safsaf118's reviews
227 reviews

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.5

I realized as I started this that I had very little knowledge about the Zodiac Killer, so this sent me down a rabbit hole and I couldn't put it down. It was hard to read, haunting and creepy and claustrophobic -- and it felt like holding the author's entire life work in your hands. So heartbreaking that she never got to see him caught.

The Book of Mother by Violaine Huisman

dark emotional reflective slow-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

2.0

I really struggled to read this and don't know why I didn't just give up. I guess I thought it would be similar to Tove Ditlevsen's writing but that didn't really happen. Not a fan.

A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott

challenging dark hopeful medium-paced

3.75

It was an interesting read, I enjoyed how she interspersed research and historical literature with her own family history and experiences. It was occasionally a bit hard to follow, but I found her reflections on generational trauma and family upbringing to be a highlight. 

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

dark 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? Yes

4.5

Finally, a good thriller. This was so good and creepy and unsettling, I devoured it. Genuinely felt so stressed and nervous the whole time. 

Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

emotional sad slow-paced

Don't really have a rating for this, just found it to be super touching and sad. 

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I found the concept to be really cool but it was a bit weird for my taste. I am tired of deranged and overly paranoid narrators (though she had every right to be sort of crazy). I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened but the plot twists were not as fun as I thought they would be. 

Digging to America by Anne Tyler

emotional hopeful 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

Love a good family saga. I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but I really enjoyed how we got glimpses into each of the character's lives and their experiences.

The relationship between Maryam and Dave was kind of weird but Maryam was an icon so I can overlook it.

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

3.75

I definitely found the first volume on her childhood to be super detailed and insightful, but the teenage years and young adult years all sort of blurred together and was less interesting to me. You can definitely feel the homesickness and loneliness throughout.

Songbirds by Christy Lefteri

emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

Heartbreaking, but also a really thoughtful insight into the tensions and struggles of migrant workers.

I wish we got a bit more closure about Nisha's death because I still had questions and would have wanted to see that fleshed out a bit more, but not sure if the ambiguity was intentional?

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.25

That was a lot. Dare I say too much? I couldn't put it down but it wasn't until I finished that I realized how heavy it was.