roniboi's reviews
546 reviews

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

I basically feel cheated if I'm being honest. I was enjoying it for more than half of the book, but then Feeney began trying to wrap things up, throw some twists in and I spent the rest of the book in disbelief. Not in a good way. This comes down to the author's lack of building I suppose.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 1%.

A page in and the author's inability to write cross-generational characters was glaring. Did not bode well for the established plot.

Spare by Prince Harry
Did not finish book. Stopped at 52%.

I started out of curiousity but once that burned out (one can only do the same thing over and over again), I realized I couldn't care less about his story. He's really just not that interesting. I will give him props for some good writing (if he actually wrote it) and I do like the insight, just not all that surprising.

Hide by Kiersten White

dark tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

I began reading the book and almost dropped it. I was introduced to fourteen characters and I cared for none of them. Nor did I care for the way they were portrayed. Even after finishing, I am iffy about if I liked how the characters were written. At first, I was thrown off by how it was narrated. It felt like the author was trying to sprinkle exposition in for these characters when I couldn't care less about. Later, this same narrative tool became more effective as it focused in on the remaining characters, not all 14. Some characters you were clearly supposed to feel for, but I could not given how little time they had to expand those feelings. I resented that the book kept telling me how I was supposed to feel about these characters, only to feel that way about them. Just a little. I liked it much better when it was smaller groups. I cared enough about them and I felt for them. It wasn't perfect, but I appreciate what it had to say and the way it chose to say it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Murder

Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.

I cannot read short stories for the life of me. They always feel like a waste of time and effort.

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 18%.

I wanted it to be a certain way and I could tell from the beginning it wouldn't be so I saved myself time and got the heck out.

Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vuong
Did not finish book. Stopped at 47%.

I was NOT in the mood for poetry, specifically Vuong's.

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.

I was not feeling Libby or that guy that was supposed to be her love interest. I had a feeling the book was going to care too much about them for my liking.

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This book was odder, bloodier, and more disorienting than I thought it would be picking it up. I don't know exactly how to feel after finishing it. I just know it was well written. It was clearly thought out well. Yet I hesitate to say that I entirely enjoyed it. I suppose the events that unfolded in the latter half of the book were not my cup of tea, not meaning the gore or anything. I suppose I am less of a speculative fiction girlie than I originally thought. For someone who enjoys fantasy, I suppose I enjoy it a certain way if that makes any sense. I really can appreciate the grip the story had on me which is why it still gets such a high rating. I don't think it deserves any less.
The best part of the book for me was Jane which was shocking to me because I almost NEVER like the main character. I just felt I could relate to her on certain things and she was honestly just more compelling than most main characters with all her flaws, insecurities, and strengths.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: War

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

1.25

Oh my god, did I hate this book. It worked me up several times with how eye-roll-inducing it could be. The MC was just a walking encyclopedia of Chinese culture, never once allowing you to feel like you were actually immersed in the lives of an authentic family. The love interest had more potential to be a much more interesting character (like actually set up a believable bond between him and the mc's family, elaborate on his feelings of having a cultural disconnect, etc). Overall, all the characters were shallow and poorly explored and same goes for the romance. Also, why were the main couple's conversations always so stilted whenever they had to make small talk. I could rant for longer, but I'll keep it short.