eponine20's reviews
313 reviews

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-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

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Barbie by Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

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

3.25

Say Her Name by Zetta Elliott

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

emotional funny medium-paced

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

3.75

 I honestly don't know how I feel about this book... Loved the beggining and the ending (maybe ???). I did not enjoy the audiobook however... The representation of chronic ilness and PTSD/anxiety was so well done as well. Red, the male interest, being the one having been emotionally and physically abused was a good addition to the story and gave so much depth to his character. He is a good book boyfriend, there was just the weird masturbation scene that I did not really like for his character and gave me the ick (thank god he redeemed himself...). Chloe is also a well-written character and even tho she is not my favourite character of all time, I did like learning more about her.
The third act breakup was so late in the story it gave me so much stress !!!! It was a little bit rushed tbh... I did enjoy the discussion around love between Chloe and Gigi because : Yes, you can get hurt if you love people but.. Isn't it the all point ? You give people around you the power to hurt you, you give them weapons to destroy you but they choose not too, the same way you choose not to hurt them.
It was perfect to finish this romance on Valentine's Day xx 

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

Katathon by Janani K. Jha

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

2.5

Nos coeurs disparus by Celeste Ng

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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? No

5.0

First 5 stars of the year and it is WELL deserved honestly. This is a beautiful love letter from a mother to a child (and also a love letter from a child to their parents). It is about how much sacrifices are parents ready to go through for their children and it was beautiful. The writing was wonderful and the characters so well written. My heart kept aching while reading and I started crying heavy tears at the end. This book was written around 2020 while the Covid pandemic was in full bloom (just like Asian/Chinese hate was as well), with DT as the US president. The scary part is that we are now in 2025 and DT is back in power and taking it on minorities even more. Just like Celeste NG explains it in the book : people need a common enemy, something or someone to hate and hurt instead of looking at the actual problem within the system. I'm so sad that this book still makes so much sense in 2025, showing how little progress is being made. This book also shows how quickly fascism can be elected into power. 
The fact that the author took inspiration of actual events (the separation of enslaved families, the kidnapping of Native American's children, the separation of migrants families...) is heartbreaking. 

The author's note is filled with recommendations of books to read to continue researching those topics.

I forgot that Celeste Ng does not write "happy ending", but she does write "hopeful ending", endings that will make your heart ache and tears streaming down your face. This is the second book I read by Celeste NG and I will be reading what she writes in the future (+ the book I haven't read yet). I would suggest you check the TW before reading as this book is heavy. 

This story is about love. About finding love throughout awful time. About love and hope. This book is also about poetry and the impact of art in the world. People saying reading and writing is not always political.... Yes it is. Every piece of art ever created is political in some way. This book is political. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Violence, and Xenophobia

Pageboy by Elliot Page

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

I always feel weird rating biographies because.. this is someone's life not just fiction. So I'm putting 5 stars every time. 
This memoir is devastating... Listening to Eliott's voice narrating all the awful things that happening to him was heartbreaking and I cried multiple times (check trigger warnings). I am always so shocked learning about the toxic environment in music and cinema (everywhere honestly) and I hope that the system is changing because no one should have to go through this. Eliott Page has been through so much, no one protected him. I am so happy that he has the chance to be himself and I know he will inspire other queer and trans people. I know the journey just got harder for trans people, just existing, because of transphobia which is spreading in the world. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Trans rights are human rights. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Rape, and Transphobia