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mariakureads's reviews
1021 reviews
The Tempest by William Shakespeare
adventurous
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It's been some years since I read Shakespeare and I honestly couldn't remember reading this one so I gave it a shot and for a short play, I found it to be slightly boring.
Maybe it's the pacing at the beginning but I found it to be messy and in some areas dull where in others slightly racist and pompous.
Granted that for the time the play was written the particulars I found to be racist were part of the every day and well within the time and language of the moment so I can gloss over it, the way that Shakespeare used instalust to gloss over a hasty rape attempt but this wasn't my favorite of the bard's work.
Granted I am glad to have read it, not to mark a book off, but to have a reference of what I'm labeling as a so-so book even from a great author like Shakespeare.
Maybe it's the pacing at the beginning but I found it to be messy and in some areas dull where in others slightly racist and pompous.
Granted that for the time the play was written the particulars I found to be racist were part of the every day and well within the time and language of the moment so I can gloss over it, the way that Shakespeare used instalust to gloss over a hasty rape attempt but this wasn't my favorite of the bard's work.
Granted I am glad to have read it, not to mark a book off, but to have a reference of what I'm labeling as a so-so book even from a great author like Shakespeare.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Rape, and Colonisation
Gonzalez And Daughter Trucking Co.: A Road Novel With Literary License by María Amparo Escandón
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
4.0
I absolutely enjoyed this book! I am so glad I decided to read this even after disliking the author's other book 'L.A Weather' that I read in 2024.
I found this story to be enticing right from the opening and in between the different timelines, Escandon kept my interest with both the story and the characterizations of not just Libertad but all of the characters.
This was emotionally engaging and I was intrigued by every character that was introduced even to the very end.
I found this story to be enticing right from the opening and in between the different timelines, Escandon kept my interest with both the story and the characterizations of not just Libertad but all of the characters.
This was emotionally engaging and I was intrigued by every character that was introduced even to the very end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Minor: Death of parent
Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road by Kyle Buchanan
adventurous
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
Absolutely kicking myself for waiting this long to listen to the details, story, love, and attention to detail that I was hoping to hear about one of my favorite movies!
This audiobook was fantastic! Full of interviews from cast and crew, and boy do I mean crew, from producers, set designers, riggers, makeup, what a range of people all having to do inand around Mad Max: Fury Road. It was great to hear all these different stories in and around the film, the ups and downs of the film itself from start to it's beautiful 6 Academy Awards.
Seriously so mad at myself for waiting this long to get around to this!
This audiobook was fantastic! Full of interviews from cast and crew, and boy do I mean crew, from producers, set designers, riggers, makeup, what a range of people all having to do inand around Mad Max: Fury Road. It was great to hear all these different stories in and around the film, the ups and downs of the film itself from start to it's beautiful 6 Academy Awards.
Seriously so mad at myself for waiting this long to get around to this!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
Fangirl, Vol. 4: The Manga by Gabi Nam, Rainbow Rowell
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I absolutely loved Nam's take and illustration of this manga.
She drew a lot of the characters in such a way that mirrored how I imagined them during the original read of Rowell's book.
Just like when I read the book, I'm saddened to end the manga.
She drew a lot of the characters in such a way that mirrored how I imagined them during the original read of Rowell's book.
Just like when I read the book, I'm saddened to end the manga.
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Families are complex and this audiobook of the Broadway recording showcases the complexion of the Younger family, an African American family with dreams of more.
Dreams of more wealth, with more wealth one can buy more essentials like a home, a car, higher education and be able to live with comfort and knowledge that you've provided for the family which is something that Lena strives for and that's her thinking as at the start of the book we learn that she's to receive a check, as her husband has passed away, which everyone is aware of as they're on the lookout for its arrival.
Her son, Walter, already has plans for his Mama's money that have everything to do with him getting out of his job being a driver to some white man, and being his own "man" but Lena has dreams too and plans to use that money to fulfill those leading to discourse as we are privy to seeing what money, greed, and the idea of easy money can do.
Dreams of more wealth, with more wealth one can buy more essentials like a home, a car, higher education and be able to live with comfort and knowledge that you've provided for the family which is something that Lena strives for and that's her thinking as at the start of the book we learn that she's to receive a check, as her husband has passed away, which everyone is aware of as they're on the lookout for its arrival.
