booksonmars's reviews
646 reviews

Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa

informative lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

the historical aspect of the book was more fleshed out than the romace, which isn't a bad thing! you could tell how much research the author put into 19th century mexican politics, which i appreciated. it did mean however, that the romace felt lacklustre at times, although i did find myself cheesing at times. but i'm a hopless romantic, i can get giggly over just about anything. both characters had strong personalities and development; in regards to ana maria, i liked seeing her come out of her shell, find courage to be herself, and mend her relationships with her sisters. the actual 'thriller' part of the plot doesn't really take place until the last hundred pages, and is sorted out quite quickly. all in all, aside from the political research, not much else was developed. 

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

adventurous dark emotional

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

3.0

didn't enjoy this book as much as the previous mainly because there was so much disconnect between each of the characters, spatially and emotionally. overall the plot felt like a backdrop for all the teenage angst going on, which i didn't mind! i did like delving more into simon's pov, and his relationship with jace always makes me laugh. jace and clary are clocked in for their tortured teen love shift, let them breathe and be in love for one second, cassandra! 

Liliana's Invincible Summer: A Sister's Search for Justice by Cristina Rivera Garza

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

i've never read a book that has prose so beautiful, so harrowing, that you forget it's non-fiction. the prose is a tapestry for which the author weaves her sister's journals, letters, and accounts from loved ones, as she attempts for justice of her death. at the end of the book it felt like i had known liliana, as intimately as she was portrayed. if the purpose of this book is to bring her sister's story to light, to capture the essence of her being, how she loved and lived, then the author did a stunning job. 

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

adventurous dark emotional slow-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? No

5.0

thoroughly consumed by the plot and pace of this book. it was so much darker than i thought it would be, which i appreciated; you get to see the toll the first book has taken on pip, her relationships and the people around her and in town. the fact that it doesn't continue with a nancy drew vibe and takes the mystery seriously is what had me itching to pick up the book every time i put it down. the last few chapters were riveting and surprisingly really emotional. i'm really excited to see this book adapted in the next season!

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-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? No

4.0

first romance book of the year and it hits all the sweet spots (historical, friends to roommates to lovers, workplace romance, grumpy/sunshine, yearning(!!) and a sprinkle of found family)

Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad slow-paced

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

4.5

 "We're all born with the greatest treasures we'll ever have in life. One of those treasures is your mind, another is your heart. "

a searing and sorrowful account of one family amongst the many, and the multitude of stories they contain within. each character felt so real and raw and vivid, because they are real, and the inserts of news articles and real-life books about palestine reinforces this. the book swims seamlessly with the real world timeline, which is why i'd recommend it for someone who wants to know more about palestine's history but feels a bit intimidated by history books. it's tragic and bitter and makes you feel savaged by this family's grief, and the traumas they pass from mother to daughter, sister to brother. but there are also stories and hope and love, and these are carried too. 

"Amal, I believe that most Americans do not love as we do. It is not for any inherent deficiency or superiority in them. They live in the safe, shallow, parts that rarely push human emotions into the depths where we dwell."
"The roots of our grief coil so deeply into loss that death has come to live with us like a family member who makes you happy by avoiding you, but who is still one of the family. Our anger is a rage that Westerners cannot understand. Our sadness can make the stones weep. And the way we love is no exception."

in this book they mention how palestinians love differently and more intensely than others because of the world they grew up in (something echoed in enter ghost, one of my favourite reads from last year), and the author makes you feel these emotions on a deeper level too. there is so much pain in this book, and reading this makes it unfathomable how you can even try to argue for zionists. 

for me the writing style did interrupt the flow of the book, switching erratically from first to third person, as if unsure whether to focus on being a multi-generational tale or a bildungsroman following one family member. but i'll never forget the feeling of reading and finishing this book, especially every character written, every story told, representative of the lives of many palestinians currently. remember them, always. free palestine, always.

Requiem for a Mezzo by Carola Dunn

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No

3.0

reminded me of the movie see how they run, and i love a murder mystery revolving around a theatre. what i didn't love was the deluge of clues given in the span of one scene very early on into the book, it made the rest of the investigating seem rather sparse. my love of murder she wrote and agatha christie is bolstering me to continue this series.

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.5

i still don’t think i have fully formulated opinions on this, but the main thing for me was the writing style, in particular peter’s pov. i found it really hard to get into, very yoda-like? but interestingly enough i loved his character, the poignant yet hidden well of sadness, the grief over his father and being in love with two women. yes i did dislike him at times, and the way he treated/viewed ivan, but he was definitely the most interesting. ivan was rather earnest, but the book made it known that he and his brother had flaws, they all did. i also really loved margaret and sylvia, even though we didn’t really get into the latter’s head as much as the former. sally rooney is so potently capable of writing the human condition in such a mesmerising way. the most accurate yet sorrowful account of siblings i have ever read, and im almost sad i read it because now there’s no more rooney. 

Make Me Rain: Poems & Prose by Nikki Giovanni
Did not finish book. Stopped at 43%.

i liked a few but not enough to continue, although the audiobook is really good (narrated by the author) 

Masters of Death by Olivie Blake

adventurous funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

give authors a third chance! although i still needed to fully focus while reading this book, just the writing at times would be too verbose, which didn’t couple well with the short and snappy attempts at wit. love when an all-powerful entity adopts a human being and learns what it means to Feel and Love! 

despite the blurb suggesting vi and fox are the main characters, the book becomes very fox-centered. which was a shame, since we start off with vi, as she comes off as very likeable, with an intriguing backstory. every other supporting character is also related to fox, apart from isis. although i didn’t particularly enjoy her character, i found her to be more of a reactionary figure and with little backstory. mayra and cal were interesting from what we were given (which again, was substantially little - i still don’t get what cal’s reaper responsibilities were), but i wish their ending was a bit more fleshed out. 

there’s a lot of angst in the romantic relationships in this book, in particular with fox and brandt. i do think mayra and cal’s relationship was shown rather than told, and diminished to serve the main couple. it paid off though; the tortured betrayed heartbroken dynamic between fox and brandt kept me engaged throughout. fox came off very petulant though. 

what confused me was the switch in plot. initially i thought it would be a murder mystery with a bigger bad, but when the murder is revealed it’s a very ‘…that’s it?’ moment, and reduced tom’s importance as a character. both this and the actual plot (which tbh, was a very nothing plot) had this big buildup of tension only for it to be solved rather quickly, which left me disappointed. 

i do think i will pick up more of olivie’s books, just because i can finally withstand her writing style.