librarystan's reviews
5 reviews

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

challenging emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

Shutter by Ramona Emerson

adventurous 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

4.0

Great mystery centering on a Navajo crime scene photographer who is haunted by the ghosts of the victims she photographs. Not as scary as I was expecting it to be, but a satisfying crime procedural told from an interesting POV. Photography fans will enjoy the lists of cameras the main character shots on in the beginning of each chapter. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Domestic abuse

One Day in December by Josie Silver
Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.

Explores similar tropes as One Day and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow but those books are better. Was not rooting for the romantic relationship or liking any of the characters much. 

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

This book felt like a D&D campaign or video game plot in all the best ways. Two plucky, powerful characters are unwittingly thrust into a larger plot and team up to defeat evil and save the worlds. Fun world building and magic system, masterfully plotted. But, it also felt like the characters were always rolling nat 20s to prevail in their encounters and were only defeated if the person they were up against was much stronger. I’ll read the next ones in the series but enjoyed Addie La Rue much more for more complex characters. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (And More Life to Live) by Eve Rodsky

medium-paced

4.0

Game-changing system for dividing up household labor, but hard to read if you’re not already an overworked mom in a cis het marriage. Get the cards! Would love a second edition incorporating queer couples, housemates, imagining a man or non-parent might be a reader, and cards for elderly caregiving.