tarini's reviews
103 reviews

Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

“& remember, loneliness is still time spent with the world.”

(read this in the insanest place possible 📍 universal studios, singapore)
sometimes i’m so confused about what ocean vuong’s talking about but other times i’m in absolute awe

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle

lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

a christmas comfort read it’s almost tradition, godawful but i can’t be objective

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

a brilliant exploration in the fantasy genre that picked up the whole “superpower” thing without being boring or cliché!

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

dark reflective slow-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

that ending definitely makes me understand why this is considered a classic and also loved the self awareness in the nuanced characters 

How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

i had fun reading this but i have my issues with some of the twists along the way, also found some aspects of it very stupid but i think grace (literally and metaphorically) slayed

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

this had so much potential and a very interesting premise but it fell short in more ways than one. honestly couldn’t bring myself to pay attention to it in many parts, so i got increasingly confused and apparently so did other people with some of the plotlines. the rating is also partly low because i prefer visual media rather than books when it comes to horror, but this really didn’t achieve what it could’ve with a more structured plot. loved the length of the chapters though!

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

emotional hopeful slow-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

4.5

the last 40% or so of this was stunning. the beginning was a little too slow for me (or maybe because i was preoccupied i couldn’t get into it) but the second half itself makes it worthy of the praise it gets

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez

dark mysterious

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

3.25

must a book make sense? is it not enough to be vague and mysterious?

a little too open ended for me at times but i enjoyed reading this collection of stories that was fun to read simply because i was in a halloween-y mood. would've liked it much more if i had a physical copy.

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

“And my mind was empty—or it was as though my mind had become one enormous, anaesthetized wound. I thought only, One day I’ll weep for this. One of these days I’ll start to cry.”

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

i’m in genuine awe of this book. heartbreaking and yet hopeful at every single turn. from conflict, grief, and loneliness to femininity, love and friendship, this is truly captures the essence of a beyond interesting life!