toorsdenote's reviews
259 reviews

The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia by Masha Gessen

challenging dark informative slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Pedophilia, War, and Murder

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

adventurous medium-paced

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

1.0

I am embarrassed to add this book to my Storygraph.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Stalking, Sexual assault, Grief, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Confinement, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

challenging dark 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

4.5

I had to put more WORK into this than I'm used to, because it so keeps you guessing about what is even HAPPENING. But it's worth it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Violence, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Toxic friendship, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

adventurous dark funny mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Cannibalism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Murder, Torture, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

adventurous dark lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Confinement

The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence

Minor: Suicide and Gun violence

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

dark medium-paced

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

2.0

Circe by Madeline Miller

adventurous medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Toxic relationship, and War

How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

Probably my favorite book of the year. You wouldn't think a reflection on how the US understands its own history of slavery would be a total page-turner, but the way the author set it up as a travelogue of historical sites keeps things really descriptive and conversational. And you can tell he's a poet. Really amazingly done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Police brutality, Racism, Slavery, Trafficking, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence