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jukietoss's reviews
528 reviews
Thirsty: A Novel by Jas Hammonds
emotional
sad
tense
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
Unmissable, this sophomore release from Jas Hammonds is phenomenal. A gut-wrenching look at class, gatekeeping, and binge-drinking culture. Read this to be immediately absorbed into the heady summer days before college, to witness the shame and spiraling that come with the very real belief in not being worthy, and to wrestle with the self-sabotage that can accompany loneliness.
Malas by Marcela Fuentes
emotional
reflective
- 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
5.0
Lush, vivid, and cinematic. Malas has perfect 1990s vibes; as a reader I could smell, feel, hear, and taste it. I absolutely love an angry female teen main character, and Fuentes created such a good one! Furthermore, I love how Fuentes treats the women in the book: she doesn't punish them, rather she lets them feel big and survive. She also allows deep relationships between women to flourish (even if sometimes those women are taken away). The bonds between women in the family and as comadres added such depth to the characters.
I was moved by the portrayal of intergenerational trauma and how it was tied up in and represented by certain objects. The past haunts, people relive it, and they don't recover. It's a heartbreaking book, chilling at times, and ultimately triumph.
I was moved by the portrayal of intergenerational trauma and how it was tied up in and represented by certain objects. The past haunts, people relive it, and they don't recover. It's a heartbreaking book, chilling at times, and ultimately triumph.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Alcoholism
Moderate: Animal death and Death of parent
One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Oh this book was funnnn!!! I could not put it down! Ruth Ware just keeps getting better! It's so tense and creepy and twisty turny, and as usual her pacing and gradual reveals are perfectly executed. I love an island romance, but an island thriller is even more irresistible. This one pulls no punches and doesn't shy away from some serious evil. It's like the show Lost meets the reality show Survivor. Mayhem ensues. Highly recommend for a captivating, consuming summer read!
The Anthropologists by Ayşegül Savaş
reflective
fast-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
I really loved this snapshot of a couple living abroad and building a life. It manages to be both hyper-specific and universal in the most appealing and magnetic ways. So much of what Asya, the main character, thinks or says is deeply relatable--it can be transposed onto a reader's life as easily as it applies in the book--and yet so many details about where the book takes place or where the main characters are from remains obscured. The result is a story that puts into words the observations and anxieties of early adulthood that often go unnamed.
As the story begins, Asya is reflecting on "life in the abstract" and yearns "for a specific existence" (pg 44). The rest of the book exposes both in such beautiful ways. Asya is at a point where rather than running on autopilot or mindlessly participating in the status quo she is thinking about every act, every ritual, and deciding "whether it was the right one for me" (pg 91). We see her trying on different behaviors, approaches, habits, and routines and determining which will become a part of her and which she'll shed. In the traditional sense, there is not much action in this book--it's a book of daily life. But the focus this story brings to each moment in our lives, to each decision we make, was truly striking. Asya wants to build a "sturdy" life, and I'm so drawn to the ways in which she defined this and evaluated elements as to whether or not they contributed to sturdiness.
I tend to love a book that articulates that which I've thought, experienced, or noticed but for which I haven't found the words. That is fundamentally what this book did for me, and the result is a crisp study of how we build our lives and the trade-offs we make--be it in geographical location, in relationships, or in how we spend our time. The Anthropologists masterfully reflected the world and prompted me, as a reader, to hold up a mirror.
As the story begins, Asya is reflecting on "life in the abstract" and yearns "for a specific existence" (pg 44). The rest of the book exposes both in such beautiful ways. Asya is at a point where rather than running on autopilot or mindlessly participating in the status quo she is thinking about every act, every ritual, and deciding "whether it was the right one for me" (pg 91). We see her trying on different behaviors, approaches, habits, and routines and determining which will become a part of her and which she'll shed. In the traditional sense, there is not much action in this book--it's a book of daily life. But the focus this story brings to each moment in our lives, to each decision we make, was truly striking. Asya wants to build a "sturdy" life, and I'm so drawn to the ways in which she defined this and evaluated elements as to whether or not they contributed to sturdiness.
I tend to love a book that articulates that which I've thought, experienced, or noticed but for which I haven't found the words. That is fundamentally what this book did for me, and the result is a crisp study of how we build our lives and the trade-offs we make--be it in geographical location, in relationships, or in how we spend our time. The Anthropologists masterfully reflected the world and prompted me, as a reader, to hold up a mirror.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
dark
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
I absolutely loved this book--picked it up and couldn't put it down. It has masterful sinister vibes: creepy and dark and mysterious. The juxtaposition of a summer camp with a wealthy family's enclave all set within a working class town created layers on layers on layers. Moore set worlds colliding between members of opposing classes in brilliant ways. Taking place in the 1960s and '70s, the hierarchies are stark and essential to the narrative. There were so many twists and turns, and the gradual build and reveals were perfectly paced. This is the perfect summer book for getting swept up and away in realistic but distant drama.
I recommend this for anyone who likes a literary thriller (think BIRNAM WOOD, by Eleanor Catton) or who wants to see the darkness within an insular community (think PENANCE, by Eliza Clark). People who like Ruth Ware and Tana French will love this, but so too will people who read Courtney Summers, Lydia Kiesling, Angeline Boulley, Hannah Michell, and Rebecca Makkai.
Its movement through time and characters' perspectives is done brilliantly and elegantly. The intentionality is clear, even if as we're reading it we haven't yet figured out what we're missing or who is reliable. I love the ways it kept me guessing, the recursive flow that circled back and filled in new details as we went, always evolving my understanding of the events taking place. It was so smart and compelling and ultimately un-put-downable. And best of all, the payoff is great--Moore sticks the landing. A top book of 2024!
