luhos's reviews
206 reviews

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

loved the gothic vibes

The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

4.0

this took a while to get going, but once it started it was full steam ahead. what a great sci fi book, and i love how much it incorporates different fields of science. i’m also a huge fan of how liu doesn’t hold back when it comes to destruction. i’m now excited for the third! 

Martyr!: A Novel by Kaveh Akbar

reflective medium-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

3.5

This was good for me, but did not live up to the greatness that I anticipated after seeing so many exceptional reviews from those I follow. It was beautifully written and had a few stand-out passages. However, the sections of the book that provided familial background felt a bit cumbersome and sometimes felt like a chore to read through, as I was excited to return to the central protagonist's story.  Also, without trying to give too much away, the revelation made in the latter quarter of the book felt a bit too contrived, for me. 

Perhaps ironically, for a book called Martyr!, I found that the attempt to address martyrdom was one of the least successful aspects of the book, and almost felt secondary to some of the other themes present. What I enjoyed more and found to be more successful was how, through Cyrus, the book dealt with themes of family, capitalism, art, language, morality, and addiction.

Ultimately the things I didn't like about this boil down very much to personal preference and I still think it was a well-written book that addresses many important themes, and with a unique and fluid structure.

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

emotional reflective sad slow-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

3.5

I'll give this 4, for now. I have some mixed feelings about it that I am still trying to resolve, and may take some time to come to my final conclusion.

I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself by Marisa Crane

emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

set in a future where people are given an extra shadow for their crimes, we follow a mother and daughter who both have shadows - the daughter given a shadow because the other mother died giving birth to her. it’s an interesting world, and complex and easy to read. it was told from the perspective of the surviving mother writing/talking to her wife who passed, and it sort of swapped between telling the story of their daughter growing up and reminiscing on the past; sometimes the structure didn’t exactly work for me, but that was very much a me thing and could definitely be something many others enjoy. 

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

3.75

uncomfortable, frustrating, compelling

The Sitter by Angela O'Keeffe

3.0

interesting concept, good writing

Orbital by Samantha Harvey

adventurous reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

This was a nice read. Nothing really happens, and the characters are not a central part of what this book is really about; it is about the beauty of the Earth, and of humanity. It documents the journey of the International Space Station over the course of 24 hours, and the 16 orbits that it completes. The prose is beautiful and considerate. However, I don't think I could have read much more of this, and it is a short book. It started to feel a bit repetitious.

Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright

challenging dark sad slow-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 need to digest this for a bit. how incredible 

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

what can i say that hasn’t already been said about this book? quite a moving story about grief.