safsaf118's reviews
227 reviews

The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa

dark tense slow-paced

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

2.5

Not for me, weird and confusing. Interesting concept but failed to deliver in my opinion - or at least it wasn't what I was expecting. 

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

4.5

I wasn't sure how I would feel about a story with a perspective of an animal but I really liked this. It was actually extremely heartfelt and sweet - a bit slow but worth it. 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

I had to see what the hype was about.

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

challenging dark tense fast-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

4.5

I honestly really liked this - such a surprising and cool concept. It got extremely stressful as it progressed and did such a good job of jumping back and forth from the past. 

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

adventurous challenging inspiring 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

So random that this is historically unlike any of her other books. I love Ruta Sepetys and her stories and this was a reread, but I didn't remember much from the first one. A bittersweet coming-of-age story against a sketchy and violent upbringing, really good.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

adventurous hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.75

I can't believe I'm saying this, but the movie is better. A fun, campy adventure story. Was it totally weird? Yes, but I found it easy to follow. Not sure how I would have felt if I hadn't seen the movie first.

Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong

emotional funny fast-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

3.75

I found this a pretty sweet and sort of weird story about a wonky family. I didn't realize it was supposed to be funny, and wouldn't call it a comedy. 

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.75

Wow, this is one of those stories that just creeps up on you and pulls you in without even realizing it. You think the story is going one way and then everything is completely flipped on its head. There's a real sense of creepiness that you get to near the end of the book and it's a bit scary, not going to lie. But I loved this so much. (It should be a federal crime that Florence Pugh was cast in this movie...did they not read the book? Not the vibe at all. I don't think I can stomach the adaptation). 

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

challenging dark emotional 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

 I had such a strong sense of déjà vu when reading this book but I could not remember if I actually have read it before or if my brain was tricking me. But it was a really incredible story that was at times, tough to read. I really am obsessed with how time was used in the novel, how it passed and the hints we’d need to pick up on to situate ourselves again. All you want when reading is for Celie to be happy and catch a break. It’s definitely not an easy read but as much as it is heartbreaking, at its core it’s about love and sisterhood and finding light in whatever way. 

Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion

reflective medium-paced

3.0

 Okay, I am going to be honest I just didn’t get it. This was probably one of the worst ways for me to introduce myself to Joan Didion’s writing, which I won’t deny is really strong and evocative. But I struggled to connect or appreciate the majority of these essays.  Standouts for me were Alicia and the Underground Press, On Being Unchosen, Why I Write and Father, Sons, Screaming Eagles. I also really liked the Martha Stewart essay in that it led me down a rabbit hole of how the Martha Stewart brand was affected by her arrest. But I felt like these were a bit of a mixed bag and I just didn’t really click with the topics I suppose.