sonyareadsbooks's reviews
108 reviews

Red Dragon by Thomas Harris

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent

Minor: Torture

Heartstopper Volume 1 by Alice Oseman

lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship

Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino

funny informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use

Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

emotional reflective medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Sexism, Violence, Abortion

Minor: Death, Police brutality, Death of parent

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

adventurous emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content

Minor: Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Suicide

Slade House by David Mitchell

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder

Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Medical content

Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Suicide, Xenophobia

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Stalking

Moderate: Transphobia

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Dementia, Abortion

Just Eat It: How intuitive eating can help you get your shit together around food by Laura Thomas

informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

I found this book really helpful. The tone is very conversational -- sometimes a little bit much, in my opinion -- but Laura provides a detailed and informed perspective on diet culture and intuitive eating which is grounded in a wealth of scientific evidence and research, while also including brief exercises designed to help you get in touch with your own hunger and fullness cues and accept your body as it is. Like many books in this genre, it is chiefly aimed at a female readers (lots of use of she/her pronouns throughout), which feels a little bit exclusionary to me as a non-cis woman who has struggled with dieting/disordered eating. However, despite that, I enjoyed the book, and I look forward to coming back to certain sections when I need a reminder or a pick-me-up. 

The General in His Labyrinth by Gabriel García Márquez

adventurous challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Terminal illness

Moderate: Violence, Medical content