Scan barcode
book_vorfreude's reviews
382 reviews
Daughters of the Deer by Danielle Daniel
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I think what didn’t work the most for me here was the writing itself, I just really didn’t enjoy it, and found the time jumps to be very abrupt and unexpected. The story didn't flow how I was expecting it to, but that might most definitely be a "me" problem.
I did really enjoy the story that was told, I think it was incredibly relevant and heartbreaking. I will say that I wanted more of Jeanne and Josephine, this is where I feel like everything was just very abrupt, we got so little of them before everything happened that I didn't really get the time to adjust and connect with them.
I felt like this was so much more Marie's story, despite how much of it was Jeanne, and I was really invested in Marie and her life, I almost wanted to just follow her point of view the whole way.
I did really enjoy the story that was told, I think it was incredibly relevant and heartbreaking. I will say that I wanted more of Jeanne and Josephine, this is where I feel like everything was just very abrupt, we got so little of them before everything happened that I didn't really get the time to adjust and connect with them.
I felt like this was so much more Marie's story, despite how much of it was Jeanne, and I was really invested in Marie and her life, I almost wanted to just follow her point of view the whole way.
The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
The original rating was 4 stars... but I spent all day after finishing just thinking about this book, even when I was focusing on work, so you know what? Rounding it up to 4.5 stars and a five star on Goodreads.
My favorite part about Adrienne’s books is the whimsical, slow, tension of her stories. June did not have an easy challenge ahead of her, but I think she absolutely did the best she could and I loved her for it.
I could honestly live in this and "Spells for Forgetting" and never get tired of these stories, so I definitely think it deserves the five stars from me. I'm so glad I gave the author another go after not really loving the Fable/Namesake duology, I much prefer her magical realism books!
My favorite part about Adrienne’s books is the whimsical, slow, tension of her stories. June did not have an easy challenge ahead of her, but I think she absolutely did the best she could and I loved her for it.
I could honestly live in this and "Spells for Forgetting" and never get tired of these stories, so I definitely think it deserves the five stars from me. I'm so glad I gave the author another go after not really loving the Fable/Namesake duology, I much prefer her magical realism books!
When in Rome by Sarah Adams
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
O Avesso da Pele by Jeferson Tenório
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Um olhar difícil e muito vulnerável à vivência desta família no Brasil. Um livro que, apesar de ter menos de 200 páginas, nos obriga a explorar a existência humana de uma forma envolvente e marcante.
Por estar muito habituada a ler maioritariamente em inglês, demorei alguns capítulos a conseguir acompanhar a escrita. Mas não foi culpa nenhuma do autor, dado que assim que me deixei levar pela mesma, foi impossível parar. A escrita é como se estivéssemos numa sala a ouvir contar a história em primeira mão, diretamente da fonte. Foi lindíssima de absorver, e quase se tornou impossível não acreditar que tudo isto tivesse acontecido.
Tenho um gosto especial por histórias contadas através de vários pontos de vista e linhas temporais, algo que creio que é muito bem conseguido nesta obra, apesar de a história não ser linear. Acompanhamos vários personagens e as suas lutas contra uma sociedade inerentemente racista, contra relações tóxicas e abusivas, e todas as complicadas relações humanas entre família, amigos e estranhos.
Foi um livro que foi difícil de largar, mas ao mesmo tempo difícil de ler, dadas as temáticas pesadas que aborda e os sentimentos inevitáveis que temos pelos personagens.
Por estar muito habituada a ler maioritariamente em inglês, demorei alguns capítulos a conseguir acompanhar a escrita. Mas não foi culpa nenhuma do autor, dado que assim que me deixei levar pela mesma, foi impossível parar. A escrita é como se estivéssemos numa sala a ouvir contar a história em primeira mão, diretamente da fonte. Foi lindíssima de absorver, e quase se tornou impossível não acreditar que tudo isto tivesse acontecido.
Tenho um gosto especial por histórias contadas através de vários pontos de vista e linhas temporais, algo que creio que é muito bem conseguido nesta obra, apesar de a história não ser linear. Acompanhamos vários personagens e as suas lutas contra uma sociedade inerentemente racista, contra relações tóxicas e abusivas, e todas as complicadas relações humanas entre família, amigos e estranhos.
Foi um livro que foi difícil de largar, mas ao mesmo tempo difícil de ler, dadas as temáticas pesadas que aborda e os sentimentos inevitáveis que temos pelos personagens.
