saiw's reviews
44 reviews

Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears by Michael Schulman

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
Did not finish book.

Enjoyed what I read so far but was reading too many books at once and had to let this one go back to the library

Snowglobe by Soyoung Park

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Zone One by Colson Whitehead

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Heavy on the world building, Zone One sometimes read like short stories because of the way Whitehead often switches between the vignettes from the narrator's memories and his present. It doesn't have a very clearly defined plot, but I was so engrossed in the writing and the world that I didn't really care that I had no idea where it was going. Reading it as an e-book without paying attention to my place in the book, I was shocked at when and how it ended. This is one of those books where afterward you feel like staring into the void for a while...and maybe rereading the last few pages a couple times more...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Suicide, Blood, Cannibalism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

The Fallback by Eleanor Goymer

hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.75

Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala

funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

2.75

Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello

hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

Great concept; executed well. Loved how inventive Rogers was with different styles for each story (epistolary, 1st, 3rd and even 2nd POV or multiple 1st POV in the same story). She is a strong writer and each story flows well together. I didn't realize until the authors' note that she had written some of them separately over the course of years because the connections in themes and some overlapping characters makes the anthology read almost like one story despite the style differences. I can't even pick a favorite. This had me reading like I was back in school, going back over certain parts to try to analyze them, which I almost never do anymore. I always try to read a library copy before judging if a book is worth buying, if I'll be likely to reread or want to lend to friends, and this one will be on my list. 

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.

I liked what I read so far, but am about to start a new job and it was just not the right time for me to read a book about lying at a new job... it was low-key stressing me out 😅 Can definitely see myself revisiting the book another time! The writing was fun and Ember felt like she had a realistic/believable POV (the audiobook narrator did a great job conveying her emotions).