kmrose's reviews
829 reviews

Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country by Patricia Evangelista

challenging dark informative sad tense slow-paced

2.5

I found this very hard to read. The storytelling wasn’t narrative so much as it was just a cataloguing of horrible things. And maybe that was the point. I was most amused by the breaks she’d take occasionally to explain the grammar of words that were being used by the government. Definitely out of place but appreciated.

Backhanded Compliments by Katie Chandler

challenging mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.0

I was able to read an ARC of this. I honestly did not love it. While I love when books feature real characters that have real flaws, the swings in emotions were so wild I think it gave me whiplash. I was so anxious for the characters. I didn’t love it. I also found the sci-fi trope of the soulmates really odd. I get that sci-fi doesn’t always explain what is happening but it felt so random and out of place. There was plenty of conflict without that I think. 

A Fist or a Heart by Kristín Eiríksdóttir

challenging dark mysterious medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

I am so confused by this book. It wasn’t bad, but I honestly have no idea what happened but maybe that’s the point?

You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World by Ada Limón

reflective medium-paced

3.5

From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire by Sarah Jaffe

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

4.0

I heard the author discuss this book on a podcast that was recommended by a friend. Her reference of grief as mourning for a future that wouldn’t be really resonated with me. This was a challenging book to read but it really made me think, which is always a goal.

For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding

emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

4.0

Lethal Tides: Mary Sears and the Marine Scientists Who Helped Win World War II by Catherine Musemeche

informative inspiring medium-paced

3.5

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This was really great. I heard about it from a podcast that said don’t listen to this if you haven’t read it! So I stopped and read the book. Not knowing anything about it was definitely a good thing. I figured out the twist pretty early but it was still a really great read. 

The Next Chapter by Camille Kellogg

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I was able to read an ARC of this. Notting Hill is one of my favorite movies so reading a reimagining of it in book form was so lovely. I did get a bit frustrated with the characters at times and parts of it felt a little rushed, but I did really enjoy this. Camille Kellogg’s debut was also great so I would read anything she writes.

Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century by Alice Wong

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

4.0