**spoiler alert** Content warnings: marital rape (look, I am calling it what it is - Maria never consents to having sex with her husband - not once), **spoiler alert** Content warnings: marital rape (look, I am calling it what it is - Maria never consents to having sex with her husband - not once), alcohol, abuse, fire, stalking, death, lesbophobia (including lesbophobic d-slur used as a slur), toxic relationships.
Rep: 3 cis, white lesbian main characters. Side POC, side queer characters.
I loved this from the start to the finish. It was dense, but I was hooked. I was fascinated with Maria's story, and how it interconnected with everyone else mentioned in the summary.
The plot was fantastic, the characters incredible, and I can't words properly that's how good it was.
I was able to listen to an advanced audio copy and every single narrator was spot on. I loved Katie Leung's narrations a wee bit more (her Scottish accent is gorgeous)....more
**spoiler alert** Content warnings: alcohol, breakups, past references to parent with cancer, past references to parent leaving, cheating on MC mentio**spoiler alert** Content warnings: alcohol, breakups, past references to parent with cancer, past references to parent leaving, cheating on MC mentioned, biphobic comments.
Rep: Gemma (MC) is cis, Korean-American, and bisexual. Celeste (MC) is cis, Korean-American, and lesbian. Side lesbian characters, side queer characters, side BIPOC characters.
This was pretty great all around. I received an advanced audio copy from net galley, and flew through it in two days (for me, currently, this is a huge feat).
I adore Natalie Naudus' narrations, and this was just wonderful.
I loved Gemma's story, and watching her work through her issues, and fall back in love with Celeste.
The comment from Celeste's first POV chapter about how it's a 'lesbian's worst nightmare' that a bi woman ends up with a guy was completely unnecessary IMO. Obviously I don't speak for all lesbians, but that is not our 'worst nightmare' ffs. And it's biphobic as fuck to keep pushing that rhetoric. It's also extremely lesbophobic, too. Especially when there was literally nothing else in Celeste's narrative to indicate she thought like this. It seems like the author was putting her own personal bias into the book, and it does nothing except continuing to push a horrific rhetoric.
One of the only gripes I have is idk why Celeste even had a POV because her chapter were so few and so short. The entire thing could've been told from Gemma's POV only, but oh well....more
Content warnings: transphobia, bullying, references to past parental death.
Rep: Ollie (MC) is Iranian-American, nonbinary, autistic (not on page, but Content warnings: transphobia, bullying, references to past parental death.
Rep: Ollie (MC) is Iranian-American, nonbinary, autistic (not on page, but definitely is), and also has a-spec vibes. Side POC characters, side queer characters.
I got this as an audio early listening copy from net galley - so thank you to them for that.
This one was a 'right in the feels' kind of book. I wish I'd had something like this when I was younger. It explored the not wanting a period issues that I felt the same with as a kid. I loved their determination to find out what a 'woman' really was, and it felt so true to have so many people not be able to define what it actually is or meant. Anyway, this one was very lovely....more
Content warnings: alcohol (lots), sexual content and scenes, references to past bullying, aphobia and lesbophobic rhetoric.
Rep: Angela (MC) is cis, BIContent warnings: alcohol (lots), sexual content and scenes, references to past bullying, aphobia and lesbophobic rhetoric.
Rep: Angela (MC) is cis, BIPOC, lesbian, and asexual (with the label greysexual later used to define herself). Krystal (LI) is cis, BIPOC, bisexual, and 'curvy'.
As someone who is a lover of TikTok, and of libraries, this was right up my alley. There was a lot to enjoy in this one, I found. The plot was great, fast paced, and kept me engaged. I adored how messy Angela is, and how she doesn't shy away from that. She was a great protagonist, and I found myself laughing a fair few times at her antics.
The sex scenes were superb as well - so hot, and so well written.
It was fun, easy, and enjoyable.
The only downside for me, as someone who loves audiobooks, and read this as an audio arc, is that sometimes the narrator did not change their voice for the characters properly, and i was left confused a few times. Other than that, it was enjoyable....more
Content warnings: parental abandonment references, homophobia (light), alcohol, sex scenes. (Apologies, I may be missing some)
Rep: Emily (MC) is cis, Content warnings: parental abandonment references, homophobia (light), alcohol, sex scenes. (Apologies, I may be missing some)
Rep: Emily (MC) is cis, white, and bisexual. Diana (MC) is cis, white, and lesbian. Side queer characters.
This was thoroughly enjoyable. I adored the way Diana and Emily met. I loved the development of their relationship, and how it progressed from that sexy as fuck one night stand to the end of the novel.
A solid read, and utterly perfect for the autumn that I am currently in. Especially with that gorgeous as heck cover!...more
Rep: Kenzie (MC) is cis, white, and plus sized, and sapphic. Barbie (MC) is cis, white, and sapphic. No on page labelsContent warnings: sexual scenes.
Rep: Kenzie (MC) is cis, white, and plus sized, and sapphic. Barbie (MC) is cis, white, and sapphic. No on page labels are used. Kenzie does say that her guy friend is "as gay as she is" but *shrug* lesbian is used to say 'lesbian stereotype' but no one actually identifies as that, which is sad tbh.
This was alright. It was short, hot, and sweet. I did enjoy the modern take on Barbie/Ken, too....more
Rep: Avery (MC) is cis, Black, and bisexual. Taylor (MC) is cis, Black, lesbian, and plus sized. Oodles of side Content warnings: alcohol, sex scenes.
Rep: Avery (MC) is cis, Black, and bisexual. Taylor (MC) is cis, Black, lesbian, and plus sized. Oodles of side queer characters.
I just loved this one a lot. It was fun, it was entertaining and captivating, and I was left wanting to keep reading each time I had to stop reading for adulting reasons. This is an easy new favourite of mine....more
CWs: alcohol, explicit sexual content, misgendering, transphobia, homophobia, toxic parents, references to people being queer bashed.
Rep: Rosalie (MCCWs: alcohol, explicit sexual content, misgendering, transphobia, homophobia, toxic parents, references to people being queer bashed.
Rep: Rosalie (MC) is cis, white, and lesbian. Kinsey is cis, Filipina-American, and lesbian (label not used on page for her - please correct me if I am wrong), but she exclusively only dates women, so I am using it). enby side character, queer side characters, trans side characters, BIPOC side characters.
This is my favourite in this trilogy. I adored the charactacters SO fucking much. I loved getting Rosalie's back story - it was so heartbreaking and beautiful. The chemistry between Rosalie and Kinsey was also incredibly well done.
(view spoiler)[ The ending of Rachel being alive the entire time left me !!! and ??? which I am still processing lol. (hide spoiler)]...more
This was as cute as it was hot. I adored this little novella - it's exactly what I needed to start my weekend off with.This was as cute as it was hot. I adored this little novella - it's exactly what I needed to start my weekend off with....more
Content warnings: alcohol, references to some kind of scandal (i don't remember if it was actually said it was?)
Rep: Vini (MC) is cis, Black and lesbContent warnings: alcohol, references to some kind of scandal (i don't remember if it was actually said it was?)
Rep: Vini (MC) is cis, Black and lesbian (?? once again, no label is used on page). Jessica is cis, Korean-African-American, and lesbian (?? once again no label is used on page).
I enjoyed this one a lot more than I enjoyed the 7-10 Split.
Vini's as a character was so fun to read. I enjoyed the chemistry between her and Jessica, and found their sex scenes to also be so well written and evocative.
Ava was a bit of a =/ to me, this book. Like, chill, bestie.
All in all, this is a 3.5 rounded up for 欧宝娱乐....more
Content warnings: references to past parental deaths - one cancer, one drunk driving.
Rep: Both MCs are cis, Black, and I'm not sure if both MCs are leContent warnings: references to past parental deaths - one cancer, one drunk driving.
Rep: Both MCs are cis, Black, and I'm not sure if both MCs are lesbians, or if only Grace is (lesbian is never used to describe either of them, but the word lesbian is used once, in a general setting), but Ava is said to have had interest or past male and female lovers, so idk. I wish people would be fucking clear lol.
I do love a good workplace romance!
I adored that they're both teachers, too. And the bowling element was an added bonus.
The story was lovely, the plot easy, and the vibes were good....more
Rep: Charlie (MC) is lesbian, cis, and white. Lesbian is not Content warnings: d-slur & lesbophobia, misogyny, physical violence, threats of violence.
Rep: Charlie (MC) is lesbian, cis, and white. Lesbian is not used on page, but the d-slur is, and another lesbian (also not said on page) points to Charlie's lesbian flag pin on her backpack and says she has one too. Just fucking use the word ffs. Side queer and POC characters.
I fricken loved this one.
This kept me sane while I was in the throes of agony yesterday, so that's good....more
If you are the author, move along. This review is not for you, it is for other readers.
Content warnings: death of parent (past, talked about a fair biIf you are the author, move along. This review is not for you, it is for other readers.
Content warnings: death of parent (past, talked about a fair bit in narrative), grief, fat negativity (a lot), homophobia - including the f slur, underage drinking, drug usage, vomit, bullying, slut shaming. (Fucking hell, I wish people other than me would write content warnings for the book in their reviews.)
Rep: Jonah (MC) is Aboriginal, fat, cis, and gay. Harley (LI) is cis, Aboriginal, and bisexual. Side Aboriginal characters.
To be honest, I was going to DNF this one early on for the sheer volume of fat negativity. There's only so many times I can hear about how ugly, horrible, and worthless being a fat person is. Whilst I do understand this is coming from a personal place for the author, there was no care (in my opinion at least) surrounding this. Even at the end of the book, Jonah, in the narrative, says he's trying to love his body - but there is literally nothing like that on page at all. It's literally a throwaway line and it just breaks my heart.
The story itself was okay. I felt disconnected a lot during it for various reasons, including the above paragraph.
I'm glad Jonah got his happy ending, though, he deserved it....more
I honestly don't remember when I started this one, because reading has been a massive struggle for me so far this year, so we'll say the 30th of JanuaI honestly don't remember when I started this one, because reading has been a massive struggle for me so far this year, so we'll say the 30th of January for reasons.
I struggled with the audio of this - I fell asleep a few times. But I wanted to persist because the story was good. I haven't read a good heist novel in a while, and this one was great. I loved the diverse cast of characters, how everyone's rolls were integral to the plot, and the ending, too.
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