banana_hutch's reviews
370 reviews

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

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dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

This book is so beautifully written. It's reminiscent of books like The Night Circus/Starless Sea in terms of style - very flowy, very lovely. But the story is also so compelling. It moves a bit slowly at first, but then gains momentum as the time jumps grow closer together. Great read!
City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This book had been on my to-read list for YEARS, so I finally decided to knock it out. It was a fast read, entertaining, and set in a rich world. I would have liked more books in the series -- as in, takes place after the events of this book -- I am not terribly interested in prequels as a rule. But, fortunately, things do wrap up decently so it's not like we were left hanging.
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Artemis by Andy Weir

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

3.5

I definitely liked this one. I do also think it's the weakest of the three (currently published) Weir books. Which is a shame because it's the only one with a female protagonist. It wasn't until about halfway through the book and it turned into a zany caper with the side characters that I started really enjoying it. I wish the first half had had that same energy. Absolutely worth a read if you liked either of his other books. Project Hail Mary was a better read for me, though.
What Wild Women Do by Karma Brown

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I've been on a kick lately of reading books about women finding their peace and power, and this one fits so nicely into that niche. I loved the back and forth of past and present (sometimes that's not done well but this was), I loved the inclusion of pieces of the Wild Woman Handbook, and I loved the feeling of dread I got because I knew what was coming but I didn't know how it would play out. Really enjoyed this one!
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The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

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

3.75

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Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

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4.75

The Change by Kirsten Miller

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dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Holy SHIT, I loved this book. I don't even know where to begin with my review. Just 450+ pages of strong, powerful women, coming into their own, banding together, and fucking shit up for the terrible men around them. We get glimpses and backstories on even the side characters, which adds so much richness to the story that's being told. The pieces fall into place like a vengeful puzzle. I really, really loved this one.
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Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X by Deborah Davis

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challenging funny informative slow-paced

3.75

Strapless starts off pretty slowly - there's a lot of people we need to get acquainted with before the story the author wants to tell can begin. But once the groundwork gets laid, this one picks up. It's really interesting and there were parts I laughed out loud at the audacity of rich men. "She's not pregnant, it's just her vestigial twin - and only I, a sexy gynecologist, can rectify this situation!" Okay my dude.

If you like art, history (or both), and scandals, this one is for you.
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

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challenging dark hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This is such a lovely, odd, dark little love story. A modern epistolary novel in a sci-fi setting.
Bird Sense: What It's Like to Be a Bird by Tim Birkhead

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informative medium-paced

3.5

Curious about how birds perceive the world? Then this book is for you! I learned a lot. If you're a bird lover, you'll appreciate this one. A bit dense at times, but very interesting.
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