ristretto's reviews
360 reviews

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad slow-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

3.5

Slow Dance is a story about second chance romance and finding the right time for a relationship to work. As usual Rainbow Rowell’s writing and funny and full heart with bittersweet moments as we explore the relationship of Shiloh and Cary both past and present. As the title suggests this is a story that takes it’s time to unfold much like the story of these character’s romantic feelings and ebbs and flows in their lives.

Fans of her previous work will see some parallels to her past writing. Some of it worked for me but sometimes it felt like a little too close of a retread. There is some very Atrachments-esque banter that felt very charming and which I really enjoyed. But some moments from the teenage years felt just a little too close to a couple of stories from the recent Scattered Showers short story collection and a character dynamic that personally I’m not a fan of, but that’s just my personal preference. As someone unfamiliar with the Midwest I thought the setting was interesting and enjoyed reading about it and how it shaped these characters. Overall it was enjoyable and sweet with lovely dialogue and character moments but it’s not my favorite thing she’s written. It could definitely be a really nice comfort for someone I feel.

This is a book for someone looking for a sweet and funny romantic read with bittersweet and emotional moments. Someone who’s looking for a second chance romance with lovely banter that takes its time.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality by Amanda Montell

funny informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.5

Amanda Montell provides an informative and entertaining exploration of the cognitive biases that affect our everyday lives. I really love her voice as a writer and the topics she explores and this was no exception. She writes in an easy to digest and d entertaining way while still remaining informative. 

I felt like this time she took a more personal and self reflective approach which lent itself well to what was being discussed. For fans of the podcast, Sounds Like a Cult, like me, it’s also fun to see some topics that have come up explored from a different angle like in the chapter on the halo effect. I also really enjoyed the chapter on The Life Changing Magic of Becoming a Mediocre Crafter and now want to see that infamous seat cushion! 

If you’re a fan of the Sounds Like a Cult podcast or have enjoyed her previous books you won’t be disappointed. I would also recommend this to people looking for a fun informative read.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Atria Books. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There's No Way I'd Die First by Lisa Springer

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Man's Best Friend by Alana B. Lytle

dark mysterious reflective 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

4.25

It’s a little bit of Night Bitch meets the Talented Mr. Ripley. We follow El, befriended at a young age by Julia and Ana two wealthy girls who bring El into their circle. However, they grow distant as they grow up and head their separate ways. El still longs for a connection to that world of wealth, privilege, and power as she exists as a failed actress working at a bakery feeling untethered and disconnected from the people and world around her.

I really liked the writing in this, it made these characters feel alive and real in their actions and motivations and kept me invested despite (or because of?) these unlikeable flawed characters. As El at times teeters between choices it keeps the reader guessing as to what she will ultimately choose to do. While I liked the dog segments woven throughout the story, I felt it could have been a bit more subtle at times. The way everything came together at the climax had me completely gripped and I couldn’t put it down.

If you are looking for an anti romance with an unapologetically selfish characters and sharp social criticism with thriller elements this is a really great read and you should check it out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 1 by Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Black Butler, Vol. 3 by Yana Toboso

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad 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

4.5

Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes

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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

So here’s the set up. Ophelia’s life mission has been the study and prevention of ERs a type of space PTSD that can be deadly to space explorers. She’s also running from her past and the crimes of her father. So she joins a crew as they survey an abandoned isolated planet but right from the start things are off. It looks like the previous team left in a hurry and the station is in disarray. The rest of the crew plays it off as if it’s a prank by the previous residents to spook them, but little things start to add up and they are about to discover much worse.

Space Horror, I’m here for it! The isolation and feeling of claustrophobia with nowhere to run and no one to help you along with creepy abandoned spaces, being snowed in, and body horror creates such a delightfully tense read. This has it all and I kind of loved it. It kept me turning the pages late into the night. The story and atmosphere build up at just the right pace and Ophelia’s past adds another dark layer to it.

This is great for fans of Alien and The Thing or readers who enjoyed the author’s previous novel, Dead Silence. It’s tense and suspenseful and will keep you reading late into the night!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

4.0

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk

dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

The writing in this is really atmospheric and beautiful. The story is told in two parts, first through  that of a vampire who journeys to Buenos Aires to escape those pursuing her and must learn to survive in a new land as it undergoes change and upheaval. I especially enjoyed the first half as “Maria” is a really intriguing character and the background of the changes happening around her and the atmosphere of an illness consuming the city is dark and moody. 

In the present day we meet Alma who is helpless to watch as her mother is consumed by illness and at the same time dealing with divorce and motherhood. As she comes into the possession of a mysterious key to a crypt two worlds of these women come together. Themes of grief, death, fear, the power of our choices, and what it means to be human are explored through their experiences.

This is a story for those who looking for the feeling of exploring a cemetery on an overcast day and who are looking for a haunting and poignant vampire read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Throne and a Crown by Adelaide Blaike

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective tense 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

4.25