silvani's reviews
663 reviews

NerdCrush by Alisha Emrich

Go to review page

hopeful lighthearted 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

3.0

I was a little surprised that this book was published in 2023 because the themes, references, and setting really felt like being an awkward nerd in 2006-2010. I think the author did a great job balancing the personal development of the character and the romance plot. It did feel a bit like the male lead didn't have his own flaws to work on. I was a bit torn on how to rate/review this because it reminded me so much of cringier times in my life that I struggled to enjoy it, but I think that's more about me than the author's work. The writing style is very simple and matter of a fact and that adds to the realism and feeling like you are reading about a high schooler. 
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

Go to review page

adventurous funny reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement by James Vincent

Go to review page

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
The Powerhouse: Inside the Invention of a Battery to Save the World by Steve Levine

Go to review page

informative slow-paced

3.5

Started out strong but I felt it kind of meandered. There wasn't a clear thesis and there were a lot of individuals to keep track of. It seems well researched but is already out of date and parts didn't age all that well, so using it as reference is premature. I don't regret reading it but I think in future years there will be a better book to read on the subject. 
Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World by Mark Miodownik

Go to review page

adventurous informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

5.0

Masterful high level, approachable summary of the materials that define our world. I have an academic background in materials science and I even learned a few things!
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

This is a pretty standard Terry Pratchett Discworld book. Fun and amusing but not particularly groundbreaking
Day Zero by C. Robert Cargill

Go to review page

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

4.0

An entertaining read. It felt like the author kept coming right up to a thesis on free will or the nature of exploiting labor, and then shied away at the last second to talk about love. It kind of felt like a cheap knockoff of Asimov's work. I enjoyed it but this is definitely for someone who wants action and not thought.
Noor by Nnedi Okorafor

Go to review page

adventurous dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

Each chapter is a short anecdote, this would be perfect to read one chapter at a time over morning coffee.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings