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dhrish's reviews
123 reviews
I Had That Same Dream Again: The Complete Manga Collection by Yoru Sumino
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
While I don't think this read will be universally loved. It is a smart look at the growing up experience at the what if's presented by an elementary school girl and highlighted by the relationships that she shares with the women who become her friends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Self harm
Moderate: Abandonment and Medical content
Minor: Toxic friendship and Death
Warcross by Marie Lu
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked the gaming aspects of "Warcross", I liked the universe and I did enjoy Emika. However, I feel underwhelmed by the characters of "Warcross" especially in terms of the team dynamics and cat-and-mouse games. Both of which are tropes that need to literally do the bare minimum to satisfy me.
I also did not enjoy how the world of "Warcross" implied that unless a player came from the global north they weren't talented enough to be a part of the leaderboards and therefore no competent Warcross players came from there.
There were moments I really did love but those weren't strong enough to detract from the moments I liked less
I also did not enjoy how the world of "Warcross" implied that unless a player came from the global north they weren't talented enough to be a part of the leaderboards and therefore no competent Warcross players came from there.
There were moments I really did love but those weren't strong enough to detract from the moments I liked less
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Link: Trigger warnings for "A Little Life"
The rating above isn't because “A Little Life” isn't a well-written book. I genuinely think it has some of the smartest writing I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
However, this book is painful to read. Regardless of how well one usually handles reading a book with such heavy content.
I do believe most people would benefit from reading A Little Life at least read once. It isn't a pleasant read by any stretch of the imagination. Moments of happiness are fleeting and most of the book is spent trying to figure out/engrossed in Jude’s life. This is a trauma read and I don't think there is another word better fit to describe the reading experience.
I would suggest reading it quickly though. Slowly, immersing myself into this story did no favours for me mentally.
“A Little Life” for all its unpleasantness is one that I probably will reread a few years from now and it did remind me that striving for contentment is important.
A quick note: I do urge anyone who is about to read this book to at least peruse through the above trigger warning link. However, if you aren't going to, I wouldn't recommend "A Little Life" to anyone with a history of self-harm (particularly cutting)
The rating above isn't because “A Little Life” isn't a well-written book. I genuinely think it has some of the smartest writing I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
However, this book is painful to read. Regardless of how well one usually handles reading a book with such heavy content.
I do believe most people would benefit from reading A Little Life at least read once. It isn't a pleasant read by any stretch of the imagination. Moments of happiness are fleeting and most of the book is spent trying to figure out/engrossed in Jude’s life. This is a trauma read and I don't think there is another word better fit to describe the reading experience.
I would suggest reading it quickly though. Slowly, immersing myself into this story did no favours for me mentally.
“A Little Life” for all its unpleasantness is one that I probably will reread a few years from now and it did remind me that striving for contentment is important.
A quick note: I do urge anyone who is about to read this book to at least peruse through the above trigger warning link. However, if you aren't going to, I wouldn't recommend "A Little Life" to anyone with a history of self-harm (particularly cutting)
The Invasion by K.A. Applegate
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I wanted to pick up this series again to see if it holds up to my reading experience as a child. I really have only read bits and pieces of it and have fond memories of waiting for people to return the next issue of the series back to the library so I can read it.
"Animorphs" follows a group of five teenagers who are suddenly thrust with the responsibility of defending Earth against an alien invasion. In "The Invasion" we essentially learn of the group's origin story told from the perspective of Jake their leader. The action is quick and dives into each of the characters lives are done with the awareness only a middle-grade book can pull off.
"Animorphs" follows a group of five teenagers who are suddenly thrust with the responsibility of defending Earth against an alien invasion. In "The Invasion" we essentially learn of the group's origin story told from the perspective of Jake their leader. The action is quick and dives into each of the characters lives are done with the awareness only a middle-grade book can pull off.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Darius The Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
This review is going to be an incoherent mess. But the long story made short: if you are looking for a book about: with great mental health representation and conversation, family and the struggles of a first-generation diaspora kid going back home for the first time, I cannot recommend "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" more to you.
I think this review is going to focus on three things that caught my eye while reading:
1) Darius, before going to Iran does stereotype Iran and Persian's a lot. I love how Adib showed that although Darius knew that Iran couldn't just amount to stereotypes still defaulted to them in the beginning because although he is diaspora he had never been to Iran. Darius isn't immune to stereotyping. He isn't a perfect Persian boy and that's ok, he is learning what it means to him to be Iranian.
2) Mental health is important and the journey to managing it is a marathon, not a sprint. I can't tell you how great mental health conversations are in this book. Both Darius and his father have diagnosed clinical depression and it looks different for both of them, from the medication they take to how they manage it. The side effects of medication are also discussed from rapid weight-gain to tranquilising effects of some medication. Darius and his dad don't automatically get along because of this aspect they share either but rather find common ground because of their love of "Star Wars'.
