dromedaryreader's reviews
28 reviews

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk

adventurous funny fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual content, Excrement, Medical content, Dementia, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Alcohol

Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk

dark funny 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

4.75

Wow, what an insane book. I started and stopped this book multiple times and it still sucked me back in every time I'd pick it up again. There's too many twists to get bored. I didn't pay enough attention to what story line/time slot I was in at any given time which made the book more challenging to read at times. But overall, great book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering Into Peace, Joy, and Liberation by Thích Nhất Hạnh

challenging hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.5

This book is an incredible introduction to thinking like a buddhist. Most buddhist books cover the beliefs, practices, and traditions, or talk for pages about the health benefits of meditation and so on. This is the first book I've read that tries to reframe your perspective in the moment rather than in theory or with technical information. Feels dramatic, but I do feel like this book has changed my life. I didn't realize it as I read it, but I do feel and think differently in many situations. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in buddhism OR who struggles with anger issues, relationship issues, or feeling like you're helpless against your own mind and emotions.

The only reason the rating is not a 5/5 is because the many list based chapters could get hard to remember and at times felt like they were overlapping. 

Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner by Judy Melinek

informative reflective fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders

The Motion of the Body Through Space by Lionel Shriver
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.

Got tired of the whining over political correctness. Boorrrring. Every character was annoying. I had literally no desire to stick this one out

Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk

dark fast-paced

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

4.25

Orange World and Other Stories by Karen Russell

adventurous mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

The Prospectors: Interesting story, but the backstories of the characters were too vague. The plot didn't seem very original and the ending felt rushed. 2/5

The Bad Graft: One of my favorites. Very original concept, characters with flaws, great imagery. I loved this story. 5/5

Bog Girl: A Romance: This was okay, but it felt too fantastical for me. Not the ending, but the reactions of everyone around them. 3/5

Madame Bovary's Greyhound:  Heartbreaking/warming story about a dog's love and loyalty, and a lack of it. 4/5

The Tornado Auction: Although it wasn't my favorite story it was by far the most original and had a great concept. I just didn't feel much for the characters. 4.5/5

Black Corfu: This one was interesting and well done, with a twist ending, but not my type of story. 3.5/5

The Gondoliers: My least favorite. Felt both slow paced and poorly organized. Wasn't satisfied by the ending. 1/5

Orange World: I really liked this story and it had a nice resolution. A feel-good ending. Still, not my favorite or very original. 3.5/5

The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin

dark 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? No

5.0

The Bees by Laline Paull
Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.

Ehhhh...over explained way too much. Many unnecessary details.