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xcinnamonsugar's reviews
203 reviews
Vicious by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
dark
4.0
Pretty solid dark fiction featuring characters with superpowers. While many stories often get overshadowed by the supernatural aspect, this one had a pretty good plot line and character development.
often
get
overshadowed
by
the.
often
get
overshadowed
by
the.
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum
inspiring
3.0
A day well spent is a life well lived.
Another heartwarming book about life, love, books and coffee. This story touches on a variety of experiences, from the adolescent ambivalence of not knowing what to do in the future to walking away from relationships /partners /careers that no longer serve you, and giving a chance to let new opportunities take their place. A very pleasant read overall.
Another heartwarming book about life, love, books and coffee. This story touches on a variety of experiences, from the adolescent ambivalence of not knowing what to do in the future to walking away from relationships /partners /careers that no longer serve you, and giving a chance to let new opportunities take their place. A very pleasant read overall.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
Reading this book feels like cozying up under blankets with a warm drink on a chilly evening. It’s a story about life and love in a quiet, idyllic way. I usually find translated fiction hard to appreciate but I really liked this one, it felt healing to read.
The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read [and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did] by Philippa Perry
4.0
This is one of those books that is best consumed over multiple sessions, and when you’re in the right frame of mind for some uncomfortable introspection.
While ostensibly marketed as a book about parenting, there are actually many valuable insights and lessons that can be applied to all interpersonal relationships.
Key takeaways:
- Our instinctive response to children’s involuntary behavior reflects a lot more about our own internalized state of being than theirs.
- Communicate how situations make you feel (e.g. your actions make me uncomfortable) vs as a judgement of their character (you’re very rude/noisy/etc)
While ostensibly marketed as a book about parenting, there are actually many valuable insights and lessons that can be applied to all interpersonal relationships.
Key takeaways:
- Our instinctive response to children’s involuntary behavior reflects a lot more about our own internalized state of being than theirs.
- Communicate how situations make you feel (e.g. your actions make me uncomfortable) vs as a judgement of their character (you’re very rude/noisy/etc)
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
3.0
A creative spin on the magic and monsters of childhood imagination. Quick and easy read.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
2.0
Read this for book club, not quite my cup of tea.
Death's End by Cixin Liu
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
It would have been nice to finish this trilogy, but given the pace of the opening of this book I can't quite justify spending hours reading this instead of something else. Also I'm not convinced that the effort to finish reading Dark Forest was sufficiently rewarding, so I'm less inclined to give this book a shot.
The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center by Rhaina Cohen
5.0
This book is so beautifully written, it made me all warm and fuzzy and is definitely worth a reread.
Unlike many self-help psych books that espouse the value of strong relationships, with the inevitable emphasis on romantic relationships, this book actively centers non-conventional, nuanced relationships that those involved often struggle to put a mainstream label on. Cohen also speaks to how all relationships, even traditional marriage-based relationships, would greatly benefit from a conscious dissection of values, expectations and a “pre-mortem” airing of concerns.
Unlike many self-help psych books that espouse the value of strong relationships, with the inevitable emphasis on romantic relationships, this book actively centers non-conventional, nuanced relationships that those involved often struggle to put a mainstream label on. Cohen also speaks to how all relationships, even traditional marriage-based relationships, would greatly benefit from a conscious dissection of values, expectations and a “pre-mortem” airing of concerns.
Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey
inspiring
4.0
This book is a wonderfully uplifting and inspiring read. Hersey acknowledges the pervasiveness and brutality of grind culture, while also offering simple but powerful ways of subverting it. It is a manifesto, and sometimes it felt like reading the transcript of a poetic, hippie church sermon. But in spite of that, this is truly a message that everyone needs to hear.
Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution by Cat Bohannon
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
I’m sure this book has some brilliant evolutionary ideas but I find the writing style—a mix of scientific fact and the personification of historical species—rather jarring and distracting.