katrod's reviews
493 reviews

The Honeymoon Crashers by Christina Lauren

funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

Cute, sweet, short.  Sometimes I had a hard time with how quickly they fell in love, but it’s so short, there was no time to flesh things out.  And I actually really liked the conflict at the end, I felt like it made sense without being totally over-dramatized or drawn out. 

The audio was interesting.  It definitely felt a bit too “actor-y” to me at times, but overall a really fun way to listen to the story.  I love Henry Shum!

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

There’s no doubt this book was a well-written and thought provoking story, but it was beat-you-over-the-head depressing and I felt it lacked nuance.  It’s over 500 pages and grueling to get through.

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

This was an enjoyable, quick read.  While I didn’t love it as much as I loved “The Guncle” (it’s a hard one to beat)- it still delivered what I’m now seeing as Rowley’s signature funny and quirky way of writing about sad circumstances.

This is a book about the loss of a friend in a friend group, yes, but it’s not only about that.  This book covers much more than just the immediate aftermath of the loss.  It explores what happens after life has resumed, even decades later, and how a trauma bond like that will keep you coming back to each other time after time.  It’s about hardships and friendship, and how to keep on going day after day.   It’s about celebrating the people you love, and not waiting until it’s too late.

This one hit very close to home for me, and I found it to be a beautiful piece of art reflecting a different version of my experience.  It, of course, made me sad at times, but it also helped remind me not to take a single loved one or day for granted. 

You Know You Want This by Kristen Roupenian

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

These stories were incredibly well written- so sharp and raw, but also so dark, gruesome even, both emotionally and sometimes physically.  A really smart collection with some great commentary about the worst parts of humanity, but it is not a read for the tender-hearted. 

As the review in The New York Review says, “this book isn’t bedtime reading.”  These stories remind me of the feeling the show “Black Mirror” gives you, but all the stories are grounded in contemporary reality, rather than being speculative fiction about a near future.  These stories do not leave one feeling light.  It’s the reason it’s taken me 6 months to get through them all.

Were they great stories? Yes.  Will I read any of them again?  No thank you.  I prefer to be disturbed just the one time.  

Read at your own risk. 

Cantoras by Caro De Robertis

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

My heaaart. 💔 Such a beautifully written novel about queer identity, love, and friendship in the midst of the Uruguayan dictatorship, and how found family and home can save you.

I will not recover from this one for a long time.  I could read it all over again just to highlight all my favorite lines.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

adventurous dark emotional inspiring tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Yes.  Just yes.  More please!

Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America by R. Eric Thomas

funny inspiring reflective fast-paced

Quick thoughts:  This book kind of reads like elevated stand-up comedy.  I’m sure that sounds really appealing for some people, but maybe not exactly my thing. 

Definitely a funny read (was dying laughing out loud at the short apocalypse section… v relatable) but I'm not sure I felt there was a clear message or thesis to the book.  It felt more like a stream of consciousness of funny anecdotes from his life, with a twinge of the more depthful/insightful moments (I wanted more!).  

Overall enjoyable, but not the most memorable. 

Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

It just didn’t work for me.  The story had potential but I didn’t love the flow and writing style.  Definitely some beautiful passages, but others felt over the top.

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I’m so sad I haven’t seen much press or content about this one because it was so good!

Firekeeper’s Daughter was one of my favorite books I read in 2021 so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Warrior Girl Unearthed and I was not disappointed!  I could not put it down.  

I love the way Boulley writes and is able to pull her readers straight into her characters’ worlds.  I loved being reintroduced to Daunis’s family and the Ojibwe community on Sugar Island, but this time following another incredible female MC, Perry Firekeeper-Birch.  I love that you don’t need to read FKD to read WGU.  I loved learning about NAGPRA (and was sickened to learn how little that has helped in the effort to repatriate ancestors, human remains (yes, human remains), and indigenous objects/artifacts to their rightful communities).  I loved rooting for Perry and her team of misfits navigating the line between morality and legality. 

It was fun, romantic, suspenseful, informative, gut wrenching, and hopeful all at the same time.  Boulley really packs it all in there for you.  

My only complaint is that I was hoping for some things to play out differently in the end, but I’m sure this will still be in my top 10 this year.  I can’t wait to read whatever Boulley writes next!!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for my ALC!

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

4.5