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katiedubielak's reviews
197 reviews
Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
2.0
This book was super hard for me to get into and follow. There are a lot of characters and apt of small storylines that you’re never sure whether they’ll become important or not. There are some cool magical elements, and I don’t think it’s a bad book by any stretch. But you really have to focus and let yourself be taken over by the magic, suspend your disbelief and confusion.
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
4.0
The author breaks down big life things and major challengers into bite sized pieces. The hardships are handlers with grace, and the narrative shift is super effective, using many different voices and perspectives to tell the story. The way the author ages the characters is so authentic, they gain grace and wisdom but still stay true to who they are.
The Vegetarian by Han Kang
3.0
Interesting, but the use of the male gaze on the female body was too much for me. Point of view and different narrators was used very effectively, and the character development is pretty great.
The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian
3.0
Just an okay thriller, all of the action happens at the beginning and the end, he middle is a slow slog where we’re introduced to new characters but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of rising action. Definitely not a great work of fiction, very interesting idea but lost me with a lot of the technical terms, especially relating to Russia. Also the twist at the end is kind of unbelievable in a bad way, like too fantastical to be a real thing. I can’t believe I’m about to say this...... maybe skip the book and just watch the HBO series ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
4.0
A truly intense book, well written, keeps the suspense going. Everything started to unravel but I still had too many pages left for that to be the end. The author did not disappoint, things kept getting more complicated and more interesting until the resolution. Very creepy, very thoughtful, very surprising.
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
5.0
Holy sh*t this book is amazing. I am in awe of Reid’s ability to accurately portray the inner monologue of white women, and how they justify their own racist actions and thoughts. There are no tropes or tired stereotypes or misconceptions in this book, just cold hard truths that a lot of white folks need to hear and face. Thank you, Kiley Reid, for writing such an insightful and important book.