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bozzi1's reviews
950 reviews
Apart in the Dark: Novellas by Ania Ahlborn
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.75
Not the typical Ania stories I know and LOVE, but still an enjoyable time. The Pretty Ones was okay, but predictable and not one that will stick with me. I liked I Call Upon Thee a lot more, just expected a little more from the ending.
Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Wow, I was not prepared for the emotional gut punch Elena Knows delivers. This is not a feel good story, it hurts, but I think the pain is necessary to truly appreciate the author’s skill. At just under 200 pages, there are no flowery phrases to distract the reader. Several difficult topics are addressed head-on and yet there’s a design, an almost poetic feel, in the way they’re shared. This is one I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
3.5
There are beautiful moments in this tale of love across time. Unfortunately, the amount of the story left unexplained prevented me from making a strong connection with the characters. I appreciate the writing style and enjoyed the audiobook, but it isn’t a new favorite.
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
I listened to this audiobook and loved the writing style. I thought it was lyrical and brilliant but can see why it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Several quotes stuck with me, especially the ones below.
“I had a room to myself as a kid, but my mother was always quick to point out that it wasn't my room, it was her room and I was merely permitted to occupy it. Her point, of course, was that my parents had earned everything and I was merely borrowing the space, and while this is technically true I cannot help but marvel at the singular damage of this dark idea: That my existence as a child was a kind of debt and nothing, no matter how small, was mine. That no space was truly private; anything of mine could be forfeited at someone else's whim.”
“The trouble with letting people see you at your worst isn’t that they’ll remember; it’s that you’ll remember.”
“Why do we teach girls that their perspectives are inherently untrustworthy?”
“I had a room to myself as a kid, but my mother was always quick to point out that it wasn't my room, it was her room and I was merely permitted to occupy it. Her point, of course, was that my parents had earned everything and I was merely borrowing the space, and while this is technically true I cannot help but marvel at the singular damage of this dark idea: That my existence as a child was a kind of debt and nothing, no matter how small, was mine. That no space was truly private; anything of mine could be forfeited at someone else's whim.”
“The trouble with letting people see you at your worst isn’t that they’ll remember; it’s that you’ll remember.”
“Why do we teach girls that their perspectives are inherently untrustworthy?”
Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
3.75
Ripe is kind of like if you mixed Severance and The Road but made it a prequel (e.g., sad girl summer).
•
Not all stories have a happy ending. Some don’t have a happy beginning or middle either. I loved the writing style and though I don’t relate to all of Cassie’s life, a few scenes were like a mirror, forcing me to see and acknowledge the bad days. It sends a powerful message about capitalism, sexism, classism, and familial relationships. I don’t like how I feel after reading books like this, but I don’t regret reading them either.
•
Not all stories have a happy ending. Some don’t have a happy beginning or middle either. I loved the writing style and though I don’t relate to all of Cassie’s life, a few scenes were like a mirror, forcing me to see and acknowledge the bad days. It sends a powerful message about capitalism, sexism, classism, and familial relationships. I don’t like how I feel after reading books like this, but I don’t regret reading them either.