I recommend this for anyone who likes a literary thriller (think BIRNAM WOOD, by Eleanor Catton) or who wants to see the darkness within an insular community (think PENANCE, by Eliza Clark). People who like Ruth Ware and Tana French will love this, but so too will people who read Courtney Summers, Lydia Kiesling, Angeline Boulley, Hannah Michell, and Rebecca Makkai.
Its movement through time and characters' perspectives is done brilliantly and elegantly. The intentionality is clear, even if as we're reading it we haven't yet figured out what we're missing or who is reliable. I love the ways it kept me guessing, the recursive flow that circled back and filled in new details as we went, always evolving my understanding of the events taking place. It was so smart and compelling and ultimately un-put-downable. And best of all, the payoff is great--Moore sticks the landing. A top book of 2024!
Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-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? No
5.0
What a powerful debut! In capturing her family's story, Eve J. Chung wrote a novel that I'll never forget. I am so impressed with the book's pacing and clarity. Telling such a personal story that, while fictionalized, has clear grounding in history and fact--and doing it in such a way that it progresses at such a compelling pace is no small feat. Having the book narrated from the perspective of Hai worked beautifully--both because the first person narrative contributed to the immersion in the story and because her youth allowed the readers to stay oblivious to some of the details that she herself would not have been aware of--details that could have slowed the story down, made it too traumatic to bear, or made it more complicated to follow. Viewing the harrowing journey through Hai's eyes was both illuminating and riveting. Children have unique abilities to adapt and adjust, and seeing how she did that throughout the journey was truly compelling.
Chung's writing is crisp and compulsively readable. She manages to paint the world of the Chinese revolution in vivid and personal color. While she tells her family's story she also shows us the deep inequity, fight for survival, personal resolve, and strength of ties that run throughout. This book examines intergenerational trauma, tradition, and the complexity of family in original and effective ways. Strongly recommend!
Chung's writing is crisp and compulsively readable. She manages to paint the world of the Chinese revolution in vivid and personal color. While she tells her family's story she also shows us the deep inequity, fight for survival, personal resolve, and strength of ties that run throughout. This book examines intergenerational trauma, tradition, and the complexity of family in original and effective ways. Strongly recommend!
Tales from Cabin 23: the Boo Hag Flex by Justina Ireland
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
I loved Justina Ireland's latest middle grade novel, Tales From Cabin 23: The Boo Hag Flex. Middle grade horror is having a moment, and Ireland's book is the perfect contribution to the genre. The characters are well developed, the friendship formation is authentic, and the misadventures of the main character have the perfect amount of spook. I read everything Justina Ireland writes, and she never disappoints!
Parasol Against the Axe by Helen Oyeyemi
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was wild! It's my first of Oyeyemi's books that I've read, but I'll definitely read her others. The premise was so original, and the execution was truly creative. Imagine that the city of Prague is a meddlesome character, and also that the text of a given book changes depending on who is reading it and when. Layer on some drama between acquaintances and friends, and you've got yourself a very twisty turny mystical magical tale. A very good time!
The Band by Christine Ma-Kellams
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was a weird one for me. The pacing was very strange, as were the perspectives. It didn't seem like it quite knew what it wanted to do. The relationship in CA between the therapist and the band member was so strange. And why were there so many crude jokes? I couldn't understand the voice or the purpose of the opaque dynamics. It also seemed like the book was trying to build up mystery to a crescendo, but again the pacing was so off it didn't work. All in all, the book felt disjointed and unclear on what it was trying to do.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
What a banger of a debut! I absolutely loved it. The pacing worked so well, I tore through it. It plays with the idea of consequence-free environments in really interesting ways--what would you do if you could "reset" the world after you fell off the rails? Here, we learn one woman's answers and they are wild.
This book also interrogates the ideas of soulmates, fate, and destiny in really compelling ways. Whereas there are some narratives that make each decision we make appear so consequential (e.g. the butterfly effect) this book sort of does the opposite. It says "at any point you could have met any of these people, decided on them, and by and large the world would be the same." I actually found that constancy really comforting. It also implies a certain hardiness to who we are as people that we won't be so wildly altered by the people around us--or at least a general steadfastness of this main character who, with a few exceptions, maintained her most important family and platonic relationships regardless of with whom she was partnered. It's as though this book is saying, despite its premise heavily emphasizing partner choice, it doesn't actually matter all that much who you select.
Gramazio's background as a game designer came through, and in some ways I credit her professional experience with the quick rhythm of this story. She applied video game dynamics in really compelling ways. All in all, a very fun read that will leave you thinking!
This book also interrogates the ideas of soulmates, fate, and destiny in really compelling ways. Whereas there are some narratives that make each decision we make appear so consequential (e.g. the butterfly effect) this book sort of does the opposite. It says "at any point you could have met any of these people, decided on them, and by and large the world would be the same." I actually found that constancy really comforting. It also implies a certain hardiness to who we are as people that we won't be so wildly altered by the people around us--or at least a general steadfastness of this main character who, with a few exceptions, maintained her most important family and platonic relationships regardless of with whom she was partnered. It's as though this book is saying, despite its premise heavily emphasizing partner choice, it doesn't actually matter all that much who you select.
Gramazio's background as a game designer came through, and in some ways I credit her professional experience with the quick rhythm of this story. She applied video game dynamics in really compelling ways. All in all, a very fun read that will leave you thinking!