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niaamore's reviews
238 reviews
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
| Favorite Quote | Every book is a little mirror, and sometimes you look into it and see someone else looking back.
| My Review | r/Fantasy 2024 Book Bingo Challenge | Orcs, Trolls, & Goblins, Oh My!
I’ve always struggled to write reviews for books I adore. I just have so much to say! Yet, I always end up saying a whole lot of nothing. Oh well, I’ll give it a try…
Baldree’s writing feels like snuggling under a warm blanket on a cold rainy afternoon, a warm cup of something in hand, with only the sound of raindrops, a furry friend, and the words on the page to keep you company. I savored every line and hated saying goodbye.
Give this book a read, I highly recommend it! And, if you haven’t already, I recommend giving Legends and Lattes a read as well!
This review was still a whole lot of nothing…Oops.
| My Review | r/Fantasy 2024 Book Bingo Challenge | Orcs, Trolls, & Goblins, Oh My!
I’ve always struggled to write reviews for books I adore. I just have so much to say! Yet, I always end up saying a whole lot of nothing. Oh well, I’ll give it a try…
Baldree’s writing feels like snuggling under a warm blanket on a cold rainy afternoon, a warm cup of something in hand, with only the sound of raindrops, a furry friend, and the words on the page to keep you company. I savored every line and hated saying goodbye.
Give this book a read, I highly recommend it! And, if you haven’t already, I recommend giving Legends and Lattes a read as well!
This review was still a whole lot of nothing…Oops.
Milk Fed by Melissa Broder
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
| Favorite Quote | My mother had never known me either, though it wasn't because I hadn't given her a chance. I'd given her a lot of chances. What was saddest was that she didn't seem to want to know me, not as I was on the inside. I wasn't even sure if she could grasp that I had an inside, that I was real. Sometimes it seemed impossible that she had ever given birth to me at all. Other times, it made perfect sense that I had lived inside her for so long. It explained why she could only see me as an extension of herself.
| My Review | Skimmed. It’s weird, sad, a bit off-putting, and ends in disappointment. Very polarizing, you either love or hate this book!
Trigger Warning: ED and Body Image.
| My Review | Skimmed. It’s weird, sad, a bit off-putting, and ends in disappointment. Very polarizing, you either love or hate this book!
Trigger Warning: ED and Body Image.
Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames
adventurous
challenging
funny
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
3.0
| Favorite Quote | Another lie. But lies, as her uncle Bran was fond of saying, were like a cup of Kaskar whiskey: If you’re in for one, you’re in for a dozen.
| My Review | r/Fantasy 2024 Book Bingo Challenge | Bards
Not as charming as Kings of the Wyld, but still packed with D&D style monster slashing fun! That bittersweet ending did hurt me a little :’(
| My Review | r/Fantasy 2024 Book Bingo Challenge | Bards
Not as charming as Kings of the Wyld, but still packed with D&D style monster slashing fun! That bittersweet ending did hurt me a little :’(
The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
3.5
| Favorite Quote | I'm not going to sit down while you argue about what rights should or shouldn't be denied to an entire group of people. There are more appropriate topics to debate.
| My Review | Phew! My emotions were all over the place while reading this! Yamilet's unique voice and charming personality really made this book special. My younger self would have adored this book and all its drama.
My rating would have easily been 4 stars or over, had it not been for Yamilet’s mother, with whom I despise. She, as a parent, is an unfortunate reality for many LGBTQ+ children. It speaks more of Yamilet and her kindness, rather than any redeemable qualities of her mother, on how the story was resolved by the end. I was also so relieved to see how close Caesar and Yami were, despite how favored one was over the other by their mother. Their sibling dynamic was refreshing and heartwarming to read.
I can easily see why this book is adored by many. The characters are fun, the romance is cute, and the drama is jam packed for a YA novel. Definitely give this a read!
Trigger Warnings: Religious Trauma, Racism, Homophobia, Outing, and Disownment.
| My Review | Phew! My emotions were all over the place while reading this! Yamilet's unique voice and charming personality really made this book special. My younger self would have adored this book and all its drama.
My rating would have easily been 4 stars or over, had it not been for Yamilet’s mother,
I can easily see why this book is adored by many. The characters are fun, the romance is cute, and the drama is jam packed for a YA novel. Definitely give this a read!
Trigger Warnings: Religious Trauma, Racism, Homophobia, Outing, and Disownment.
Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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
3.0
| Favorite Quote | Being good is a choice, Amari. And it’s one you have to keep making, again and again. No matter how hard it gets. However tempting it is to let the darkness win.
| My Review | Despite this book suffering from middle-book-syndrome and losing my interest from time to time, I still enjoyed my experience. Reading Amari gives me that feeling of child-like wonder, and I find myself forgiving a lot of its mistakes. I still love the first book in the series the most! I’ll be sure to pick up the final book sometime in the future :)
| My Review | Despite this book suffering from middle-book-syndrome and losing my interest from time to time, I still enjoyed my experience. Reading Amari gives me that feeling of child-like wonder, and I find myself forgiving a lot of its mistakes. I still love the first book in the series the most! I’ll be sure to pick up the final book sometime in the future :)
Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
challenging
dark
emotional
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
3.5
| Favorite Quote | Was I expected to find solace in these people? I felt alone, perfectly alone. So alone I felt divine. Divine like a lonely god unfathomable to anyone but herself.
| My Review | Heartbreaking, heartwarming, and queer, this book has it all! While there is blood and gore, I wouldn’t classify this as a “horror”. No need to fear losing sleep over this one!
While I had my expectations set on horror, I found the genres and themes change frequently throughout the book. I was even surprised to find sex in a novel about grief, but it does fit that odd moving-on phase that exists after living through a tragedy. I don’t fully know how I feel about this book, but I definitely recommend giving it a read!
| My Review | Heartbreaking, heartwarming, and queer, this book has it all! While there is blood and gore, I wouldn’t classify this as a “horror”. No need to fear losing sleep over this one!
While I had my expectations set on horror, I found the genres and themes change frequently throughout the book. I was even surprised to find sex in a novel about grief, but it does fit that odd moving-on phase that exists after living through a tragedy. I don’t fully know how I feel about this book, but I definitely recommend giving it a read!
Sons of Darkness by Gourav Mohanty
challenging
dark
medium-paced
3.0
| Favorite Quote | DNF
| My Review | Trigger Warning: Graphic Gore and SA.
Temporary(?) DNF.
While I enjoy the writing, I found the gore and SA hard to stomach. The plot is also quite complex, and I had a hard time keeping up with all the characters and events. I may return when I am in a better headspace to read a story like this.
I’d also like to note that my trigger warning only covers part of the book, there may be more! Please check other reviewers for the full list.
| My Review | Trigger Warning: Graphic Gore and SA.
Temporary(?) DNF.
While I enjoy the writing, I found the gore and SA hard to stomach. The plot is also quite complex, and I had a hard time keeping up with all the characters and events. I may return when I am in a better headspace to read a story like this.
I’d also like to note that my trigger warning only covers part of the book, there may be more! Please check other reviewers for the full list.
Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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
3.75
| Favorite Quote | People assume stuff about you based on things you can’t change about yourself. So I just do my best to prove them wrong, to be the person they’re not expecting. Amari Peters, changing minds one person at a time.
| My Review | I had so much fun reading this book! It’s full of endless magic and whimsy. I honestly wish the book was longer, and I wish Alston took his time with each scene. It felt like we were racing through them all! I also feel iffy about the twist ending, but I had so much fun getting there, I’ll let it slide. I’d love to dive back into this world again. Onto book two!
| My Review | I had so much fun reading this book! It’s full of endless magic and whimsy. I honestly wish the book was longer, and I wish Alston took his time with each scene. It felt like we were racing through them all! I also feel iffy about the twist ending, but I had so much fun getting there, I’ll let it slide. I’d love to dive back into this world again. Onto book two!
I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
3.0
| Favorite Quote | Bodies are fucking weird, especially when it feels like you don't belong in your own.
| My Review | I am so happy to see more books like this that share the Non-Binary experience. I do wish it was paced better, but the story itself is great. Trigger warning for the beginning of the book for any LGBTQ+ readers and the fears surrounding coming out.
| My Review | I am so happy to see more books like this that share the Non-Binary experience. I do wish it was paced better, but the story itself is great. Trigger warning for the beginning of the book for any LGBTQ+ readers and the fears surrounding coming out.