_dina's reviews
19 reviews

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

An enjoyable read ! I LOVED the dog’s pov it brought something so fun and charming to the story. 
I will say it is sometimes a bit heavy handed and unrealistic for the time period but both dramatic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I understand what the author wanted to do with such an unlikable narrator, and she did it extremely well, but that made the book a bit difficult for me to get through at times. It’s just not something I enjoy reading. The commentary felt a bit heavy handed at times as a WOC but the reading experience will be different for every reader I suppose. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Vomit, and War

Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Captivating and incredibly well written, so far I’ve loved everything from Natalie Haynes ! 
I’m very familiar with Greek mythology so the plot was not a surprise for me but I truly did not expect that ending, I can’t stop thinking about it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Misogyny

The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan

adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

A fun read ! The story starts a bit slow but picks up around a third of the book I would say. 
I was really invested in both timelines and almost every storyline, the characters can be a bit flat sometimes but I loved their dynamic. The only I didn’t really like is Jay for some reason, but I could relate a lot to Nina. 
A bit too much surfing for my taste though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Eating disorder and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Car accident

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman

lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

I don’t know how to feel about this book. It felt like I was reading fanfiction somehow, I caught myself rolling my eyes a couple of times. I really liked the format however, it added a bit of tension and suspense. 
I couldn’t get attached to the main characters and found myself caring more about the side characters. 
It was a nice beach read, lighthearted and entertaining but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Death of parent

Sistersong by Lucy Holland

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-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

4.75