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farbooksventure's reviews
362 reviews
Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali
emotional
reflective
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? N/A
4.5
This is my 2'nd time reading this book & it still delights me to this day.
It's the type of book that I never know I needed, but finding it & reading it make my life so much better.
Love From A to Z showcases that it's possible to write a romantic couple full of chemistry, without emphasize physical touch/interactions. The protagonist's emotional connection & understanding are enough sometimes. I also love how family, friendship, and human kindness touch every so often in the story.
Audiobook production-wise, the narrators do a great job at bringing Zayneb & Adam voice's alive. I listen to it at 1.8 speed, which is a first, while also reading the digital copy. Even though it's a pretty high speed, the audiobook still sounds great & easy to understand. I'm having a great time with both edition all around.
If you're looking for a different take on contemporary romance stories, I truly encourage you to give Love From A to Z a try.
It's the type of book that I never know I needed, but finding it & reading it make my life so much better.
Love From A to Z showcases that it's possible to write a romantic couple full of chemistry, without emphasize physical touch/interactions. The protagonist's emotional connection & understanding are enough sometimes. I also love how family, friendship, and human kindness touch every so often in the story.
Audiobook production-wise, the narrators do a great job at bringing Zayneb & Adam voice's alive. I listen to it at 1.8 speed, which is a first, while also reading the digital copy. Even though it's a pretty high speed, the audiobook still sounds great & easy to understand. I'm having a great time with both edition all around.
If you're looking for a different take on contemporary romance stories, I truly encourage you to give Love From A to Z a try.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Islamophobia
Moderate: Death, Death of parent
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
challenging
informative
slow-paced
I Am Malala is a memoir chronicling Malala's story from birth to the aftermath of her horrifying shooting by the Taliban. It's also a memoir about Malala's advocacy for education to all children, boys or girls. It also reads like a history book about the various conflict in Malala's hometown & country for decades. I appreciate the level of details & description that this memoir provided. I'm also glad that the author was given a platform to share her story like this.
Even though the writing is ok for the most part (the author tries their very best), I found myself distracted so very often because the author tended to be rambly in their writing. I just find their writing style not engaging enough. So I go through this memoir mainly by skimming until the very last page.
Even though I Am Malala is a very informative and important read, I personally find the writing style still left something to be desired.
Even though the writing is ok for the most part (the author tries their very best), I found myself distracted so very often because the author tended to be rambly in their writing. I just find their writing style not engaging enough. So I go through this memoir mainly by skimming until the very last page.
Even though I Am Malala is a very informative and important read, I personally find the writing style still left something to be desired.
Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Once again, a tale of loss and grief. This time around it's from the perspective of a young child. Overall, Ms Ice Sandwhich is surprisingly hopeful in its portrayal of loss in youth.
The story shows how human from an early age learn to accept the fact that nothing in life is forever. So what's the point of being afraid and putting off stuff that you want to do right now? You never know when someone/something will be gone from your life, right?
If you're looking for a super-short reads consist of mainly monologue, this may be for you. The book is definitely a one-sitting reading material.
The story shows how human from an early age learn to accept the fact that nothing in life is forever. So what's the point of being afraid and putting off stuff that you want to do right now? You never know when someone/something will be gone from your life, right?
If you're looking for a super-short reads consist of mainly monologue, this may be for you. The book is definitely a one-sitting reading material.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Pet is a short & effective book about the danger of being in denial. It's also a story about a child who needs to take matters into their own hands because adults refuse to do so.
In theory, the place where this story happened, Lucille, is a utopia. Mainly because the citizen makes themselves believe that this was the fact. Sadly, reality doesn't work that way. This absolute belief backfires because it makes people refuse to see wrongdoing that occurs directly in front of their eyes.
It's better to acknowledge the ugly reality, instead of being oblivious and trap in the bubble of your make-believe.
I also want to appreciate the audiobook narrator & overall the great audio production.
I would recommend Pet to young readers who are looking for a book that touches on complicated themes but told in a simple/accessible manner.
In theory, the place where this story happened, Lucille, is a utopia. Mainly because the citizen makes themselves believe that this was the fact. Sadly, reality doesn't work that way. This absolute belief backfires because it makes people refuse to see wrongdoing that occurs directly in front of their eyes.
It's better to acknowledge the ugly reality, instead of being oblivious and trap in the bubble of your make-believe.
