rachaelarsenault's reviews
182 reviews
With You Forever by Chloe Liese
emotional
funny
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
5.0
I really, really loved this book, especially how it explored both chronic illness and autism. I appreciated the parallels in Axel and Rooney's experiences, and how they struggle to trust and be vulnerable, and the idea that living with an invisible disability often means you hide a part of yourself from people around you, simply because your condition/experiences aren't something they'll ever fully understand or respect, no matter how well-meaning they may be. I thought it was handled with care and nuance.
I also loved both Axel and Rooney as characters. I understood and empathized with both their perspectives, I loved seeing them come together and open up, and I found their relationship an easy one to root for.
The third act conflict was predictable, but I don't think that's a bad thing, and I think it was handled well and resolved beautifully.
I also really appreciated the casual queer rep in this story, not just in the form of Bennet and Parker or the offhand mention of a WLW relationship in the background. I caught a few instances where characters were talking to Axel about a potential partner, but because the conversation was hypothetical and/or they weren't sure what his preferences were, the characters involved defaulted to neutral pronouns. I just thought it was a really nice touch. (Also, I don't recall Axel ever actually specifying his gender preferences, so... possible queer MC?)
All in all, I really loved this book and definitely recommend picking it up.
I also loved both Axel and Rooney as characters. I understood and empathized with both their perspectives, I loved seeing them come together and open up, and I found their relationship an easy one to root for.
The third act conflict was predictable, but I don't think that's a bad thing, and I think it was handled well and resolved beautifully.
I also really appreciated the casual queer rep in this story, not just in the form of Bennet and Parker or the offhand mention of a WLW relationship in the background. I caught a few instances where characters were talking to Axel about a potential partner, but because the conversation was hypothetical and/or they weren't sure what his preferences were, the characters involved defaulted to neutral pronouns. I just thought it was a really nice touch. (Also, I don't recall Axel ever actually specifying his gender preferences, so... possible queer MC?)
All in all, I really loved this book and definitely recommend picking it up.
A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
There is an instance of the G-slur being used. It is period accurate language, but still potentially harmful to certain readers.
Out of the Dawn by P.C. Cast
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.25
YouTube review can be found here:
https://youtu.be/_U4Ild7coCU
Full written review can be found on Medium:
https://medium.com/p/ab9c8a978fb4
Here's the abridged version.
What I Liked
-The setup with the group from Timberline Lodge making their way toward the core group's camp, forcing them to accelerate in getting shelter properly established.
-The ending, with Mother Earth awakening to protect herself.
What I Didn't Like
-P.C. Cast used -like 40 times, including cave-like 12 times
-There's a ridiculous number of far too similar character names, leading to Gemma and Georgie getting mixed in dialogue a couple times
-So many excessively long sentences, including a 78 word sentence.
-Slow pacing and, for most of the book, no sense of stakes.
-Al and Eva were completely ineffectual villains who spent most of the book having zero impact on the protagonists.
-Al and Eva developed new powers out of nowhere during the climax.
-Though the ending was interesting and thematically consistent with the series, there wasn't a proper build-up, so it didn't feel like an actual pay-off to anything.
-The world-building continues to be paper thin and falls apart at the slightest questioning.
-Constant inclusion of racist language and microaggressions for the sole purpose of reminding readers that the villains are bad.
-Ableism, victim blaming, fatphobia, and ageism.
-Despite being a feminist apocalypse for and about women, the main characters are constantly getting saved by a man.
-There is an entirely unnecessary and extremely triggering rape subplot that could have been entirely cut with minimal impact to the overall story and character arcs.
-Chad Condon could have been completely cut out of the story.
-One of only three people of colour in this book is physically changed by the mist, becoming part goat. He says he feels more himself and at home in his body than he ever has before. Yeah... Maybe don't have a person of colour say they feel more like their true self in the body of an animal.
-There is exactly one very brief conversation about trans women and nonbinary people in this book. In it, the author hand waves all concerns about erasure and questions about how a biological weapon like the mist works when sex is not two discrete categories by saying, "It's about spirit, not biology!" This not only doesn't grapple with the actual nuance of the issue, but also causes the entire premise of the plot to fall apart.
https://youtu.be/_U4Ild7coCU
Full written review can be found on Medium:
https://medium.com/p/ab9c8a978fb4
Here's the abridged version.
What I Liked
-The setup with the group from Timberline Lodge making their way toward the core group's camp, forcing them to accelerate in getting shelter properly established.
-The ending, with Mother Earth awakening to protect herself.
What I Didn't Like
-P.C. Cast used -like 40 times, including cave-like 12 times
-There's a ridiculous number of far too similar character names, leading to Gemma and Georgie getting mixed in dialogue a couple times
-So many excessively long sentences, including a 78 word sentence.
-Slow pacing and, for most of the book, no sense of stakes.
-Al and Eva were completely ineffectual villains who spent most of the book having zero impact on the protagonists.
-Al and Eva developed new powers out of nowhere during the climax.
-Though the ending was interesting and thematically consistent with the series, there wasn't a proper build-up, so it didn't feel like an actual pay-off to anything.
