readingmaria's reviews
557 reviews

The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.

I’m just not into this kind of basic white girl storyline anymore. I should not have given into the hype ugh. 

(S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi

4.5

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this contemporary YA fantasy book written in verse. I really loved reading about the issues and themes confronted here (colonization, hair, skin, beauty), and I really loved learning about the Caribbean folklore side of the novel. If you’re someone who doesn’t really read a lot of fantasy but want to try it out with a book that uses a unique way of storytelling, this is for you, and the poetry is accessible. You will love this!

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack

4.5

This book was way too much fun, I enjoyed every second, and I loved the format! It was a fun mystery to solve. Can’t wait for the next book!

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks

3.0

As much as I enjoyed the concept and the idea, I don’t think the pacing was there. There also seemed to be a couple plot holes that were later poorly executed “reveals” and just random info dropping that I’m not a fan of. This could work for the right person, so definitely give it a try if you’re curious! 

A Short Walk Through a Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke

slow-paced

1.0

Ugh. Had so much potential, but it was just boring, nothing really happened, the writing wasn’t anything special (beyond mediocre), and it just sucked. I wish I could get my time back.

Home Body by Rupi Kaur

4.0

Another fabulous collection from Rupi Kaur! I think I connected more with her previous collections, but this one was full of poems that speak to your soul, just like her previous ones 💜

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

5.0

Wow it didn’t take me long to find a 5 star read for 2025 😂 OH MY GOD every hyped up review you’ve read for this book is true. I loved the journey, the world, the story, and of course our enemies-to-lovers duo, Roman and Iris. I can’t wait to read the second book !

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum

inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

4.0

This book was so charming and cozy and full of heart. I really enjoyed the setting, and how one woman’s dreams could help people realize their raison d’être, and her own. I really wish I read this book last year when I was working through some of the same things these characters were!

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

slow-paced

3.0

It was fine. Better than The Maidens, but I mean it was nothing special. It could have been great.

A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry

adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

This was a really tender middle grade novel that teaches a lot about the circle of life, nature, a wolf’s lifestyle, and the bond these wolf families have. I really enjoyed the story and time and research that went behind the book.