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jasminesimone's reviews
53 reviews
Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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
4.25
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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? No
4.0
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This book was a slow burn; very dark. I honestly did not know what to expect from this book because the beginning made me question everyone! Mexican Gothic is spine-tingling, but I wish it had been more interesting in the beginning.
Noemi is definitely headstrong, and I loved every bit of her! She questioned the family her cousin, Catalina, married into from the very beginning because of the weird nature of her letter. She didn't think she would be the right person for a rescue mission, but while reading I understood more why Catalina reached out to her.
I promise the ending is not predictable at all! I was not expecting this crazy twist. I would definitely recommend this book for people who love a good mystery.
Noemi is definitely headstrong, and I loved every bit of her! She questioned the family her cousin, Catalina, married into from the very beginning because of the weird nature of her letter. She didn't think she would be the right person for a rescue mission, but while reading I understood more why Catalina reached out to her.
I promise the ending is not predictable at all! I was not expecting this crazy twist. I would definitely recommend this book for people who love a good mystery.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
4.0
“You may live in the world as it is, but you can still work to create the world as it should be.”
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Becoming. I thought Michelle Obama would have given us some more of her advice, but this was a real story of her life. Surprisingly she was very relatable. The way she grew up and how her and Barack fell in love were all told in a way that the average person could connect to. She did not hide her truth nor did she dwell on any pain. She told her story without rushing and it was beautiful. Honestly, I am not a fan of autobiographies but this one I enjoyed.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Becoming. I thought Michelle Obama would have given us some more of her advice, but this was a real story of her life. Surprisingly she was very relatable. The way she grew up and how her and Barack fell in love were all told in a way that the average person could connect to. She did not hide her truth nor did she dwell on any pain. She told her story without rushing and it was beautiful. Honestly, I am not a fan of autobiographies but this one I enjoyed.
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
3.0
I read a lot of mixed reviews on An American Marriage, so I decided to read it for myself. This book was a quick read and definitely had its interesting moments, but I believe that there was too much action with hardly any build up.
Tayari Jones did a great job at bringing in complex ideologies of being a successful African American. Roy was a successful businessman and Celestial grew up in a well off family. Thanks to Roy's want to "sit his wife down", Celestial was able to focus on her passion, doll making. Unfortunately, success does not keep African Americans out of the grasp of wrong place and time. His marriage to Celestial and his career are all taken away from him after he is arrested; another case of mistaken identity. The reader definitely gets a glimpse of how this affects Roy, Celestial, and their families. I did connect with the characters and I could feel their pain, somewhat.
What I wasn't very fond of was how quickly everything seemed to happen. I wanted to know more from Roy's perspective about what was happening while he was in prison. The story gives glimpses through his letters and through his sections, but it was not enough for me. Also, it seemed like things with Celestial happened quickly as well. The Dear John letter that she wrote came out of nowhere to me. There was a lot to unpack, but I feel like there was not a lot of build up or story.
Overall, I thought that this book was great for a short read in-between my larger books. I wish I could have connected to the story more on an emotional level, but I needed something extra in there.
Tayari Jones did a great job at bringing in complex ideologies of being a successful African American. Roy was a successful businessman and Celestial grew up in a well off family. Thanks to Roy's want to "sit his wife down", Celestial was able to focus on her passion, doll making. Unfortunately, success does not keep African Americans out of the grasp of wrong place and time. His marriage to Celestial and his career are all taken away from him after he is arrested; another case of mistaken identity. The reader definitely gets a glimpse of how this affects Roy, Celestial, and their families. I did connect with the characters and I could feel their pain, somewhat.
What I wasn't very fond of was how quickly everything seemed to happen. I wanted to know more from Roy's perspective about what was happening while he was in prison. The story gives glimpses through his letters and through his sections, but it was not enough for me. Also, it seemed like things with Celestial happened quickly as well. The Dear John letter that she wrote came out of nowhere to me. There was a lot to unpack, but I feel like there was not a lot of build up or story.
Overall, I thought that this book was great for a short read in-between my larger books. I wish I could have connected to the story more on an emotional level, but I needed something extra in there.