jem_ko's reviews
57 reviews

Where The World Turns Wild by Nicola Penfold

adventurous fast-paced

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

3.5

read this as a filler bc i had it from when i was teaching KS3 a really cool SOW on nature, i really enjoyed the pace (finished the book in three days so that’s evident) and the utilisation of the complex beauty and horror of nature. The ending was deffo rushed, one of the chapters near the end could’ve used it’s own book which was laughable but that is how it goes when writing the story of an IMMENSE journey but for kids so i’m not judging the author tbh.

Still Life by Sarah Winman

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-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? No

5.0

yeah I GAVE IT 5.75 STARS !! for a book that opened up portals in my mind that reminded me of my love for art, love, culture and - beneath/over/in all these things - humanity i HAD to find a loophole

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.0

The simplest cosiest book, even the tiny murder plot point was mostly wholesome!

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

A wonderful, if surprising (to a  21st century neurodivergent POC woman), insight into the mind of another runner - you quickly glean the analogy between marathons and life but they switch between holding hefty meaning and laughable sarcasm. Well worth listening to if u can as the audiobook helps the pace!

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

3.0

Circe by Madeline Miller

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Just some of the most luscious writing u will ever come across, the lack of other characters does make it MINORLY laborious near the very end but the character arc redeems it entirely

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Violence

White Houses by Amy Bloom
Did not finish book. Stopped at 1%.

so SO dense with the feeling of disappointment from the characters that i felt it weigh me down within pages

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

4.0

As a dystopian lover I had to read this classic and I must admit- Atwood’s writing style shines in a way I have never witnessed before. Minute details become lenses into whole other worlds and the switching of narrators, though initially exhausting, overall contributes to an excellent narrative. It certainly drags in terms of plot but it picks up excessive pace near the end almost like it literally unfurls (though i would argue the pacing is unnatural). Nevertheless Atwood’s brilliant writing style carries you through even the drier chapters with ease.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

5.0

My favourite of the series! Upon rereading I rediscovered my love for Collin’s writing as she interweaves two very separate plot/narrative styles in this novel into one immense story with the most exhilarating and gratifying twists and turns. The characters, though flawed like stereotypical young adult dystopian protagonists, are more realistic than many of their parallels at the time and Katniss offers a bitterness that almost irritates the reader until they remember this cynicism would be realistic from a trauma survivor

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

5.0

The pacing is slightly more odd in the final part to this iconic trilogy but I will excuse it because I have finally accepted that I am just a sucker for the exquisite world-building, narrative and characters Collins started a literary revolution of her own with.