aliangco's reviews
168 reviews

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

funny medium-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? Yes

1.0

Lacked direction, predictable romance. Just boring.

Hurricanes: A Memoir by Rick Ross

funny lighthearted tense medium-paced

3.75

I really enjoyed this - I was surprised. I know very little about Rick Ross, but I know a bit about the hiphop landscape. I appreciated hearing his side of history.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book reminds me of how This Is Us is set up. We're introduced to so many characters - some of them probably don't matter. But I love the generations of love stories and heartbreaks all into one, just so we can understand the Riva family.

I found the ending to be abrupt though. I wish it had more of a slow development much like the rest of the book.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

I thought this was an easy read but perhaps it just wasn't the season for me to read it. Or perhaps I've outgrown the bestfriends finally fall in love trope.

Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia

4.0

Of Women and Salt captured the stories of various women - each coming from different lives yet somehow they came together without them knowing. Multi-generational and multi-national narratives placed in one book. 

I originally wanted to give this book a 3.75 stars because I found that it didn’t really have a plot. But I realized that it was forth 4 stars just because it introduced me to women that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. I wasn’t sure where Garcia was taking me. But in the end, she gave me an ending that explained it all.

Sadie by Courtney Summers

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I listened to this as an audiobook. I came into it not knowing what it was about - other than “missing girl” and “podcast story line”. I loved listening to it and I would assume that reading it would not give me the same thrill as the audiobook.

Sadie was sad and mysterious. Often times, I wasn’t really sure what was gonna happen. Its narration is a parallel track between Sadie and a podcast host. This helped me tie up the loose ends or it at least gave me missing information if I wasn’t paying attention properly.

I wish that I learned more about Sadie or at least saw her character develop some more. I found that most characters had some sort of growth but Sadie’s just went in circles. Perhaps this is was anger does to a person.

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

Alderton writes a book that hit me in the core. Our protagonist Nina struggles with romance, friendship, and aging parents - things that I experience in smaller ways. Her reflections and thoughts felt sounded like mine and for this, I am grateful. In some ways, it became my own way of therapy.

I couldn't give it a full 4 stars since it was a bit too long in some parts. I found that there were some parts of the plot that weren't needed.

Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga

challenging informative tense slow-paced

3.75

Every Canadian should read this book. Talaga does a beautiful job of painting the realities of Indigenous life in Northern Ontario while weaving in history. She brings in context to the stories of these families and ties it back to the root cause. 

I couldn't give it the full 4 stars though - only because I found it a bit dragging at some points.

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

funny medium-paced

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

3.25

A teenage break up written by a  heartbroken teenage girl. The plot was underwhelming but there was something about the writing that engulfs you. 

Min Green is the protagonist and her run-on sentences was almost meditative to read. Handler did a wonderful job of using her personality to narrate the story. I felt like I was a teenager again. 

I wish there was more to the plot though. 

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

Keane's Ask Again Yes took a while for me to enjoy. The first 60% of the book was repetitive and sad. Then I realized that trauma is like that. It cycles and quiet sucks out the life out of you.

But then slowly, as the characters found healing, the book became moving for me. I was moved by Kate most of all. Her ability to stand still and stand strong. Her ability to love so willingly. 

Ask Again Yes asks if you're willing to go through all of your problems again, just to have the life you have right now. This family would say yes.