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sarah2438's reviews
1099 reviews
Valleyesque: Stories by Fernando A. Flores
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.
I'm two and a half stories in and haven't cared about a single thing. I don't think this one is for me.
Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad
5.0
It makes me so happy that some of my best reads of the year are happening in the last few weeks. I loved this. There are so many struggles that she experiences that I can relate to, despite not experiencing anything remotely like her illness. Just so beautifully written. Give this one a read.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
I didn't know this would be another school for magicians type story and I just don't care about that.
The Martian by Andy Weir
3.0
I decided I wanted to end the year with my last Andy Weir.
When I first added his books to my TBR, I thought I would LOVE him. But Project Hail Mary was too long and didn't hold my interest. Artemis was a quick binge-read that I finished barely a month ago, and I don't remember a single thing about. The Martian was probably my favorite of the three, but not by a significant margin. I'm just not a sci-fi reader, and that's okay. The technical jargon bores me, and all of Weir's characters are the same. This story in particular needed more heart-- Mark never feels gutwrenching despair, or abandonment, or really anything but single-minded focus. Yes, that's what we'd all want in an emergency situation like this. But what we would want is not the same thing as what we want to read about. It was an alright read but I'm ready to leave Andy Weir in 2024.
When I first added his books to my TBR, I thought I would LOVE him. But Project Hail Mary was too long and didn't hold my interest. Artemis was a quick binge-read that I finished barely a month ago, and I don't remember a single thing about. The Martian was probably my favorite of the three, but not by a significant margin. I'm just not a sci-fi reader, and that's okay. The technical jargon bores me, and all of Weir's characters are the same. This story in particular needed more heart-- Mark never feels gutwrenching despair, or abandonment, or really anything but single-minded focus. Yes, that's what we'd all want in an emergency situation like this. But what we would want is not the same thing as what we want to read about. It was an alright read but I'm ready to leave Andy Weir in 2024.
My Husband by Maud Ventura
3.5
This definitely isn't for all readers. It's simultaneously excruciatingly boring, detailing every little thing that happens all week, and also incredibly anxiety-inducing. I would even caution readers to reconsider reading if they struggle with their own anxiety or compulsive thoughts, because our FMC is just exhausting. Still, it's very interesting to see how her mind functions, almost like a case study. And the final chapter just made it all worth it.
Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler
2.5
Adelaide needs to grow a backbone and Rory needs to go fuck himself. The end.
Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
3.5
I was going back and forth between 3.5 and 4 so I might adjust this rating later. I enjoyed this-- very funny, I liked the overall storyline, and I enjoyed the main characters. I think with roadtrip stories I like a bit more of a cast of characters, and that's just a personal preference. I like when our MCs are making new connections wherever they go. There were also some "quirky at the start but then it got old" kind of things, and I've noticed that's a quirk of this author. On the whole though I really did enjoy this.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
4.0
I did it!! And with this, I complete the Ultimate Book Nerd Challenge of 2024.
This book is DENSE. Obviously. And it took quite a while to get into. I think I would have liked to see more interconnections between the stories, but the main thread we had was a strong one, and overall I enjoyed the book more than I expected to. It's not as much of a slog once you get into it and become invested, although I still think it's far too long. Still, if you're not intimidated by the size of it, I'd recommend.
This book is DENSE. Obviously. And it took quite a while to get into. I think I would have liked to see more interconnections between the stories, but the main thread we had was a strong one, and overall I enjoyed the book more than I expected to. It's not as much of a slog once you get into it and become invested, although I still think it's far too long. Still, if you're not intimidated by the size of it, I'd recommend.
The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
4.0
Very interesting look at life in Iran through an underrepresented perspective. Definitely worth a read.