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littlecitycorner's reviews
624 reviews
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
emotional
inspiring
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
3.75
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes
funny
informative
fast-paced
4.5
Informative, fun, feminist, true to classic texts, and relevant to today!
I LOVE Natalie Haynes' voice and the expert way she brought these myths to a general audience and the 21st century. I was looking for a book that would give me more information about Greek myths and goddesses and I couldn't have picked a better way. She not only talks about the characters as they appeared in classic texts but also conveys their personalities and how they have been connotated throughout history. I cannot wait to pick up more of her work.
I LOVE Natalie Haynes' voice and the expert way she brought these myths to a general audience and the 21st century. I was looking for a book that would give me more information about Greek myths and goddesses and I couldn't have picked a better way. She not only talks about the characters as they appeared in classic texts but also conveys their personalities and how they have been connotated throughout history. I cannot wait to pick up more of her work.
The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5; I enjoyed this sequel a lot!
While this novel felt a little disorganized in its plot and a little repetitive in the relationship development, it still managed to tell a very engaging and fast-moving story. Oraya and Rahin are beautiful characters that convey their fears and desires in a very emotional way and I appreciated their fresh perspective on every obstacle their world throws at them. I only wish the scenes had been paced out better and the stakes of every big thing that occurred were narrated in a more jarring and realistic way. But either way, I adored getting to know this world more and I found the completion of their story very satisfying.
While this novel felt a little disorganized in its plot and a little repetitive in the relationship development, it still managed to tell a very engaging and fast-moving story. Oraya and Rahin are beautiful characters that convey their fears and desires in a very emotional way and I appreciated their fresh perspective on every obstacle their world throws at them. I only wish the scenes had been paced out better and the stakes of every big thing that occurred were narrated in a more jarring and realistic way. But either way, I adored getting to know this world more and I found the completion of their story very satisfying.
Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed reading more about the world of the Crown of Nyaxia and these characters told a very interesting story. But I found the character development lacking and too trope-y; I wanted something else from there. All in all, I know Lilith and Vale will appear in the series and I'm excited to get to know them more!
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
4.25
I couldn't put this book down from the moment I started it. It is fast-paced, intriguing, and emotional, as every fantasy romance book should be. It was also not about fairies -- thank god! since there's been too much of that -- but vampires, which made the characters much more interesting. The scenes were also very tense and gripping because the main character and narrator is a human living in a world surrounded by vampires.
Every chapter had something going for it, whether it was an intense action scene, a piece of character development, a world reveal, or a romantic moment. And while the writing was somewhat repetitive, it didn't deviate attention from the story. It especially didn't deviate attention from the incredibly-built slow burn, which I was an absolute sucker for. I adored the way the characters both juxtaposed and complimented each other throughout the story, and their relationship development made for a very surprising and satisfying ending. Every time a story has a good shocking twist, I feel like it's the first time I've read any single story -- and this one was no different.
Every chapter had something going for it, whether it was an intense action scene, a piece of character development, a world reveal, or a romantic moment. And while the writing was somewhat repetitive, it didn't deviate attention from the story. It especially didn't deviate attention from the incredibly-built slow burn, which I was an absolute sucker for. I adored the way the characters both juxtaposed and complimented each other throughout the story, and their relationship development made for a very surprising and satisfying ending. Every time a story has a good shocking twist, I feel like it's the first time I've read any single story -- and this one was no different.
El lunes nos querrán by Najat El Hachmi
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-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
4.5
Me ha encantado esta novela, y me alegro mucho de haberla escuchado. La narración en segunda persona crea una conexión con la protagonista que fluye como si estuviera leyendo una carta de una amiga.
Todos los temas tratados en el relato, ya sean la inmigración y las ansiedades culturales o el amor y el deseo, son tratados con delicadeza y realismo a la vez, lo que hace parecer que El Hachmi ha escrito una autobiografía. Aunque no es autobiográfica, la novela detalla cómo es vivir entre culturas y normas de una manera muy detallada y personal a través de unos personajes muy vivos y complejos. Toda la historia es una muy buena reflexión sobre qué significa crecer en un mundo opresivo, sobre todo cuando se tienen deseos de ser feliz de la manera más aceptable posible.
El lunes nos querrán podría ser, perfectamente, una lectura recomendada en institutos, ya que trata temas y personas esenciales al crecimiento del mundo literario español.
Todos los temas tratados en el relato, ya sean la inmigración y las ansiedades culturales o el amor y el deseo, son tratados con delicadeza y realismo a la vez, lo que hace parecer que El Hachmi ha escrito una autobiografía. Aunque no es autobiográfica, la novela detalla cómo es vivir entre culturas y normas de una manera muy detallada y personal a través de unos personajes muy vivos y complejos. Toda la historia es una muy buena reflexión sobre qué significa crecer en un mundo opresivo, sobre todo cuando se tienen deseos de ser feliz de la manera más aceptable posible.
El lunes nos querrán podría ser, perfectamente, una lectura recomendada en institutos, ya que trata temas y personas esenciales al crecimiento del mundo literario español.
Bodas de Sangre by Federico García Lorca
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Qué maravilla de drama.
How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
What a good read to kick off the year!
While this book turned out to be very different from what I was expecting, I wasn't disappointed in the topics it explored. I expected Odell to be much more preachy about how to live by removing social media, multitasking less, and diverting our attention to the "important things". She did do some of the latter without overtly creating a binary morality on what to pay attention to. I was captivated by the way she wrote her anxieties in the story (relaying a lot on her positionality and her hometown of Oakland, CA) and managed to connect them to things as complex as cults, nature, and art. By describing some aspects of the Anthropocene she shows how attention works and how "doing nothing" or completely removing ourselves from the community doesn't lead to inner peace. She is realistic in her portrayal of capitalistic society and conveys how to live more fully within it.
I will be coming back to this book again since its reflections can be thought of multiple times and the writing was excellent.
While this book turned out to be very different from what I was expecting, I wasn't disappointed in the topics it explored. I expected Odell to be much more preachy about how to live by removing social media, multitasking less, and diverting our attention to the "important things". She did do some of the latter without overtly creating a binary morality on what to pay attention to. I was captivated by the way she wrote her anxieties in the story (relaying a lot on her positionality and her hometown of Oakland, CA) and managed to connect them to things as complex as cults, nature, and art. By describing some aspects of the Anthropocene she shows how attention works and how "doing nothing" or completely removing ourselves from the community doesn't lead to inner peace. She is realistic in her portrayal of capitalistic society and conveys how to live more fully within it.
I will be coming back to this book again since its reflections can be thought of multiple times and the writing was excellent.