danielnski's reviews
86 reviews

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is mesmerizing from start to finish. I loved the old Hollywood references, the voice Jenkins Reid gave to Evelyn, and how it felt accurate to the character and the time she would have lived in without feeling dated or out of touch. I really couldn't put it down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Cursing, Death, Grief, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Cancer, Biphobia, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse

Why We're Polarized by Ezra Klein

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

As someone familiar with Ezra Klein's writing already, I knew what to expect in terms of style, but I really appreciated the systematic way he laid out the substance of his argument about polarization and its impacts on politics today. I think I will be reflecting on it for quite some time. 

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

5.0

What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

A fantastic meditation on war, the people war displaces, and the people who receive them, all while being quite briskly paced and concise. There are so many moments and passages that I flagged for myself to come back to or reflect on because the prose is so beautiful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child death, Death, Islamophobia, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Trafficking, Grief, War, and Gun violence

The Secret Lives of the Four Wives by Lola Shoneyin

adventurous challenging emotional informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Infertility

Moderate: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexism, and Child death

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

5.0

Hope for the Best, Plan for the Rest: 7 Keys for Navigating a Life-Changing Diagnosis by Dr. Sammy Winemaker, Dr. Hsien Seow

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Very accessible and incredibly informative - I will be giving this to a lot of people. 

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

5.0

Lead from the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change by Stacey Abrams

5.0

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

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

4.5