ashs_ephemera's reviews
380 reviews

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

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

5.0

No Time to Spare: Thinking about What Matters by Ursula K. Le Guin

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

5.0

I love Le Guin's writing so much — the way she thinks about the world and writes those thoughts is just delightful. First 5 star read of the year!
Apartment Women by Gu Byeong-mo

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

3.0

To be honest, I think the translation was the biggest issue for me. It felt so matter-of-fact and flat. While I thought the ending was creative, it also felt rushed, as if the author had to meet a deadline and just decided to end the book instead of crafting a compelling conclusion. However, I did enjoy how the story delved into the unsavory aspects of each character's personality.
On Censorship: A Public Librarian Examines Cancel Culture in the U. S. by James LaRue

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informative fast-paced

3.5

A good first look at the topic. A bit boring for people who have been following and researching it for a while.
The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green

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funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

It didn’t have the “wow” factor of a 5 star read, but was very entertaining and engaging. I love Green’s writing style and his ability to craft such descriptive and accurate prose.
Boundless by Jillian Tamaki

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

2.0

It was okay. I don’t think I fuck with her work tho
Portrait of My Body as a Crime I'm Still Committing by Topaz Winters

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dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

3.5

Some poems in this collection were so relatable they made my chest ache. Others were the opposite. The good outweighed the confusing - 3.5 stars.
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

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challenging emotional reflective 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? Yes

3.5

I have such complicated opinions on this book. The writing is wonderful - Ozeki is very skilled at writing beautifully immersive prose - and the characters felt real, if not a little flat. There were instances where things were mentioned and seemed meaningful but were never brought up again, or were shown to be significantly less important than I thought they were going to be. I suppose that was intentional. I think this book has an audience and I exist on the very edge of it, not quite inside but not quite excluded either. It’s complicated.
This Is How I Disappear by Mirion Malle

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-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

4.5

This was SO close to being a five star read. It really was just missing a *je ne se quoi* if you will. The reveal at the climax hit home for me.
Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood

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

3.75

I actually really liked this! Couldn't quite give it four stars, but it's certainly up there. I generally don't like romance stories so I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable I found this book. It didn't feel rushed (likely because of the flashbacks, which I thoroughly enjoyed) and I found the characters likeable and relatable. I'll probably be reading more of Hazelwood's works in the future!