spencerjie's reviews
22 reviews

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

adventurous funny informative medium-paced

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

4.5

Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price

challenging informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I don’t think I can write a thorough review without uncontrollably sobbing, so I’ll just say this. This book is easily my favorite book I have read this year. Maybe in my life time. Dash anyone who turns their nose down at young adult fiction. This is writing at its best.

Little by Edward Carey

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
Did not finish book. Stopped at 53%.

First, this book needs serious trigger warnings.

Second, for how closely it follows Asian history (including a very detailed retelling of the Rape of Nanjing), it does not do a good job of treating its characters that clearly represent the Taiwanese people with the respect they deserve. There is plenty of set up of prejudice, racism, and harsh/untrue stereotypes of the Speerly without the investigative work or clear denouncement of Chinese propaganda and misconceptions of Taiwan. I should not have been surprised and this was written by a Chinese author, but I urge writers from countries that have brutalized and colonized smaller nations to really take a hard look at their opinions of others before writing characters to be “savages” or “uncontrollable.” 

The fantasy aspects and the prose itself are fantastic and that is precisely what is so disappointing about this book. The author clearly has impressive talent and great potential. However, politics especially those with deep histories of mistreatment should not be written about so shallowly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Self harm, Torture, Classism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Racism, War, Drug abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Blood, Body horror, and Misogyny

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

this book is, understandably, incredibly dark. taking place in war-torn Afghanistan, these personal stories get to the root of the effects of war, traditionalism, womanhood, religion, and so much more. gorgeous prose and insightful storytelling. i would be very cautious and cognizant that you are in a decent mental health space before you read this book because it is nothing short of brutal from beginning to end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Vomit, Violence, and War

Oculta by Maya Motayne

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

5.0

this sequel to Nocturna is so intense and beautifully written you will want to read it in one sitting and immediately reread it again. i am awestruck by Motatyne’s prose and cannot wait for the third installment 

The Whisper Man by Alex North

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-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

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

a great addition to the hunger games series. fleshing out coriolanus snow’s character in tandem with a kind of origin story for the hunger games themselves was a really good choice that made for a thrilling story.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

dark fast-paced

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

1.5

really weird pacing and an insane ending that doesn’t make much sense