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sunnys_library's reviews
544 reviews
Babel by R.F. Kuang
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
5.0
This book left me speechless! It was so complex but easy to read at the same time (which i think it is a huhe plus). I love that Kuang made this an accessible read. Think about academic papers and how difficult they are (they are MADE difficult to read), so making this book with such important themes and topics accessible and easy to read just puts this book on a higher rating.
Of course we are all going to talk about the history and politics that this book touches upon but I also want to bring up the literary aspects of it. The pacing, for instance, was great. It traps the reader as our main character matures and goes through different stages of his education. We learn with him, so we don't feel alone in the academia side (i think a lot of dark academia books are hard to read because they are so heavy on the academia without a clear purpose). Here, there is purpose, there is motive for all that the characters are doing.
The friendship, wow. This was an amazing literary aspect of the book. You fall in live with the characters, you empathize, you see their struggles and you cry for them. There is a lot to unpack about each character and what makes them so special for this narrative.
Of course we are all going to talk about the history and politics that this book touches upon but I also want to bring up the literary aspects of it. The pacing, for instance, was great. It traps the reader as our main character matures and goes through different stages of his education. We learn with him, so we don't feel alone in the academia side (i think a lot of dark academia books are hard to read because they are so heavy on the academia without a clear purpose). Here, there is purpose, there is motive for all that the characters are doing.
The friendship, wow. This was an amazing literary aspect of the book. You fall in live with the characters, you empathize, you see their struggles and you cry for them. There is a lot to unpack about each character and what makes them so special for this narrative.
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
This was pretty good! About 80% of the book has great creepy vibes, it keeps you on edge and you can't see what's coming, however the ending was quite disappointing. It felt very rushed compared to the pacing of the whole book.
This book has multiple POVs but this is quite well done as each voice is different and provides different scenarios. There is also a jump back in time for one of the characters but I didn't find it hard to keep up. Overall, a decent thriller/mystery for anyone who wants to give try reading some mystery fiction.
This book has multiple POVs but this is quite well done as each voice is different and provides different scenarios. There is also a jump back in time for one of the characters but I didn't find it hard to keep up. Overall, a decent thriller/mystery for anyone who wants to give try reading some mystery fiction.
Someone Else's Life by Lyn Liao Butler
mysterious
fast-paced
2.75
I was excited for a shorter thriller/mystery book but this was a little bit disappointing. I think the characters were not likeable but the story was also predictable. There were a lot of solutions and things that the MC could have done to prevent what happened
There was also no apparent plot twist as everything was revealed quickly and it was easy to put together.
There was also no apparent plot twist as everything was revealed quickly and it was easy to put together.
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
This story was so great to listen to as it comes in interview format. It is easy to follow as there is a full cast of narrators for each character.
A Quitter's Paradise by Elysha Chang
2.75
This is a story about grief and how people go through grief differently. Especially for some Asian families that may not always have the best relationship with parents, you still grieve them and their loss hits you differently. The narration was a bit confusion, but some parts were interesting. It was interesting to reflect on my own relationship with my parents.
Luminary: A Magical Guide to Self-Care by Kate Scelsa
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
2.0
This was not quite what I was looking for but it was interesting to read. I can see how this might be helpful to people who want to learn more about astrology, tarot and other methods that can be implemented in daily self-care practices.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
Solid 3 star for me. It was cute, made me laugh, it was sweet but it had some flaws for me. For me it felt a bit too long.... it felt repetitive after a while and, while there was great backstory and side story (with the sis) it was too much and often overshadowed the romance aspect. I wanted to learn more about the development of the relation between Nora and Charlie, more of that. There was a lot of fanily dynamics in play, so if you like that and sibling and sad family stories this is for you.
It was funny and emotional but the ending was underwhelming. Of course, most things were predictablr which made this book very bland and simple.
There were some relatable moments and overall an ok read. It does not impress.
It was funny and emotional but the ending was underwhelming. Of course, most things were predictablr which made this book very bland and simple.
There were some relatable moments and overall an ok read. It does not impress.