I also want to appreciate the audiobook narrator & overall the great audio production.
I would recommend Pet to young readers who are looking for a book that touches on complicated themes but told in a simple/accessible manner.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Simply exquisite.
I'm pretty nervous at first because the book format needs some time to get used to. When I'm into it though, I really can not go back. I read this in one sitting because I'm so taken by it.
If you love reading memoirs, I think you need to read this one ASAP.
Not only uniquely & expertly written In The Dream House also talk about an important topic that we rarely see being talked about.
I'm pretty nervous at first because the book format needs some time to get used to. When I'm into it though, I really can not go back. I read this in one sitting because I'm so taken by it.
If you love reading memoirs, I think you need to read this one ASAP.
Not only uniquely & expertly written In The Dream House also talk about an important topic that we rarely see being talked about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.5
On the surface level, Honey Girl sounds like a great romantic story, and it does.
At the center of it though, it's a story about self-growth, confronting trauma, and working on being the better version of yourself. It's also a story about letting go of things that familiar but doesn't serve you anymore.
I adore the way Honey Girl explores the topic of support system & family (both given & chosen) too. I love how raw and tender it is. The narrator of the audiobook also does a great job.
I am certainly biased because I can relate to the struggle that the main protagonist going through. No wonder this story speaks to me personally & I will very likely rate it higher for that.
If you're looking for contemporary fiction about personal growth featuring a lost protagonist & a healthy dose of the found family dynamic, this might be the book for you.
At the center of it though, it's a story about self-growth, confronting trauma, and working on being the better version of yourself. It's also a story about letting go of things that familiar but doesn't serve you anymore.
I adore the way Honey Girl explores the topic of support system & family (both given & chosen) too. I love how raw and tender it is. The narrator of the audiobook also does a great job.
I am certainly biased because I can relate to the struggle that the main protagonist going through. No wonder this story speaks to me personally & I will very likely rate it higher for that.
If you're looking for contemporary fiction about personal growth featuring a lost protagonist & a healthy dose of the found family dynamic, this might be the book for you.
Pembunuhan di Orient Express by Agatha Christie
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Harus aku akui, Pembunuhan di Orient Express berakhir di poin yang sangat pas. Aku begitu terkesan ketika membaca paragraf penutup itu.
Kalau tidak menonton film adaptasi terbaru dari novel ini lebih dulu, mungkin Pembunuhan di Orient Express bisa masuk dalam jajaran novel Agatha Christie favoritku sejauh ini. Aku tidak merekomendasi menonton film adaptasi novelnya. Just read the novel and you're good to go.
Meskipun begitu, aku tidak menyukai bagaimana cerita ini memberi penekanan pada stereotype. Di beberapa titik aku sempat lelah sendiri ketika membaca tentang bagaimana orang Inggris atau orang Italia "harusnya" bertindak. I hope we know better now than to reduce human simply to stereotype.
Bukan "spoiler", tapi masih berkaitan dengan akhir cerita di novel Pembunuhan di Orient Express: penyelesaian kasus ini mendadak membuatku merenung tentang konsep vigilante justice. Kalau kamu rajin mengikuti Buzzfeed Unsolved di Youtube, cerita ini mengingatkan kita pada episode tentang Ken Rex McElroy, bukan?
Despite that glaring flaw, this is a fun book overall & definitely one of the many memorable works from Agatha Christie.
Kalau tidak menonton film adaptasi terbaru dari novel ini lebih dulu, mungkin Pembunuhan di Orient Express bisa masuk dalam jajaran novel Agatha Christie favoritku sejauh ini. Aku tidak merekomendasi menonton film adaptasi novelnya. Just read the novel and you're good to go.
Meskipun begitu, aku tidak menyukai bagaimana cerita ini memberi penekanan pada stereotype. Di beberapa titik aku sempat lelah sendiri ketika membaca tentang bagaimana orang Inggris atau orang Italia "harusnya" bertindak. I hope we know better now than to reduce human simply to stereotype.
Despite that glaring flaw, this is a fun book overall & definitely one of the many memorable works from Agatha Christie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
Minor: Child death
Rainbirds by Clarissa Goenawan
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This book doesn't work for me, sadly.
I feel so indifferent about it as a whole. Character-wise, I found most of them to be insufferable. We love morally gray or flawed characters, sure. You still need to give more background info/personality though. So I can understand where they're coming & make it more fun to read. I just need more depth in their characterization, that's all.