-The world-building continues to be paper thin and falls apart at the slightest questioning.
-Constant inclusion of racist language and microaggressions for the sole purpose of reminding readers that the villains are bad.
-Ableism, victim blaming, fatphobia, and ageism.
-Despite being a feminist apocalypse for and about women, the main characters are constantly getting saved by a man.
-There is an entirely unnecessary and extremely triggering rape subplot that could have been entirely cut with minimal impact to the overall story and character arcs.
-Chad Condon could have been completely cut out of the story.
-One of only three people of colour in this book is physically changed by the mist, becoming part goat. He says he feels more himself and at home in his body than he ever has before. Yeah... Maybe don't have a person of colour say they feel more like their true self in the body of an animal.
-There is exactly one very brief conversation about trans women and nonbinary people in this book. In it, the author hand waves all concerns about erasure and questions about how a biological weapon like the mist works when sex is not two discrete categories by saying, "It's about spirit, not biology!" This not only doesn't grapple with the actual nuance of the issue, but also causes the entire premise of the plot to fall apart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape
Home Body by Rupi Kaur
2.5
I keep wanting to like Rupi Kuar's work, and there are elements of both this collection and Milk and Honey that I've enjoyed. But both times I walk away from the reading experience frustrated, because so few of the poems delved into anything beyond surface statements. There are interesting and important ideas displayed in here, and some genuinely poetic bits of writing, but most of the the pieces are a single statement conveyed very plainly. There's no nuance or depth to explore, no playing with sound or imagery, and that's very disappointing.
There were a handful of poems I really liked, with the standouts being a couple longer pieces that felt a bit like snippets of an autobiography told in verse. I would love to see more works like that from this author.
There were a handful of poems I really liked, with the standouts being a couple longer pieces that felt a bit like snippets of an autobiography told in verse. I would love to see more works like that from this author.
Always Only You by Chloe Liese
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. Both Ren and Frankie were engaging characters, and their romance was sexy, sweet, and easy to root for. I felt the autism rep was handled with a lot of care and nuance, especially because there's more than one autistic character included throughout the story. The overall representation of disability was layered and varied with Frankie's rheumatoid arthritis as well as the brief inclusion of Ren's father as an amputee.
I did find the ending got a bit too on the nose and corny with the dialogue, and the constant Harry Potter references were a bit much. I understand that it was included as a special interest for Frankie, and I did appreciate the blatant on page call out of JKR's transphobia, but I feel like it may have been better to pick a different fandom/series for Frankie to drop references to throughout. I also felt that Maddox' introduction built him up like he would be a much more significant antagonist to the story than he actually was, which was a little disappointing.
On the whole, I really liked this book and do recommend picking it up if the tropes tickle your fancy. I'll probably check out other works by this author and other books in this series.
I did find the ending got a bit too on the nose and corny with the dialogue, and the constant Harry Potter references were a bit much. I understand that it was included as a special interest for Frankie, and I did appreciate the blatant on page call out of JKR's transphobia, but I feel like it may have been better to pick a different fandom/series for Frankie to drop references to throughout. I also felt that Maddox' introduction built him up like he would be a much more significant antagonist to the story than he actually was, which was a little disappointing.
On the whole, I really liked this book and do recommend picking it up if the tropes tickle your fancy. I'll probably check out other works by this author and other books in this series.
Hex You by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
My vlog review can be found here:
https://youtu.be/s9n2CiC47_0
An in-depth written review is posted here:
https://medium.com/@rachaellawrites/a-plodding-pace-and-disappointing-erasure-an-in-depth-review-of-hex-you-68e1cf32dc35
But for an abridged version, here are the main points. Spoilers ahead!
What I Liked:
-Mercy dies.
What I Didn't Like:
-The writing style remains lacking for both authors, and many of Hunter's chapters sounded like P.C. Cast's writing, not Kristin's, which is strange to say the least.
-The Chosen One subplot made no sense and had absolutely no buildup in previous books.
-Xena being immortal, being able to perform magic, and being able to tell prophecy all came out of nowhere and was only revealed when it was most convenient.
-The pacing is extremely slow. Characters spent most of the book talking and speculating.
-Mercy is a passive, spoiled character who is coddled even into death.
-Hunter's ending is presented as bittersweet but ultimately full of hope and promise. In reality, it's extremely empty, sad, and honestly a queer person's worst nightmare. She is magically bound to the small, homophobic town that she specifically made plans to escape.
-Hunter's sexuality is, in fact, entirely erased from this book.
-There is a "joke" in which Kylie (a white woman) asks Mercy (a white woman) if Khenti (a brown man) is her familiar, AKA her pet.
-Emily (a brown woman) apologizes to Mercy (a white woman) for cultural appropriation.
