sphynxreads's reviews
789 reviews

Paper Towns by John Green

emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

While I think I enjoyed the movie adaptation more than the book, the book definitely drives home the themes a lot stronger. John Green is excellent in his character work here, especially in crafting such a flawed yet relatable protagonist. Very thought-provoking and a rather unique spin on the roadtrip trope.

Kommunity 2025 by Paolo Alessandro Herras

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

An incredibly beautiful anthology that serves as a love letter to Komiket and its ten years in the making! As someone new to Filipino komiks, this made me interested in many of the original Komiket publications and left me in awe of the passion and creativity that went on behind the scenes during Komiket's humble beginnings and how this wonderful tradition continues to thrive to this day. Mabuhay ang Pinoy komiks!

The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan

adventurous hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

A surprisingly delightful read that despite having a decentt amount of action, feels cozy more than anything. The writing isn't the best, especially in the way it switches POVs very often but it wasn't a huge problem for me because of just how likeable the characters here are. In many ways, this felt like a middle grade version of Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice. Definitely continuing the series whenever I'm in the mood for a light read.

The House of My Mother by Shari Franke

dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

I had never followed 8 Passengers and all the family drama that unfolded, but at the recommendation of many friends, I decided to pick it up. I was interested because of the Frankes' LDS background, the religion I grew up in.

Prior to reading this, I had listened to all four Rotten Mango episodes covering the case of Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrant and started watching the documentary The Devil in the Family on Hulu, and I must say that while I appreciated the points of view and details provided there and not here, I disliked just how dramatized the accounts were in those recollections. What Shari does here is very straightforward and brave and feels like an honest accounting of events and allowing that to be the driver of the reader's interest instead of adding unnecessary commentary that feels like pushing an agenda.

I applaud Shari Franke's courage in bringing this story to light, and perhaps more importantly, in saving her siblings from the nightmare of her parents. And I hope that from this, family vlogging will be unequivocally condemned from here on out. No child, not even infants, should have to be exposed to the public in this manner.

Without getting into more personal details, I found myself relating to Shari in a lot of ways, although I've never experienced anything as extreme as she did. But I saw plainly how LDS beliefs, while not necessarily the catalyst to the events, were definitely the roots of Ruby's behavior, as well as that of other abusers mentioned herein. I mourn that so many LDS kids continue to feel the pressure of letting their lives appear perfect to the public in an effort to spark interest in the religion in others. It never works, and it is incredibly detrimental to one's mental health.

Writing in Color: The Lessons We've Learned by Melody Simpson, Nafiza Azad

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

An excellent collection of essays from writers of color! I love how diverse the entries were, ranging from intensely personal accounts to very practical writing advice. This anthology succeeds in demystifying the world of publishing in that it demonstrates that becoming an author isn't a wholly unattainable goal for writers but that long-standing problems with racism and the marginalization of diverse voices are still very much prevalent to this day. Very insightful.

Ang Bangin sa Ilalim ng Ating mga Paa by Ronaldo Soledad Vivo (Jr.)

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I totally get the hype now. Despite my limited reading comprehension of Vivo's Tagalog, I was floored by how excellent this book was. The way the storylines were interwoven with one another, the way the mystery unfolded, the gritty writing style, the vivid world-building, and on top of that, the biting social commentary that Sir Nal is unapologetic about, this was quite simply a masterpiece! Leaps and bounds better than the first book to be sure. It's harrowing and sinister without feeling like trauma porn, and it leaves you with a feeling of melancholy and unsettlement that will stay with you for a while. This should not only be studied in high school, this should be adapted into a film by a respected filmmaker!

Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski

emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

You ever read a book so good that the only complaint you have about it is that you wish it was longer? That's how I feel about this book. The writing is so straightforward yet beautiful, and I absolutely loved reading about Ludwik and Janusz. This novel is also such a heartfelt love letter to Giovanni's Room, a book I adore to bits, so reading about it here had me nodding along because yes, that book is life-changing. I despise Call Me By Your Name with a passion so I think it's unfair for this novel to be compared to it just because it's sad gay fiction. I'd much rather recommend this to fans of Brokeback Mountain, as you will see a lot of similar themes explored here.

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I picked up this book not know anything about it. It was just a book a friend considered a favorite, and when I saw it on sale, I bought it. If I had known what it was about, I probably wouldn't have read it. Because as tragic as the accounts in this book are, I couldn't help but want to learn more about the Vietnamese people's perspective on the war than what the soldiers went through. It's an interesting perspective on war and the repercussions of being drafted and having to do something out of duty even if it was against your morals. It's a well-written book, too. It just wasn't for me.

Nightwing, Vol. 7: Fallen Grayson by Tom Taylor

adventurous tense 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

5.0

An incredible conclusion to this run! I loved how everything tied together so well. I'm gonna miss this story and these characters terribly.

Spy x Family, Vol. 13 by Tatsuya Endo

funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

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

4.0

Not a particularly notable volume but still solid! Love the character developments in this one.