesses and differences exemplifying why storytelling is healing. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous emotional relaxing tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The SJM girlies are gonna love me for this one. I'm in, I'm hooked, please give me more. As for my rating, I would have given it 5 stars had the first half of the book not been such a snooze. 

30 Things I Love About Myself by Radhika Sanghani

funny reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

30 Things I Love about Myself didn't deliver in the way I was expecting. Rather, Nina's journey of #selflove was exaggerated to the point of being trite and wholly unconvincing. 

Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Special thanks to Netgalley and SGJ for a free, electronic ARC of this novel.

Expected publication date: February 7, 2023

Jade Daniels returns in Don't Fear the Reaper, this time sloughing off her old self, carrying the name Jennifer instead. But generational memory runs deep in Proofrock, and running from what you know could have deadly consequences. 

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

funny lighthearted

• 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

4.0

Love on the Brain's Levi and Bee are just The Love Hypothesis' Adam and Olive reskinned as a neuroscientist and an engineer but I'm not particularly mad at it. What can I say? I'm a sucker for 'enemies'-to-lovers in academic settings and women in STEM are hot. *shrugs*