nvmreadshere's reviews
21 reviews

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

5.0

so fucking good. If you’re looking for a cozy murder mystery THIS IS NOT IT. The author forces you to think about why we are so obsessed with dead girls. Why we fixate on knowing how they were murdered but never putting the same energy for prosecuting the person who did it. We get an answer and we lose interest not even checking if we picked the right one. 

One of the best stories that talks about the aftermath about the #MeToo movement without being patronizing and showing the awfulness of the due process and the public opinion that comes with it. Fuckin amazing

Top Girls by Caryl Churchill

challenging funny reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Mother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht

challenging dark fast-paced

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

4.75

Endgame by Samuel Beckett

challenging dark slow-paced

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

5.0

So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Happy Place by Emily Henry

medium-paced

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

3.0

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

funny hopeful reflective sad fast-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

3.5

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.5

For years there has been a distinction of madonna vs. whore when classifying women. As society progresses these labels have been rebranded but still the distinction remains. The madonnas are those who choose to chase after a fairytale themed life while the whores have been upgraded to frigid career loving women who demands to “have it all” in life. 

This book is a great exploration of the career woman archetype that has been often demonized and punished for chasing after their ambition. Sure it’s a romcom but above all this is Nora’s story and every page explains how she turned out to be a “frigid bitch” but also elaborates why there’s nothing wrong with that and how it’s still possible for her to negotiate a happy ending up for her terms. 

This is a really cool romcom book that I don’t even want to clump it to the other romance books that just closely follows the pattern found in this genre. It would be wrong to define this by tropes or tags as I know the whole point of the book is to breakaway from the labels imposed to easily understand complicated relationships/ situations. 

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman

funny relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

As a nonfiction writer who is obsessed with puzzles and still wonders if she let go of the right person due to personal reasons, this book is an attack and a wish-fulfillment story all at once. 

Incredibly cheesy but well paced and every character had a logical reason behind their action. They kinda fumbled in the ending a bit in a way most romance books do. Everything was wrapped up nicely with a bow but I think romance books publishers prefer that. For me though I knew the best option for the ending is something that’s more complicated and if they’re not ready to dedicate pages for it then they should’ve left it a big more ambiguous.