3) No one can fill the place that is yours. Darius doesn't have a lot of friends and Sohrab is his first friend. Throughout this book, Darius feels like an outsider in a place that is supposed to be "home" although his grandparents and extended family do love him their love comes off in the form of invasive questions or comments not understanding why he needs depression medication. He questions whether he does belong. His friendship with Sohrab so brilliantly highlights this point. His friendship with Sohrab also shows the diversity that exists within Iran both religious and ethnic.
Although I have so much to say about "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" none of the sentences I wrote make any sense.
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This review is going to be an incoherent mess. But the long story made short: if you are looking for a book about: with great mental health representation and conversation, family and the struggles of a first-generation diaspora kid going back home for the first time, I cannot recommend "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" more to you.
I think this review is going to focus on three things that caught my eye while reading:
1) Darius, before going to Iran does stereotype Iran and Persian's a lot. I love how Adib showed that although Darius knew that Iran couldn't just amount to stereotypes still defaulted to them in the beginning because although he is diaspora he had never been to Iran. Darius isn't immune to stereotyping. He isn't a perfect Persian boy and that's ok, he is learning what it means to him to be Iranian.
2) Mental health is important and the journey to managing it is a marathon, not a sprint. I can't tell you how great mental health conversations are in this book. Both Darius and his father have diagnosed clinical depression and it looks different for both of them, from the medication they take to how they manage it. The side effects of medication are also discussed from rapid weight-gain to tranquilising effects of some medication. Darius and his dad don't automatically get along because of this aspect they share either but rather find common ground because of their love of "Star Wars'.
3) No one can fill the place that is yours. Darius doesn't have a lot of friends and Sohrab is his first friend. Throughout this book, Darius feels like an outsider in a place that is supposed to be "home" although his grandparents and extended family do love him their love comes off in the form of invasive questions or comments not understanding why he needs depression medication. He questions whether he does belong. His friendship with Sohrab so brilliantly highlights this point. His friendship with Sohrab also shows the diversity that exists within Iran both religious and ethnic.
Although I have so much to say about "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" none of the sentences I wrote make any sense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Bullying
Moderate: Terminal illness
Minor: Body shaming and Medical content
Off-screen death
Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag
dark
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5 stars
Srinath Perur is an excellent translator, not for a minute did I ever feel like I was supposed to be reading "Ghachar Ghochar" in Kannada in order to get the full picture. Although I am curious to read more of Vivek Shanbhag's work.
None of the female characters ever endeared themselves to me. I genuinely disliked how each of them was portrayed. The narrator, Anita's husband, explains his life by highlighting his mom, sister, ex-girlfriend and wife. Through them, we see how money changes a family's situation (not only financially), as well as, their familial dynamics.
This is a novella-length work where there is not a single moment that was wasted or needed to be expanded upon when telling this family's story. The Narrator (who remains unnamed) forces the reader to inspect what an "over-night rags to riches" tale means to what was once a lower-middle-class Bangalore family.
Srinath Perur is an excellent translator, not for a minute did I ever feel like I was supposed to be reading "Ghachar Ghochar" in Kannada in order to get the full picture. Although I am curious to read more of Vivek Shanbhag's work.
None of the female characters ever endeared themselves to me. I genuinely disliked how each of them was portrayed. The narrator, Anita's husband, explains his life by highlighting his mom, sister, ex-girlfriend and wife. Through them, we see how money changes a family's situation (not only financially), as well as, their familial dynamics.
This is a novella-length work where there is not a single moment that was wasted or needed to be expanded upon when telling this family's story. The Narrator (who remains unnamed) forces the reader to inspect what an "over-night rags to riches" tale means to what was once a lower-middle-class Bangalore family.
Earth Keeper: Reflections on the American Land by N. Scott Momaday
I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook.
There is something about "Earth Keeper" that makes me pause for a minute. Part memoir, a part poetry collection and steeped in the tradition of storytelling. This reflection brought me right back to the traditions that define storytelling and leans strongly into oral traditions. I don't usually say this, but I think that the reading experience of this book is definitely enhanced when read out loud.
My only "criticism" I guess would be that there is a lot of jumping around from one thought to another. While the themes are clear and run through consistently; "Earth Keeper" is written in a style that reminded me of late-night conversations in which two people jump from one topic to another that although are related only make sense at the conclusion.
I am neither Kiowa nor Native American, so definitely take the criticisms in this review with the biggest pinch of salt.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook.
There is something about "Earth Keeper" that makes me pause for a minute. Part memoir, a part poetry collection and steeped in the tradition of storytelling. This reflection brought me right back to the traditions that define storytelling and leans strongly into oral traditions. I don't usually say this, but I think that the reading experience of this book is definitely enhanced when read out loud.
My only "criticism" I guess would be that there is a lot of jumping around from one thought to another. While the themes are clear and run through consistently; "Earth Keeper" is written in a style that reminded me of late-night conversations in which two people jump from one topic to another that although are related only make sense at the conclusion.
