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literaryintersections's reviews
254 reviews
Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews
adventurous
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? No
5.0
I will read anything IA write. I love Roman. I loved meeting Finn and finding more about Roman’s past. Just so so good. I need more.
The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed this book - the chemistry with Marcela and Theo is palpable and builds throughout the book. I found Ben and Alice to be horrible, although Alice redeems herself. Beware the book has a lot of internalized especially fatphobia but I think that is accurate.
I did think the beginning was very slow and it’s not until 30% in that the story really starts to build. But I would read the second one for sure!
I did think the beginning was very slow and it’s not until 30% in that the story really starts to build. But I would read the second one for sure!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia and Alcohol
Marriage and Masti by Nisha Sharma
emotional
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
What a wrap up to this series - Nisha Sharma can WRITE OMG. I have been waiting for Deepak and Veera and this book didn't disappoint. You want a friends to lovers with fake marriage and meddling yet supportive aunties and Succession style boardroom shenanigans and amazing food descriptions and only one bed and….. you get the gist. BUY IT.
There is one only one bed scene where I literally cpmbusted. And then finding out who Mr.s Gupta is! The meddling Aunties. The boardroom vibes of how they were going to literally stage a COUP. The secondary sapphic relationship OMG. It's got everything a must read.
There is one only one bed scene where I literally cpmbusted. And then finding out who Mr.s Gupta is! The meddling Aunties. The boardroom vibes of how they were going to literally stage a COUP. The secondary sapphic relationship OMG. It's got everything a must read.
Office Hours by Katrina Jackson
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
This book is so good. Deja and Alejandro are hot and funny and their chemistry is so good. The backdrop of a college camp and academics and professors is one I don’t read much and I loved the cast of characters. The part about advocating for the mental health of professors of color really struck me too.
I cannot wait for Mike and Toni next!
I cannot wait for Mike and Toni next!
Between Friends & Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi
emotional
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
Yall I loved this book. It’s so good. Deep and emotional. A gorgeous lover story with reminders of the pressures we put on our self, mental health, and depression. Jo is a wonderfully written main character - rooting for her every second. Mal was it for me but I understand why folks love Ezra. That ending????? Just perfect.
Also Kelechi and Kieran and Ampersand being the real best friends in this.
Also Kelechi and Kieran and Ampersand being the real best friends in this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
emotional
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
4.5
I loved this book. It’s smart and complex and sad but also really loving. The growing relationship between Lily and Kath was really beautiful as they are both finding themselves.
The whole point of this book is finding refuge and safety: safety to be Chinese American during the 50s, a girl who loves STEM, and to be part of the queer community. And I love the ways that Lo created this safety, and also challenged the safety through friends, family, laws, etc. parts of this were scary and I wasn’t sure how it would end.
The whole point of this book is finding refuge and safety: safety to be Chinese American during the 50s, a girl who loves STEM, and to be part of the queer community. And I love the ways that Lo created this safety, and also challenged the safety through friends, family, laws, etc. parts of this were scary and I wasn’t sure how it would end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Violence
The Oath by T.M. Richardson
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Loved it. So hot and so fun
This Great Hemisphere by Mateo Askaripour
dark
reflective
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? Yes
4.25
Thank you to @duttonbooks for my #gifted copy to review.
Have you ever had a book that just wiggles into your brain and won’t let go? Black Buck was deff that for me in 2021 and This Great Hemisphere has stuck in my thoughts. It’s ultimately a story about oppression and what you are willing to do when you see injustice. What side you’re on. It’s reminiscent of various conflicts, genocides, and violence in the past and currently - American chattel slavery, the Holocaust, the genocide in Gaza. Some of what happens feels too on the nose: plot lines feel lifted directly from history and present, switch out the names and it’s a headline. BUT that never bothered me and I still found the tension and complexity of the world very effective.
What if you were invisible? And invisible people were treated as less than: your movements tracked by collars, your body used violently, your communities ransacked, your food limited. That’s the world that Sweetmint/Candace lives in. And it’s a world that she fights to understand and change as she searches for her brother who’s accused of murdering the NW Hemisphere leader. Candace dives into rebellions, underbellies, sex work, “suburban” communities to find her brother and recognizes a lot about the world and herself in the process.
I loved Sweetmint. I enjoyed learning about the cast of characters - there are a lot and many different POVs so if that’s tough for you now you know - but Sweetmint was someone I rooted for through the entire book. Following her path, her inaction and action, her fear and vulnerability and anger grow made her feel real.
And the ending. Is actually wild. I want a sequel but also don’t - I liked the ambiguity. The realism. The questions I’m left with because I keep thinking about it.
Have you ever had a book that just wiggles into your brain and won’t let go? Black Buck was deff that for me in 2021 and This Great Hemisphere has stuck in my thoughts. It’s ultimately a story about oppression and what you are willing to do when you see injustice. What side you’re on. It’s reminiscent of various conflicts, genocides, and violence in the past and currently - American chattel slavery, the Holocaust, the genocide in Gaza. Some of what happens feels too on the nose: plot lines feel lifted directly from history and present, switch out the names and it’s a headline. BUT that never bothered me and I still found the tension and complexity of the world very effective.
What if you were invisible? And invisible people were treated as less than: your movements tracked by collars, your body used violently, your communities ransacked, your food limited. That’s the world that Sweetmint/Candace lives in. And it’s a world that she fights to understand and change as she searches for her brother who’s accused of murdering the NW Hemisphere leader. Candace dives into rebellions, underbellies, sex work, “suburban” communities to find her brother and recognizes a lot about the world and herself in the process.
I loved Sweetmint. I enjoyed learning about the cast of characters - there are a lot and many different POVs so if that’s tough for you now you know - but Sweetmint was someone I rooted for through the entire book. Following her path, her inaction and action, her fear and vulnerability and anger grow made her feel real.
And the ending. Is actually wild. I want a sequel but also don’t - I liked the ambiguity. The realism. The questions I’m left with because I keep thinking about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Racial slurs and Sexual harassment
The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington
dark
funny
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
Honestly I had so much fun with this. An homage to classic horror movies - it was a wild ride. I really loved the mystery and horror happening alongside these young people finding themselves: Devon and drew coming back together and Devon realizing so much about herself. So much horror is also a coming of age tale and Joelle does that so well.
The twists were fun. The snarkinsss of gen z high school students was on point. The vilification of gentrification while celebrating summers in Brooklyn was FAB. I really had fun with this.
*the “boy mom” quote killed me tho. Like that feels so meta to me I loved it.
The twists were fun. The snarkinsss of gen z high school students was on point. The vilification of gentrification while celebrating summers in Brooklyn was FAB. I really had fun with this.
*the “boy mom” quote killed me tho. Like that feels so meta to me I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence
Moderate: Stalking
Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto
medium-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? Yes
2.5
I did not enjoy this at all. But I also understand why people would like it. Reylo fanfic isn’t my favorite at all but sometimes I can get past it. This one I absolutely could not. It’s boring and childish and so cringe. The writing is fine but it reads like an NA romance - the choices Gwen and Alex/Xander make feel young, the language feels young (which I guess makes sense because she is 22!!!! I didn’t realize she was so young from the blurb). Even the tension wasn’t giving a lot of tension - the ending was predictable and therefore not satisfactory.
Overall this wasn’t for me. Was I biased because I already don’t love how reylo fanfic has taken over the romance industry? Maybe. But regardless I don’t think it’s a good book.
Overall this wasn’t for me. Was I biased because I already don’t love how reylo fanfic has taken over the romance industry? Maybe. But regardless I don’t think it’s a good book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: Abandonment