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My favourite part of this? That we get three different simultaneous perspectives, one for each sister.
I had no idea what to expect when I started this book, I just knew the weather was rainy and a storm was passing through and I wanted a paranormal book to keep me company.
This was a beautiful complex look at the sisters' relationships, both with each other, as well as with others and how the world viewed them. This was about things we will do for family and friends, sacrifice and the power of magic. How society has constantly oppressed women, especially women of color, to keep them small and insignificant, when they are everything but that.
The world-building and the magic system were exactly what I wanted, and it was such a fantastic reading experience. I love that we get a little bit of different fairytales, myths and stories that we might recognize and be excited about. That the spells themselves are a memory lost but awakened when reading them in between these pages.
There are an unusually large amount of characters, but I think you can decently keep track of everyone, or at least remember their part and importance when the correct moments occur. But I will note that this is a slow-paced book, notably slow.
Overall I think you really have to be in the mood for a big slow-paced book in order to appreciate all of the work, research, and love that went into this story. But I'm very glad I got to enjoy it at the right time for me.
I had no idea what to expect when I started this book, I just knew the weather was rainy and a storm was passing through and I wanted a paranormal book to keep me company.
This was a beautiful complex look at the sisters' relationships, both with each other, as well as with others and how the world viewed them. This was about things we will do for family and friends, sacrifice and the power of magic. How society has constantly oppressed women, especially women of color, to keep them small and insignificant, when they are everything but that.
The world-building and the magic system were exactly what I wanted, and it was such a fantastic reading experience. I love that we get a little bit of different fairytales, myths and stories that we might recognize and be excited about. That the spells themselves are a memory lost but awakened when reading them in between these pages.
There are an unusually large amount of characters, but I think you can decently keep track of everyone, or at least remember their part and importance when the correct moments occur. But I will note that this is a slow-paced book, notably slow.
Overall I think you really have to be in the mood for a big slow-paced book in order to appreciate all of the work, research, and love that went into this story. But I'm very glad I got to enjoy it at the right time for me.
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
I wasn't someone who actively searched for non-fiction reads, but there is no way to read a book like this and not be moved, feel the fragility of the human condition, or want to have the experience repeat itself with other stories. This was insightful, and a necessary but hard read, that I would recommend to everyone.
It was told in such a unique fashion, I especially liked the block of chapters where we were given a choice of which page number we would move to depending on our answer to a situation, and the different options presented. I think it was such a fantastic addition to the book, it really felt like you were having a conversation with the author.
The commentary on the erasure of stories, on gatekeeping history, and on the importance of these types of stories and their content, on how abusive relationships in the queer community are viewed and dealt with, everything about this was meticulous, perfectly discussed while still keeping all of its emotional value and power.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
This book was an otherworldly experience, and I am so glad I finally picked it up.
A heartbreaking look into how relationships can go from good to bad to awful. Beautiful writing and I absolutely adored the format with quick straight-to-the-point "chapters" that were sometimes only a sentence long but just as impactful.
A heartbreaking look into how relationships can go from good to bad to awful. Beautiful writing and I absolutely adored the format with quick straight-to-the-point "chapters" that were sometimes only a sentence long but just as impactful.
Dream House as Epiphany
Most types of domestic abuse are completely legal.
I wasn't someone who actively searched for non-fiction reads, but there is no way to read a book like this and not be moved, feel the fragility of the human condition, or want to have the experience repeat itself with other stories. This was insightful, and a necessary but hard read, that I would recommend to everyone.
It was told in such a unique fashion, I especially liked the block of chapters where we were given a choice of which page number we would move to depending on our answer to a situation, and the different options presented. I think it was such a fantastic addition to the book, it really felt like you were having a conversation with the author.
The commentary on the erasure of stories, on gatekeeping history, and on the importance of these types of stories and their content, on how abusive relationships in the queer community are viewed and dealt with, everything about this was meticulous, perfectly discussed while still keeping all of its emotional value and power.
Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee
emotional
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.0
This was my second book from Stacey Lee, and while I did enjoy the last one more, this was a fantastic story.
From my research into her writing process here, the author’s family (on her mother's side) originally came to America in the 1800s, but wasn't permitted to stay due to the Chinese Exclusion Act - which the book touches upon a lot, and something I was not aware of before reading about here.
While I think most of us are familiar with the tragic story of the Titanic, this was a very unique perspective that I appreciate being able to learn about. We start the book already knowing that two of our beloved characters aren't going to make it, we just don't know which two... and I was heartbroken with the result (yes, tears were indeed shed).