Since I don't really root for these characters, various questionable decisions that they make through out the story just annoy me greatly.
Even the mystery plot can't save this one for me.
I have no idea how to rate this type of book, so I will keep it at no rating.
I feel so indifferent about it as a whole. Character-wise, I found most of them to be insufferable. We love morally gray or flawed characters, sure. You still need to give more background info/personality though. So I can understand where they're coming & make it more fun to read. I just need more depth in their characterization, that's all.
Since I don't really root for these characters, various questionable decisions that they make through out the story just annoy me greatly.
Even the mystery plot can't save this one for me.
I have no idea how to rate this type of book, so I will keep it at no rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Murder
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Fatphobia, Miscarriage
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Dari berbagai karya penulis Jepang yang sudah aku baca sejauh ini, hampir semuanya berbagi satu kesamaan. Tulisan-tulisan ini (entah kenapa) hampir selalu merupakan perenungan tentang duka (grief) dan rasa sepi (loneliness). Ada sesuatu yang melankoli tentang karya-karya ini. Kitchen sendiri bukanlah sebuah pengeculian.
Walaupun terbilang pendek & terdiri dari dua novella saja, aku tidak sanggup membaca Kitchen dalam satu kali duduk karena emosi kuat
yang muncul karenanya. Aku baru menyelesaikan buku ini dalam 4 sesi baca.
Duka karena kehilangan orang tercinta adalah topik utama dalam Kitchen. Gaya penulisan indah ala Banana Yoshimoto sendiri begitu berhasil menyampaikan kecamuk perasaan yang muncul di fase ini. Kisah penuh duka dalam Kitchen memang merupakan bacaan yang menyedihkan. Akan tetapi, alih-alih merasa sendiri, membaca ini membuatku merasa dimengerti.
Terkadang kita berduka bukan hanya karena kehilangan orang tercinta. Kita juga bisa berduka untuk mimpi/asa yang hilang atau bagian diri yang sudah tidak lagi.
Aku akan merekomendasikan Kitchen untuk pembaca yang mencari bacaan lambat tentang bagaimana duka merupakan bagian tidak terpisahkan dari kehidupan.
Proses berduka memang sulit, tapi harus kita terima & lakukan dalam hidup karena apalah arti menjadi manusia kalau bukan melalui rangkaian kehilangan dari lahir sampai akhir usia?
Walaupun terbilang pendek & terdiri dari dua novella saja, aku tidak sanggup membaca Kitchen dalam satu kali duduk karena emosi kuat
yang muncul karenanya. Aku baru menyelesaikan buku ini dalam 4 sesi baca.
Duka karena kehilangan orang tercinta adalah topik utama dalam Kitchen. Gaya penulisan indah ala Banana Yoshimoto sendiri begitu berhasil menyampaikan kecamuk perasaan yang muncul di fase ini. Kisah penuh duka dalam Kitchen memang merupakan bacaan yang menyedihkan. Akan tetapi, alih-alih merasa sendiri, membaca ini membuatku merasa dimengerti.
Terkadang kita berduka bukan hanya karena kehilangan orang tercinta. Kita juga bisa berduka untuk mimpi/asa yang hilang atau bagian diri yang sudah tidak lagi.
Aku akan merekomendasikan Kitchen untuk pembaca yang mencari bacaan lambat tentang bagaimana duka merupakan bagian tidak terpisahkan dari kehidupan.
Proses berduka memang sulit, tapi harus kita terima & lakukan dalam hidup karena apalah arti menjadi manusia kalau bukan melalui rangkaian kehilangan dari lahir sampai akhir usia?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent
The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
Thanks to Watcher's Puppet History on Youtube, my interest in Hatshepsut as an Ancient Egyptian queen piqued.
I read almost 50% of this, but the dry writing style is killing me 😅 It's a dense book full of information & the writing doesn't make it easier to follow. Reading academic writing is a gamble sometimes. The struggle of non-scholar folks reading scholarly text, I guess?
Maybe I will come back to this book someday, who knows?
I read almost 50% of this, but the dry writing style is killing me 😅 It's a dense book full of information & the writing doesn't make it easier to follow. Reading academic writing is a gamble sometimes. The struggle of non-scholar folks reading scholarly text, I guess?
Maybe I will come back to this book someday, who knows?