lindsaylhunter's reviews
170 reviews

Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion

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

4.0

Such an uncomfortable, challenging read. This is a book that needs to be read a second time to really appreciate it.
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Good Material by Dolly Alderton

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emotional reflective sad 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

2.5

Painful to rate this book as I have - Alderton's Everything I Know About Love was so, so wonderful. Though I think I was hooked on how she read that one as an audiobook.

The problem I had with this book only really came to me in the last 40 pages: I like Jen, I dislike Andy. That short amount of pages was enough for me to completely agree with Jen on everything and maybe that's the whole point, but that doesn't excuse the fact that we have to spend the first 300 pages with a whiny man baby who cant see the wood for the trees. Also, the millennial humour becomes grating after the first 50 pages.

Overall, this book by Alderton was middle-of-the-road for me. But I still have high hopes for the next book of hers I read.
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Stay True by Hua Hsu

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reflective sad slow-paced

3.0

We learn as children that friendship is casual and transient. As a structure, it's rife with imbalance, invisible tiers, pettiness, and insecurity, stretches when we simply disappear. For some, friendship needs to be steady and rhythmic. For others, it's the sporadic intimacy of effortlessly resuming conversations or inside jokes left dormant for years. 

But before all that: a moment that brings you together.

A slightly long-winded, personal depiction of what happens when guilt begins to outweigh grief. Beautifully written, though the author is (as he would admit himself) pretty insufferable at times.
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Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The kind of stories that hit hard as long as you're willing to do some digging afterwards so you're able to understand everything the author was getting at.

Without limiting themselves to the theme of sexuality, these stories centre on topics like trauma, sexual assault, loneliness, body image, family and more.
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The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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dark mysterious slow-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

2.0

It kept me reading but it kind of felt like something you'd write as part of a creative writing assignment. And the twist... not sure it hits as hard as it thinks it does.
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Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

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mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

I'm almost mad that I didn't DNF this. Undoubtedly the most drawn out book I've read in a while and for what? Where does the story lead us? The main character's stream of consciousness forever put me in mind of that Jemima Kirke Instagram story - "I think you guys might be thinking about yourselves too much."

All in all, I've never read such a revered book only to close it for the last time with quiet frustration at not having a worthwhile story to show for it.
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The Trees by Percival Everett

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challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I'll not say that this was a fun read, but it was definitely captivating. I can honestly say I've never read anything like it before.
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Dominicana by Angie Cruz

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emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

3.0

Very endearing little read. Quite slow at times but the main character is super cute.
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Between Dog and Wolf by Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry

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

2.5

Maybe I just don't know enough about Soviet history but this fell very flat for me. It would have saved itself if the characters were in any way likeable. All in all, it was one hell of a slog to the finish line.
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My Husband by Maud Ventura

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dark tense fast-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? Yes

3.5

A messy little book that's super enjoyable to binge read. 
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