obstinateheadstrongcurl's reviews
928 reviews

Femlandia by Christina Dalcher
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.

This is the same shallow feminism as The Barbie Movie but (more) dystopian. Just not for me.

A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James

lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.75

I read the second book in Eloisa James's Fairy Tales series several years ago and really enjoyed it, but this one didn’t quite live up to the mark. Cinderella has never been my favourite fairy tale, so this one was always going to suffer a bit in comparison to the Beauty and the Beast retelling. The prince’s ego was overly inflated, and it wasn’t something he ever reckoned with. The message was basically ‘princes be princing’. He was annoying to the point that it didn’t make sense that Kate would even be attracted to him. Also, this book came out in 2010 so I know we as a society were less aware, but a European prince going on archaeological digs in Africa and taking artefacts home is not a plot that has aged well.

I did enjoy Kate’s character, she wasn’t nearly so passive as most Cinderella characters, although she did have a bad case of ‘not like other girls’. Henry was a delight; she was such an entertaining character. I also appreciated the communication between Kate and Gabriel. There were a few times when I thought we’d get into the weeds of an unrealistic miscommunication trope, but James kept everything really true to the characters.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

emotional reflective 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

5.0

I love everything Elizabeth Acevedo writes but this might be my favourite. I wish I’d had this book when I was a teenager. The themes of family, religion and self-discovery are handled so well. As always with Acevedo, I highly recommend the audiobook. She’s an incredible narrator and her poetry and prose are gorgeous. 

Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein

informative medium-paced

4.25

After listening to the If Books Could Kill episode covering this book, I was a bit nervous to pick it up, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. I do think Klein stretches things a bit too far sometimes while trying to humanise Wolf (when Wolf said vaccinated people don’t have a smell anymore, it wasn’t a broader comment on society, she’s just crazy). But overall this was a really insightful look at the alt right and how people fall down the rabbit hole. 

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier

adventurous fast-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? No

4.5

Such a delight! Absolutely loved the setting and magic system. We need more diverse dragon books! 

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

dark medium-paced

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

2.25

Bizarre fever dream of a book that became even less charming when I read the notes at the back and learned Thompson refused to give any credit to Oscar Zeta Acosta, the inspiration for the attorney. 

Live Die and Be Born in Gaza by David Segarra Soler

emotional informative sad fast-paced

When Stars Have Teeth by Dani Trujillo

emotional medium-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

4.0

Dani Trujillo writes such good characters. I absolutely love Buffy and Santiago. The patience Santiago had with Buffy was so sweet. I also liked that we got a bit more of Calehan and Xiomara in this one.

There were some plotting/pacing issues, which were also present in Lizards Hold the Sun, but the characters really do make up for any shortfalls. Honestly can’t wait for more of this series. 

Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma

lighthearted medium-paced

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

1.75

This book has really good spice but not a lot else going for it. The characters felt flat and there was an over abundance of showing rather than telling. 

Funny Story 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

Emily Henry knows what she does well and doesn’t really deviate from it. This feels very similar to everything else I’ve read by her, in good and bad ways. Her banter is top notch as always and I loved these characters.