jacolinemaes's reviews
40 reviews

9 November by Colleen Hoover

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

1.0

I cannot deny that I thought this read was  addicting, but as with addiction it was also completely toxic. The way these characters act, the way romance is painted, it is all suppposed to be oh so lovely, but it just gave me the creeps. Ben is controlling and the way his trauma is presented is just as a shocker, but it is so unbelievable that he would never think about it before. I just can't.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

reflective sad 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

Got a bit too repetitive for me over time. Helps to get the feeling across, but it made me feel bad. So I just wanted it to be over at some point.

Ik wist het by Chantal van Gastel

lighthearted medium-paced

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

A bit too long and repetitive for my liking, but to be honest I did enjoy reading about Mia and her life and I did not get too annoyed by the romance going on. Though with the romance things could've developed a bit quicker too.

Why the F*ck Can't I Change? by Dr. Gabija Toleikyte

fast-paced

I skipped through some of it, because I was not too interested in the more scientific parts and felt a lot of this was very repetitive. So just read the parts that I actually thought interesting to use.

Tasmanië by Paolo Giordano

challenging reflective 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

A very nice read. While the main character is not likeable, it is definitely a very compelling story, where you are waiting for the main character to finally do or feel something. Really liked how everything came together in the end. Great last sentence.

A Personal Matter by Kenzaburō Ōe

Not in the mood for it right now.

April by Ellen Deckwitz

challenging hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

Het licht in de stad by Inge Schilperoord

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

Pose: Over hoe we kijken en wie we spelen by Basje Boer

informative reflective medium-paced

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

1.5

This is way too unfocused. Crazy Rich Asians follows so many characters of which many are totally irrelevant and who added nothing to the plot. Most of them are terribly annoying (and of course that is the point, but come on, annoying characters do not have to be annoying to read about. Just make them not all completely shallow and stereotypical, can you?) and I started skipping through some of their chapters. Apart from that there are some highly problematic and totally unnecessary remarks like this one girl calling out "Isn't he a puppet controlled by all the Jews?" I don't like my books to contain casual antisemitism, thanks. Also someone is advised to stall a divorce for a year, because then the man will surely realise that he was wrong: ehhh right, toxic much? And there are many more of these things where the book just does not seem aware of its own skewed romanticism. Anyway not for me and glad to finally be done with it.