nixiethepixie's reviews
290 reviews

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.5

Listened as an audiobook read by the author. This book is what it is, and not too much outside of that. But it’s done well, in a playful manner. I picked this up as relaxation fodder material and it for sure served that purpose. Not too many thoughts outside of this. 

Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

Listened as an audiobook. A delightful, tender and relatable story - we come to really care and feel for Gilda and her circumstances. The book takes a somewhat fun and light-hearted tone as it explores some dark issues including mental health, religion, relationships and murder. Gilda’s voice and perspective is honest, witty and makes for a heartwarming story. Anxiety in a book, and a wandering mind and building thoughts, but still fun. The set up and situations are exciting, but some things feel too convenient for my tastes, but I feel that’s perhaps the charm of this type of book.

After The Inquiry by Jolene Tan

challenging reflective tense 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

Just finished reading - the ending makes me so mad, my blood boils and insides gently twist with frustration, but I totally get it. I enjoyed the format of this unravelling investigation (foot notes etc), light mystery of who done it, what happened. But more so, I enjoyed the Singaporean antics of the book, and getting insight into a host of characters within that context. Like many other readers, I’d love to know the story from Nithiya’s perspective. 

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.25

i love everything about this book in theory - dual authorship, sapphic romance across time, space and universes, love letters, connection with nature and the world beyond. but i really struggled to be fully immersed in this story. i would love to revisit it, for the prose is beautiful and lyrical, with really stunning moments and imagery, and the relationship is one i feel quite fond of. perhaps my mind was too scattered to lean into the worldbuilding and be lulled by the storytelling. im keen to exercise my mind for more sci-fi though, for im always in awe of worldbuilding, especially when achieved in a novella length story. 

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Listened as an audibook over a long period of time. Some beautiful poetic moments and images, particularly towards the end, but for so much of the book, it was sad, gritty and quite upsetting. Bad things keep happening, and that becomes the way of life without any redemption really. We don’t really get to know the characters outside of them witnessing, hearing or being part of abuse and bullying. And while the relationship built upon trauma is fundamental to the story, it’s foundations are unsettling. I suppose that’s the point?

The part with the nudity in the park and the light reminded me of Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

Listened as an audiobook. Super generous and excellently written memoir, a life told with grace, heart and dry witted humour. Only wishing McCurdy the best!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Vomit

Felicity: Poems by Mary Oliver

hopeful reflective relaxing slow-paced

4.0

a beautiful, tender and generous collection, reflecting and pondering upon life and sapphic love!! created warm glimpses into worlds and feelings, through language that was accessible and easy to digest. a collection to revisit and feel held by the imaginative and wise mary oliver.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

a generous and fascinating exploration of intergenerational trauma, history, memory and culture in the face of colonial violence. the premise of the book is dark, but we are moved through the story and with character's who share and hold so much. the story is told in the womb of the ocean, with real and/or imagined merfolks, who knows really. to hold onto the history, memory and trauma, or to let go? how to move into collective of being and remembering?

Girl Asleep by Matthew Whittet

adventurous funny lighthearted reflective medium-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? Yes

3.5

Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval

dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

3.25

evocative, sensory and moist! hval leads us through this mysterious novella through our senses - predominately sound and touch. some descriptions felt super effective, while others felt overwrought - i wonder what the role of translation is in this. i enjoyed the cramping sense of nature, and the way the house breathed throughout. a gently mysterious and unsettling dynamic that asks us to sit, but unsure if there was a satisfactory pay off. also features light smut and pee - nothing specific to note on this haha.