Hsinju’s Lit Log

blending the worlds of Literature and Engineering

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    • About
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  • Buy AWAKENINGS!
  • Book Reviews
    • Fiction
    • Nonfiction
    • ARC Reviews
  • Bookish
    • Wrap-Ups
    • Memes
      • #5OnMyTBR
      • Top Ten Tuesday
      • WLW Wednesday
    • Reading Challenges
      • Sapphic Saturday
      • Here & Queerathon 2020
    • Book Tags
    • Blog Tour
  • Other Things I Talk About
    • Travel
      • Map of Cities Visited
    • Theatre Reviews
    • Music Reviews
    • Language
    • Tech
    • Miscellaneous
  • ABOUT
    • About
    • Review Policy
    • Contact Me
  • ARCs,  Book Reviews

    Home by Kris Bryant | ARC Review

    9th October 2020
    Cover of Home (Kris Bryant)

    Home by Kris Bryant

    • Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, October 13th 2020
    • Genre: Romance, LGBTQ+
    • Format: Paperback (eARC)
    • Page Count: 222 pages
    • My Rating: ★★★ (3/5)

    Content warnings: gun, off-page animal abuse, loss of father to cancer (prior to story), missing person

    Home is a very sweet second-chance romance that will make you smile. It is an angst-less joy, perfect for a bad day.

    Sheriff Natalie Strand (~35, lesbian) isn’t looking for love, and she tries to pretend she didn’t spend half her life thinking about the girl who kissed her and disappeared. Recently divorced Sarah Eastman (~35, lesbian) moves back to small town Spruce Mountain with her six-year-old daughter Harley to regroup. When the pair runs into each other, they are instantly thrown back to that night seventeen years ago.

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  • ARCs,  Book Reviews,  Fiction

    Payback by Charlotte Mills | ARC Review

    27th August 2020

    Payback (Payback #1) by Charlotte Mills

    • Publisher: Ylva Publishing, February 20th 2019
    • Genre: Mystery, Romance, LGBTQ+
    • Format: eARC
    • Page Count: 238 pages
    • My Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

    Content warnings: off-page arson, murder, suicides, pedophilia, rape, deaths of family members, sexual harassment; blood, cancer

    I did not expect the story to escalate like this.

    Dead body. Arson. Missing person. Throughout most of the story, I had trouble getting into the plot, connecting with detective Kate Wolf (34) and her boss Helen Taylor, as well as understanding their attraction. A lot of things did not add up for me, so it took me a very long time to get past the first few chapters and keep reading. Even as I was close to finishing, I couldn’t understand why everyone loved it so much. Until I did.

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  • Book Reviews,  Fiction

    Both Ways by Ileandra Young

    15th August 2020
    Cover of Both Ways (Ileandra Young)

    Both Ways (The S.P.E.A.R. Mission Files #1) by Ileandra Young

    • Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, 2018
    • Genre: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+
    • Format: Ebook
    • Page Count: 301 pages
    • My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

    CW: speciesism from Danika, homophobia, violence, pregnancy, blood, one-time unintentional misgendering from Rayne, one-time nonconsensual m/f kissing

    This book was nothing like I imagined and completely outdid my expectations.

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    No Comments
  • ARCs,  Book Reviews,  Fiction

    Sylver and Gold by Michelle Larkin | ARC Review

    9th August 2020
    Cover of Sylver and Gold (Michelle Larkin)

    Sylver and Gold by Michelle Larkin

    • Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, August 11th 2020
    • Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+
    • Format: Paperback (eARC)
    • Page Count: 242 pages
    • My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

    CW: off-screen child abuse, sexual assault, and physical torture.

    I finished this book in two sittings and would have in one if not for a scheduled dinner. Since I tend to get sucked into a book and forget about reality, I am happy to say that me being hyper-alert of my surroundings in-between sittings is an indication that the suspense had really got to me. Sylver and Gold is that enthralling.

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    2 Comments
  • ARCs,  Book Reviews,  Fiction

    Glorious Day by Skye Kilaen | ARC Review

    2nd August 2020
    Cover of Glorious Day (Skye Kilaen)

    Glorious Day by Skye Kilaen

    • Publisher: NineStar Press, August 3rd 2020
    • Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance, LGBTQ+, Novella
    • Format: Ebook (eARC)
    • Page Count: 87 pages
    • My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

    See Kilaen’s website for content warnings.

    A lot happened in this novella. I experienced a range of emotions such as concern, sadness, and joy throughout the read.

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    No Comments
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About Me

Lí-hó!! I am Hsinju (they/she), a Taiwanese book blogger, writer, and full-time grad student in engineering. Here, I mainly review books featuring authentically represented LGBTQ+ characters and/or written by LGBTQ+ authors. You’d usually find me going about life with my heart stuck in the last book I finished.

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