smiti_nathan's reviews
119 reviews

Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

The Plotters by Un-su Kim

challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Grief, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Child death, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Rape, Violence, and Sexual violence

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

adventurous hopeful mysterious 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? No

4.75

I loved the world-building, descriptions (e.g., flowers, hairstyles, landscapes, etc.), storytelling, and pacing of this book. It pulled me in straight away. I appreciated that the author didn't draw certain plot points out. Some people noted their annoyance with love triangles (I totally get that), but I felt it was more tensions than triangles. The story follows more of a traditional "hero's journey" arc, and the main protagonist has a singular goal in this novel. It ends in a way where this could be a standalone novel, but I jumped straight into the second one.

A Stash of One's Own: Knitters on Loving, Living With, and Letting Go of Yarn by Clara Parkes

reflective medium-paced

3.75

3.75 and rounding up and listen to as an audiobook

This was a nice anthology to listen to in the evening or when doing other things. Some essays are standout, while I didn't connect with others. Totally normal for anthologies. I wish there were more perspectives from people who identify as part of historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups. While I'm not a knitter, certain perspectives felt they were missing. Take this New York Times article on black women knitting: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/style/knitting-hobby-black-women.html