rosiecheeks's reviews
191 reviews

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

emotional funny reflective slow-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

4.5

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

dark funny tense fast-paced

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

4.0

You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

ugh. how to even begin

i do think this book is technically very sound. the writing is solid and doesn't feel pretentious the way that some modern litfic can. i think the author set out to have everyone be unlikable, and Oh My God did she succeed. this story and everyone in it is/are messy in the most frustrating way, and again i know that's the point but it just plain didn't work for me

there are a lot of things i could complain about at length; mainly that any exploration of the mc's palestinian heritage, her relationship with her mother, her introspection about her love addiction, and any consideration for the people around her is relegated to a few throwaway lines each. much of the book is her repeating the same cycles in so many relationships that i lost count. again, i know that's probably the point but... like. i got the message after the 3rd rando she slept with. i really wish there was more to this story than that.

i was specifically bothered by the messy + cheating bisexual trope for our main character. like.... this book was published in 2020 but felt much older given all of the strange ways that our mc's sexuality was treated/discussed by the American characters (totally understood what was being said re: her mom's reaction.) it doesn't help that this cheating trope also occurs in other female characters that the mc flirts with and then seemingly "turns" and takes to bed. 

also, the rapist character whose actions are brought up once and then indirectly excused was a jumpscare that i hated! 

also also, free my girl renata. she should've cut off the mc years ago.

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

hopeful mysterious slow-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? No

3.75

We Need to Do Something by Max Booth III

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj

hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum

dark sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Nod by Adrian Barnes
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.

such a cool concept but I can't get over how grossed out I feel about how the women and girls in this book are written. I can only imagine it gets worse from here

The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli

challenging funny reflective fast-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? It's complicated

4.25