micareads123's reviews
243 reviews

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.

Soft DNFing this. Just not the right time.

Butter Honey Pig Bread by francesca ekwuyasi

emotional reflective 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

4.0

A gorgeous and compelling family saga about a Nigerian mother, Kimbirinachi, her twin daughters, Taiye and Kehinde, and the trauma that haunts them. Love, culture and food are at the forefront of this beautiful story. 

I loved the complex and nuanced relationships in this book, beyond just those of the three main characters. 

I did at times feel the story lingered too long on certain plot lines that felt more or less irrelevant to the overall story, but I really enjoyed this read. The ending left me asking some questions, though, and I wish we had more clarification on Kimbirinachi’s story. I thought her perspective was the most interesting of all and wished there was more of it, more explanation of the ogbanje.

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

A devastating story of generational trauma and very much worth the read.

Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus by Rick Perlstein

informative slow-paced

4.0

Is US political history my wheelhouse? Not even a little bit. But did I enjoy this book anyway, despite it being pretty far outside my comfort zone? Absolutely. 

This book was the first instalment of a four-part book club on US political history. The book club is focused on the rise of conservatism and understanding how we got to where we are today in terms of political extremism. 

The argument Perlstein presents in Before the Storm is that despite Democrat Lyndon Johnson’s landslide win over Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election, Barry Goldwater’s influential role in the uprising of conservatism, both in the race and as a senator before then, cannot be so easily dismissed. 

A highlight for me was how the author tied certain events, such as the Civil Rights Movement and the release of Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, into the narrative, describing their influence in dividing the country between left and right. 

I did find that with my level of knowledge on the topic, Perlstein’s style of floating in and out of different themes and providing perhaps more detail than necessary made the book a little hard to follow, at times a slog. That said, I think there is a lot to get out of this book for people with any level of knowledge on this era of US politics.

Overall, I learned a lot from this book, and I look forward to continuing the book club reading with Perlstein’s Nixonland.

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

Secret Path by Gord Downie, Jeff Lemire

4.0

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad 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

Tamsyn Muir has done it again 😭. Each book in this series is different and more confusing than the last while managing to feel like coming home. I love this series so much. 

While Gideon is about guilt and redemption and Harrow is about grief, Nona is about love, found family and necessary change. 

This book had me lulled into a false sense of security in the first 1/3 before Muir, again, turned everything on its head, shifting the reader’s perspective on everything that has happened. I’m continually amazed at the intricacy and planning of this universe and story. 

I NEED ALECTO NOW.

Severance by Ling Ma

reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Late-stage capitalism and hustle culture meet a post-apocalyptic pandemic dystopia. This is another book that captures millennial dread with painful accuracy. 

Filing this next to Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter on my brain shelf.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

dark mysterious reflective medium-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

5.0

A classic for a reason. Excellently written, controversial for its time and a timeless examination of human vanity, immorality and selfishness. 

From Bad to Cursed by Lana Harper

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

3.0