samantha's reviews
268 reviews

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

3.0

Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn

dark funny fast-paced

3.0

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino

emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

City of Laughter by Temim Fruchter

emotional mysterious reflective fast-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? Yes

3.5

‘But what if the tree cover hung low from the moon, a lush world-wide hammock? What if the stars were kept in wells and the ground glowed golden hot at night? What if the windows went on the floor so you could see the ground underneath, what if the eggplant went in the freezer, what if the children went to big corner offices with desks every day and the train conductors went swimming? What if the frosting went on the inside like a surprise, what if the heart and lungs lived outside the skin, pulsating, warm to the touch? What if the mermaids beached themselves and the empty eggshells went under pillows at night? Where would laughter go then? Would it matter?’

Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change by Elizabeth Kolbert

challenging informative medium-paced

3.5

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

Family Meal by Bryan Washington

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

How to Taste: The Curious Cook's Handbook to Seasoning and Balance, from Umami to Acid and Beyond--With Recipes by Becky Selengut

funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.0