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jamie_reads_stuff's reviews
211 reviews
The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I absolutely loved the way that Filipino folklore was used and the horrifying imagery that came with it. I also loved its themes of anti colonialism and the way that exploitation was tackled. I do think that some of the characters are a pretty shallow and bland and I wished that they were more distinguishable (I kept getting multiple cast/crew members confused) but this was a very fun read overall!
Chlorine by Jade Song
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC!
This was a stunning debut from Jade Song about the pressures of expectations and claiming your own independence and choices. Ren is a very compelling, obsessive, and delusional character and I was hooked every step of the way. I also really appreciated the content warnings at the beginning (which I recommend reading since this is book leans into horror quite a bit). I will say that this is not a plot driven book and the focus is more on Ren as a character and thus some of the plot events are a bit slower. It's reminiscent of Black Swan, and I highly recommend this book if you enjoyed the movie! Overall, a really strong debut and I'm excited for what Jade Song comes out with next!
Chlorine comes out March 23rd!
This was a stunning debut from Jade Song about the pressures of expectations and claiming your own independence and choices. Ren is a very compelling, obsessive, and delusional character and I was hooked every step of the way. I also really appreciated the content warnings at the beginning (which I recommend reading since this is book leans into horror quite a bit). I will say that this is not a plot driven book and the focus is more on Ren as a character and thus some of the plot events are a bit slower. It's reminiscent of Black Swan, and I highly recommend this book if you enjoyed the movie! Overall, a really strong debut and I'm excited for what Jade Song comes out with next!
Chlorine comes out March 23rd!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Eating disorder, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, and Vomit
Moderate: Sexual assault, Abortion, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Minor: Pedophilia, Racism, and Pregnancy
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The writing was absolutely GORGEOUS and very descriptive and incredible. Some of these quotes were absolutely outstanding. Ocean Vuong is such a talented writer. All of that said, this felt more like a short story/poetry collection and while Vuong shines in his prose, I did not really enjoy the style of storytelling. I’m still glad I read this book! I will definitely check out Vuong’s poetry
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
This book made me feel so many things and I loved the way that relationships were depicted and how video games were used as an ongoing theme of play and exploration. Absolutely incredible
The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
I just cannot get into it, I think the humor is not gelling with me and I can already kind of tell where the story is going. I don’t know it’s a little slower going too
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A fun romp and I loved having older adults as the main characters! Very fun overall, I would absolutely love to see this adapted into a fun action movie.
Let Us Believe in the Beginning of the Cold Season: Selected Poems by Forugh Farrokhzad
emotional
informative
reflective
5.0
One of the best poetry collections I’ve read. It felt like I was peering into the authors life at different stages and I could see how her style developed overtime. Very very incredible
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
An absolutely incredible tale of pain, hope, and joy in the darkest of times. Salama is a poignant and hopeful character and the writing breathes in life and color to a heartbreaking story. I loved the Studio Ghibli references, especially Castle in the Sky, and all of the references here made my heart so full. So so incredible
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-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
3.0
I really enjoyed some of the themes here but it was otherwise very deeply boring.
I chose this book for my January BOTM and I was immediately intrigued by the characters and the premise. I do enjoy the themes around class privilege and social justice as well as corruption and capitalism. It plays with such interesting themes in the context of the early 2000s in Delhi. All of that being said, I think the story dragged on a bit too long and I found myself feeling really bored for most of the book. Perhaps it’s because this was marketed as “action packed” but there wasn’t a ton of action scenes in the book. But yes, it was okay overall.
I chose this book for my January BOTM and I was immediately intrigued by the characters and the premise. I do enjoy the themes around class privilege and social justice as well as corruption and capitalism. It plays with such interesting themes in the context of the early 2000s in Delhi. All of that being said, I think the story dragged on a bit too long and I found myself feeling really bored for most of the book. Perhaps it’s because this was marketed as “action packed” but there wasn’t a ton of action scenes in the book. But yes, it was okay overall.
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book was kind of slow in the beginning but I was very invested starting the halfway point. Overall a fun thriller, although this and her newest thriller have VERY similar vibes
DID I CALL IT?? YES!!