alexandriaslibrary's reviews
239 reviews

The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

The Awakening by Katie Vogel

reflective medium-paced

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Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn

• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Grief isn’t linear and is often messy, jarring, backwards, and disorienting. In her true experimental sensibility, Blackburn’s debut novel is unlike anything else. 

Coral discovers her brother’s body and begins to use his phone. But while this seems like a thriller, it’s a very internal and philosophical look at grief and the human condition. Coral is the author of a semi-popular dystopian graphic novel Wildfire and her narrators of the series (a first-person plural omniscient entity) is the narrator of the entire book. Flashbacks, excerpts from Wildfire, musings on humanity, and Coral’s week following her brother’s death—weave together harmoniously to the end. 

Also, as someone from Long Beach California, this book is a beautiful ode to an oily, salty city! 

Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

A gem! A star! Marie-Helene has crafted an achingly human about an alien named Adina.

Adina is born on the day Voyager 1 is sent into the Cosmos and must grow up as a human girl in Philadelphia. We follow her life as she reports back to her home planet (via Fax Machine) about the human condition. 

What a book to open 2024 with!

Goblin Mode: How to Get Cozy, Embrace Imperfection, and Thrive in the Muck by McKayla Coyle

informative inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

5.0

A genius part-nature part-cozy part-self-help guide about living Goblincore! Uplifting, a tad silly, and filled w crafts that I can’t wait to try :-) 

The Remains by Margo Glantz

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

A stream of consciousness monologue of a woman attending her ex-husbands funeral. It was easier to read than I thought since there is no dialogue or plot, but a lot of the book focuses on classical music, and although I felt like I learned a little, someone with a musical background might gleam more from this. 

Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck

adventurous reflective medium-paced

5.0

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

A collection of cohesive yet unique stories about womanhood, Native Hawaiian/Hawaiian Japanese identity, exploitation and queerness. Loved “Temporary Dwellers” about a mother and daughter who open their home to a teen refuge, “Some Things I Know About Elvis” about a cacophony of Elvis’s” and “Touch Me Like One of Your Island Girls: A Love Story” following a woman who agrees to be in a costumed adult film for a job.

Thank you Bloomsbury for the copy!

Love at Six Thousand Degrees by Maki Kashimada

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5