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noellerose's reviews
424 reviews
The Son of the House by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia
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
The writing in this book was beautiful, as were the descriptions of Nigeria and the culture. The characters were really well-developed, and I just felt for them, all throughout the book.
I'm not how I feel about Nwabulu and Julie's chapters being told in whole instead of alternating chapters. While it really pulled me into their individual stories, I kind of lost Nwabulu's story a bit once we got to the part where their chapters do alternate. The 'twist' would've probably fallen better had the chapters been told in alternating perspectives. As soon as Nwabulu's part was over, I knew exactly what was going to happen in Julie's chapters. which made the story drag a little bit.
A really solid book that I thoroughly enjoyed
I'm not how I feel about Nwabulu and Julie's chapters being told in whole instead of alternating chapters. While it really pulled me into their individual stories, I kind of lost Nwabulu's story a bit once we got to the part where their chapters do alternate. The 'twist' would've probably fallen better had the chapters been told in alternating perspectives. As soon as Nwabulu's part was over, I knew exactly what was going to happen in Julie's chapters. which made the story drag a little bit.
A really solid book that I thoroughly enjoyed
Inferno by Dante Alighieri
medium-paced
The edition I bought is supposed to be a more modern translation, and it was certainly easier to understand than other classic poems or plays I've read. However, some parts were still difficult for me to follow. After finishing this book, I have concluded that these classic poems just aren't for me
Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
The first fantasy in a while I really loved! It was just such a perfect balance of everything: great writing, fantastic characters, great plot, and a satisfying conclusion. The politics were easy to follow, the romance subtle enough it never overpowered the main plot and the twist was shocking!
Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I have conflicting thoughts on this book.
Most of my negative feelings come from the main character. Unlike some people, I cannot fully enjoy a book with an unlikable main character. Meche is insufferable, obnoxious, unkind, and cruel. I hated how she treated her friends, as if they were northing more than dirt. Meche thought the world revolved around her and took no responsibility for her actions. I genuinely have never read an main character I disliked as much as I disliked Meche. I thought I liked the 2009 Meche, but the further along we got in the story, the less I liked that version as well. She spent the whole book hurting her friends and treating them like shit, and when they stood up to her, she couldn't take it. Twenty years later, she still holds a grudge, and acts as if she's the only one who was hurt. If Meche had been less cruel and insufferable, I think I would've enjoyed this story a lot more
The magic system wasn't really complex, but I thought it was okay enough. I didn't like how quickly Meche knew that what happended to her classmate (which could have just been a coincidence) was magic.
The other characters were pretty good for me. I really liked Daniela and felt bad for her, and Sebastian was a good egg. None of the other characters were well-developed but I feel like that's okay because the story wasn't about them. I don't completely understand why the father's story line was added as I don't think it was necessary for the story, however, I didn't mind it.
The premise of the story was interesting and entertaining, which was the only thing this books really had going for itself, to be honest.
Overall, this story was just okay for me. It being a debut novel, I didn't expect much, and my expectations were definitely exceeded. I will continue reading everything SMG publishes because I simply want to.
Most of my negative feelings come from the main character. Unlike some people, I cannot fully enjoy a book with an unlikable main character. Meche is insufferable, obnoxious, unkind, and cruel. I hated how she treated her friends, as if they were northing more than dirt. Meche thought the world revolved around her and took no responsibility for her actions. I genuinely have never read an main character I disliked as much as I disliked Meche. I thought I liked the 2009 Meche, but the further along we got in the story, the less I liked that version as well. She spent the whole book hurting her friends and treating them like shit, and when they stood up to her, she couldn't take it. Twenty years later, she still holds a grudge, and acts as if she's the only one who was hurt. If Meche had been less cruel and insufferable, I think I would've enjoyed this story a lot more
The magic system wasn't really complex, but I thought it was okay enough. I didn't like how quickly Meche knew that what happended to her classmate (which could have just been a coincidence) was magic.
The other characters were pretty good for me. I really liked Daniela and felt bad for her, and Sebastian was a good egg. None of the other characters were well-developed but I feel like that's okay because the story wasn't about them. I don't completely understand why the father's story line was added as I don't think it was necessary for the story, however, I didn't mind it.
The premise of the story was interesting and entertaining, which was the only thing this books really had going for itself, to be honest.
Overall, this story was just okay for me. It being a debut novel, I didn't expect much, and my expectations were definitely exceeded. I will continue reading everything SMG publishes because I simply want to.
The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
This book took me a week to finish and I have no idea why. I couldn't read more than a chapter at a time. I'm not sure if it's because my attention span has been bad lately, or because this story did nothing to interest me. I think it's a mix of both. A lot happened in these 400 pages, but also not that much happened actually.
It's a solid book, and the writing is great, but it's just not for me. The characters were well-written, but I didn't like the insta-love. For every good thing I have to say about this book, I can counter it with something I personally didn't like.
It's a solid book, and the writing is great, but it's just not for me. The characters were well-written, but I didn't like the insta-love. For every good thing I have to say about this book, I can counter it with something I personally didn't like.
The Illumination of Ursula Flight by Anna-Marie Crowhurst
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This book felt less like historical fiction and more like an actual classic. The slow pacing, old language, and lack of plot really did make me feel like I was reading a classic. None of these are bad things. I liked the sort of slice of life snippets, rather than intricate plots. The sex scenes were not necessarily explicit but definitely not a taboo topic.
The incorporation of the scripts was really smart and worked well in breaking up the story to make it a bit of a faster read. I don't know if I would've liked the story as much if those scripts and lists hadn't been included.
The main character, Ursula, is definitely the image of privilege, which was an intended choice, of course, and absolutely fine, but not always endearing.
Everything considered this was a really enjoyable read, though it did drag a bit towards the end. I wished it would've been like 50 pages shorter. Not even. 30.
The incorporation of the scripts was really smart and worked well in breaking up the story to make it a bit of a faster read. I don't know if I would've liked the story as much if those scripts and lists hadn't been included.
The main character, Ursula, is definitely the image of privilege, which was an intended choice, of course, and absolutely fine, but not always endearing.
Everything considered this was a really enjoyable read, though it did drag a bit towards the end. I wished it would've been like 50 pages shorter. Not even. 30.
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
This middle grade had been on my TBR for a pretty long time before I finally came around to reading it. Safe to say, I'd hyped the book up for myself, and luckily, it did not disappoint.
I loved how fast-paced this book was. I really felt like I was flying through it. Nan was amazing as a main character. She was strong in certain aspects but weak in others, and I liked how the author showed that difference. The writing, though this is a middle grade, didn't feel 'childish'. Sometimes I have trouble connecting with a middle grade because the writing is simply to young for me (which is no fault of the book at all!) but the writing here was really solid and captivating.
What was also interesting was the discussion around Jews. I've personally never read a book, let alone a middle grade, where Jewish characters weren't related to WW2. I think it's good that certain aspects of what it means to be a Jew were discussed and available for young children to read about.
The real star of the show was Charlie of course. Charlie was the most wholesome and heart-warming character of the bunch, and I really am not lying when I say he's one of my favourite characters of all time!
I loved how fast-paced this book was. I really felt like I was flying through it. Nan was amazing as a main character. She was strong in certain aspects but weak in others, and I liked how the author showed that difference. The writing, though this is a middle grade, didn't feel 'childish'. Sometimes I have trouble connecting with a middle grade because the writing is simply to young for me (which is no fault of the book at all!) but the writing here was really solid and captivating.
What was also interesting was the discussion around Jews. I've personally never read a book, let alone a middle grade, where Jewish characters weren't related to WW2. I think it's good that certain aspects of what it means to be a Jew were discussed and available for young children to read about.
The real star of the show was Charlie of course. Charlie was the most wholesome and heart-warming character of the bunch, and I really am not lying when I say he's one of my favourite characters of all time!
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
Short story collections usually contain at least two or three stories I don't really like or connect with. While I didn't love all of these stories, I did like all of them, which was honestly a first for me.
The characters and writing were really what did it for me. Every character had a distinct voice, and the writing never ceased to amaze me while reading. I appreciated the theme of family, and how it focussed on both the positive and the negative. I also enjoyed how not every single story was religion heavy. Some certainly focused on the impact religion had on the characters, but there were also some stories in which religion was barely mentioned, which was a nice switch up. The different formats in stories was a breath of fresh air and made things stay interesting. I flew through this collection!
My favourites were: Dear Sister, Peach Cobbler, Jael, and Instructions for Married Christian Men.
The characters and writing were really what did it for me. Every character had a distinct voice, and the writing never ceased to amaze me while reading. I appreciated the theme of family, and how it focussed on both the positive and the negative. I also enjoyed how not every single story was religion heavy. Some certainly focused on the impact religion had on the characters, but there were also some stories in which religion was barely mentioned, which was a nice switch up. The different formats in stories was a breath of fresh air and made things stay interesting. I flew through this collection!
My favourites were: Dear Sister, Peach Cobbler, Jael, and Instructions for Married Christian Men.
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
mysterious
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
How I wanted to love this book.
My main critique is that this story was just very boring. I couldn't read more than a few chapters at a time because I was so disinterested. The only reason I didn't DNF it, is because I thought Maite and Elvis would come together at one point to solve the mystery, but that unfortunately never happened. I really think I would've enjoyed this book more if the investigation had been carried out by them together. One thing I love about Moreno-Garcia's books is the (romantic) interaction between her MCs. There was nothing like that in here, and the story just felt a bit flat. The 'mystery' aspect of the book was really quite boring as well. The twist at the end was a good touch, but it was not nearly enough to make me enjoy the book.
I'm not giving up on Moreno-Garcia's books, though. She writes in different genres and styles, so I'm sure her next books will be more suited to my tastes.
My main critique is that this story was just very boring. I couldn't read more than a few chapters at a time because I was so disinterested. The only reason I didn't DNF it, is because I thought Maite and Elvis would come together at one point to solve the mystery, but that unfortunately never happened. I really think I would've enjoyed this book more if the investigation had been carried out by them together. One thing I love about Moreno-Garcia's books is the (romantic) interaction between her MCs. There was nothing like that in here, and the story just felt a bit flat. The 'mystery' aspect of the book was really quite boring as well. The twist at the end was a good touch, but it was not nearly enough to make me enjoy the book.
I'm not giving up on Moreno-Garcia's books, though. She writes in different genres and styles, so I'm sure her next books will be more suited to my tastes.
Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
There are 10 stories in this collection, and there's only 1 I would read a full-length novel of. There were a few others I liked, but overall, this short story collection was underwhelming for me. The writing, though distinct in its style, was too tell and not enough show for me. The sentences felt repetitive and didn't always flow well.
It's obvious there are hidden meanings in these stories, and I can definitely see the connection between the stories and capitalism. However, sometimes I just didn't understand what I was reading. And that's okay. I'm just a bit stupid, so that's all on me and not the fault of the author
It's obvious there are hidden meanings in these stories, and I can definitely see the connection between the stories and capitalism. However, sometimes I just didn't understand what I was reading. And that's okay. I'm just a bit stupid, so that's all on me and not the fault of the author