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ahhhhhhlexa's reviews
457 reviews
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 6%.
just not in the mood for this right now! might return to it later. I also wasn’t super loving the dialogue
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Had such a fun time with this one! Murderbot has become one of my favorite characters to follow and I can't wait to continue this series. Wells writes action so well but manages to keep the tone overall light - even during stressful and emotional moments. This book series is almost cozy??
Babel by R.F. Kuang
challenging
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.0
The quality and uniqueness of this book is so extremely high - I am very much looking forward to reading more from R.F. Kuang!! I wanted this to be perfect for me so badly and it was just shy of that - mostly due to personal preferences. I lost steam a little bit at the halfway to 2/3rd mark and at times really wanted more than Robin's perspective.
You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria
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
3.0
This was so sweet and fun!! Loved the representation - not just in the main characters but in the full cast and the conversations being had. I felt the conflict was just a bit too long but ultimately I really enjoyed the story and the romance. Looking forward to reading more from Alexis Daria in the future.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
3.0
Until about 250 pages in I might have given this 2 stars and not continued in the series. And then the remaining 40% really charmed me! I think this really suffered from clunky world-building and pacing up front. I wish we had started the story at a different moment in time and really leaned into the mystery solving force behind Yeine. Still unsure if I will continue but I am open to it.
Arboreality by Rebecca Campbell
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Not loving this is totally my fault, not the book's! It delivered exactly what it said it would, it's just not really to my liking. I don't love following music lovers / musicians so I really struggled with the long story in the middle. In general, I struggled with the vignette style because I could not keep the characters straight - maybe from lack of distinction but also from lack of my personal interest.
It Was Vulgar and It Was Beautiful: How AIDS Activists Used Art to Fight a Pandemic by Jack Lowery
While I learned a lot and I am ultimately very glad I read this - I don't think it was particularly well done storytelling. The writing was dry and oftentimes too minute in detail making it feel like a slog to get through. I loved the moments focused more singularly on Gran Fury and its members as well as the artistic analysis.
El Deafo by Cece Bell
Really glad I finally got to this after so many years of it being on my tbr! I am really glad this exists and especially the scenes of early diagnosis experiences resonated with me and made me quite emotional! Cece's deafness is much more profound than my hardness of hearing but I really related to some of the lip reading and hearing aid wearing portrayal. I related to a lot and learned a lot!
Unfortunately, I Exist by Stephanie A. Gillis
Read for the Hardest Reading Challenge You'll Ever Do prompt to "Read an indie book you bought directly from the author"! I highly recommend this super short piece focusing on the author's experience being asexual and not aromantic. I learned a lot and had fun along the way!
March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin
Glad I finally got around to this! Obviously the subject matter is extremely valuable to learn and I really enjoyed the storytelling. Unfortunately, I really struggled to read and see the black and white images and text. I don't think I will continue this story in this format as it wasn't very accessible for me but I absolutely do want to learn more details about John Lewis' life and legacy!