I do think I could have done without the romance, I believe the story would have worked equally as well without its inclusion, but I can understand how it plays its part. I enjoyed following our main character through her absolute determination to make a life for herself and keep her family together, it was inspiring, especially given how much was working against them, even if sometimes what we think is best isn't best for everyone.
I think the pacing was just right, those three days felt like an absolute lifetime on board the Titanic, and so much can happen in just a few days, and just like that, from one second to the next, a lifetime can fall victim to a tragedy. While reading this book you can also tell that so much research went into creating it, I could visualize almost everything that was being told, and I loved that we even got a few characters based on real passengers and crew.
Overall, a very succesful retelling.
From my research into her writing process here, the author’s family (on her mother's side) originally came to America in the 1800s, but wasn't permitted to stay due to the Chinese Exclusion Act - which the book touches upon a lot, and something I was not aware of before reading about here.
While I think most of us are familiar with the tragic story of the Titanic, this was a very unique perspective that I appreciate being able to learn about. We start the book already knowing that two of our beloved characters aren't going to make it, we just don't know which two... and I was heartbroken with the result (yes, tears were indeed shed).
I do think I could have done without the romance, I believe the story would have worked equally as well without its inclusion, but I can understand how it plays its part. I enjoyed following our main character through her absolute determination to make a life for herself and keep her family together, it was inspiring, especially given how much was working against them, even if sometimes what we think is best isn't best for everyone.
I think the pacing was just right, those three days felt like an absolute lifetime on board the Titanic, and so much can happen in just a few days, and just like that, from one second to the next, a lifetime can fall victim to a tragedy. While reading this book you can also tell that so much research went into creating it, I could visualize almost everything that was being told, and I loved that we even got a few characters based on real passengers and crew.
Overall, a very succesful retelling.
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I hoped this would be a good way to kick off 2024, and I was not disappointed!
While I will say it was slightly insta-lovey, which is not my favourite thing, I very much enjoyed how everything was both conspiring for and against this couple. We had a constant struggle most of the way through the book while also having the relationship itself feel effortless, it was a very interesting dynamic.
I did cry, which will almost always make me rate a book higher because it evoked an emotional response. I cried more than once, but I also laughed a lot during this book, so again, a very dual-toned book that I believe was very well done. We have just enough comedic relief to be able to also discuss all of the relevant hard-hitting subjects like domestic violence, emotional abuse, depression, etc.
I didn't always agree with the decisions made by our characters, but I could also fully understand how their situations and experiences would lead them to act in these specific ways.
We have to love a golden retriever of a man, honestly, where can one find herself a Daniel? Asking for a friend of course... also, a baby goat, please! He is most definitely the gold standard for a love interest and my expectations have now sky-rocketed.
There is no graphic sexual content, although there is some sexual content, so if that is what you are looking for this would not be my first recommendation. This was a punch straight to the gut in feelings kind of book, the romance that makes your heart lurch in happiness and sadness for these characters.
Out of context here but the dick-pick tutorial was insanely hilarious. If you've had this on your TBR and this sounds like something you will like, definitely pick it up because this was everything.
While I will say it was slightly insta-lovey, which is not my favourite thing, I very much enjoyed how everything was both conspiring for and against this couple. We had a constant struggle most of the way through the book while also having the relationship itself feel effortless, it was a very interesting dynamic.
I did cry, which will almost always make me rate a book higher because it evoked an emotional response. I cried more than once, but I also laughed a lot during this book, so again, a very dual-toned book that I believe was very well done. We have just enough comedic relief to be able to also discuss all of the relevant hard-hitting subjects like domestic violence, emotional abuse, depression, etc.
I didn't always agree with the decisions made by our characters, but I could also fully understand how their situations and experiences would lead them to act in these specific ways.
We have to love a golden retriever of a man, honestly, where can one find herself a Daniel? Asking for a friend of course... also, a baby goat, please! He is most definitely the gold standard for a love interest and my expectations have now sky-rocketed.
There is no graphic sexual content, although there is some sexual content, so if that is what you are looking for this would not be my first recommendation. This was a punch straight to the gut in feelings kind of book, the romance that makes your heart lurch in happiness and sadness for these characters.
Out of context here but the dick-pick tutorial was insanely hilarious. If you've had this on your TBR and this sounds like something you will like, definitely pick it up because this was everything.