claudcloud's reviews
263 reviews

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I wholeheartedly agree with some other reviews I've read of this where they mention how 'Yellowface' could have been more of an incisive critique of the publishing industry, instead of a book that mainly calls out cancel culture and Twitter mobs. But damn if it wasn't still good as hell!!

If I was half as delusional and self-absorbed as June Hayward, I would maybe finally be able to make something of myself. Unfortunately for me, I've elected to be a good fucking person instead.

Everything I Know About Love: A Memoir by Dolly Alderton

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5

Oh to have a friendship and love story like Dolly and Farley do...

I picked this as my first read of 2024 on a total whim - but I don't regret finally having read it! I loved the witty writing style, and I really enjoyed the overall message, which is that you don't need a romantic relationship in order to feel fulfilled as a person, and that your friends can provide just as much love in your life as a partner, if not more. I also enjoyed the focus on learning how to accept love and how to be okay with yourself as a person, which is something that really hit home for me!

Most of all, it left me yearning for the kind of love that Dolly describes in her memoir. That security and constancy is something that I've never experienced, but I really hope I do someday.

Imagine Me by Tahereh Mafi

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Am I glad that I've finally experienced this series? Yes, of course! Am I also very glad to have been made privy to the Warner love train decades after it first started? Also yes!

Did I also think it was mid? Unfortunately, yes.

Tahereh's writing is what carried me through this, to be honest, because I personally love her style (which I knew I would after reading "This Woven Kingdom") - but I didn't get much more out of these books. It's fun for escapism purposes and for the nostalgia of going back to our dystopian roots, but there's better out there, in my opinion.

Reveal Me by Tahereh Mafi

informative tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Kenji is the best character in the series. No further comment at this time.

Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi

informative mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

Still not sure how to feel about this second half of the series... but let's just say I'm still enjoying it for the moment. Looking forward to see where Juliette

Ella

's story goes next!

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Suzanne Collins can genuinely do no wrong

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.5

Yeah... no, absolutely not. The first half was intriguing and had me excited to read on, but by the end, I knew that this was my least favorite out of the entire series. While I'm definitely not articulate enough to fully explain why, here are some reasons:

 

I completely understand that Pip is suffering from PTSD and she's having a hard time dealing with it - which, of course, she saw someone shot to death right before her eyes. I also understand that she's lost faith in the police and in the justice system. But isn't it a universal, unspoken rule that the truth will always come out, especially with something as big as murder? As much as she distrusts Hawkins, as much as she thinks he won't see her killing Jason Bell as an act of self-defence - why the flying fuck would she choose instead to cover it up and frame someone else (who deserved to be in jail, no question about it, but still)? Yes she's smart, yes she knows a lot about these things, but are you seriously telling me that she thought involving Ravi and all her friends in this as accomplices was a better choice than simply, I don't know, report what happened to her???

Speaking of Ravi, I don't know what kind of spell this girl put on him because if I was in his shoes and my girlfriend (who should've remained my very good platonic friend from the get-go, by the way) was covered in blood after killing somebody and asked me to help her cover it up, I would've called her absolutely crazy and dragged her straight to the nearest police station myself??? Not to mention Cara and Naomi, who Pip constantly calls her sisters but who she's also happy to put in significant amounts of danger, all the while knowing that they've both had enough trauma to last a lifetime?? It all just doesn't sit right with me.

I would've loved, loved if Pip had to face the consequences of her actions. As soon as she and Ravi started covering up the scene and planning on how to frame Max, I was waiting for that one moment that would be her undoing, and I thought the headphones would be it, that she would have to come face to face with the fact that, actually, the truth is important and that it always wins out. Instead, we have an 18-year old committing manslaughter (this is still a bit iffy to me, because I definitely see it as self-defence, but I get why the police might have not), crafting an elaborate scheme to save her own skin, breaking and entering, drugging Max so he'd be unconscious for several hours, roping her friends into it so she'd have an alibi... and simply getting away with it all?? Again, she's smart, but I feel like she learned nothing from everything that she's been through other that "Actually, I'm always right, and if I do it it's ok"????

 

So yeah. This series was good until it wasn't. I'll be tuning in for the TV show still, but if you pick it up, I'd even go so far as to suggest only reading the first book - maaaaybe the second as well.

Kill Joy by Holly Jackson

challenging informative mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

Fun little novella! I enjoyed the murder mystery game, and I feel like, having read this, I understand how Pip's brain works even better - so I'm looking forward to finishing the series!

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I really, really enjoyed this, it was much better than I thought it was going to be and the mystery this time around felt even more compelling and high-stakes - which I LOVED. 

Also, that ending 100% made me tear up, so take that as you will!

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I certainly didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did, but I have to admit, the Andie Bell mystery got its claws in me too! At times the plot did feel a little convenient (this is a 17-year-old taking it upon herself to investigate a murder with no outside help, and yet she has no problem acquiring all of the information that she needs from everyone she needs to get it from?) but the writing and Pip's sheer desire to solve this, not just for herself but because she truly wanted vindication for Sal, were enough to keep me invested until the end!

Also not 100% keen on the Pip-Ravi romance since she's only 17 and he's already 20 - I feel they would've been much better off as friends, and I really wish these age gaps (and maturity gaps, I should say) were less normalized...

Since I'm curious, I will be continuing on with the second installment, but I'll be keeping my expectations relatively low.