danteandvirgil's reviews
131 reviews

Drive by James S.A. Corey

emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

Really enjoyed this short story! My favorite of the series so far. Solomon (second book/story in a row with a character named Solomon - Pachinko) on the ship was difficult and emotional to read by the end. I got attached to this character so quickly!

La culpa es de la vaca 1 by Jaime Lopera, Marta Inés Bernal Trujillo

reflective fast-paced

1.5

Se presentan las historias aquí como nuevo y que se hace a uno pensar pero son muchas de las cosas que uno ve en Facebook o infragram. No se, algunos tenían oraciones lindas y que me gustaron, pero en total me aburrí más que nada. Quizá vuelvo más tarde a decir más y corregiré los typos 

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Loved! Loved! Loved!

National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History, and the Meaning of Home by Anya von Bremzen

informative slow-paced

2.75

This started interesting and then just dragged on and on. The writing style took some getting used to. The author uses words and phrases from the language of the region/country she is writing about which is always explained but breaks up the flow. 

I found myself forcing my way through to the end. I think I grew tired of how long winded her travels in each region were. This could be me but even when I heard something interesting, I’ve either forgotten it already or will very soon. 

Kudos out to the narrator of the audiobook for reading these long ass sentences and all these languages. I’d have been fighting for my life in the studio!

Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

5.0

Loved! A great sequel to a series I am only just getting into. There are 7 (!!) more books plus all the short stories and novella I’m reading along the way. This book took a longer time to amp up than the first one. The authors took their time setting up characters and the stakes but when it ramped up (

really once everyone was on the ship together

) I was full speed ahead. Did a mix of reading/listening to this which sort of worked for me. Next one will need to be all read because I like to take in each word when I really like the book. Listening I can miss things. The narrator is phenomenal though!

Very curious about what’s to come in the series. These two can be considered a duology apparently so I’m curious to what they have cooked for the next one. Might be a couple books before I get to book 3 though. 

Vista desde una acera by Fernando Molano Vargas
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.

I still want to finish this but something about it never hooks me

Death's End by Cixin Liu

adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

A very gratifying ending to a saga of a series.

This author struggles to write from a woman's perspective though. So many times we got unnecessary mentions of her body and how she looked to the men around her, none of which made sense for the moment or the character. Homegirl also kept

losing pobrecita. Couldn't make once good choice and ending up missing your love by a 18 million years. Yikes, rough.

The sweeping timeline of these books is something I'm going to be looking for in future reads as it really creates a vast sense of world building and it's satisfying to see how decisions have long-term effects for the planet and humanity. Super cool.

Mister Magic by Kiersten White

adventurous hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

In some ways this was a bit predictable and I was here for it. The cover first caught my eye and the premise was unique so I took a chance on this book. The horror was more tense and psychological. I liked the supernatural aspects of it and the ways it manifested for the main character. I also LOVE a scary story where the location is it's own character. (Shout out The Haunting of Hill House) 

Points to this book for scaring me while on a public bus.

Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier

emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

4.0

A great summer read in how quick it read and for the narrator's joking voice. A lighthearted tone for a pretty heavy book though. I really felt for the narrator and we

really don't get a resolution much beyond her with the gun in their house??? The shit hit the fan and then we are left in the aftermath with the rest of the characters. Not really any follow up on all the drinking while pregnant? Hello???? That was left hanging there with repercussions I'm just left to wonder about.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

New series I'm excited to dive into!!! The books are LONG but I won't let that deter me. If anything, I'm excited for so much story for there to come. The book did take me a bit to get into but once the depth of the stakes began to become clear, I got the kind of excitement I felt reading The Three Body Problem. It's a big sci-fi year for me as I'm still looking forward to reading the next in the Wayfarer's series as well. 

It's been a second since I read it but I feel like there weren't queer relationships? I remember the Holden and one of the crew members. They

FINALLY slept together and it was satisfying for her to be upfront with him about wanting it.

Excited to see how this develops!