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gmwells's reviews
87 reviews
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
5.0
TL;DR: THIS IS A TRULY AMAZING BOOK AND I BELIEVE EVERYONE SHOULD READ IT AT LEAST ONCE! This is one of those books that I wish I could read for the first time again.
I bought this book on a whim because I happened to see it for sale online when I was searching for course books on Convergent Journalism. It had been in my TBR list for a short time as I saw many readers on BookTok (or whatever you want to call it) recommending it.
When I started reading it, it was honestly because I couldn’t continue to read one of the five other books that I had started — I had to start a new book instead. I had no idea what this book was about, simply that it had something to do with “anxious people” as the title suggested.
After I began reading it, I will admit that I had a slow start. I made it through maybe five rather short chapters before needing to take a break. I had no idea where the story was going to take me, and I suppose my brain didn’t quite like that idea.
As I continued reading (over a period of a few months packed with other things like birthday parties and black belt ceremonies), I had a greater appreciation for the book. I started finishing more and more chapters each time I picked it back up until I read the entire final half of the book in two days.
I cried three times while reading this book: once a little less than halfway thought, once about 50 pages from the end, and once while reading the entirety of the last 15 or so chapters.
Something that every author should strive for is having characters with relatable personalities. More importantly, every author should give their readers the ability to see the world through a new lens. Backman does both and more in this book.
He tells a story of love (of all kinds), of loss, and of the ripple effect that people have on one another’s lives. The characters’ paths are carefully woven together, and new secrets continue to be revealed in practically every chapter.
One thing that I will say about a certain relationship near the end is that they (not revealing who; no spoilers) were a bit forced. They had a mild amount of chemistry between them, but it seemed to carry the same message of amatonormativity that I have seen many books drenched in. Thankfully, because Backman also focuses on other kinds of love more strongly throughout the whole book, he did not have this message of amatonormativity as heavily thrust on the reader as many other books do; however, it was there nonetheless.
This book has attachment, relatability, and simplicity, and that’s all you really need to write a great book. Besides the slow start and the one small bit that I mentioned in the above paragraph, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I loved that I was kept on my toes right until the end, and that by that point I had unknowingly fallen in love with the characters so much that I couldn’t help but cry during the final pages. Backman’s writing style is one that I will forever appreciate and enjoy, and I look forward to reading more of his books in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Death, Alcohol, and Death of parent
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Cancer, Drug use, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, and Infidelity
A Song for Every Scar: A Poetry Collection by Serena Morrigan
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
5.0
If you find yourself wanting to read more poetry but you want to be able to understand what the poem is saying, I highly recommend “A Song for Every Scar” by Serena Morrigan. This poetry book is meant for those who struggle keeping it all together.
This poetry collection is done in a modern style, meaning that there’s no strange Olde English language and it’s easy to grasp the meaning of each poem. The six sections of this book go through feelings of depression, pain, numbness, grief, hurt, and hope.
This is a collection of very raw poems. The emotional weight of this book kept me reading it for a longer time than I usually would spend on a poetry collection, as I had to take many breaks.
While Morrigan does repeat certain “stand out” words throughout the book, she writes the poems in a clean and creative way. And, though the poems are very personal to the author’s own experiences, I found myself relating to many of these poems, as well as several of my loved ones.
My favorite poem is either “distortion” on pages 78-80 or “these hands” on page 173.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Child death
The Murder House by David Ellis, James Patterson
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol and Gun violence
Minor: Child death
in this glass prism by Brooke Goodwin
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
5.0
When you think of poetry, you might think of the Old English language with hard-to-understand words and even-harder-to-understand phrases. You may think of writers who have long since passed. You may think of outdated ideas and backwards methods.
I'd like to change your mind with one book.
"in this glass prism" by Brooke Goodwin is -- dare I say it -- a masterpiece. The careful use of words and her use of empty spaces leaves a significant impact in the readers' minds. I have to admit that I read this book several times not only to experience the joy of reading poetry again, but to experience the joy of reading Brooke Goodwin's poetry again.
I have never read another poet like Brooke Goodwin. Forget about the confusing poems that run you around in circles, and forget about the poems that fail to tell you anything at all. Read poetry that makes you think. Read poetry that makes you feel. Read "in this glass prism".
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Homophobia, and Suicide
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
It's past midnight somewhere: A debut collection of poetry and illustrations reliving pain, reclaiming heritage and rediscovering bliss in solitude. by Jamal-E-Fatima Rafat
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
To Walk On Moonbeams by Zombear Writes
This poetry collection contains so many jewels and demonstrates modern poetic style. Trying to choose only a single favorite poem from this anthology is like trying to choose only one word to sum it up. You can tell that each word is chosen purposefully, and the rhymes (or lack thereof) only enhance the message of each poem. After reading this book, I wanted to keep printed copies of her poems on the wall above my desk andmy pocket to carry with me.
If you are interested in poetry, I highly recommend this book. Even if you don't directly relate to the emotions portrayed in this work of art, you can certainly appreciate the author and her experiences being condensed into just 156 pages.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Heartbreak, confusion, loneliness, and healing. If I had to choose only one word to describe this collection of poetry, I wouldn't be able to choose. One single word cannot perfectly summarize what this book means to me.
This poetry resonates very deeply with me. I feel so connected to the author through the poetry in this book, having experienced something similar myself. At the same time, there are specifics to each poem that show the "little details" that make her poetry so unique.
This poetry collection contains so many jewels and demonstrates modern poetic style. Trying to choose only a single favorite poem from this anthology is like trying to choose only one word to sum it up. You can tell that each word is chosen purposefully, and the rhymes (or lack thereof) only enhance the message of each poem. After reading this book, I wanted to keep printed copies of her poems on the wall above my desk andmy pocket to carry with me.
If you are interested in poetry, I highly recommend this book. Even if you don't directly relate to the emotions portrayed in this work of art, you can certainly appreciate the author and her experiences being condensed into just 156 pages.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood