endemictoearth's reviews
4016 reviews

Nour's Secret Library by Wafa' Tarnowska, Vali Mintzi

adventurous hopeful inspiring reflective sad

4.5

Ash's Cabin by Jen Wang

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon

challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

This was cruising along at a 3.5 star book until 2/3 through. I liked the characters and the set up, the main relationship was lovely, but there was too much going on around the edges. Even if I'd read all the previous books, I think I would have been a bit annoyed at how often we are pulled away from the main couple to get the backstory of how who knows who and how long someone's lived in town and why they ended up there. 

However, at the 2/3 mark, Xeni and Mason have an amazing conversation around kids, reproductive choice (for both of them) and their experiences and expectations about the idea of birth and family that I wanted to give a standing ovation. Exactly the sort of thing I want to see more of in my mf romance. I also love that this is bi4bi and they do actual on-page

pegging

. Another round of applause. 

I do need to read more of this author, but I'm never the biggest fan of a sprawling interconnected world that has to constantly catch us up on who's who, but I know others love that. So, in the end, this is a four star book that had some five star moments.

Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.

I listened to the first half on a car ride and have not felt compelled to return to it. The descriptions of the characters eyes and bodies were constant and way too detailed and while I can love a pining hero, I think this is dragging things out way too long. Plus I've heard there's a particularly annoying third act break (I can take a break if it's needed, but sometimes it's too much). Anyhow, I gave it a shot.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

This was lovely, and made me cry a couple of times. The dual timelines

that converge in an almost mystical way

were so well done. A very special book that I am happy to own and will likely return to.

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

adventurous challenging emotional funny reflective

4.25

Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh

challenging dark lighthearted reflective sad

2.5

I pre-ordered this four years ago, but just . . . didn't . . . read it. I don't know when would have been the best time to read this, but, um, huh. I agree with those other lower rated reviews that say that the book started off decently, but then it kind of just . . . keeps happening? There are depressing parts, but told in such a way that made me numb to that? Which maybe that's the point, giving us the feeling of depression about the depression? 

The idea that nothing means anything and everything is pointless is repeated so many times in these many pages that it felt like it was sort of an out for this book and it's not needing to have any direction or point, either. I finished it because I own it and did find a few moments to enjoy/ponder in the first part of the book, but feel like I will be swiftly passing this on to my library booksale. 

Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed

challenging emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions by Larry Mitchell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.

My library borrow ran out, and I skimmed through the rest of the book and felt like I got the most from the beginning of the book. This is not a 'I didn't like this book' DNF, but a 'I didn't need to finish this to get something from it'. I might return to it one day, but I also feel like I got the vibes from the section I finished.

Heart First by S.B. Barnes

adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was really lovely and did the

mid-book internal to external conflict transition 

nicely. It's a mystery with a dash of romantic suspense featuring a professor/mechanic couple burgeoning throughout the story. Not straight up investigator husbands; they get together during the time of the investigation and are both close to the case, but aren't intently trying to solve it. (Daniel, the professor, has a few thoughts that Tony, the mechanic,

might be involved, but those are dispelled around the 60% mark

.) 

The third person limited POV (present tense but I barely noticed) follows Daniel, and I really enjoyed his character voice/observations. I got an ARC of the second book and am very much looking forward to spending more time with these characters.

(I've lost my ability to write reviews with any regularity or coherence, mainly save up my good wording efforts for the ARC reviews, so maybe I'll have something more interesting to say about book 2, lolsob)