latashman's reviews
118 reviews

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

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

4.0

The conclusion to this book was a nice wrap up and conclusion to the growth that Queenie underwent. I hated a lot of this book, the choices Queenie made, the abuse she endured, but I felt compelled to see how it ended. I think the writing was good, it elicited a strong emotional response from me. 
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Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

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dark emotional sad 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

I couldn't help but cheer for Demon the entire book. This book was heartbreaking. Unfortunately some of the pieces of the story are true or based on truth. I couldn't help but think of all the Demons in the world who we will never know. 
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The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed this book! A great fairy tale retelling of a Russian story. I rarely see stories from Russia which made this even better. I thought the pacing was well done and a nice wrap up of the book. Looking forward to reading the sequel. 
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Enjoyed this short story that was a mix of fairy tale and horror. I loved that her family welcomed her back and felt sad for her that the fairies tried to do something that could reunite her with family, but she was too kind to help herself. Gives a different view to fae than I'm used to. 
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The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

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emotional inspiring sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Loved this book about a community coming together to save one of their own. I loved the audiobook and found that the narrator did a great job. I liked the way the author described the time period in the USA with a focus on a minority community. My heart broke for Dodo and the way he was treated. The ending wrapped everything up nicely. 
There was quite a bit of antisemitism and racism in this book. 
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Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Enjoyed this book, it had some laugh out loud moments and several cute interactions between the main characters. I thought the pace was great and the plot moved pretty smoothly. 
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Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
Did not finish reading because the library book was due backm tracking percent read here so I can come back to it when I get a chance. I liked the messaging, but am at a point where if I keep reading her talk about being a dog I might lose my mind. 
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

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emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-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

4.75

This was a wonderful book about being true to yourself and your dreams. I loved Vera and her way of helping everyone in this story. She brought out the best in everyone and is the motherly figure that is supportive of you no matter what. 
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Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi

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emotional informative inspiring fast-paced

4.5

I picked this book up at the library for my Storygraph genre challenge (2024). This story was emotional and informative. I learned about cooking and what it takes to be a chef in the USA. I also learned about stereotypes of chefs and what it was like for Kwame to be successful despite people's prejudice against him. I found his story inspirational and have found myself researching the dishes and places that he has been in his life to learn more. 
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Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen

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dark funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was a fun campy horror book. I really liked how it felt like listening to your girl friends gossip the first part of the book as it slowly shifted to horror. The audiobook had a great cast of narrators that brought life to the characters.