the_bookish_musings_of_mari's reviews
1268 reviews

James by Percival Everett

challenging emotional 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? No

5.0

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.

Not right now. Maybe when I am in the mood

The Greenlanders by Jane Smiley
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.

It was quite dense. I may try again later

The End We Start from by Megan Hunter

dark reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Wow. Stunning. Lyrical and sparse. 

Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

emotional hopeful sad 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? No

4.75

A beautiful story grounded in real life struggles. I enjoyed the couple’s chemistry. And hooray - no second act breakup!

The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country by Helen Russell

funny informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

I enjoyed it quite a lot. I liked the summaries at the end and learning about the different Danish things. I didn’t understand most of the UK references but that’s ok. 

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

This is not my usual genre but I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t rely on the usual 2 tropes of 
-unreliable narrator due to substance use
Or
-a cheating partner

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

adventurous emotional sad 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? No

4.0

I loved Haymitch in the trilogy and love him more by meeting him as a teenager. I’m always melancholy reading a prequel when I know what is going to happen but I think that is the point here. 

The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

If I read this as a teenager, I probably would have loved it. 
It was an interesting concept and the multiple timelines worked well. 

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Grief, Murder

Moderate: Child death, Slavery, Colonisation

Minor: Abandonment