marniii's reviews
56 reviews

Setting Boundaries That Stick: How Neurobiology Can Help You Rewire Your Brain to Feel Safe, Connected, and Empowered by Juliane Taylor Shore

emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

Setting Boundaries That Stick has been so helpful with journal prompts, reflections on past experiences, science-forward evidence and clear steps to take to make change. It is a radical way to reimagine your commitment to yourselves, the people you love and the people in your community. It’s hard work!! I think I’ll need to read it a few more times to make it stick. 

Babel by R.F. Kuang

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Wow. This book is everything. Blending fantasy, academia, etymology and postcolonial thought/ critique of colonialism, I can’t think of a more perfect book for me personally, but generally the importance of a book like this can’t be measured. 

We follow a young boy, Robin, extracted from China by a strange Englishman to his estate where, in preparation for Oxford, he is forced to study languages intensely. Eventually going to Oxford to study translation we follow Robin and his cohort, all outsiders in English academia to different degrees depending on race and gender, as they work their way through this stressful but sometimes beautiful academic environment, to their own disparate awakenings to the realities of their role in shaping empire.

 This book really plays with how personal want and identity are shaped by systems of oppression and how our wants and identities shift as we are exposed to other realities, open our minds to the world and slowly radicalize ourselves, and how this shapes our personal relationships as well. 

I Love Me More by Jenna Banks

inspiring reflective fast-paced

2.75

I set a goal to read more self-growth books this year and this was my first one completed. I struggle with the genre because I generally find them to be full of fluff and not as informative or inspiring as I’d want them to be. I Love Me More provided a few solid nuggets for me to meditate on- especially the last third of the book. I found myself crying a few times reflecting on my past relationships with others and myself. I do wish it went more in-depth with some of the concepts rather than anecdotal examples but sometimes those were helpful as well ( just not typically relatable). Anyways- not a bad start to my self-growth reading journey! 

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.5

Desolate confrontation of what it means to be human. I love stories without men. 

Circe by Madeline Miller

emotional reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

5.0

🥺 Perfect for this season of my life. Reflections of solitude, love, company and free will. I want to be an herb witch on an island with a lion. Almost.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

My Murder by Katie Williams

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Fun read. Great twist! 

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Holy shit.

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

dark medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

Fun read with similar gothic vibes to Mexican Gothic. This was my very first audiobook so I think it took me a while to get used to the format. 

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was just so great. Once again a little too heavy on the war for my liking but ommmgggg the twists and turns. I really love not being able to predict what is going to happen next. Must get my hands on the third asap! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Rape

A Gentle Reminder by Bianca Sparacino

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0