gbmillar2002's reviews
34 reviews

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

I feel like the child is an emblem for the grim reaper, going from one place to the next without attachment and care for emotions and connections but rather infomramtion. She takes life out of request rather than pity. However we see her develop her desire and her innate human need for connection. She realises Although she is divorced from the human world, she is not removed from the human reality of needing connection community and love

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

4.0

 I really enjoyed the pacing of this book, it had a healthy mix of plot and personal woes of the protagonists. All the main characters self esteem and standing with other peers was an aspect of this group, it did not err onto misogynist ' I'm not like other girls behaviour' behaviour. Which I am glad about as I feel like alot of YA books leverage this to demonstrate the otherwordlyness of their character/their development

Self Care by Leigh Stein

dark reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

 This book pointed out the irony of white feminism and how it interweaves capitalism, consumerism and the commodification of women's bodies in white centred female 'wellness' spaces. 
 
I enjoyed Stein's use of flipping between POV's, sometimes I find this to be overdone and can force you to sit through unneeded POV's for the sake of filler, however this wasn't the case. Sometimes the descriptions of how consumerist the individuals of the book became a bit overdone in some instances but throughout the vast majority of the book it was ok.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi

slow-paced

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

3.0

I’m in two minds about the ending. They ended on a birthday party??? Like com on. Also you have been trauma bonded that’s why you’re engaged

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

adventurous challenging sad medium-paced

3.75

Great story following Alex McCandles death in the Alaskan Wilderness. I loved Krakauer's retracing of Alex's steps and integrated what he could have felt in through his Alex's paper trail with accidential friends, previous adventurers stories of the wild and his own experience of nearly dying in the Wilderness. Howeverer the,last 50 or so pages felt  a bit slow as it went back and forth what happened/the impetus was put onto tje otehrs experiences and stories rather than the what happened to Alex.

Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi

dark slow-paced

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

3.0

I realised why I find it so difficult to
Read these books it feels that that the development of the character is all that is important in these books. With the key plot points just haphazardly thrown in and in my opinion feel rushed. For example the last scene wherein Juliet is taken, thag scene was mainly done in warrens POV and just happened very fast. By the time I realised what was happening it was Juliet’s POV and the final chapter or so. 

Moreover it feels like everything is just rehashed over and over again in terms of character development. Juliet is naive. Juliet feels strong and detached herself, she then realalisws you need to be a team to survive this, then someone breaks her heart and the cycle starts again. Same with warren he loves her, wants to protect her but can’t communicate. I don’t think this are bad hoods I just think I don’t gel with this style wirh writing

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.5

I wish there was more development of how Juliet became a good speaker, a representative and leader. It felt like she wanted t beicme that so people just gave it to her, rather than she earned it. Moreover the way she plays with warrens feelings is ridiculous, she thinks her being a innocent and good natured has the resulting affect of helping people. Rather it ks being selfish and forcing people to rush through their Trauma

Also not Adam being a little bitch… he wants to control her so bad and loves a shy girl

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

adventurous fast-paced

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

3.0

The main character Juliet likes to talks about how she is fearful of hurting people big is so sad of that her fiends are hurt because of her and she often wallows in her own self pity. I wish there was more development of how she is pushing through these feelings. Moreover why does warren love her so quickly?????? Like there was not enough sweet moments between her and warren in the first book but neither in this one. It would have been nice to have both Adam and warrens pov throughout this book. Thank god for kneji trying to pull everyone out of the self pity party

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

adventurous dark sad fast-paced

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

3.5

Very solid book. The author writes very nicely and in the audiobook version I appreciate the striking of sentences with an audible sound, it makes you feel involved in the story. Some of the description's seem like she used a thesaurus to find very niche synonyms  but other than that very engaging. The vibe was very 2014 Tumblr hate myself core, I am a monster not one loves me etc. It is difficult to say if this is overdone or not because the plot itself is very focused on the protagonists 'flaws'

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Suicide and War

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

funny lighthearted fast-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

Very lighthearted romance book! I like how the author put in little details that all read re have when they try and imagine a scene. For rwxample picking up the phone while your driving?? - Bluetooth.  Just thrown up??? Don’t kiss on the mouth ughhhhh.

But as a romance book I like how they empathise continuous consent, boundaries checking in with each other. Al and all very nice light hearted read!