niccc152's reviews
63 reviews

This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham

3.0

Definitely YA. Was fun for an easy yet somewhat engaging audiobook on a long drive but this story will not stick with me and I will not be recommending to anyone. 

And I Do Not Forgive You: Stories and Other Revenges by Amber Sparks

2.75

My Husband by Maud Ventura

3.75

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente

4.0

An easy read and somewhat predictable of a twist. One part that will stick with me is the line towards the end stating "there is no suffering yet." However, Sophia has been suffering this whole time.

As have all the past wives. Is this not to say that the original suffering comes from a woman at the hands/whim of a man? If that is the case, I think we have said a lot in this short book.

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

5.0

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

5.0

Parts of this I would consider on par with the pivotal monologue in the Barbie movie about how truly impossible it is to be an adult woman. Parts of this book made me cry, because of the true relatability of the experiences. If you're someone who is very secure in yourself, friendships, career, romantic life, and overall relationships, I'm not sure you'll get as much out of this as I did. The main character can be frustrating at points, but almost in the same way we all get frustrated with ourselves in periods of grief and distress. Overall, this book is just so highly relatable to the experience of being a single 30 year old woman (divorced or not). 

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

4.0

Found out around halfway through that this is actually my second Kingsolver novel, as I read The Bean Trees in high school. That helped a lot of context click into place for me, as I think the similar themes of perceptions versus reality in Americana, coming of age stories, found family, and "on the road" culminate similarly. That said, I found both books to be not my personal preference, all though technically sound, even if a bit of a slog. For Demon Copperhead specifically, there were so many times I wanted to be anywhere but the mind of a pubescent boy (I will say, for the part of Kingsolver, I was never under the impression I was reading a male character written by a woman). 

I think this would be a great book for someone who connects with coming of age stories. That person is not me. 

Hourglass by Keiran Goddard

3.75

Very steam of consciousness, from the perspective of an unreliable narrator that I got the continued impression falls somewhere on the spectrum. But all of this was written in some of the most beautiful lines I have ever read. Perhaps the story itself isn't so fascinating, but the poetry in the words is. 

Definitely not a book for everyone, but definitely for the reader that cares about writing more than plot. 

The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi

4.0

I think this book is cleverly written and would recommend the audiobook over other formats. Overall, I liked the premise and analytical perspective of this book (including how short-sighted the narrator could be about her own biases) and had a fun time with it. However, I figured out the major plot points pretty quickly (although, I don't think it took away from my enjoyment of reading it). It did remind me a lot of Babel but in more of a futurism lense. 

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

4.25

Definitely a book for people who enjoy jigsaw puzzles. This is a book where you can fit some pieces together as to what's going on, but for the most part you're confused about how it all forms the bigger picture. Only towards the end are you able to step back and understand everything. Definitely one you have to keep with, but overall a satisfying read. 

If you're reading through reviews partway through the book, like I did, wondering if you missed something, just keep with it. You didn't miss anything. This book just keeps feeding you only pieces at a time.