dalaia's reviews
81 reviews

Always by Sarah Jio

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emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

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dark emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely World by Jennie Allen

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challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

5.0

SO GOOD!!! Every "yes but...?" and "what about..." and "see you don't understand..." she addressed thoroughly, gracefully, lovingly, and supported by the Word and research. I love this book so much. I'd recommend it to anybody who's anybody because you are certain to find a wealth of knowledge, advice, guidance and truth within its pages. She never leaves the reader to wander aimlessly, she leads so well, and leads by example, by vulnerably showing the missteps and the should've-stepped. If you're considering reading it, I encourage you to take that leap. I think you'll find it time well-spent.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

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dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

Content Warnings

90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbis

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adventurous informative inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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? No

5.0

Content Warnings

After the Death of Shostakovich Père by Maya Sonenberg

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fast-paced

2.0

This was a uh…interesting read. I’m trying to understand, get in the head of the author to see what the goal or thesis of this book was.

It weaved journal entries from the author’s father with short reflections of his life, a seemingly unrelated short story of two other people and the relation to their fathers, and reflections on some of the author’s favorite works. But it felt rushed, connected only by a faint thread of “father.”

The writing itself, though beautiful and poetic at times felt disconnected too, unrevised.

And I’m not saying that it was. I’m not saying there was objectively no clear resolution or direction. Because I don’t know. I feel that to get this book truly, one has to have a specific experience to unlock its meaning, or be in the author’s own head. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? You be the judge. And perhaps I missed it altogether.

My understanding however is that the author was trying to show how after the death of one’s father that’s exactly what is left, disconnected bits and pieces of memories and journal entries, some that glorify a past that was and when revisited show the cracks created by our growing up, and more questions than one is capable of answering. But alas, I could be wrong.

Content Warnings