jiayuanc's reviews
274 reviews

The Rings of Saturn by W.G. Sebald

informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

I love a "guy walks around and tells us things" book and here is THE ICONIC one. 

Minor Detail by Adania Shibli

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

2.5

Extremely stilted and repetitive language, which I understand was done on purpose. I wonder if this was an issue of translation. Forced repetitive symbolism to connect the events of part 1 of 1949 to part 2 some 25 years later (dog barking, gasoline, specific plant mention... It was very unnatural and felt very forced). Overall an interesting read but not what I would call a must read. It is short enough to be read through in a day so may as well have a read through as it does cover a true event in part 1. The ending was very predictable, but there was no other way for this story to end. 

Disappointed as I had much higher hopes for this. Rounded up to 3 stars for GoodReads. 

From the river to the sea... 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Murder, Colonisation, War

Foster by Claire Keegan

emotional reflective

4.5

How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now by James L. Kugel

informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Engrossed from start to finish. I have highlights and underlines on so many pages. 

Candle in the Tomb by Tian Xia Ba Chang
Did not finish book.

Nothing to do with the book, my Chinese reading ability is just very slow and this book was causing our book club to move at a snail's pace so we have shelved this one and have moved on. 

Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian
Did not finish book. Stopped at 47%.

Just wasn't feeling it.

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.

I really enjoyed SA Cosby's Blacktop Wasteland so was excited to start this book. The premise really turned me off but I tried to keep faith with his writing and pushed through to just over a quarter of the book. I started skim reading at that point and stopped around 50% or so. I may skip to the last chapters just to get some kind of ending and resolution. It just got more and more uncomfortable to me that it was seemingly a homophobic dads redemption through revenge story? It may be premature for me to say this, as I have not gotten to the end but this is what it was feeling like from the start. Maybe my thoughts will change when I read the ending chapters. I also had the twist spoiled for me in a GoodReads review, so this turned me off from the book as well. 

Penance by Eliza Clark

dark medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.5

Eliza Clark writes teenage girl online culture correctly without being cringe about it. 

The Detective Up Late by Adrian McKinty

adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced

4.0

Adrian McKinty has done it again, oh how I have missed you Sean Duffy, Crabbie and Lawson. The trio is back! 

The Confessor by Daniel Silva
Did not finish book. Stopped at 45%.

Extremely strange, almost feels like self-insert fantasy? Mouthpiece characters who show up, say plot moving points, then get killed. Deus ex machina saves. A lot of telling, lacking the showing. Tells me some character is very intelligent but never shows any of it. The strangest part is having the so-called villain be involved in all these left-wing organizations, which OK fair enough but then to reveal a PLO associate of his who is basically just a cartoon villain? He claims the Israeli Prime Minister is a war criminal, fair enough, then goes on to say "Jews are the new Nazis" without ever speaking to any of the PLO context. Very weird. 

I was recommended this book based on looking for a book with Vatican intrigue but this is too over the top for me.