danielcasey's reviews
131 reviews

Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

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

2.75

A less than compelling bildungsroman but astutely contemporary and certainly as deep as any novel about being college aged
Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire

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adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The tenth book in the Wayward Children series (loose, occasionally overlapping novellas that are all mostly standalone). This was a quietly moving story. McGuire writes the inner life of children so well—the fear, frustrations, confusion, joy, logic. There’s always a twinge of sadness as the heroes of these books slip through a door from our world to one that wants them to invariably & reluctantly back to our world.
The Biology of Kindness: Six Daily Choices for Health, Well-Being, and Longevity by Immaculata De Vivo

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fast-paced

1.5

A massive disappointment. The science is presented in the most shallow manner almost begging readers to misconstrue it and the psychology is severely superficial bordering on insulting—Sunday school depth. 
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad

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emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.5

“The system does not work for you, was never intended to work for you, but as an act of magnanimity on our part, you may choose the degree to which it works against you.“
Exquisite Corpse: A Novel by Poppy Z. Brite

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

3.5

A dark, deeply visceral tale that at its core is of anguish & the horror of living

Re-reading this nearly thirty years after I first read it in college, it is disturbing and grotesque.

There are parts that made a deep impression on me. The pov of Andrew Compton is searing & truly haunting. It would be wonderful to make this into a modern day horror film.
Red Sonja: Consumed by Gail Simone

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Simone has crafted the voice of Red Sonja, made wholly her own. This means the adventure is in secure, deft hands. It’s an entertaining novel

However, there were moments where I couldn’t help but feel I was reading comic book text without art & other times when it felt like the prose was too spar as though it assumed there would be art. Likely a me problem 
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

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adventurous funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A fun tale—adventurous, a tad bit cutesy, a sprinkle of romance, and a lot of good natured humor
Good Nature: Why Seeing, Smelling, Hearing, and Touching Plants is Good for Our Health by Kathy Willis

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.0

With patience & precision, we are shown how interacting with plants through every sensory mode improves our physical health & mental health. A heartwarming work of nonfiction that doesn’t terrify, lecture, or demand action (all necessary in this day & age) but rather simply confirms that mental health walks work. That growing plants or having flowers makes you feel better—bodily and emotionally. An excellent reading experience that will prompt you to engage more with the green world
A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy

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

3.0

Not an impressive tale—a bit thin, lax but certainly well-balanced and crafted. It felt like a romance entirely carried by its plot-points than anything compelling in the characters or setting. Still, enjoyable and you can see elements and themes that will show up in Hardy’s more mature novels
Magical/Realism: Essays on Music, Memory, Fantasy, and Borders by Vanessa Angélica Villarreal

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

An impactful weaving of memoir and pop culture critique — transgressive, grounded, & deeply engaging