santreads's reviews
842 reviews

When I Hid My Caste: Stories by Baburao Bagul

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0

Father May Be an Elephant and Mother Only a Small Basket, But... by Gogu Shyamala

lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

this is a book that grows on you. the first few short stories, you're just kind of figuring stuff out and then these characters and their thoughts, inner and outer turmoils come in and it's just so captivating. as a person who hasn't read too many books that are set in rural india AND written by someone who grew up there, it was so insightful to inhibit that space.

all the translators talk about how different gogu shyamala's writing is and how the language is so different from regular telugu and while the translation does show it to a certain extent, i truly wish i could read the original language to understand the difference even more.

would recommend.

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka

funny reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No

5.0

riddle me this, WHY am I sobbing after finishing this book? The end wasn't even dramatic or this *big* moment, but I'm just SOBBING.

this is a book that does a lot and it's tough to describe but it does all that it does very very well. i will say that it won't be for everyone, but those who love it will truly truly love it.

Heroes The Colour of Dust by Amit Majumder

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam

challenging reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

I honestly don't know what to think of this book. Objectively, brilliant writing but did I really enjoy it? No one knows. 

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

Shit Cassandra Saw by Gwen E. Kirby

emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.5

Super smart, funny, feminist, real, borderline absurd in the best sort of way. 
What a fantastic hold on characters and the human emotion. Im honestly in awe. Can't wait to see what the author comes up with next. 

City of Incident - A Novel in Twelve Parts by Annie Zaidi

lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.0

March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin

inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

The book is a good introduction to John Lewis. I liked the back and forth between current day and the past and how they sort of melded together. I look forward to reading the other books in this series. 

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

not an easy read but beautiful writing that puts across the story of this family each dealing with something, the dog fights and teenage sex bits were very hard for me to read which is why i cannot recommend

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Sexual content, Medical content, and Pregnancy