layeredirony's reviews
23 reviews

Chemistry by Weike Wang

emotional funny reflective 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

3.75

i liked the book, but i think i might have overhyped it a bit too much in my mind. i liked the stream of consciousness kind of narrative because i found the main character's mind and thoughts quite interesting, but there were some parts of the book/story

i didn't enjoy as much and even made me a bit uncomfortable.

my heart hurt reading about the character's (and her family's) experiences as

an immigrant

. overall, am happy i read the book!

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

it took me a while to get into the book since the beginning contains a lot of information, background, and setting up of the setting (not that this was boring! it just makes it a bit harder to get invested from the very beginning vs starting it with a character). however, once i got hooked on the book, i was reaaaally hooked. this book was both relaxing (e.g. the parts that detail mia's background and creative process), and tense (basically almost everything else haha). i didn't like certain characters, but i was still very much invested in the story and what happens. would recommend!!

Normal People by Sally Rooney

reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

i was very invested in the story! i really liked marianne's character in particular, and unfortunately i did see bits of myself in connell. i got frustrated initially w/ their inability to communicate. but i saw someone online say their ways of communicating are largely influenced by their socioeconomic statuses/backgrounds and that was an eye opener for me. would recommend!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

i reaaaally loved this book! i couldn't put it down and i was so invested in evelyn's story. i particularly liked the bond between evelyn and harry -

platonic soulmates are very underrated.

Everything I Know About Love: A Memoir by Dolly Alderton

funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

3.0

i felt a bit let down by the book save for a few memorable passages or sentences here and there. i think i might have hyped it up too much or i think it might be a tad bit overrated :( still, it contained some learnings about love and friendship and i generally enjoyed reading it! but it's not one of the books on love/friendship that i'd recommend to others

Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time by Brigid Schulte

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

very informative and eye-opening book! didn't agree with some side characters' opinions but overall agreed with the book's message. it left me feeling angry and frustrated at how women are really basically just set up to lose in the capitalist system we live in. also left me angry with capitalism in general haha

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

soooooooooooooo fricking good! i couldn't put the book down and couldn't stop reading even if i disliked the main character soooo much. i think it speaks to rf kuang's talent that she's able to make people flip page after page after page despite how unlikeable and flawed the main character is.

Happy Place by Emily Henry

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

it was a good read,  but admittedly, i prefered book lovers over this. i liked that it focused on friendships (and the work/maintenance that goes into keeping those friendships) and didn't just revolve around romance.

All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews

hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

it took me a while to get into the book and the characters, admittedly, but once i did it was pretty easy to breeze through the rest of the book. would recommend being in a pretty good mental space when reading this and to better appreciate it! since it talks about life under capitalism which, as we all know, is heavy enough :/

Milk Teeth by Jessica Andrews

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

i really loved this book. i found it very relatable though i think it can be a bit triggering for people who struggle with their body image. felt like i was in a bit of a trance while reading the book with how vivid the descriptions of the place and food are. certain passages felt so cozy and warm which was a huge plus for me