Her son, Walter, already has plans for his Mama's money that have everything to do with him getting out of his job being a driver to some white man, and being his own "man" but Lena has dreams too and plans to use that money to fulfill those leading to discourse as we are privy to seeing what money, greed, and the idea of easy money can do.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Racism, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Snow Place Like LA by Sierra Simone, Julie Murphy
Did not finish book. Stopped at 49%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 49%.
Something about this particular book – characters? the pacing? dialogue? – didn't sit well and I ended up skipping full pages and before I knew it I was at 49% and disliking it.
Once I read that Angel, without actual consent from Luca, went to kiss him and grope him without the two actually talking about what happened, or even an "I'm sorry" before starting anything sexual was a major turn off for me and just nothing else I read after that scene, sat right. so rather than forcw myself to read this anymore, I'm just dnf'ing it now.
Sakamoto Days, Vol. 13 by Yuto Suzuki
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was such a a good volume!
It gave me some of the backstory into Sakamoto's early days, and his friendships with Akao and Nagumo, and their meeting with X!
I didn't realize how much I needed these flashbacks because now a lot is making sense!
It gave me some of the backstory into Sakamoto's early days, and his friendships with Akao and Nagumo, and their meeting with X!
I didn't realize how much I needed these flashbacks because now a lot is making sense!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I honestly thought this was going to be a story of the house told by the POV of Mericat but was I wrong.
It's a haunting read of two sisters and their uncle, the remnants of a family, living through the ordeal of a very public murder of their family, a very suspicious and nosy town, and the greed of a cousin calling to prey.
This is my first Shirley Jackson read so I was very unsure of what to expect but I found her writing to be full of well placed tension, idiosyncrasies, slightly toxic, and in this case fragile and unreliable but all the more entertaining because of it.
So glad to have read this and be able to knock another book off my TBR and the final book of 2024!
It's a haunting read of two sisters and their uncle, the remnants of a family, living through the ordeal of a very public murder of their family, a very suspicious and nosy town, and the greed of a cousin calling to prey.
This is my first Shirley Jackson read so I was very unsure of what to expect but I found her writing to be full of well placed tension, idiosyncrasies, slightly toxic, and in this case fragile and unreliable but all the more entertaining because of it.
So glad to have read this and be able to knock another book off my TBR and the final book of 2024!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent and Murder
Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse
adventurous
dark
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
4.0
What a great way to continue Maggie's story!
Told within weeks of the the aftermath at what happened in Black Mesa, Maggie is left reeling and with little to no friends or a clue as to her next steps, she takes on a bounty with Hestin that leads her to an unforseen adventure starting with a bounty hunt gone wrong, a meeting of new and old friends, the introduction of a man who sees himself as a Savior and the chance to find Kai again which takes Maggie outside of the walls of Dinétah and her own comfort zones.
I really love what Roanhorse does here in this world. It's consistently interesting as this book goes beyond the wall and we, as readers, get a look at the rest of the world after the Big Water and it's just as interesting as I was hoping. Not to mention the characters! Every single one is different and varying degrees of interesting and surprising too!
Told within weeks of the the aftermath at what happened in Black Mesa, Maggie is left reeling and with little to no friends or a clue as to her next steps, she takes on a bounty with Hestin that leads her to an unforseen adventure starting with a bounty hunt gone wrong, a meeting of new and old friends, the introduction of a man who sees himself as a Savior and the chance to find Kai again which takes Maggie outside of the walls of Dinétah and her own comfort zones.
I really love what Roanhorse does here in this world. It's consistently interesting as this book goes beyond the wall and we, as readers, get a look at the rest of the world after the Big Water and it's just as interesting as I was hoping. Not to mention the characters! Every single one is different and varying degrees of interesting and surprising too!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Blood
Wall St. Jerk by Megan Wade
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A quick read which was light and just fluffy enough with the grumpy x sunshine trope mixed in with an office romance.
All in all there was just enough slow burn between Ronan and Becca that made the otherwise quick romance work and me believe in them as a pairing and the dual pov helped push the romance factor reading both characters inner thoughts.
All in all there was just enough slow burn between Ronan and Becca that made the otherwise quick romance work and me believe in them as a pairing and the dual pov helped push the romance factor reading both characters inner thoughts.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia