orangeburrito's reviews
46 reviews

King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard

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

5.0

Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction by Judith Grisel

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challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book changed my life.
The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper

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dark emotional hopeful sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Damn okay
The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith

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dark sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Is it just me or did Carol and Therese have no chemistry?
Whoever says the writing is great clearly isn't referring to the prose because please figure out writing rhythm, you don't need to describe every single mundane action (She bought one can. There was coffee in the thermos. She put the beer can on the floor.)
The ending was bittersweet, I was hoping Carol's terrible husband would get run over by a thirteen-wheeler before the divorce proceedings concluded but no such luck.
Despite its flaws I only read this book in 150-page sprints, as if out of morbid curiosity.
The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson

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challenging tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

Wasted potential the book. Sincerely, fuck this bloated, meaningless novel. There are good alt-history novels, but this isn't one of them.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

One of the best fiction books of the 20th century. Shining proof that stories don't have to be world-spanning epics to feel deeply impactful.
Be warned: there is a deal of misogyny in this book. Not enough to be completely overwhelming but noticeable and frustrating at times (despite the time period this book is set in), and includes a graphic r*pe scene along with a few attempted ones by the main villains. The few women in this book do have agency and are complex characters, but the male gaze shows itself on occasion.
The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Right-Wing Women by Andrea Dworkin

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dark informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Life changing. Chapters 5-6 specifically are incredible, you won't look at any political movements the same again.
ABC of Typography by David Rault

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informative lighthearted fast-paced

4.75