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bratatouille's reviews
204 reviews
We Do What We Do in the Dark: A Novel by Michelle Hart
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Out of all of the highly recommended books about the tribulations of upper middle class white women? This one was the least innovative and the most annoying. None of the characters are particularly likable and the story is stale.
Educated by Tara Westover
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Everybody jokes about moving to the woods and living outside of civilization and the government, but few actually buck up and commit. This is about what happens when you do. Tara grows up in a family that has taken religion to cult-like levels. She has no education and no culture or socialization outside of her family. She didn’t even exist to the government until she was ten. The subject matter handled in this is difficult and incredibly eye opening. It showcases how small a world can be, as well as how large it becomes when you allow it to open up to you. I am not typically a nonfiction reader, but Tara’s journey is fascinating and vulnerable. Her ability to reflect on her history is no small feat. I highly, highly, recommend this but please *please* check trigger warnings.
Between Us Flows the Nile by thebrightcity
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
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The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.75
Thrilling, haunting, gorgeous. I am a sucker for eerie fucking creepy cult-ish stories. Every time I thought I knew where this was going it would subvert my expectations with slight and startling jabs. This is queer horror, but the horror isn’t tied to the queerness. Likewise; there’s trauma, but it isn’t based in uncertainties or insecurities about queer identity. I will admit to thinking that the gender conversation is a little bit funky in this. However, I don’t turn to my YA entertainment reads for fleshed out criticisms on gender structures.
The novel starts off sprinting and oscillates between a trot and a sudden mad dash. I quite enjoyed how sporadic it could feel. This is a tantalizing and destructive ode to grief and nature. There are so many bees. I’m trying to be less up my ass about rating books so this gets five stars and I’m sticking by it. I haven’t felt this way while reading a book in a while. Did I mention it’s surreal? Bc it was gonna be.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Not gonna lie I think I liked the prequel more but this was equally as charming. It’s described as “a novel of high fantasy and low stakes.” Which I absolutely agree with. The prequel had *slightly* higher stakes which made it a tad more compelling, but this was so cozy and comfy that I read it in like four hours. This entire book is her inventing the concept of a cafe and convincing people to try coffee. I was bound to enjoy it. Large beefy orc barista and succubus cashier. What’s not to like? Big big fan of this duology!!!
Lanny by Max Porter
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
I have no idea what I just read but I want to read it again. I’m not sure how much I can say, this is something that has to be experienced. It’s simultaneously eerie and whimsical. It’s fantastical yet disgusting. It feels like an old-timey folktale that wasn’t dusted and shined to be appealing to the public. For such a short book with such a large cast, each character was riveting in their own way. It is difficult, as an author, to create interesting and unique characters that don’t immediately fall into a diagnosable psychosis. Here, our Lanny feels ethereal and loving without either trait ending up quirky or ephemeral. It’s impressive that Porter manages to create a deep and immersive setting in so few pages.
I was glad to have read the audiobook as well as the written one. The actors do a gorgeous job and the sound effects/layerings give it layers of sensation that I wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. This is the only book in existence that I would recommend the audiobook over the written text.
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
This was so CUTE and FUN!! A fun little rough-mercenary-gets-wounded-in-battle-and-therefore-stranded-in-a-small-town-they-don’t-want-to-be-in-and-likewise-might-not-want-anything-to-do-with-them tale? AND it’s fantasy so all the characters are orcs and potty mouthed rats and elves and gnomes and dwarves??? The points hit in this story are relatively predictable but the actual events aren’t, if that makes any sense. I knew what shape things were going to eventually take but I had no clue as to how we would get there or what it would look like when we did. The main character learns to enjoy reading so there are snippets of other books within this book which I thought was neat! All the characters are lovable and silly. Big fun!! It’s a prequel to another book but I haven’t read that one yet oops