Overall, this series was poorly written, poorly plotted, the world-building falls apart at the slightest examination and requires extensive cultural appropriation and insensitivity, and the way the authors approached issues of race, sexuality, addiction, mental health, etc. is consistently careless and harmful. I do not recommend this book or the series as a whole.
https://youtu.be/s9n2CiC47_0
An in-depth written review is posted here:
https://medium.com/@rachaellawrites/a-plodding-pace-and-disappointing-erasure-an-in-depth-review-of-hex-you-68e1cf32dc35
But for an abridged version, here are the main points. Spoilers ahead!
What I Liked:
-Mercy dies.
What I Didn't Like:
-The writing style remains lacking for both authors, and many of Hunter's chapters sounded like P.C. Cast's writing, not Kristin's, which is strange to say the least.
-The Chosen One subplot made no sense and had absolutely no buildup in previous books.
-Xena being immortal, being able to perform magic, and being able to tell prophecy all came out of nowhere and was only revealed when it was most convenient.
-The pacing is extremely slow. Characters spent most of the book talking and speculating.
-Mercy is a passive, spoiled character who is coddled even into death.
-Hunter's ending is presented as bittersweet but ultimately full of hope and promise. In reality, it's extremely empty, sad, and honestly a queer person's worst nightmare. She is magically bound to the small, homophobic town that she specifically made plans to escape.
-Hunter's sexuality is, in fact, entirely erased from this book.
-There is a "joke" in which Kylie (a white woman) asks Mercy (a white woman) if Khenti (a brown man) is her familiar, AKA her pet.
-Emily (a brown woman) apologizes to Mercy (a white woman) for cultural appropriation.
Overall, this series was poorly written, poorly plotted, the world-building falls apart at the slightest examination and requires extensive cultural appropriation and insensitivity, and the way the authors approached issues of race, sexuality, addiction, mental health, etc. is consistently careless and harmful. I do not recommend this book or the series as a whole.
Omens Bite by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
YouTube review available here:
https://youtu.be/S9wfpApDRPA
As my rating surely reflects, I did not like this book. I get into depth about why in the video linked above, as well as in the detailed review I wrote on Medium:
https://medium.com/@rachaellawrites/pointless-bigotry-and-zero-accountability-an-in-depth-review-of-omens-bite-by-p-c-e3669d9d05cf
But, for brevity's sake, let's boil my thoughts down to a few salient points:
What I liked:
-White characters actually have skin tone described with specificity.
-A twist at the end that is accomplished by Hunter not being able to understand the spell she's casting due to it being written in Greek.
-There's a funny paragraph about cake at funerals.
What I didn't like:
-Kirk's POV was completely pointless.
-Mercy is incredibly spoiled, deeply unlikeable, and never held accountable for the things she did to Hunter at the end of Spells Trouble.
-This was poorly paced and a slog to read.
-There are a ton of logical errors with how the climax actually plays out, including the twist I otherwise liked.
-Kristin Cast's writing is lacks flow due to repetitive sentence structures, the dialogue is over-fluffed with filler descriptions and every minute gesture from the characters speaking, and a combination of absurd metaphors and tonally off word choice regularly pulled me from the story.
-P.C. Cast's writing is marked by excessively long, meandering sentences that often contain incorrectly used punctuation.
-There's casual fatphobia, hints of ableism and trans erasure, stigmatization of homelessness and addiction, and sex shaming.
-All of the homophobia and queer misery showcased in this book is pointless. And the pointlessness here renders all the homophobia Hunter suffered in the previous book equally pointless. It's there to add a bit of spice to the drama - that's it. Removing it from the story would change very little of substance.
https://youtu.be/S9wfpApDRPA
As my rating surely reflects, I did not like this book. I get into depth about why in the video linked above, as well as in the detailed review I wrote on Medium:
https://medium.com/@rachaellawrites/pointless-bigotry-and-zero-accountability-an-in-depth-review-of-omens-bite-by-p-c-e3669d9d05cf
But, for brevity's sake, let's boil my thoughts down to a few salient points:
What I liked:
-White characters actually have skin tone described with specificity.
-A twist at the end that is accomplished by Hunter not being able to understand the spell she's casting due to it being written in Greek.
-There's a funny paragraph about cake at funerals.
What I didn't like:
-Kirk's POV was completely pointless.
-Mercy is incredibly spoiled, deeply unlikeable, and never held accountable for the things she did to Hunter at the end of Spells Trouble.
-This was poorly paced and a slog to read.
-There are a ton of logical errors with how the climax actually plays out, including the twist I otherwise liked.
-Kristin Cast's writing is lacks flow due to repetitive sentence structures, the dialogue is over-fluffed with filler descriptions and every minute gesture from the characters speaking, and a combination of absurd metaphors and tonally off word choice regularly pulled me from the story.
-P.C. Cast's writing is marked by excessively long, meandering sentences that often contain incorrectly used punctuation.
-There's casual fatphobia, hints of ableism and trans erasure, stigmatization of homelessness and addiction, and sex shaming.
-All of the homophobia and queer misery showcased in this book is pointless. And the pointlessness here renders all the homophobia Hunter suffered in the previous book equally pointless. It's there to add a bit of spice to the drama - that's it. Removing it from the story would change very little of substance.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Homophobia
Minor: Classism and Fatphobia
Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much by Jen Winston
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0