cass_lit's reviews
1299 reviews

Chlorine by Jade Song

3.25

I liked the premise and the analogies here, but the execution just was not for me. This may have been my first experience with reading body horror and I can’t say I enjoyed. Also, I wish the magical realism had been a little more clear — I don’t know what is real and what isn’t in this book. And while that may work for some, it didn’t for me. 

Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens

4.0

I liked this. This is my fourth F.T. Lukens book and it came with all of the same fuzzy, hopeful feelings the others did for me. Unfortunately it wasn’t my favorite of the four because I couldn’t relate to either character all that well, but these two will be the most relatable ones to someone else and I’m glad that they exist in this universe. 

Nayra and the Djinn by Iasmin Omar Ata

4.25

This was, first and foremost, so pretty. I learned a lot from Nayra’s experiences, although the mythical half of the story plot-wise had me a little confused. 

Heart, Haunt, Havoc by Freydís Moon

3.5

This was brief and although its length meant the stakes never seemed too high, I still felt there was enough tension and plot to make me want to fly through it. 

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

5.0

Returning to Camp Half Blood will never not feel like returning home. I love the characters were introduced to in this one and the way it moves along the conflict (and the prophecy…). 

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

3.0

This was an unfortunate read for me personally. I loved the premise and I loved the dancing. I liked Evie, but I also got annoyed by a lot of her choices. And while you can’t normally fault a teenager in a YA for making teenager decisions, I went through a lot of the same situations she’s going through as a teenager which made it a tad difficult to read about. Especially the end — what do you mean you just choose what’s best for your sister and NOT tell her when she directly asks? You’re literally just doing exactly what your mom did to you. And maybe I’m just more stubborn (read: unhealthy, unhealed, etc.) but Evie gave in to both her dad/stepmom and her best friends ruining their senior trip far too easily for me. 

The grief in this book is a whole other ball game as well. There’s a lot of sadness that tried to be hopeful with it, but I just left feeling sad unfortunately. Maybe that’s on me. All in all, I think this book will do great things for a lot of people. It wasn’t for me, and that’s ok. 

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

5.0

I think the only two ways I could have loved this story more would be if 1) I got Kit and Theo’s POV for every single moment or 2) I was literally there with them. I don’t even know what to say. I liked this from the start, back when I was just thinking that Theo and Kit were infinitely cooler than I could ever be and that the setting made me want to hop on a plane to France. But by the end, I was so invested in them individually, them as a couple, every single person on their trip, every other person in their lives, everything they were sightseeing and eating. I was empathetically feeling these fictional characters’ feelings an unhealthy amount, but it’s because they were so relatable. I felt so seen in different parts of these characters and these stories despite being nothing like Kit or Theo in actuality. 

Seriously though, I do wish the POVs were rotated a bit more, because I missed getting Theo’s thoughts the second half of the trip. And I will caveat that for the first few chapters of the second half *potential small spoiler but definitely not hugely plot-related*

Kit refers to Theo with she/her pronouns in his thoughts because Theo hasn’t come out to him yet. He changes immediately upon being told, but it’s a little jarring as the reader already knowing Theo uses they/them. This is coming from a cis person’s viewpoint though, so I guess that’s just a fraction of the feelings trans people have when misgendered.

Casey McQuiston has a way of making me think everything will be okay in the world and in my life, even if just while I’m reading their work. It’s just an escape from reality, but it’s one that leaves me with so much hope and new will to live and to try. That’s something so special about very few books for people and I’m so thankful for it. 

Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire

3.5

I didn’t get to this right after In an Absent Dream and then I put it off for so long because I was nervous about remembering everyone and everything. But it was never going to get better unless I reread the first 4, so I just went for it. It was better than I expected but definitely a still a little hazy. Some worlds are more my favorites than others, and while I was glad we got to finish Jack’s story, I don’t love the Moors. I’m glad I jumped back into this series though and I’m excited to continue!

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

3.25

This is the only Bridgerton book I’ve read; I watched seasons 1 and 2 of the show and have been so excited for Colin and Penelope’s season! I got tired of waiting and decided to try out the book. Unsurprising to me, I like the tv versions of each character better than their book counterparts. But I was kind of nervous going in that I’d *hate* the book version and was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t! Everything was a little more toxic, the fatphobia and comments on Pen’s virginity were a bit much, and Colin’s attitude had me sighing every few chapters… but overall I had a good time. It definitely helped that I pictured the show characters, I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed this as much with no context. 

I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee

3.0

This was kind of a polarizing read for me personally. I didn’t realize it was a memoir until I started it, but that originally just made me more excited to read it. I liked a lot of the points, and I think the book’s biggest achievement is its vulnerability. Other people share all of the thoughts and feelings of the author (myself included on some!), and it’s great to have a resource to know you’re not alone. 

However, I do think the nature of the memoir — a snippet of therapy sessions — does a disservice to some of the issues discussed. We get a tiny glimpse into her therapist’s advice, which is obviously going to be individualized and personal, but no broader level reflection or work towards “fixing” anything. There’s a lot of talk about body dysmorphia for example, and all I’m left with is that the author hasn’t fixed hers, I haven’t fixed mine, and now I know that at least some people with it are judging others on their appearance despite dealing with the same struggles! Some of the discussions just left me with a poor taste. Also, the therapist’s note at the end had me so confused…I know she knew she was being recorded, but to find out she had no idea her words would be published?!? Crazy to me. 

One thing to also note is that this work is translated and is set in Korea, so these very personal issues will obviously be influenced by the culture the author grew up in. The obsession with physical appearance (and the directness in commenting on others’), for example, is very prevalent in Korea but may not be so everywhere else. Same thing with their views on social issues. I had to kind of readjust my knee-jerk reaction to certain parts of this, keeping that in mind.