tisalwayssunny's reviews
259 reviews

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

Not as strong as Beartown in my opinion. It was repetitive to a fault and a bit preachy at times. The strength of the characters really carries the book.

If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

Pretty solid teen book. Lots of tropes here but the author doesn’t use them as  a crutch so that makes this a pleasant read. 

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

adventurous dark mysterious fast-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? It's complicated

3.5

I wanted to like this more but just felt a little disconnected. Half a star boost for how effectively Jackson uses voice here.

Merricat

is probably valid in what she did idk maybe the family’s vibes were off. 

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

dark tense

5.0

Somehow did not read this in high school so better late then never.  The tonal shift with a single reveal is soooo well done. Terrific craftsmanship to pull it off succinctly. 

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

emotional funny slow-paced

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

3.0

They had me in the first half I won’t lie. The banter was so cute and I really loved how the leads complimented each other. The second half was incredibly frustrating… I can only handle a certain level of dense! The final act conflict was also completely unnecessary and did not add anything to the plot. Exemplified by Briana reading the Jacob’s journal and going through a montage of their relationship from his perspective… which we already got because the book is dual perspective!! Just an insane choice lol. 

The Guest by Emma Cline

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This kind of reminded me of the movie Under the Skin with some Talented Mr. Ripley elements. All three feature an interloper but this book merges the tension of the former with the class commentary of the latter. The main character is remarkably unlikeable but you almost can delude yourself in believing a situation is okay until she reminds you why she’s unreliable. Loved the parallels between her and Jack. I don’t think the book offers any satisfying conclusion but the ending was so crazy I had to sit there for a minute. Hated every choice she made but couldn’t put it down! 

There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura

funny lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

The novel balances a curious and reflective approach throughout as the narrator takes on increasingly more absurd jobs. Each one almost has a fable like element to it (although the tone is never preachy). I found the ending a bit rushed in its conclusion. I loved the bus stop ads and rice cracker chapters a lot. 

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

The details really make this book. O’Farrell is so precise and captures the view of a young artist so effectively. A master of personification. She also does a great job of conveying the different stages of Lucrezia’s life from a child to a teenager. It might have been a touch overwritten; the middle did feel a bit excessive. 

Happy Place by Emily Henry

emotional funny hopeful 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

3.5

Henry is still very good at building the emotional conflicts that feel very realistic. Even when I’m frustrated by the characters decisions, I do understand them. Ultimately though, something about the relationships didn’t click for me. When she was introducing the friends it seemed like a little tumblr post where people post their OCs. Just a bit flat! 

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach

informative fast-paced

4.0

Broad, informative, and very funny. Roach did a great job integrating the research into the interviews and I loved the international perspectives. I wish some chapters were a little longer though. The ending sometimes felt abrupt and I was left with a lot of unanswered questions.