lambchop12's reviews
51 reviews

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

adventurous funny medium-paced

3.75

I'm a little sad I didn't enjoy this more, but as my first romantic fantasy book as an adult, it was a fun time! I do wish it was more like the title and that we got to see the world through an assortment of fae, but I'll take what I got.

Idk who gave me the idea this would be grumpy girl x sunshine boy?? This was much more "likely neurodivergent and/or has crippling anxiety" girl x "charismatic, snarky, a little irritating" boy.

Also-

no idea why it never dawned on me that her dog would be supernatural in nature?? I saw her use the dog to dispell magic and really thought "guess dogs do that here?" LIKE BRO.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.25

This had a very slow start for me tbh, but, just like with One Hundred Years of Solitude, I'm so glad I stuck through it bc this was truly something else. I can't give it higher than 8.5/10 just because I'm not used to the narrative conventions this uses but it was good!!

I think people upset about the sexism and such are truly missing the point. I took the clan as a symbol of an imperfect but still important culture that doesn't deserve to be disrespected by those who seek said culture's end. Do the English really want better for the women and the children of Umuofia? Absolutely not. They want cultural and ideological dominance, and that makes their presence a horrible one.

Obviously Okonkwo is not really a hero and I think his fate is tragic for that reason, but he is a great protagonist for such a story about the destruction of a society, the same way the Buendia family aren't at all good people but stand as great representations of their society (really, I could go all day with the comparisons to One Hundred Years of Solitude, but ik this book came first by over 10 years so 🤷‍♀️).

I Want To Hold Aono-kun So Badly I Could Die, Vol. 1 by Umi Shiina

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith

challenging emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Zoowee mama. I need this as a movie.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

4.25

I nearly cried multiple times so yeah. Good book.

Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism: And Other Arguments for Economic Independence by Kristen R. Ghodsee

hopeful informative inspiring reflective

3.75

I mean not to dismiss her worries about "state socialism" bc I do understand a lot of those countries had issues, but it feels a bit like she's looking for a weird mishmash of socialism and capitalism rather than straight socialism. She also seems weird about communism which is like... the goal of socialist economies if I understand correctly? But anyway, lots of great points are made, will definitely try to personally implement some more socialist ideas into my personal relationships.

Queer Eye: Love Yourself. Love Your Life. by Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, Tan France

funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.0

Inspiring enough! It's clearly meant for someone with their horse tied a little closer to a post called "normalcy" (I wear pigtails and pink at my big age of 28), but I got some good tips from this!

Trixie and Katya's Guide to Modern Womanhood by Trixie Mattel, Katya

funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

Walks a difficult line between "girl you're stupid" and "girl you're amazing" and does so with relative success, but it's still a little basic. 

Educated by Tara Westover

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.25

Seems to fizzle out a little towards the last third but I get it, still amazing.