booksonmars's reviews
646 reviews

The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn

adventurous funny lighthearted

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

thoroughly enjoyed this quaint and cosy murder mystery. it reminded me of the agatha christie episodes i used to watch when i was younger, set in idyllic country villages and beautiful manors with a variety of colourful and particular characters. daisy, the main character, and her friend alec, a chief inspector at scotland yard, were both compelling to read and i loved their dynamic. the mystery itself was intriguing to unravel, and i would definitely pick up more from this series (i randomly picked this up from the library and i think it’s the second book out of a rather long series). 

Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola

dark funny tense slow-paced

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

3.0

started off really well, with a very compelling plot, and details the physical and emotional manifestations of guilt. the end did peter off in terms of repetitiveness, and the ending of the book was abrupt and fell flat, although i can't think of another way this could end. kate winslet did an amazing job as the narrator though. i think i'd recommend this for people who enjoyed dorian grey.

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.0

thank god the incest is over 

Unwell Women: A Journey Through Medicine and Myth in a Man-Made World by Elinor Cleghorn

challenging emotional reflective relaxing

3.0

although this has been on my tbr for a while, the main reason i picked this up is because of the recent release of a report about women’s health in the uk, and the not-so shocking statistics that show how much women’s pain has been dismissed and ignored. reading this extensive research on how the health of women (mainly reproductive health) has been viewed from the roots of history shows just how systemic it is. the notions surmised by majority white male doctors of history are entrenched in misogyny and racism. the fact that women allegedly have weaker bodies, and yet every claim to illness is related to hysteria or their emotions seems hypocritical. 

reading about the ways ethnically diverse women have been exploited through gruesome experiments, all in the aim to benefit their white, richer female counterparts or the population as a whole was shocking and upsetting. the fact that this bias still permeates healthcare today just shows how little science has moved forward from these historic beliefs. 

the book itself was very US/UK centered, which i get as it was already a lengthy book. the first parts that recorded advancements from ancient history seemed repetitive and less informative compared to the modern timeline, but i can excuse that with lack of material from that time period. i think its a great launchpad into summarising how far back the stigma of unwell women goes, and encourages more reading on this topic. 

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

this was one of those books that i read at the perfect time of my life, now as a post-grad. it follows a bookshop, and the characters surrounding it like its owner yeonju, the barista minjun, locals and authors alike. all are going through their lives with passions, dreams and struggles that are written in such a profound way, questioning and reflecting on their lives like so many of us do. the most relatable character for me was minjun, also a post-grad who, like many right now, are struggling with their ambitions in life against the faulty job market. i loved watching him come to terms with his changing dreams, and forming relationships with the women around him. there's a particular analogy he explains to his friend about buttons and holes that really echoed the frustrations and despair our generation have about jobs and getting on the property market. minjun comes to terms with the knowledge that even if some dreams are smaller than others, it doesn't make it insignificant. 

there are many lessons i learned reading this book, not just through minjun but the other characters as well. the stories of yeonju, jungsuh and jimi taught me about taking time to heal, about choosing for yourself and not for others, about rest and the relationships that will change you for the better. additionally, you can really tell that the author has a love for books and is enthusiastic about getting people to read; there are many quotes about what makes a good book and why we should all read. definitely a book that will change your perspective on your life, make you appreciate it and reading a whole lot more.

At Blackwater Pond: Mary Oliver Reads Mary Oliver by Mary Oliver

emotional hopeful informative inspiring

4.5

first time reading mary oliver (aside from hearing 'wild geese' on tiktok) and i was swept away by the enchanting way which mary writes nature. listening to it as an audiobook narrated by mary herself only made the experience more magical. it comes from a deep and profound love for it, calls others to appreciate it, and speaks of a desire to not only be in nature to but be a part of it. some of my favourite poems were:

• summer day
• bone
• wild geese
• maybe
• the sun

i'd like to revisit this in other seasons, preferably spring and summer, it's such a healing read. 

In Memoriam by Alice Winn

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad

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

4.5

Ellwood smiled, and a sudden, dry bleakness spread over Gaunt’s heart as he thought of Hercules, and Hector, and all the heroes in myth who found happiness briefly, only for it not to be the end of the story. 

finally, finally an anticipated read that is actually good! this book was everything i expected it to be and more: i was ready for the angst and yearning, but i was not ready for it to be so elegantly written and from the first chapter too! 

the main characters gaunt and ellwood are best friends from school who both believe are in unrequited love with the other. understandable, as it's the 1900s, just before the first world war. but it's so devastating to have this person who you know will be the only person who will ever truly know you (maybe more than you know yourself) who is your soul's other, and to live in a time such as this one. i'd say the war is another main character in the book, with the way it permeates every character and their relationships. it's arresting, reading about these young boys who witness unspeakable things and are forced to do these unspeakable things. it's haunting, to watch what this does to their souls, to the way they love and hurt and hate. alice winn gives every character a story, and shines a light on the way there's no one way of loss in this war, no such thing as being unaffected. i don't usually read war novels but this particular one really ties into why reading only for escapism isn't ideal: sometimes we should read to understand the people around us, that then and now people can still hurt and be scared and love. 

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

such a good book to read in the winter. the descriptions of the bleak landscape reflected the plotline, the doomed end of the protagonist. agnes' story was poetic in prose and heartbreaking in sentiment, which made the ending so tragic. i enjoyed the historical elements too and learning about 19th century iceland, i'll definitely read more books about this time period.

The 12 Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

the first mystery i've listened to as an audiobook and it was so good! i was invested in the plot from the get go, and kept an ear out for clues, but the reveal was still chilling. each of these characters are bad people but they're bad people written well. charlie was a great main character/final girl, although i wish she stuck up for herself a bit more. both mysteries, past and present, were intriguing to uncover, the former being more emotionally tragic. the narrator did a great job at making me hate them and their posh accents, although i did feel sympathy for their deaths. kinda deserved though. 

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

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

4.0

the epitome of cosy winter read. i didn’t realise that the other parts of the movie are actually part of the second book so i will be reading that too. each chapter felt like a little window into the lives and the way the world changes the sisters and their relationship with others. having it set between one year showed how much they really grew. meg was my favourite from childhood and she still is today, i just love her elegance and quiet devotion to her sisters. i love you march sisters!