I am neither Kiowa nor Native American, so definitely take the criticisms in this review with the biggest pinch of salt.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
There are descriptions of animal hunting in this work.
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Alisha Rai does a brilliant job with capturing the characters she writes through the adversaries that made them.
Samson Lima is a former pro football player, who has spent the last few years of his life taking care of his uncle (who was also a pro football player and who's health is suspected to be declining due to the head injuries he obtained when playing the sport). While Rhiannon has built a successful dating app from the ground-up after being forced to resign from her previous job.
I loved the conversations around what it meant to Rhi to be a non-white woman CEO in a STEM field, Samson's decision to bring to the forefront sports' inability to admit to harming people's bodies and how complicated dating can be in an era of right swipes.
I definitely wished I had picked up this book when I was craving to read romance, rather than when I was fatigued of the genre because I would have definitely enjoyed it a lot more. This review really only touches the service of what I think is a really fun but sometimes sombre romance read.
Samson Lima is a former pro football player, who has spent the last few years of his life taking care of his uncle (who was also a pro football player and who's health is suspected to be declining due to the head injuries he obtained when playing the sport). While Rhiannon has built a successful dating app from the ground-up after being forced to resign from her previous job.
I loved the conversations around what it meant to Rhi to be a non-white woman CEO in a STEM field, Samson's decision to bring to the forefront sports' inability to admit to harming people's bodies and how complicated dating can be in an era of right swipes.
I definitely wished I had picked up this book when I was craving to read romance, rather than when I was fatigued of the genre because I would have definitely enjoyed it a lot more. This review really only touches the service of what I think is a really fun but sometimes sombre romance read.
Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh
2.0
2.75 stars
I know I usually love drama, but this time it wasn't my favourite. It felt unnecessary and over-the-top. Nayna and Raj were relatively bland main characters, but I did enjoy their story. Most importantly I loved the glimpses into Indians who have lived in Fiji. It isn't something I see represented often when I read books.
Overall, I don't think I enjoyed Nalini Singh's writing as much as I thought I would. But it could also be this series rather than her storytelling.
I know I usually love drama, but this time it wasn't my favourite. It felt unnecessary and over-the-top. Nayna and Raj were relatively bland main characters, but I did enjoy their story. Most importantly I loved the glimpses into Indians who have lived in Fiji. It isn't something I see represented often when I read books.
Overall, I don't think I enjoyed Nalini Singh's writing as much as I thought I would. But it could also be this series rather than her storytelling.
Tiny Pretty Things by Dhonielle Clayton, Sona Charaipotra
4.0
C/W: Eating disorders, bullying and harrasment, racism, mentions of a student-teacher relationship, references to drug and alcohol use and addiction
I picked up "Tiny Pretty Things' because I was watching the Netflix series and wondering why the show didn't watch like a YA adaptation. It is probably because apart from having the same name and being set at a ballet school, the two have very little in common.
This is a YA that showcases the absolute pettiness that comes out with familiarity and competitiveness. Gigi, Bette and June offer three very different views into a world where familiarity breeds contempt. While I can't say whether this is an accurate depiction of a ballet school, I did feel a sense of familiarity from the characters.
Bette just wants to be good enough for her mother who has made ballet success synonymous with their household.
Gigi, is the new girl and only Black student, who desperately wants to be included in a group that has known each other for forever.
June, is half-Korean and that leaves her not-fitting in, in ballet or with the other Korean girls.
Each girl has a different story and they intersect in such interesting ways. I adored the tender moments between the three girls even when they didn't like each other so much. People have said that there is a lot of drama in this story. While I agree that this assessment is true, I think it is a good representation of athletes who train for careers at such a young age, in an environment that is not able to provide jobs for everyone.
I would suggest picking up the audiobook, as this book is in the first person, and each girl is read by someone different, so it helps make the storylines easier to follow.
I picked up "Tiny Pretty Things' because I was watching the Netflix series and wondering why the show didn't watch like a YA adaptation. It is probably because apart from having the same name and being set at a ballet school, the two have very little in common.
This is a YA that showcases the absolute pettiness that comes out with familiarity and competitiveness. Gigi, Bette and June offer three very different views into a world where familiarity breeds contempt. While I can't say whether this is an accurate depiction of a ballet school, I did feel a sense of familiarity from the characters.
Bette just wants to be good enough for her mother who has made ballet success synonymous with their household.
Gigi, is the new girl and only Black student, who desperately wants to be included in a group that has known each other for forever.
June, is half-Korean and that leaves her not-fitting in, in ballet or with the other Korean girls.
Each girl has a different story and they intersect in such interesting ways. I adored the tender moments between the three girls even when they didn't like each other so much. People have said that there is a lot of drama in this story. While I agree that this assessment is true, I think it is a good representation of athletes who train for careers at such a young age, in an environment that is not able to provide jobs for everyone.
I would suggest picking up the audiobook, as this book is in the first person, and each girl is read by someone different, so it helps make the storylines easier to follow.