Take a photo of a barcode or cover
karessa_proctor's reviews
133 reviews
The Locked Door by Freida McFadden
4.0
- A quick suspenseful read. I liked that the short chapters that had a “hook" at the end. It kept me interested.
- I did (kinda) see the twist coming but I think it was because the Easter eggs were well done.
- Some details were not necessary or were simply a repeat. Then other areas could have afforded to be expanded on.
Some People Have Real Problems by Brit Bennett
4.0
I really enjoyed how much we got to understand the fmc in such a short period of time. Though I have never experienced pregnancy loss, I think it described the raw and authentic feelings women feel about pregnancy, motherhood, and ourselves without having to sugarcoat those feelings for other people.
The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden
4.5
- Okay… I was gagged.
- I thought I had the book all figured out. I was actually annoyed that it seems “predictable” and then I was gagged. In Frieda McFadden we trust. I am sorry I doubted you sis. Looking back, it does all come together which I like. I was just dead set on what I thought I knew.
- The twist actually changed my entire perspective of the book.
- “gangster rap” gave me the bookish ick….
- I thought I had the book all figured out. I was actually annoyed that it seems “predictable” and then I was gagged. In Frieda McFadden we trust. I am sorry I doubted you sis. Looking back, it does all come together which I like. I was just dead set on what I thought I knew.
- The twist actually changed my entire perspective of the book.
- “gangster rap” gave me the bookish ick….
Babel by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
“They were men at Oxford. They were not Oxford men”
- This might be one of the best books that I have ever read. I feel like a different person having had finished it.
- If you are a person of color with advanced degrees and you have had the experience of feeling like “the only one in the room” this book will make you feel seen. This book will also force you to question yourself because at one point I related to all of our main characters of color. I had to think about if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
- “He resented how it treated him but he still wanted to be a part of it” crushed me.
- I enjoyed that the magic system in this book felt almost real or at least like a possibility.
- You can tell that the author put her entire heart and soul into this novel. It was so well written and well researched that I was impressed by that alone.
- I loved this book but it also broke my heart.
“English did not just borrow words from other languages; it was stuffed to the brim with foreign influences, a Frankenstein vernacular.
And Robin found it incredible, how this country, whose citizens prided themselves so much on being better than the rest of the world, could not make it through an afternoon tea without borrowed goods.”
- This might be one of the best books that I have ever read. I feel like a different person having had finished it.
- If you are a person of color with advanced degrees and you have had the experience of feeling like “the only one in the room” this book will make you feel seen. This book will also force you to question yourself because at one point I related to all of our main characters of color. I had to think about if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
- “He resented how it treated him but he still wanted to be a part of it” crushed me.
- I enjoyed that the magic system in this book felt almost real or at least like a possibility.
- You can tell that the author put her entire heart and soul into this novel. It was so well written and well researched that I was impressed by that alone.
- I loved this book but it also broke my heart.
“English did not just borrow words from other languages; it was stuffed to the brim with foreign influences, a Frankenstein vernacular.
And Robin found it incredible, how this country, whose citizens prided themselves so much on being better than the rest of the world, could not make it through an afternoon tea without borrowed goods.”
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
4.5
“There are worse things than being dead”
- As a descendent of those captured transatlantic slave trade were taken to Maryland this was really hard for me to read. I found myself constantly wondering what my enslaved ancestors went through and I got an almost desperate desire to at least know their names.
- This book was published in 1979 but the themes are still relevant in 2024. How many times does the world force Black women to be the “saviors” and the “fixers”.
- The writing style is so immersive that I feel I was watching our main character.
- As a descendent of those captured transatlantic slave trade were taken to Maryland this was really hard for me to read. I found myself constantly wondering what my enslaved ancestors went through and I got an almost desperate desire to at least know their names.
- This book was published in 1979 but the themes are still relevant in 2024. How many times does the world force Black women to be the “saviors” and the “fixers”.
- The writing style is so immersive that I feel I was watching our main character.
Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden
3.0
I found this to be a bit all of the place and the only one of her books that I found to be predictable. With that being said it was still entertaining. It’s a quick and easy read.
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
- This is so much more than a second chance romance book. I cannot believe that I almost didn’t read it because of the real people on the cover.
- The chronic illness representation and the portrayal of generational curses felt authentic.
- The characters felt like real people because they were imperfect and were called out in their ish. I appreciated that because of their imperfections that this wasn’t a cookie cutter love story. It made the story feel like a retelling of something that happened.
- The book was surprisingly funny so it made it really entertaining.
- The only part that I didn’t like was all of the pop culture references. Some are fine but I feel like there was a lot which really dates a book.
- I also think that they were more in “lust” than “love” when they were teenagers but it’s important for their full dramatic, complicated, beautiful, and intense love story.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
- This is so much more than a second chance romance book. I cannot believe that I almost didn’t read it because of the real people on the cover.
- The chronic illness representation and the portrayal of generational curses felt authentic.
- The characters felt like real people because they were imperfect and were called out in their ish. I appreciated that because of their imperfections that this wasn’t a cookie cutter love story. It made the story feel like a retelling of something that happened.
- The book was surprisingly funny so it made it really entertaining.
- The only part that I didn’t like was all of the pop culture references. Some are fine but I feel like there was a lot which really dates a book.
- I also think that they were more in “lust” than “love” when they were teenagers but it’s important for their full dramatic, complicated, beautiful, and intense love story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child death, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
How It Ends by Rachel Howzell Hall
4.0
A decent audiobook to listen to if you’re multitasking. It was predictable but good!
The Situationship by Abby Jimenez
5.0
Absolutely love Maddy and Doug!! I wish they got their own full story. At least a novella.