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kittiesss's reviews
37 reviews
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Fragile Animals by Genevieve Jagger
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wow. First of all, Jagger’s prose is so weird and I’m in love. The way she describes the environment with living, breathing, human qualities sets such an unsettling tone. Almost like the setting itself is watching the story unfold.
Second, she has created my favorite vampirism ever(!!!). Moses is primal, feral, unkempt, and very strange. Yet he’s also so alluring and attractive in his self-assuredness. Not to mention his vampirism is so crucial and meaningful in the specific context of this story. I do love a metaphor, especially when vampires are involved.
Extremely flawed characters, Scotland, vampires, and Catholicism…I mean I was primed to love this book, and I do love every single thing about this book. Especially the way it handles nuance, sexual exploration, dissociation, and religious trauma.
I think really the only thing that kept me from fully giving this 5 stars, is the fact that the summary states that Noelle enters into a sexual relationship with a vampire. For me, this felt like a pretty major spoiler and I so wish I could have experienced the story unfolding without the knowledge that Noelle and Moses’ relationship turns sexual. Because that sex scene…it would have hit SO hard if I didn’t know for sure it was going to happen.
Thank you to NetGalley and 404 Ink for sending me Fragile Animals!
Second, she has created my favorite vampirism ever(!!!). Moses is primal, feral, unkempt, and very strange. Yet he’s also so alluring and attractive in his self-assuredness. Not to mention his vampirism is so crucial and meaningful in the specific context of this story. I do love a metaphor, especially when vampires are involved.
Extremely flawed characters, Scotland, vampires, and Catholicism…I mean I was primed to love this book, and I do love every single thing about this book. Especially the way it handles nuance, sexual exploration, dissociation, and religious trauma.
I think really the only thing that kept me from fully giving this 5 stars, is the fact that the summary states that Noelle enters into a sexual relationship with a vampire. For me, this felt like a pretty major spoiler and I so wish I could have experienced the story unfolding without the knowledge that Noelle and Moses’ relationship turns sexual. Because that sex scene…it would have hit SO hard if I didn’t know for sure it was going to happen.
Thank you to NetGalley and 404 Ink for sending me Fragile Animals!
The Dove in the Belly by Jim Grimsley
emotional
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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
Minor: Self harm
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
This was a re-read. While the writing is good, I had forgotten how bleak the story is and I just can’t do that to myself right now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Excrement
Ours by Phillip B. Williams
Did not finish book. Stopped at 51%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 51%.
I tried really, really hard to push through the middle of this book, but ultimately I don’t have enough free time to devote to it.
The writing is phenomenal, I’m definitely going to be checking out Williams’ poetry. The concept is also wonderful. There’s something so Octavia Butler-esque about the fantastical elements to this story.
The pacing is just too slow for me. I love a long book, but I do need to have a reason to want to pick it up consistently or else it will just become a slog. I am also the type of reader who likes to get very invested in a small handful of characters; Ours has too large of a cast of characters and doesn’t go deep enough into any of them for my style of reading
The writing is phenomenal, I’m definitely going to be checking out Williams’ poetry. The concept is also wonderful. There’s something so Octavia Butler-esque about the fantastical elements to this story.
The pacing is just too slow for me. I love a long book, but I do need to have a reason to want to pick it up consistently or else it will just become a slog. I am also the type of reader who likes to get very invested in a small handful of characters; Ours has too large of a cast of characters and doesn’t go deep enough into any of them for my style of reading
A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
I just can’t bring myself to care. The spicy scene so far just wasn’t worth all the shit in between lol
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
adventurous
reflective
medium-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
3.0