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kghunter's reviews
18 reviews
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This YA novel vividly depicts the life and inner monologue of the young protagonist and is devastatingly rooted in the present. Thomas’ prose is fresh and earnest, and the voice of the audio book, Turpin, is a phenomenal voice actor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Interesting, fun read that kept me locked in till the end. I like how Hendrix really commits to the perspective of the protagonist in his novels, drastically shifting the protagonist’s positionality between stories and yet it always seems as though he is so familiar with that particular life experience that it is his own. It speaks to his deep familiarity with the region and timeframe (SC in the 80s/90s) in which he sets his books. He’s also, as always, extraordinary at creating a captivating nostalgic world of the pre-Y2K southeastern United States.
One critique I have of this book is how one dimensional the only POC character is. I know there’s intention to properly depict the social reality of the white, middle-aged protagonist in this setting, but the one Black character is given this random bizarre character trait that is left unexplored unlike the traits of the other white women in the book. Throughout the novel I felt she was left as a glaringly one dimensional character in contrast to all the other well fleshed out white characters. Which again could’ve been an intentional immersive tactic on behalf of the author in order to truly convey how the protagonist’s worldview does not allow for BIPOC to be seen as more than one dimensional, but if that were the case I feel the author could’ve done a better job of conveying that throughout the course of the story opposed to simply reproducing the age old racist trope of the 1 dimensional Black character amidst a strong cast of complex white characters.
One critique I have of this book is how one dimensional the only POC character is. I know there’s intention to properly depict the social reality of the white, middle-aged protagonist in this setting, but the one Black character is given this random bizarre character trait that is left unexplored unlike the traits of the other white women in the book. Throughout the novel I felt she was left as a glaringly one dimensional character in contrast to all the other well fleshed out white characters. Which again could’ve been an intentional immersive tactic on behalf of the author in order to truly convey how the protagonist’s worldview does not allow for BIPOC to be seen as more than one dimensional, but if that were the case I feel the author could’ve done a better job of conveying that throughout the course of the story opposed to simply reproducing the age old racist trope of the 1 dimensional Black character amidst a strong cast of complex white characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Child death, Racism, and Stalking
Normal Women by Ainslie Hogarth
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Hogarth is an exceptional writer, her characters are complex and the protagonist in this novel is truly thought provoking. I didn’t necessarily like the main character, Dani, all that much, but that was part of her charm for me. Her internal dialogue throughout the novel encouraged me to further examine what traits typically make women protagonists likable to me.
I also very much appreciated the rich and at times surprising use of verbs. The authors writing style is fresh, her unique prose and brilliant thoughts scattered about the book is what kept me invested despite the slow pace of the book.
Although I could endlessly praise the authors witty and truly unique writing, the ending of the novel felt wildly rushed, which is why I’d give it a moderate rating. It felt almost as if the author got so wrapped up in the philosophical internal dialogue of the main character that she lost track of the plot and had to quickly to piece together the conclusion. The “ah-ha” moment that essentially concludes the novel felt rushed compared to the rest of the novel, leaving me with a strange sense of disillusionment.
That being said I really liked the novel overall, I took my time enjoying its delightfully nuanced and refreshingly messy characters. A very, very human read.
I also very much appreciated the rich and at times surprising use of verbs. The authors writing style is fresh, her unique prose and brilliant thoughts scattered about the book is what kept me invested despite the slow pace of the book.
Although I could endlessly praise the authors witty and truly unique writing, the ending of the novel felt wildly rushed, which is why I’d give it a moderate rating. It felt almost as if the author got so wrapped up in the philosophical internal dialogue of the main character that she lost track of the plot and had to quickly to piece together the conclusion. The “ah-ha” moment that essentially concludes the novel felt rushed compared to the rest of the novel, leaving me with a strange sense of disillusionment.
That being said I really liked the novel overall, I took my time enjoying its delightfully nuanced and refreshingly messy characters. A very, very human read.
The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in "Healthy" Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain by Steven R. Gundry
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
It’s mostly just him droning on endlessly about all of his professional accomplishments, prefacing every single minute statement made by bragging about what he believes qualifies him to make said statement. I didn’t last long because his writing style was so bizarre and obnoxious, it was very much giving “sales pitch”.
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
3.0
Lovely autobiography, definitely interesting. That being said it didn’t offer me anything I haven’t read or heard before. Nothing groundbreaking but a good read nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Dysphoria
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is the first book I’ve ever read that’s based where I grew up (not exact but in the N.C. OBX). It is now one of my favorite books ever, a heartbreaking but marvelous read. The ecological and environmental imagery is magnificent. My only critique as a born and raised local is that if you know the area you know the author, Owens, isn’t from here because she stays talking about Asheville like it’s a day trip. All I have to say to that is—sweet heart, dear darling Delia, I wish you’d of looked at the map just a beat longer when writing this because that kept breaking my immersion lol. But, the Greenville references were a solid addition so the occasional eastern to western N.C. space time continuum jumps were made up for in part.
Update: I’ve gone back and forth on my rating for this, hesitating to give it a full 5 stars bc i felt it didn’t objectively measure up to the quality of the other books I’ve given 5 stars on this app so far. But ya know what, fuck that sound (if you didn’t understand this marsh adjacent pun then you ain’t my people and i need you to stop reading my reviews rn. like actually, i’m being so serious, please collect your belongings and vacate my account immediately thnkugudbye) because I love this book so much I considered buying my own copy to make a custom cover for it (I book bind as a hobby) and mailing to the authors P.o. box just as a thank you for writing it because I’m a massive dweeb.
There were so many times reading this book that I cried, that I smiled until my cheeks hurt, that my pulse quickened in suspense. I love this book so dearly and I hope one day I find the time to make a custom copy for the author.
Update: I’ve gone back and forth on my rating for this, hesitating to give it a full 5 stars bc i felt it didn’t objectively measure up to the quality of the other books I’ve given 5 stars on this app so far. But ya know what, fuck that sound (if you didn’t understand this marsh adjacent pun then you ain’t my people and i need you to stop reading my reviews rn. like actually, i’m being so serious, please collect your belongings and vacate my account immediately thnkugudbye) because I love this book so much I considered buying my own copy to make a custom cover for it (I book bind as a hobby) and mailing to the authors P.o. box just as a thank you for writing it because I’m a massive dweeb.
There were so many times reading this book that I cried, that I smiled until my cheeks hurt, that my pulse quickened in suspense. I love this book so dearly and I hope one day I find the time to make a custom copy for the author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, and War
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really love rural southern imagery and this book was great for that. I really liked the complex deep connection between the 2 main characters, the author does a great job of depicting the silly, sweet, and beautiful depth of the intimacy between childhood best friends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism