thefatladyreads's reviews
729 reviews

The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.5

A fun fall romance, perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls... and pumpkin spice lattes.

A History of Burning by Janika Oza

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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? No

5.0

This book ripped my heart out more than a little and I would absolutely go back for more. I feel like this would be an excellent read for people looking for a complex and nuanced family saga like 100 Years of Solitude for example.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

adventurous challenging 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? No

5.0

I think this book might have rescued my mainly disappointing vacation reading. A review quoted on the cover calls this "a primal scream of a book" (E.K. Johnson) and that feels so apt. It's Female Rage: The YA Scifi Novel, with scifi that reads like fantasy (which is my preferred genre of the two). The premise is interesting. I felt attached to the main characters. There's some found family there, which if you've read any of my other review you know I adore. I'm definitely looking forward to adding the next book to my TBR mountain. 

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.5

I feel like this book suffers from trying to throw way too many tropes into the book, which got in the way of connecting with the characters... and demonstrating actual chemistry together. While there were things I liked about the characters, nothing had time to simmer. I also didn't feel like there was a slow burn leading to the smut as a result, and I'm saying this as someone who loves a slow burn. The book isn't terrible, it's fine, but I was hoping for more than just fine based on the hype. 

Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was an interesting read, but it didn't completely click for me. I think this is in part because I felt like there was too much world-building for YA but the characters weren't sunk into enough for it to be not YA, and I'm struggling with YA working for me these days. I'm also not overly fond of endings that feel unfinished so as to move you into the next book; I prefer a closed arc under a bigger overarching arc rather than opening a new arc into the next book. I do think the author is exploring interesting themes and I do like the world being built, and I think that YA fantasy readers should definitely give this a shot.

The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald

emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

3.0

This was a medium read for me. Nothing particularly wrong with it, but nothing surprising or as nuanced as it could have been, even for YA. I felt like only one of the three main characters was particularly complex and interesting, but I didn't hate the other two, which is a plus. I think this would gear well to the younger end of YA, more early teens than older teens

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

adventurous hopeful 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? No

5.0

I think a lot of my faves can be summed up as "You had me a found family" and this one definitely fits in. I loved the characters. I loved the neurodiversity rep. I loved The Heist premise. Basically I'm already signed up for the trilogy on my TBR mountain.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia

Nothing but the Rain by Naomi Salman

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Unsettling in the best way, this little dystopian sci fi novella was quite well done. It left me wanting more, and mostly in the best ways.

The Half-Orc's Maiden Bride by Ruby Dixon

adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

Decently spicy yet also cozy, a fun romp to read.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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

I've been struggling with YA lately, but was pleasantly surprised to find I quite enjoyed this one. While some things were still a little on the nose, it wasn't as often as a lot of YA I've been reading. I enjoyed the storyline and it was so nice to read a main female character that didn't feel like she feel into the Not Like Other GirlsTM trope I cannot stand. I like the intrigue and I'm definitely going to continue the series.