sinvvas's reviews
295 reviews

Bad Sex: Truth, Pleasure, and an Unfinished Revolution by Nona Willis Aronowitz

informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

challenging informative tense slow-paced

3.75

Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory: Stories by Raphael Bob-Waksberg

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A

4.25

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

dark emotional tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.75

“I am just an unemployed linguist with a lot of dead friends.” I think I will have an incredibly hard time not comparing any other philosophical science fiction to this. Desperate yet understanding, wanting God but being unable to believe. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Cherry by Nico Walker

challenging funny medium-paced

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

3.5

Men Who Hate Women by Laura Bates

challenging dark informative slow-paced

4.75

The God Desire by David Baddiel

challenging emotional hopeful informative fast-paced

4.0

This sums up my beliefs pretty well, as well as kind of reckoning with Judaism. It’s hopeful in all of the right places. 

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I’m glad that I read this after the pandemic instead of when it first came out. I understand that feeling of “what if was the last time I ate an orange”. I fell like if I read this when it first came out I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as I did. I’m a big fan of stories that show how people kind of weave in and out of each others lives, often times with very little fan fare. This checked a lot of boxes for me. 

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

 Being a teen is messy and confusing. I grew up with a single dad and when I turned about 12 he gave this book to me. Mostly so he wouldn’t have to explain puberty to me, but also because he wanted me to have something to relate to. I hold this story very near and dear to my heart. Judy Blume has helped foster entire generations of kids into reading, but has also given many an awkward teen a life line. She treats adolescence with the type of respect, but also tongue-in -cheek humor, it deserves. If God is listening, I hope he hears every teenage girl's prayers, because they need his help the most. I definitely did.