the_bookish_musings_of_mari's reviews
1270 reviews

The Prey by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

My first foray into icelandic noir. Thankfully not as scary as I thought. It was mostly just unsettling and I wanted to know what was going on. A good book while there were snow squalls outside my window 

Freeing Luka by Victoria Aveline

medium-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

4.0

Not as good as book 1 in this series but I love the world it’s set in. Will read more in the series

The Bees by Laline Paull

adventurous challenging mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

So glad I read this unique story. It gave me the same feels as Guliver’s Travels but I as the reader experienced the  awe and wonder of a new world rather than the protagonist. This will stay with me a long time. Audiobook is excellent 

Dandelion by Jamie Chai Yun Liew
Did not finish book. Stopped at 21%.

Felt like so many other diaspora Chinese stories I’ve read. Give me some new angle

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang

emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed the pacing of this book. Especially the first half. The complex grief and familial expectations of an immigrant family are also so nice to see in a romance. I enjoyed the behind the scenes of how shows get made

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Grief

Moderate: Car accident

A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder by Ma-Nee Chacaby

challenging emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

4.5

This is such an important story and I’m so glad it exists. I hope it wins Canada Reads 2025. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia

Moderate: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Sexual harassment

We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo, Mitch Anderson

hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad slow-paced

4.0

I was a bit put off by the co-author being a white man until I found out it is her husband. I listened to the audio and found the narrator excellent 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Colonisation

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Violence

The Last Bookstore On Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Choosing Theo by Victoria Aveline

adventurous 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

4.75

A very enjoyable and sexy read. Who knew aliens could be so hot!?

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.0

Cute romance story. Not as good as the Christmas Tree farm but I am going to read the whole series to find out how all the couples get together