readingtheother's reviews
249 reviews

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

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hopeful inspiring reflective slow-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

3.0

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

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

4.0

Star by Yukio Mishima

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dark reflective 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

3.75

i like my books short and weird and star by yukio mishima ticks both those boxes. this is very ✨no plot just vibes✨ exploration of the way fame and stardom alienates celebrities from reality. a celebrity’s job is to create a fantasy world for the audience - their actions have no real consequences, everything they say is mediated by a PR team, and their own image is the most important thing, no matter what happens behind the mask. in this novella, Rikio is an up and coming actor who is starting to feel the strain of this constant artifice. he finds sanctuary in Kayo, his assistant who consciously subverts the standards of the film industry in her own fuck you to the pretense she helps create. rikio doesn’t know what he’s looking for - while his relationship with kayo helps offset some of the alienation, he is still longing for something to change. we don’t know if he finds it, but experiencing his detachment is just chefs kiss
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Some Prefer Nettles by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki

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

3.5

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So Now You Know: A Memoir of Growing Up Gay in India by Vivek Tejuja

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emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced

1.75

not a bad book, just... kinda mediocre writing. it felt like being held hostage by a talkative stranger at a party; they're telling you all about their life but there's nothing interesting added to it? like it's just an infodump. 
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Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

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

4.0

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An Educated Woman In Prostitution: A Memoir of Lust, Exploitation, Deceit by Manada Devi

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challenging informative medium-paced

3.5

Luster by Raven Leilani

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

3.75

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

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emotional funny lighthearted 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

4.0

NOW THIS IS A ROMANCE!!!! Fake dating, hilarious side characters, along with emotional chaos. Ending was a bit much but it was fine. I read it twice and now recommend it to everyone looking for a fun romance novel. 
Top Secret by Elle Kennedy, Sarina Bowen

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

2.0

I've read better fanfiction, tbh. Still okay to speed read. I read this when I had COVID. Did it lift my spirits? No. But it was an okay way to pass the time.