kissievendor's reviews
130 reviews

Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee

adventurous dark informative sad medium-paced

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

2.5

11.22.63 by Stephen King

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, Alcohol

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt

What I Talk about When I Talk about Running by Haruki Murakami

adventurous funny informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

4.0

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

I was quite bored. It was a fun story at first. Also has a lot of rep!! Like, a lot, effortlessly, like mention of they (as a person), lesbian, different etnicities...
But the mystery was boring, nothing happened, and the resolution kinda came out of nowhere.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

2.0

I really wanted to like it, but... It has some issues I could 't overcome.

First of all, I think the world building is not really well done. There are some fun little details, but that was kind of it for me. Important things are not explained, and things I didn't care about were.

The characters felt really flat to me, even the protagonist. Despite spending the whole book in her head, I did not feel any real connection or personality.

The romance literally came out of nowhere. I get that she is exploring her sexuality, but both being gay or bi doesnt mean they belong together. Idunno, sorry for this rant.

Also, the protagonist is very passive.. Like the story, nothing happens. There was no foreshadowing, no consequences, and no answers.

I do like that the author wrote this as a story to cope with sexual abuse, and I think it is too normalized in YA, abuse or intimidation but it is supposed to be romantic? Yeah, I am looking at you SJM. So, kudos to that I guess?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

adventurous dark medium-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? No

3.5

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

dark emotional informative medium-paced

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

3.0

This is an important story that asks a lot of questions about race and identity. 

But, the switching perspectives is very ofputting to me, sometimes I don't know who we are following.

And I get it is al very important, but everything was a little on the nose.

Good premisse, just not for me in the way it was executed.

A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston

adventurous emotional informative sad fast-paced

3.0

The audiobook was great! He reads it himself, and his voice is very soothing. It was a nice story overall, nothing special. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse

The Shadow of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee

adventurous dark sad 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

4.0