patienceholmes's reviews
158 reviews

The Agathas by Liz Lawson, Kathleen Glasgow

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

adventurous challenging emotional tense 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

4.5

My only real criticism is that sometimes the messages were a little heavy handed. I think the author felt the need to make things very clear but in some bits it was a bit overdone and came off a little cringey. I think considering this is her first work though that’s totally understandable. 

I personally found it a little too cliche with the romance aspects but I think so many people would love it for that and that’s personal taste. 

Aside from that it was really great. I loved the focus on grief, I loved the magic system and learning how it all worked, I loved the way the characters were expanded on and delving deeper into their backstories. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Kidnapping, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Rape, and Pregnancy

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

challenging dark 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

4.75

Want to make it very explicit that the SA referenced in the content warnings in one instance refers to a minor/p*dophilia. The scene is very graphic. Be safe. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Torture, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

5.0

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Abortion

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Infertility, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy