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srosen930's reviews
81 reviews
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
I thought the plot and concept of the book was terrific. The pacing was just at the right pace for me. The horror elements were truly imaginative and scary. This is a good blend of the historical reality mixed with the supernatural. I really enjoyed the style the book was written, the southern accent of the character's dialogue, and the who "Night Doctor" elements thrown in there. This book did a great job of introducing concepts I should know about. Highly recommend for horror fans.
The Emissary by Yōko Tawada
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I thought the writing was exquisite. However I thought the pacing to be uneven and chaotic. Parts of the story were imaginative, while others made you question “how did the story get here?”
There wasn’t really any plot, just a slow flow of character development and the world building.
There wasn’t really any plot, just a slow flow of character development and the world building.
The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
3.25
I found the most interesting aspects of the book to be the inner workings of Jake as a teen in HS as a gay black kid. That was the most relatable part to the general audience. The book was emotional, tense, over-the-top at parts.
The things I found super frustrating and confusing were the astral parts of the book. It was hard to follow along during some of the action sequences because the author would keep adding new rules and elements into Jake's abilities without any explanation. I had to backtrack a lot of the novel to make sure I wasn't missing anything.
The things I found super frustrating and confusing were the astral parts of the book. It was hard to follow along during some of the action sequences because the author would keep adding new rules and elements into Jake's abilities without any explanation. I had to backtrack a lot of the novel to make sure I wasn't missing anything.
The Tao Speaks: Lao-Tzu's Whispers of Wisdom by Tsai Chih Chung
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
The graphic novel adaptation made it very easy for me to follow and understand the core concepts of Daoism. This book is a lot to take in. While only 112 pages, don't read too quickly b/c there is a lot of information to digest and to remember.
I found this book soothing and inspiring. It helps put you in a good mindset and remember the important things to remember in life. You will learn about the strength in weaknesses, inaction, true wisdom, and what great leadership means.
I found this book soothing and inspiring. It helps put you in a good mindset and remember the important things to remember in life. You will learn about the strength in weaknesses, inaction, true wisdom, and what great leadership means.
Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness by Kristen Radtke
dark
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
What a deep musing on what loneliness means in the 21st century and theories to how we have gotten here + how loneliness creeps into our everyday lives. Author includes personal stories plus facts/history. The art is amazing and very engaging. It makes you want to keep reading more, although the topic is sad and relatable to me and the people I know. Creative way to tell a story.
The Power by Naomi Alderman
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story by Paul Monette
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
2.75
This book focused more on flowery language than the actual substance of a story. That took away how I enjoyed reading it.
It was a good anchor point on how gay men were treated about 30 years ago, and how much of the mentality has changed. However, a lot of the issues in the book revolves around Pauls shame and attempts to deny his sexuality. It’s not a representative story, but one that is still worth learning about.
Paul writes with a lot of anger inside and it shows through his descriptions and stories.
It was a good anchor point on how gay men were treated about 30 years ago, and how much of the mentality has changed. However, a lot of the issues in the book revolves around Pauls shame and attempts to deny his sexuality. It’s not a representative story, but one that is still worth learning about.
Paul writes with a lot of anger inside and it shows through his descriptions and stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Although utterly realistically depressing at times, Vonnegut still puts his true voice on topics surrounding sociology, politics, humanity, stories, and more.
Each chapter is a short nugget and leaves a lasting gut punch when finishing. Vonnegut has always spoken my language and this book doesn't stray from that philosophy. My favorite parts are when he speaks ill of the Bush administration in such a way that you want to shout "YES!" and hate the state of the world (because problems have only increased since 2005.
Definitely worth the read.
Each chapter is a short nugget and leaves a lasting gut punch when finishing. Vonnegut has always spoken my language and this book doesn't stray from that philosophy. My favorite parts are when he speaks ill of the Bush administration in such a way that you want to shout "YES!" and hate the state of the world (because problems have only increased since 2005.
Definitely worth the read.
Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Anna Lembke
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
This book did a good job backing up its main points with real life examples, which always helps me solidify a point.
I was a little concerned that when the book got to the part of pressing on the "pain" side of the "pleasure - pain scale" that the author didnt condemn harmful self harm techniques. Like cold showering is a good example of pressing on the pain side, but when talking about cutting, I would put a disclaimer there.
The book ran a little long for me, but it wasn't too long or wordy.
I was a little concerned that when the book got to the part of pressing on the "pain" side of the "pleasure - pain scale" that the author didnt condemn harmful self harm techniques. Like cold showering is a good example of pressing on the pain side, but when talking about cutting, I would put a disclaimer there.
The book ran a little long for me, but it wasn't too long or wordy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content and Suicide
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
I guess it was the wrong place, wrong time