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ashmagoffin's reviews
689 reviews
Barcelona by Bess Wohl
4.0
Bess Wohl certainly has a talent for dialogue. A two hander which unfolds over the course of an act and everything is not all that it first appears to be. Some great monologue material here.
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
2.25
Three Women is non-fiction written as a narrative. The author interviewed the three women and other people in their lives over eight years, even moving towns to be closer. Three Women is a compelling read, it sucked me in from the onset. However as this book continued I lost interest. There was a significant event in Maggie's story involving her father which turned me off entirely. This broke the spell for me, I continued to read as it was a book club book. I also felt like if a perspective was removed I wouldn't actually care all that much. For a book about female desire but it seemed to have a lot about the actions of men within. I have mixed feelings but overall I feel like this book was just not for me.
The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei
3.0
I love a heist, a treasure hunt and space so you best believe this book was right up on my alley. This book has a particular humorous tone which hit the spot, the characters and found family trope are working overtime. However, The Stardust Grail is only 300 pages long. The stakes were high throughout but I did not feel it until the very end. This book moved swiftly but I believe it should have been longer. The world building was good in parts but needed more time to build up, I feel like if there was more time to develop, the plot would feel less convoluted. I was won back around by the end but this book felt rushed. This is still an enjoyable sci-fi read.
Cost of Living by Martyna Majok
4.0
Contemporary play about contemporary issues which are not always brought to the forefront of the public eye. Big points for rep in this one.
Ray Bradbury's Kaleidoscope (Play) by Ray Bradbury
3.0
This is a super accessible play that can be made as complex or as simple as required. Not long enough to delve into anything too nuanced but also leaves you with enough to chew on.
Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
4.0
I immensely enjoyed being in Heather Fawcett's world again, even more than the first time. There is something endlessly charming about this series which is hard to pinpoint. The original characters felt like returning to old friends and the new characters were delightful as well. I do find this series does require a decent amount of concentration to read, they don't always easily hold my attention. This book series is unique and just immaculate vibes, I will definitely be picking up the third book when it comes out.
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
1.0
This book was way too long for what it was worth. This book ambled along at a snail length pace and hardly anything happened. The characters spoke in a clunky way that did not seem human. The book had multiple perspectives but every second one was an absolute slog to get through, the explanation was also not worth it. As someone who has read multiple Liane Moriarty books, I don't believe this one was even written by her as it did not seem authentic to her writing. I disliked the amount of loose ends. I believe this one is worth skipping, it nearly sent me into a slump. I read this in a buddy read with Molly and Maegan which was a fun experience we all did not like the book. My mum loved it though so maybe listen to her.
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
3.0
A hard book for me to review. Sally Rooney's writing demands your full attention, I had a busy mind when I was reading this book and therefore my comprehension of this book suffered. Rooney always has a lot to say and some of it did sink into my tired brain, grief, miscommunication, unconventional family relationships. I liked the varying tone of each character’s perspective and how they interacted with the world. The ending felt too convenient and shoe-horned in at the end, an odd feeling considering this book is around 450 pages. This book is not my favourite of Rooney's work, I hope to revisit this one in the future.