purplepenning's reviews
1605 reviews

A Proposal They Can't Refuse by Natalie Caña

3.25

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent

Tristan Strong Keeps Punching by Kwame Mbalia

adventurous fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content and Vomit

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

A cozy fantasy with a prickly librarian, a sentient spider plant assistant, the nicest merhorse herder, sweet cinnamon rolls and jams, and a core of homecoming, community, and kindness. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Death of parent, and Classism

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen

adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

I really want to unequivocally love these bonkers fantasy-Western-mystery-rom-coms. This one even has an adorable baby dragon! And more Duckers! And a lovely "darlin'"-drawling marshal named Frank who is friends-to-lovers GOLD. And it may also reveal a common theme that I wasn't expecting from the series: women recalibrating their lives after being downtrodden by sexist expectation. Twyla, who is 53 and VERY Midwestern-mom-coded, is at a different stage in her life than Mercy (from the previous book) was but both deal with challenging family dynamics that they've co-created/tolerated for too long. Since this one is written from just Twyla's point of view, we spend much of the book in her head, working all of that out. Which, you know, is fine... but not exactly what I was looking for in a bonkers fantasy-Western-mystery-rom-com. It was maybe laid on just a little thick for my liking. And I did miss getting Frank's point of view.

I mean, I'll still saddle up for the next equimaris ride into this universe, but I'll be hoping for more Tanrian adventures and mystery-rom-com shenanigans and a little less single-pov angst. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Violence, Excrement, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

The Hunter by Tana French

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

Probably not 5 stars on its own, but I read The Searcher and The Hunter back-to-back and together they deserve top marks. Beautiful writing and deft character development in a slow-burn mystery set among a gorgeous Irish village of tight-knit, twinkling-eyed, deadly determined meddlers.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Torture

The Searcher by Tana French

challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

I don't usually choose mysteries that are steeped in melancholy, but the Tana French fans aren't wrong — the writing is beautiful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Physical abuse, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, and Alcohol

The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

My first Sophie Kinsella book! Other than being a bit longer than I anticipated (and probably more than a bit longer than the story needed), it was a solid pick! A funny, lighthearted, hopeful British romance with a good dose of "women's fiction" running through it and a even a smidgeon of mystery. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol

Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This has been the unexpected hit of the summer for me! Kind, competent 40+ year olds, acting like actual adults in a hella steamy rom-com that, yes, features birding, and also gives a whole new meaning to "competence porn." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Toxic relationship and Alcohol