sweekune's reviews
355 reviews

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier

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

3.75

The No-Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall

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emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-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

4.75

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

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funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4/5

A sapphic hallmark movie plot shoved into book form. Exes Charlotte and Brighton find themselves thrown together for a Christmas in snowy Colorado, the first time they've seen each other since Brighton left Charlotte at the altar. Romcom antics ensue.

- The cast was diverse and fun. Lots of queer people and very normalised. I also appreciated the bi rep a lot.

- The vibe of this book is fuzzy, winter romcom with a touch of spice. It was perfect for reading over December.

- It is not a difficult read which is exactly what I needed. This is no complex and literary book and that is just fine. Make the Season Bright does its thing well and meets the cosy winter romance criteria brilliantly.

Would recommend as a festive read for those that enjoy cheesy Christmas films and queer contemporary romances.
Supporting Fat Birth by AJ Silver

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challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

⭐ 4/5 ⭐ 

From the author that wrote Supporting Queer Birth, we are treated to an informative and reflective book about supporting larger women and people through their childbearing journey.

- The book is well set out. Silver has different chapters for different aspects of care such as homebirth or infant feeding. There's also a lot of intersectional chapters covering global majority and queer birth too.

- The book it well researched both in an academic sense, with references provided, but also in who Silver interviews through the course of the book. Not only do the additional perspectives educate amazingly but they also provide additional avenues for the reader to retake when doing further reading or learning after finishing the book.

- The last chapter I loved. It discusses how to firmly set boundaries with professionals and how to make caregivers stop and think if they are not being as respectful as they ought. It provided me with more ways of raising concerns in my own professional sphere but also is an great tool for women and birthing people.

A wonderful educational resource. I've already recommended it to several students and leant my copy to another midwife.
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

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emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing 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? Yes

4.25

⭐ 4.25/5 ⭐ 

Audiobook narrated by Em Grosland.

The sequel to A Psalm for the Wild-Built. Dex and Mosscap travel across the land, meet a variety of different people and have many poignant experiences.

- Similar to it's predecessor, this is a relaxed and reflective tale. This time there's less of a destination and reads more as a journey with different sections. 

- I love this world that Chambers has created. She has a knack for creating such inclusive and comforting but also faceted worlds. 

- I feel Dex's internal conflict. How do you reconcile anxiety, depression and other mental concerns when on paper you have everything? I love how the book covers this and addresses mental health.

Cosy, calm and introspective. Good for those that need a hug in book form.
A Tale of Hijinks and Honeydew by Alex Nonymous

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adventurous lighthearted reflective 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

3.75

⭐ 3.75/5 ⭐ 

Wyn is a land bound mermaid and Quintzy is a partially shapeshifting goblin. Both live in a town of heroes and when a competition for an additional guild leader starts, they are forced to work together more closely.

- The setting was very D&D inspired. A city where the Heroes Guild causes trouble for it's citizens. I liked how the heroes weren't necessarily the good guys in this narrative and that it showed the impact of the guild's activities.

- The disability representation was pretty good and although it was fantasy based, there were clear analogues for real life conditions. It was great to see how well this was handled.

- I enjoyed how the two main characters interacted though it was very dialogue heavy. It would have been nice to see more nonverbal communication and some descriptions.

Short, fun and great for those who like light-hearted D&D adjacent media.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

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emotional reflective relaxing 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

4.5

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

⭐ 4.5/5 ⭐

A Psalm for the Wild-Built is a soothing and reflective journey for both the characters and the reader. Sibling Dex starts out a new path as a tea monk in a futuristic world set on a moon. On a particular excursion they encounter the robot Mosscap which is a bit surprising as no one has seen a robot for many years.

- There are lots of interconnected themes within this book that blend beautifully. The job of a tea monk is to listen to people who need to talk and provide them with a space and environment to do that. This book fulfills the role of tea monk for the reader, letting you reflect on the themes discussed as applicable to your own life or just simple enjoy the journey of the story.

- Cosy is the best way to describe almost every aspect of this book: plot, characters, themes, world, pantheon. I adored Sibling Dex and Mosscap and how they both learn from each other. This book is like being immersed into a metaphorical cup of tea, comforting, slow and gentle.

- Shout out for the amazing use of they/them pronouns. It's so great to see characters having these used well and also in a setting where there is seemingly no judgement, transphobia or vitriol about it. 

Like a hug and a warm, soothing drink. For anyone who needs a short and positive fantasy/sci-fi story.
A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley

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funny lighthearted relaxing 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? Yes

4.0

⭐ 4/5 ⭐ 

Audiobook narrated by Helen Laser.

A cute and fluffy paranormal romance. Mariel is hopeless at magic and when one of her spells goes wrong she accidentally summons  Ozroth the Ruthless. Until Mariel agrees to trade her soul, Ozroth has to stay near her, which makes family dinner, local politics and problems on the demon plane very interesting.

- This is not a complicated and detailed story and it does not try to be. It excels and being enjoyable, mostly fluffy (though there are some rather spicy sections) and had a really cute and cosy feel to it. An easy listening book.

- Both Mariel and Oz were such fun characters. I empathised a lot with Mariel and her struggles with familial and societal pressure. Oz was a mardy and grumpy character with a soft side and the dynamic between the two was so fun.

- The setting and the magic were what I would describe as witchy cosy. A modern world setting with a magical twist and Hawley made it work so well. I was so happy to discover there will be more books set in this town.

If you want a romance that isn't mentally taxing that you can just sink into and enjoy, I recommend giving this book a go. 
Ocean Renegades!: Journey Through the Paleozoic Era by Abby Howard

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funny informative fast-paced

4.0

⭐ 4/5 ⭐ 

Professor Lernin and Ronnie take another trip back in time, this time to the paleozoic era to learn about all the awesome and bizarre creatures that evolved.

- As with last time, amazing artwork. Each creature is depicted beautifully and with such gorgeous detail.

- Loved the depth of information but also how accessible it was. Phylogeny, evolution and anatomical characteristics were all used correct and explained in a way that even children would understand these potentially complex concepts.

- I loves how each period from the Cambrian to the Permian was covered in its own little chapter. I realise it was both constraints of publishing and knowledge of this but I wish we'd been able to focus more on each time period and go through them systematically like we did with the Dinosaur Empire book.

Bright, fun and educational. Great for fans of prehistoric life.
Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

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emotional mysterious reflective slow-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

3.75