Take a photo of a barcode or cover
sarah2438's reviews
1103 reviews
The Change by Kirsten Miller
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.
I don't have patience for these boring/mid books that have been on my TBR for so long. I could finish it and it would be fine but I don't want to read a book that's only fine.
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Just not into it, 15% in is enough for a book that's been on my TBR this long.
Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton
4.0
My heart breaks for her.
A few years ago I saw a video where someone gave a more nuanced take on Paris-- basically saying that if everyone was going to give her this reputation after the sex tape, she might as well roll with it as a big "fuck you." But oh my gosh, I had no idea about any of these things and I kind of love Paris Hilton now? She's not the vapid blonde people like to pretend she is. She is an icon who manages to be both feminine and strong, building a crazy platform for herself as basically the first influencer, and she's done it all to build up protections so that she'll never feel powerless again. I love love love how she comes full circle in her growth and is now advocating for legislation to protect children. Parts 1 and 2 of this just devastated me and it was truly difficult to read. But Paris has this ADHD charm that makes her so relatable; she's honest about how difficult it is to write these things, and jumps away from topics when they get too hard, just like anyone else would. Ugh. This review is hardly even coherent but it just needs to be said that the world has underestimated this woman.
A few years ago I saw a video where someone gave a more nuanced take on Paris-- basically saying that if everyone was going to give her this reputation after the sex tape, she might as well roll with it as a big "fuck you." But oh my gosh, I had no idea about any of these things and I kind of love Paris Hilton now? She's not the vapid blonde people like to pretend she is. She is an icon who manages to be both feminine and strong, building a crazy platform for herself as basically the first influencer, and she's done it all to build up protections so that she'll never feel powerless again. I love love love how she comes full circle in her growth and is now advocating for legislation to protect children. Parts 1 and 2 of this just devastated me and it was truly difficult to read. But Paris has this ADHD charm that makes her so relatable; she's honest about how difficult it is to write these things, and jumps away from topics when they get too hard, just like anyone else would. Ugh. This review is hardly even coherent but it just needs to be said that the world has underestimated this woman.
Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan
3.0
The nostalgia is starting to wear off with these. All of the storylines feel so low stakes because we know these are just sidequests-- Uncle Rick wouldn't DARE kill anyone off while Percy is on this silly mission to get college recommendation letters. As much as I love Percy Jackson, I think the final book in this mini-series will be my last with him. I always knew it was a cashgrab, and I always knew I'd hand over my money anyway, but it's just not the same anymore.
The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica
2.0
This one was a miss for me. I devoured (ha) Tender is the Flesh but the book of short stories that followed was a letdown, and so is this one. It takes place in an ill-defined post-apocalyptic future (intentional, but something we've seen before) where our MC is caught up in a religious cult of torture. The questions that are posed in the description of the book (" How did she get to the Sacred Sisterhood? Why can’t she remember her life before? And what really happens when a woman is chosen as one of the Enlightened?") are a bit misleading, because I don't think we're given anytime to ponder these things. Lucia comes into our MC's life about halfway through the book, so even that feels like a spoiler to include in the description. The description ends with "A searing, dystopian tale about climate crisis, ideological extremism, and the tidal pull of our most violent, exploitative instincts, this is another unforgettable novel from a master of feminist horror." But I would pose that none of these topics are covered at all, or if they are, it's very surface-level. Reading a description of this book really sets you up for failure. I think it would've been best to go in blind but even then, the story just doesn't cut it.
**I received a free eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
**I received a free eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
2.0
Did I like it? No. Is that gonna stop me from reading everything Ali writes? Also no. Short-stories just aren't her strongsuit.
Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
4.5
Will fully admit I wasn't expecting to love this one-- I'm not particularly interested in music or dance. The passion the author has for these things is clear. I will admit that my attention waffled a few times when the narrator fixated on specific songs or an evening hitting the clubs. But this is about so much more, and the just like with Open Water, the writing is stunning.
A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck
4.0
Bleak.
It oddly reminded me of I Who Have Never Known Men-- similar vibes but with much different takeaways. Very intelligent writing. Be careful when you read this though, because as I mentioned-- it's BLEAK.
It oddly reminded me of I Who Have Never Known Men-- similar vibes but with much different takeaways. Very intelligent writing. Be careful when you read this though, because as I mentioned-- it's BLEAK.
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
4.0
Semi-reluctant 4 stars. The plot sucks you in and is really interesting. So is the writing. I think the comparison to Addie LaRue is pretty fair, but with a few caveats.
For one, there is a significant lack of depth. Everything is spelled out for the reader, repeatedly, without nuance. Maybe this is because it's YA, but I still think we could've seen more depth in the characters and more backstory with each of the flashback chapters.
Second, I thought the ending was pretty weak. I expected more of a buildup but after everything we built for 300 pages, the big bad conflict and epilogue were very fast and almost felt rushed.
Overall I would still recommend this because I really enjoyed the writing and it's fun to dive into some YA fantasy every once in a while. I would just say to manage your expectations while everyone is comping this to Addie, which is one of my favorite fantasy novels.
**I received an audio ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
For one, there is a significant lack of depth. Everything is spelled out for the reader, repeatedly, without nuance. Maybe this is because it's YA, but I still think we could've seen more depth in the characters and more backstory with each of the flashback chapters.
Second, I thought the ending was pretty weak. I expected more of a buildup but after everything we built for 300 pages, the big bad conflict and epilogue were very fast and almost felt rushed.
Overall I would still recommend this because I really enjoyed the writing and it's fun to dive into some YA fantasy every once in a while. I would just say to manage your expectations while everyone is comping this to Addie, which is one of my favorite fantasy novels.
**I received an audio ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
2.0
The character studies I enjoy are few and far between, and this was not one of the few. I just found it so dull and endless. And if you find the central romance problematic and gross, there's not much left to root for. I'm tempted to rate it lower but I think that would just be out of spite about it being so long, yet having to finish it anyway for book club.