moholub's reviews
114 reviews

On Earth As It Is on Television by Emily Jane

fast-paced

5.0

 Never thought I'd read the word "chumbis" and "chonk" so many times in a novel, but Jane's thorough adoration of cats did not disappoint. Absolutely adored the style and wit of Jane's debut novel and her ability to take both a classic UFO premise and a weirdly topical issue and create something new and beautiful. At times deep and poignant and at other times deeply absurd, this story of cats, bacon, plastic, and humanity had me hooked all the way through. 

The Crescent Moon Tearoom by Stacy Sivinski

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

 Sivinski's charming debut novel pulls gently on the threads of fate, family, and legacy for the three Quigley sisters and their beloved tearoom. Cozy fantasy doesn't usually hit for me so I was pleasantly surprised by this one- Sivinski struck a perfect balance between soft, thoughtful emotions and high enough stakes to keep it moving.

Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp

4.5

 This ridiculous but entertaining little book about the slippery slope of capitalism is a must read, if only to understand that being a little nicer is in fact easier than outsourcing. 

Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees #1 by Patrick Horvath

dark fast-paced

4.0

 Zootopia gets a little more deadly in Horvath's graphic novel debut, where the residents of a charming small town are harboring bloody secrets. The jarring contrast of art style and subject matter really hit all the right creepy, unsettling notes for this one. 

Hope It All Works Out!: A Poorly Drawn Lines Collection by Reza Farazmand

funny fast-paced

4.5

 Page 40 is hanging in my house. Farazmand is once again all hits, no skips, with his very specific (but endlessly relatable) style of humor and wit. 

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

3.0

While starting with an intriguing premise, this book suffered in its incredibly slow pace and, honestly, lack of dragons. Austenian era society with high fantasy world building and the memoir storytelling style created an interesting mix, but an imbalanced one that slowly lost my attention as it dragged on. If I had to pick one word, it would be "tedious."

Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

"The hard thing about being a lesbian athlete is that women are always doing hot things around you." Agreed. 

Crushing It by Erin Becker

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

4.75

The road to the 8th Grade City Championship has been anything but smooth for Mel and Tory: they're two parts of a used-to-be-best-friends group still reeling from a dramatic falling out for starters, and tack that on top of new family dynamics, identity crises, and a school project that seems determined to make them both fail.

Becker's debut is full of heart, grit, and passion as these two teens learn to dig for their own strengths, stand up for themselves, and maybe, just maybe, make it out the other side of the city championship better for it. Mel and Tory will melt your heart and send you cheering with every shot they take. 

How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster by Muriel Leung

challenging emotional mysterious fast-paced

4.5

 Apocalyptic New York City sets the scene for this haunting debut, where constant acid rainstorms are the least of the worries for the residents of one apartment building. In close quarters and surrounded by ghosts both literally and figuratively, Leung's characters are forced inward in a surrealist exploration of love, loss, grief, and heartbreak. RIP Shin, you were the only cockroach I will ever like. 

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.75

 Don't quite know what to say about this book except I was pulled into it so suddenly by the deep, visceral emotion in the writing. I both wanted to walk away and couldn't put it down for just about the whole book 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual content, and Pregnancy