pickledpotato1021's reviews
206 reviews

Space Station by K.R. Gadeken

adventurous lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-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? Yes

4.0

Thank you NetGalley for a free digital ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. 

Another book this year for me that was more an experience than a story. I had no clue what I was getting into but I loved the cover so much I took a dive. This novella takes you through life lessons in the form of AI/simulated experiences on a space station. 

I highly enjoyed the journey we went on with our main character. It was fun, enjoyable, and thought provoking. I just wish there was more. More of what I’m not sure but it feels as if a piece was missing. 

Again thank you to NetGalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo

funny mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

Thank you NetGalley for a free digital ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. 
My review is my true and honest thoughts and opinions with no outside influence. 

When my partner asked me to describe what I was reading I said “lesbian spider lady owns a hotel and eats her lovers”. This is a true and accurate summery. 
This was a super fun journey that felt very surreal, very gothic, very strange, very weird. There’s some thriller, some mystery, some romance. It’s a nice sampler of things. Some could say it’s a sample of monster erotica. If the almost spicy scenes excite you, and you find yourself disappointed there’s not more detail, then monster erotica may be for you. 
However to be clear this is NOT monster erotica. This is a sapphic novella about a spider lady. It’s a super cute, quick, and fun read. I really enjoyed this one. 

Again thank you to NetGalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it. I just didn’t feel really connected to the characters. Over all it was a good story. Out of all the possible end of world events, the ice caps melting is the most likely so it’s very realistic in a way. I just wish I felt more connected to the characters than I did.

Blob: A Love Story by Maggie Su

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.75

Thank you NetGalley for a free digital ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. 
My review is my true and honest thoughts and opinions with no outside influence. 

This book is a prime example of readers needing to know the difference between a ROMANCE and a LOVE STORY. We’ll get more into that later. 

So let’s talk about the first 75%. I heavily relate to Vi as a person who was awkward, anti social, neurodivergent, and unlikable as an adolescent. I tried so hard to fit in I stood out in all the worst ways. I didn’t realize the true weight of my words and actions. I lied to make myself appear one way, only to appear the opposite when my lie was discovered. So in a very painful way, I can relate to Vi. 
The premise is HILARIOUS. There are many many many hilarious quotes in this book where I laughed so hard I cried. I was having a BLAST up until the 75% mark. 

Then we hit the 75% mark. I, as a library worker, know the difference between a love story and a romance. It is required in literature for a romance to have a happily ever after or a happily for now for the main couple, if it doesn’t it’s a love story. Think The Fault in Our Stars. So I, knowing the difference, knew this wasn’t going to be a happily ever after. That’s not a spoiler if you know your genres, and if you don’t and you go into this thinking it’s a romance you’d be disappointed anyway so you’re welcome. Anyway, I knew this wasn’t a romance. However, I was not expecting THAT ending. I don’t quite understand that ending. I don’t.. like that ending. I don’t see the point of that ending. 

I do understand the lessons: “No one else can teach you how to be human” and “You can’t force people to love you” being the biggest (among others). However those lessons wouldn’t have been compromised with a much better and well thought out ending. 

3 stars for the story, .75 for the humor. 

Again thank you to NetGalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. 

When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

Dustin Thao truly knows how to rip out someone’s heart. In both his books, You’ve Reached Sam and When Haru Was Here, he explores grief in an ugly, untraditional, non-mainstream way. Grief hits us all differently. Grief is an experience that’s so personal and individual it’s almost a crime we use a single word for it. His books truly explore the complexities of grief and how we all handle it so differently and personally. 
I thought I had the plot twist figured out, I thought I knew what the characters symbolized and what their endings would be and I was so wrong and left utterly devastated. 

Katzenjammer by Francesca Zappia

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Second book of the year, and so far both books I’ve read have been experiences. This one, by far, more intense. More real. More raw. More painful.
This was beautiful. 
This was heartbreaking. 
This was all too familiar. 

I have so much to say but no words to say it. So many words that can say nothing truly about this book.

Predicting now this will be in the top 3 books for me for 2025. 

The Repeat Room by Jesse Ball

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This book is one of those that’s an experience. Either you enjoy the experience, or you don’t. Either it makes you critically think or you simply think it’s trash. I don’t think either option is better than the other to be clear. 

The first half of this book, as many pointed out in other reviews, is great. It’s very deliberate with its language, it’s very thought provoking. Also it feels very Hunger Games meets Squid Games? I know people have compared it to other books/media but I haven’t read those so this is how I thought of it. 

The second half is where that experience part kicks in. Because honestly wtf was that? I didn’t.. enjoy it? But I feel like I understand the message that’s being sent? Maybe. Perhaps about how criminals have stories beyond their crimes, with their own trauma. Or how when society becomes too focused on “weeding out” it creates monsters of different kinds. 

Either way I think it was a social commentary that can make you think, or that can make you wanna never read this author again.  

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

2.0

Reached by Ally Condie

4.0

Crossed by Ally Condie

4.0