sarah2438's reviews
1104 reviews

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

4.0

I think I had built this up in my mind to be something lifechanging, when in reality it was just pretty good. Marcellus will stay in my heart and makes me want to read more books with animal perspectives.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

4.0

So glad I read this with the audiobook because that really helped me with the AAVE. Sad but heartwarming in the end.

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

3.0

It feels a bit criminal to not love this, and yet, I did not. This is my first time reading something by Toni Morrison and I wasn't expecting her writing to be so dense. Very poetic at times, but I struggled both with the writing and the narrative of the story-- it was always fluctuating, not linear at all. I'm embarrassed to admit it but Morrison's works may take more careful analysis than I was able to do this time around. Maybe I'll reread this at a later date.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Pedophilia

Artemis by Andy Weir

2.0

So thoroughly unimpressed with Andy Weir. I was bored out of my mind with Project Hail Mary and Artemis was the same way. Generic tough-girl FMC that doesn't actually walk the walk, lots of science I didn't even pretend to understand, and stakes I don't really care about. Technically I still have The Martian on my shelves, but do I even bother? At least this one checked another Book Nerd box.

The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls

4.0

It's crazy to think this book came out 20 years ago. Walls's storytelling almost made this feel like fiction, and I kept having to remind myself that it wasn't. It reminds me a lot of Educated by Tara Westover.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.

I'm a good chunk in and not invested. Also it makes me sad given where our country is-- this might not be too far off. DNF without prejudice.

All Over Creation by Ruth Ozeki

3.5

I liked the family dynamics and Yummy's complicated relationship with Elliot

(reminded me a lot of My Dark Vanessa)

but I'll be totally honest, I did not care about the plots revolving around GMOs and farming. I knew that was something I wouldn't get excited about so this wasn't necessarily a surprise, and obviously it wasn't a deal breaker because I still overall liked the book, but more an observation for myself. I read this for the library's Ultimate Book Nerd challenge and it was a great choice for the prompt (read a book set in the region you're born in) and I would say I'm pleased that I read it, and it's not something I would normally have picked up-- in that regard, this was a big win!

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
Did not finish book. Stopped at 21%.

The MC is obnoxious (not in the fun way) and I don't have any interest in the magic. The world building feels half assed, a lot of "everything is chaotic and evil the end" vibes.

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

3.0

Liked it, didn't love it. It has a bit of humor and gothic vibes but never very spooky and the humor got a little cringe at times. But it's a quick, fun read. 

There There by Tommy Orange

3.0

I liked it but didn't love it. There are so many characters that are interconnected and it gets difficult to keep track of everyone. To make it more disorienting, the point of view also changes sometimes. And the big event we spend the entire book building up to is so brief, with no resolution at all. It just felt unfinished at the end. With all of that said, I did overall enjoy the writing and it was interesting to get a small sample of so many different lives. I just wish they had between more fleshed out.