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sabbygee's reviews
456 reviews
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
I did not expect the book to turn out the way it did. Whenever I thought I figured it out, the story takes an entirely different direction. This must be how Ruth felt while reading Nao’s journal. If this is the author’s intent, then I’d say she did a splendid job!
This book is a lot but in a good way. It’s sad yet hopeful with a dash of whimsy and magic. I felt Nao’s young, powerful voice and her interesting narrative. Ruth’s POV wasn’t as compelling but it still added to the storytelling. I also like how stories from WWII and some insight on 9/11 is told from the Japanese perspective. It’s something I don’t usually come across in books and it was quite interesting.
A Tale for the Time Being is unusual and not exactly an easy read (for me at least) but it’s definitely a page turner.
This book is a lot but in a good way. It’s sad yet hopeful with a dash of whimsy and magic. I felt Nao’s young, powerful voice and her interesting narrative. Ruth’s POV wasn’t as compelling but it still added to the storytelling. I also like how stories from WWII and some insight on 9/11 is told from the Japanese perspective. It’s something I don’t usually come across in books and it was quite interesting.
A Tale for the Time Being is unusual and not exactly an easy read (for me at least) but it’s definitely a page turner.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, War, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
This essay is okay but nothing groundbreaking. Perhaps I’m not the target audience for the message Adichie was trying to convey. I found her points to be basic but only because they’re things I already often think about and argue for. It also doesn’t take intersectional feminism into account which is unfortunate. I would say though that her conversational tone is effective. I would recommend this to those who are just starting to explore fundamental feminism. It’s a good place to start.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I’m a fan of the fake dating trope and I think this book managed to get it right. The pacing is steady, the build up from fake to real dating made sense, and the chemistry was there. The leads make a cute couple! I had a ton of stupid fun reading this. There were a few things that didn’t quite click for me but nothing too bad that suspension of disbelief couldn’t fix. If you’re looking for an easy romance read, give this one a go.
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.5
Open Water is both beautiful and heart-wrenching. It tells the story of two artists finding an instant connection and building their relationship over time. Alongside the romance is an exploration of race, identity, and the reality of living with the social scars left by prejudice and violence.
It’s written in the second person through the eyes of the unnamed male lead. The prose often felt like poetry dancing off the pages. The pacing is too slow for my liking though but I recognize its importance to the storytelling. There’s a rhythm to reading it which, I admit, is not easy to fall into. But when I finally did, I found it very rewarding. I’m still at a loss for words hours after finishing the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality and Racism
Human Acts by Han Kang
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Told from several perspectives of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising and the years that follow, Han Kang doesn’t shy away from grisly descriptions of violence and despair to walk readers through a pivotal period in South Korea’s history.
It’s certainly not a book you’d devour in one sitting. It took a lot of time and effort for me to fully immerse. Even when I did, I didn’t feel totally committed. Every chapter is told from a different character’s perspective so the writing changes a bit each time. It made the narrative seem fragmented for me though so it’s probably why I felt detached from the whole story. In the end, it left me feeling more sadness than pain but no lasting impression.
(P.S. still, thank you Kim Namjoon for indirectly recommending this book.)
It’s certainly not a book you’d devour in one sitting. It took a lot of time and effort for me to fully immerse. Even when I did, I didn’t feel totally committed. Every chapter is told from a different character’s perspective so the writing changes a bit each time. It made the narrative seem fragmented for me though so it’s probably why I felt detached from the whole story. In the end, it left me feeling more sadness than pain but no lasting impression.
(P.S. still, thank you Kim Namjoon for indirectly recommending this book.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, War, Suicide, Police brutality, Murder, Death, Confinement, and Blood
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
1. This book is way too long because the main character, Lina, keeps overthinking. She’ll have the same inner monologue every other chapter and sometimes she’ll even recount a series of events that happened only a few pages ago. Totally unnecessary! This could’ve been a shorter book.
2. The romance felt so unnatural because the groundwork wasn’t done right. I didn’t feel their chemistry. The male lead’s too perfect to the point of being boring. There was a lot of telling and not showing. Oh you love her? Why? *male lead proceeds to explain in full paragraphs* NO, STOP.
3. I’m disappointed that the serious issues weren’t explored all that much. They felt like random side stories rather than actual character-defining backstories/subplots.
4. It’s like the book tried to squeeze in everything in one story: enemies to lovers trope, forced proximity trope, feminist issues, office politics, family, etc. A lot going on but everything was half-baked in the end.
2. The romance felt so unnatural because the groundwork wasn’t done right. I didn’t feel their chemistry. The male lead’s too perfect to the point of being boring. There was a lot of telling and not showing. Oh you love her? Why? *male lead proceeds to explain in full paragraphs* NO, STOP.
3. I’m disappointed that the serious issues weren’t explored all that much. They felt like random side stories rather than actual character-defining backstories/subplots.
4. It’s like the book tried to squeeze in everything in one story: enemies to lovers trope, forced proximity trope, feminist issues, office politics, family, etc. A lot going on but everything was half-baked in the end.