lenadesouza's reviews
55 reviews

Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham

dark mysterious reflective sad tense 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

The best crazy, alcoholic, depressed people are all communists. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Sexual violence

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

dark mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

22 content warnings.
I've read it all in three days. 
I love my existence!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria

Get In My Swamp by G.M. Fairy

funny fast-paced

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

2.25

There are no words in the English language... 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Kidnapping

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

dark emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective sad slow-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

5.0

It is a perfect ode to womanhood. It is melancholic and beautiful in a devastating way. I felt like I was being pushed out of my body while reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Bridge of Souls by V.E. Schwab

adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

Even though the first book is my favourite, this one is a good book too. Not perfect, but good! I got a little bored with the HP references throughout the narrative, but I understand that if I was 12 I would have loved these books. Notwithstanding, it was a fun read. 

Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I'm sure Ryan Ross won't be paying my therapy after this. 

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I think the main objective of this book is to convince us all to k*** a billionaire... Well... I'm down with that. 

The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel

fast-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? No

0.5

It saddens me to say that this book is a ridiculous waste of time. It's a bad Harry Potter fanfiction, with thousands of plot holes and a really poor writing. I cannot believe that so many people gave this book 5 stars when there are moments in this book where it is clear that the book was not well edited - if edited at all. I cannot express how mad I am. 

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious tense 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? No

4.75

Kinda anti-communist, but better than Orwell. 

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.5

It is what it is
and it is bad.