archercasper's reviews
92 reviews

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

mysterious sad tense medium-paced

3.0

"If nobody sees you, are you still there?"

Incredibly mixed feelings about this book. The organizational structure wasn't great, but the explorations of grief, love, queerness, and gender-fluidity were intertwined in an interesting way. The

incest

ruined it for me, though. I also wish the author spent more time with Vivek's character; it felt like the book was more about his mom.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

dark emotional tense slow-paced

3.0

I have so many mixed feelings about this book. The premise is amazing, but some of the writing felt very juvenile/out of place. I wish it had been longer so certain aspects could've been developed more. However, something about the characters and story was gripping, and I can't stop thinking about it. "Hauntingly beautiful," as many reviewers like to say.

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann

adventurous dark informative medium-paced

4.0

"Empires preserve their power with the stories that they tell, but just as critical are the stories they don't - the dark silences they impose, the pages they tear out."

This was masterfully written and wholly engaging. The author's acknowledgement of Europe's perceived superiority throughout written accounts (and all of history) was well-placed and vital to this telling. This was my first introduction to David Grann and I'm excited to read his other works. 

The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

challenging tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

"Nothing is infallible."

"Absolute power is its own weakness. It is in its very illusion of invincibility that it reveals itself to be vulnerable."

This book is not a genre I typically read; I almost put it down after the first few pages because of the futuristic and tech-y language, but I am so glad I didn't. I absolutely loved this book. 

The story unfolds by focusing on numerous different individuals and providing a realistic glimpse into the daily lives of those people. I thought it was a brilliant way to tell the story and make it immersive. There were a couple minor inconsistencies (mainly with names), but those didn't detract from the integrity of the book. I especially enjoyed how a lot of the characters popped up again in small ways. That little piece really added to the world-building (though, certain social dynamics and time frames were unclear, which was frustrating).

I wish they hadn't changed the title; I feel like it doesn't do the story justice and misconstrues what it's about. Despite that, this was a good read.

Rest and Be Thankful by Emma Glass

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

"I can be whole with nothing."

Beautiful, poetic, and striking. This was a quick, impactful read that provided a glimpse into the life of an overworked pediatric nurse. It read almost like a Richard Siken poem, which I loved. The ending was a bit abrupt, but overall this was a wonderful, powerful piece of art. 

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

adventurous dark inspiring medium-paced

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

3.0

"I only knew what I felt, as certain as the earth beneath my feet."

I love Jennifer Saint's simple yet effective writing style. This was an enjoyable (but slow) story, though it fell a bit flat during the last few chapters. The ending seemed a bit rushed/unfinished to me - there are still lingering questions I have. 

Overall, though, I liked the variety of characters and settings, and thought this was a decent read (if not a bit boring at times). I appreciate that the author focused on Atalanta's superior physical strength as opposed to smarts or magic; there aren't enough stories about women written from that angle. 

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You about Being Creative by Austin Kleon

funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

Quick, easy read with some helpful insights. I enjoyed the updated message from the author at the end.

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I was not a big fan of this book. It was well-written, for the most part, but there were way too many storylines and perspectives that never really converged properly (I was expecting it to be more about Medusa than it was). The prevailing emotion I felt while reading was confusion. 

Individually, each characters' sections were great, but as a whole book it seemed a bit jumbled and didn't flow well. I also didn't like how in-your-face the author's message was. It made the work feel a bit cliche/condescending at times. 

African American Herbalism: A Practical Guide to Healing Plants and Folk Traditions by Lucretia VanDyke

informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

Very informative and well-written. I loved learning more about the author's culture and practices, as well as how engaging the book was. 

Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake

emotional lighthearted 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

2.0

This was...underwhelming.

I thought Blake's portrayals of bipolar disorder and autism were mostly accurate and relatable (at least, to me, a person who has both), but I don't understand why it was never once addressed that Aldo was autistic when he so clearly was. He just kept being referred to as "weird" and "different". That really bothered me. 

The dialogue between characters was well-written but that's about it. I was not a fan of how the author kept flip-flopping between narrative styles every 3 sentences. It also seemed like Blake was trying to sound intelligent and revolutionary at times (ex. Time travel) but it just didn't work or read well. The part in the beginning with the "narrators" was also SO odd: she did it for the first few pages and then didn't bring it back until the very last page - what was the point of that? 

I finished this pretty recently and I've already forgotten the majority of the book. Hell, I could barely remember what was going on while I was reading it because the writing style and organizational structure was so hard to follow. The characters were also unhealthy to the point that I was tired of reading about them (I kind of liked Aldo, but his personality change made him so annoying).

I really wanted to like this book and I'm disappointed that I didn't.