charliebenwah's reviews
94 reviews

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.0

I was never assigned this in high school and think that is when most people tend to read this book, so I thought that I would read it and see why it is assigned so frequently. I liked it, but I dont think that it really lived up to the expectations I had, because so many people seem to love it. 

Bunny by Mona Awad

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

My brain hurts from reading this book but honestly serve 

Queer in Translation: Sexual Politics Under Neoliberal Islam by Evren Savci

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

I think that this book had a lot of important questions that are difficult but need to be talked about. The concepts of bare life I found particularly helpful, but I found myself confused with a lot of the discussion of removing identity politics. I guess that may be "the point" in some ways, but I would have liked a little more info. A lot can also be applied to Foucauldian concepts of biopolitics, and it also would have been nice to see a little more of that. overall, very important read, especially for those interested in political theory.  

Propaganda by Edward Bernays

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

3.5

I think that this book is very important to the understanding of propaganda and what it really is. keep in mind when it was written with some of the information, but  I would say that a majority of the information and examples are topical and very interesting to learn and read about. 

Freedom's Dominion: A Saga of White Resistance to Federal Power by Jefferson Cowie

challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

A very topical book with a lot of very valuable information and insights that a lot of people need to be made aware of. 

Atmospheres of Violence: Structuring Antagonism and the Trans/Queer Ungovernable by Eric A. Stanley

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

I think this was very insightful and important to read, however, i don’t agree with everything Stanley argued in a theoretical sense. 

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I LOVE TAYLOR JENKINS REID 

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

I ended up liking this fine but I feel like the world building could have been a lot better. I felt like so much information was thrown at me in the beginning. 

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

I am actually in Shock. Not a fan of the ending, but I see the vision. 

Powerless by Lauren Roberts

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.5

I think her writing improved as she wrote this, and can’t wait to read more!