funkyauntjules's reviews
42 reviews

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

5.0

i just love everything she does, okay? this was a beautiful symphony of love, myth, and hair removal. i will read it over and over again forever.

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

loved loved loved. even writing this review feels weirdly meta and ironic after finishing it. i hate june hayward and the entire time i was hoping she got what was coming to her, yet felt so badly when it did. the way kuang was able to create such a detestable set of characters while still making them whole, vivid, and tangible will keep my head rolling for WEEKS.

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-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

2.0

there are certain things about this book that i really loved. i think sarah rose has an amazing ability to say something punching, vivid, and visceral. for me, this book lacked the umph i wanted from it. i struggled with the Believers aspect, it felt too "oh i'm so different", which, coming from a white main character, i immediately got my year of rest and relaxation vibes. is it the same? no. was i reading it almost as though it was satire? probably yes. i will say i liked the ending, it gives you what you want. i guess? maybe i'll reread? maybe i won't???

Content Warnings

Candelaria by Melissa Lozada-Oliva

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense fast-paced

5.0

no you don't understand. i'm in love with this book. about 1/4 of the way in i knew i needed to read it again. and then again. this book has everything. EVERYTHING. melissa manages to take one thing and veer it in the opposite direction. oh you're crying? now you're laughing. oh you're scared? here's a wholesome, gorgeous, poetic moment. i wanted this story to be six hundred pages longer. i want this book etched into my headstone.

Content Warnings

Carnality by Lina Wolff

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

okay so the beginning had me pretty quickly but about halfway i was starting to teeter off. eventually i accepted the circumstances and tried to finish and i'm so glad i did- this book is all about unreliable narration and what actually happened versus perception. the end had me biting my nails and kicking my feet. highly recommend!

Pretend I'm Dead by Jen Beagin

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adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring 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

4.75

so funny, so raw, so real. jen does this thing where every single thing in her books are characters: the setting, objects, feelings. everything she writes has this strong presence and that's nothing but true in this book. while a quick read, it definitely gets super heavy at parts. i already want to reread it. i love jen beagin's brain.

Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

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dark funny sad fast-paced

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

5.0

incredible amazing so fun. jen beagin is HILARIOUS and this book was such a fun obsessive journey. it's amazing how she can make every single character (down to the animals) so specific, nuanced, and likable. what a journey. ahh!!

Content Warnings

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

she's a master. she's incredible. i couldn't put this down.
carmen is a titan and this work is something i wish i had picked up years ago. it is something i will constantly come back to. to have been able to break herself open and paint with her torment to create this absolute masterpiece is something i admire, worship, and hope to one day come close to achieving. an absolute must read (if you are in a healthy and stable place to receive it)

Content Warnings

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

none of these stories are the same. they are all so incredibly different in tone and type of horror. in the beginning it's a bit more forthright, but as you continue to go on it begins to sneak up on you. by the last story you're waiting for it to creep up on you. bora chung is a master of storytelling and a weaver of terror. incredible!

Content Warnings

Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier

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dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad fast-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

5.0

SO !! FUCKING !! GOOD !! i read this in like four days and it is just incredible. i didn't know when i was rooting for her and when i wasn't but boy did i feel BAD for her. an incredibly gripping story about loss, grief, and how we cope with it all. so real so raw so so SO incredible

Content Warnings

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funkyauntjules's reviews 42 reviews

funkyauntjules's reviews
42 reviews