supermanabi's reviews
959 reviews

Eros: An Anthology Of Friendship by Patrick Anderson, Alistair Sutherland

informative slow-paced

2.25

I could not find a synopsis for this book, so I had basically no idea what I was getting into when I started to read it. All I knew is that it had won the Stonewall Book Award, and was thus part of my personal reading challenge to read all of the Stonewall winners. Despite not really knowing what I was getting into, I did still have some expectations for what this book was going to be. For one, it says “anthology,” so I knew this book was really a collection of other pieces... Read the full review here 

The Passive Programming Playbook: 101 Ways to Get Library Customers Off the Sidelines by Paula Willey, Andria L. Amaral

informative medium-paced

3.75

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

 I have not read Caraval. I feel like I should start with that disclaimer because Once Upon a Broken Heart is set in the same world as Stephanie Garber’s other series, Caraval, and while knowledge of Caraval is certainly not needed to enjoy this book (as shown by the fact that I enjoyed this book), having read it would likely have affected my enjoyment of the book... Read the full review here 

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray

lighthearted mysterious 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

4.0

Ghost Flower by Michele Jaffe

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

 I will admit, I was disappointed with this book. The synopsis sounded so cool. A girl pretending to be somebody else, and that somebody else’s best friend’s ghost starts haunting her? Like, hell yeah! That sounds awesome! And for the first three-quarters or so of the book it was, but then it all went downhill really fast... Read the full review here 

Patience & Sarah by Isabel Miller

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

 One of the very many reading challenges I’m doing is to read every single Stonewall Award winner ever, so of course, I kicked it off by reading the first ever winner, Patience & Sarah by Isabel Miller. It was a very deserving award winner. This was such a well-done book. The historical elements were incredibly present (you never forgot that this was set in the nineteenth-century) without being overbearing (you didn’t receive so much detail to place in that time period that you lost the story). The romance between the title characters was sugar sweet when things were going well, heartachingly tender at all times, and stomach-clenching awful when things were going poorly... Read the full review here 

This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria

adventurous 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

4.0

 Honestly, I had no idea what to expect from this book. It came in one of my subscription boxes (Fairyloot, woot, woot), and I didn’t even read the synopsis. I stuck it in my physical TBR pile, and then finally, ten months or so later, I just picked it up and read it. When I say I was pleasantly surprised by what I got, I mean it. I enjoyed this book from start to finish... Read the full review here 

The Blade Between by Sam J. Miller

dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

 If you asked me to tell you what happened in this book, I’m not sure I could. Part of the reason it has taken me so long to put this review into words is that I am still trying to wrap my head around this complex, but incredibly wonderful, story. I know there is a town called Hudson in New York, and rich NYC folk have chosen it as their newest vacation spot. Rent prices are skyrocketing, local businesses are going under, and at the center of this is a man running for mayor, who runs some kind of online artist commune. I know there is magic in the earth in Hudson, that there are whales in the sky, and ghosts whispering in everyone’s ears... Read the full review here 

Heartstopper Volume 3 by Alice Oseman

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

 There are some books that make me desperately wish I was in love with someone, and the first three volumes of Heartstopper were just such books. In honor of volume 4 coming out, I decided I needed to read the first three, so that when I finally get my hands on volume 4, I’m ready for it. I am so glad I finally did. Charlie and Nick are so sweet, and I am such a sucker for friends-to-lovers storylines. It’s the mutual pining, babes. Alice Oseman killed it with these two sweet boys in love in high school, and the art is just *chef’s kiss.*... Read the full review here 

Heartstopper Volume 2 by Alice Oseman

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

 There are some books that make me desperately wish I was in love with someone, and the first three volumes of Heartstopper were just such books. In honor of volume 4 coming out, I decided I needed to read the first three, so that when I finally get my hands on volume 4, I’m ready for it. I am so glad I finally did. Charlie and Nick are so sweet, and I am such a sucker for friends-to-lovers storylines. It’s the mutual pining, babes. Alice Oseman killed it with these two sweet boys in love in high school, and the art is just *chef’s kiss.*... Read the full review here