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zarlynsnook's reviews
106 reviews
Familia by Lauren E. Rico
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book started strong but the flashbacks kept me from gaining momentum while reading it. The element of suspense was diminshed once the book started going to the past. I thought at first that it was just for the prologue, just to give something for the readers to look clues for while resolving the mystery of what happened to baby Mariana. But as the story progress, it felt too dragging. I was looking forward to know more about the characters but there is an utter lock of characterization in this book, despite giving the two main characters their own POVs.(Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an ARC of this book)
Bahay ni Marta by Ricky Lee
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Ito ang unang nobelang nabasa ko mula sa may-akda ngunit pamilyar na sa akin ang ilan sa mga akda niya sa pelikula at tv. Bigla kong naalala noong una kong mapanood isang pelikulang isinulat niya. Wala akong ideya sa tungkol saan ang kuwento noon ngunit sinundan ko ang mga karakter hanggang sa matapos ito. At dahil sa labis na pagkamangha ko sa pelikula,ay wala na akong nasabi kundi ' bakit ngayon ko lang 'to napanood?'Ganoon din ang naging karanasan ko sa pagbabasa ng kuwentong ito. Sa mga unang salita pa lang, hindi ko na binitawan ang mga karakter. Noong una ay para ba akong nanood ng isang dokumentaryo sa aking isip,ang paraan ng pgkukuwento ng may-akda ay tila lente ng kamera at sinusundan ang bawat kilos ng piping bata hanggang marating nito ang bahay ni Marta. Mula sa dokumentaryo ay tila naging pelikula naman ang mga sumunod na eksena. Mabuti na lamang at mabilis ang takbo ng kuwento dahil sa masalimuot na mga kaganapan, akala ko ay hindi ko ito kayang tapusin pa dahil sa takot ko para sa mga karakter. Nang matapos ko na ang libro wala na naman ang nasabi kundi 'Bakit ngayon lang ako nakapagbasa ng libro ni sir Ricky Lee?'
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Mental illness, Grief, Abandonment, Bullying, Rape, and Death
Candelaria by Melissa Lozada-Oliva
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.5
i don't completely understand what this book is about but i absolutely enjoyed reading it😁🥰
this book is fun, crazy and chaotic on all levels.
at first i thought that this book would be a sadly dramatic story about a complex family dynamics but the author scale down on the drama and put in so much humor, craziness and some sort of magic into it. generational trauma but make it apocalyptic😅
I just love it when women writes women so amazingly that no matter how unhinged or uncomprehensible the story is, i still ended up enjoying it.
this book is fun, crazy and chaotic on all levels.
at first i thought that this book would be a sadly dramatic story about a complex family dynamics but the author scale down on the drama and put in so much humor, craziness and some sort of magic into it. generational trauma but make it apocalyptic😅
I just love it when women writes women so amazingly that no matter how unhinged or uncomprehensible the story is, i still ended up enjoying it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Animal death, Infidelity, Gore, and Abortion
Homeward by Angela Jackson-Brown
I admired this book for it gave me a much clearer perspective about Black History in the US. The story started with Rose being a young lady facing marriage problems until it unfolds into much bigger picture - she has to live with her grief and continue to thrive through hatred and racism.
One of my major takeaways from reading historical novels is that no matter how small a big or story is, it is still should be written and told. I might be living miles away from Georgia and the story of Rose happened decades ago but stories of war and racism is still very much relatable in the 21st century.
One of my major takeaways from reading historical novels is that no matter how small a big or story is, it is still should be written and told. I might be living miles away from Georgia and the story of Rose happened decades ago but stories of war and racism is still very much relatable in the 21st century.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, and Physical abuse
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.25
Feeling sad and angry after reading this.the kind of book that just straight up stabbed me in the chest and left me in agony. yes this book is that sad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Bullying
Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
On the Isle of Antioch by Amin Maalouf
mysterious
reflective
- Strong character development? No
3.5
This book that has intrigued me with its premise did not quiet gave what I was expecting. I love that it is written in first person POV and I took away a lot of wisdom from this book especially about our society.
But in general, reading this book was not a satisfying experience for me. The characterization fell of that I just don't see the point of them in the book at all. There could possibly be a lot of elements on this book that got lost in translation,I always take this factor in consideration when reading and reviewing translated works.
But in general, reading this book was not a satisfying experience for me. The characterization fell of that I just don't see the point of them in the book at all. There could possibly be a lot of elements on this book that got lost in translation,I always take this factor in consideration when reading and reviewing translated works.
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
challenging
hopeful
informative
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
another read added to my all-time faves list ✨
i was moved and humbled by this book. reading this was like a free-flowing river that never stops. i just want to know how the story would end,if there's a future that lies ahead until i realized i'm nearing the end.
the ending gave me a feeling of epiphany.despite having an unclear resolution, it made me realize a lot of things,about our society,about being a woman,about being human.
i was moved and humbled by this book. reading this was like a free-flowing river that never stops. i just want to know how the story would end,if there's a future that lies ahead until i realized i'm nearing the end.
the ending gave me a feeling of epiphany.despite having an unclear resolution, it made me realize a lot of things,about our society,about being a woman,about being human.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Abandonment
Imperfect Lives by C.J. Washington
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
in my opinion, this novel has so much potential but falls short on the writing style. there's just too many characters and too many pov, that reading this book feels like an impossible puzzle to me. there is so much back story to all of the characters yet i don't feel connected to any of them.
the only thing that keeps me going in this book is the mystery of the connection of all the characters. in the end, nothing really surprised me.
the only thing that keeps me going in this book is the mystery of the connection of all the characters. in the end, nothing really surprised me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Infidelity, and Gun violence
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
4.5
this book is like a Sayaka Murata book,iyk what i mean🤣. if you've read one of her books, Earthlings, you'll know what to expect with this one,it's just more american,more western hehe. Such an entertaining read.
About People by Juli Zeh
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
2.0
To be perfectly honest,reading this book was a little struggle for me,so as writing this review. I didn't hate the book but I didn't like or love it either. As a reader from Southeast Asia, I might not be the target audience of this book or maybe, some things got lost in translation that it failed to capture and engaged me as much as I expected it to. I got particularly fond of reading translated works this past year and the premise of this novel really intrigued me.
The plot of this book might be more complex than how I understood it because at the end, it just felt like reading a cozy small town novel with some political undertones. I hated that it felt that way for me because I believe this book has a message or a statement that I did not fully understand. Is it really about covid? or the political demographic of Germany?
I wish I had a clear answer for that,but I don't. If anything, this book nudged me and has me thinking of reading more about the country it was from.
The plot of this book might be more complex than how I understood it because at the end, it just felt like reading a cozy small town novel with some political undertones. I hated that it felt that way for me because I believe this book has a message or a statement that I did not fully understand. Is it really about covid? or the political demographic of Germany?
I wish I had a clear answer for that,but I don't. If anything, this book nudged me and has me thinking of reading more about the country it was from.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Terminal illness, and Stalking