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freethefrican's reviews
254 reviews
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I’m a huge fan of nonfiction that reads like fiction and I did not want this book to end. It was thoroughly researched and it further showed me how the root of many of humanity’s problems can be linked directly to greed—the destruction and loss of thousands of lives be damned.
How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Cara Romero was a fantastic and interesting protagonist. She had a strong sense of self, had high regard for others, was very observant of many things, and then completely oblivious to many others. It was interesting to watch her narrate her experience of certain situations and then later have her perspective of things be confronted by how the other people in her life experienced them. I loved that as messy and human as she was, she was receptive to change and rolled with it.
I enjoyed how the writer discussed important topics like the immigrant experience, gentrification, generational trauma, elder care, and more in ways that weren’t heavy-handed but still managed to spotlight the necessary all while being very entertaining.
I enjoyed how the writer discussed important topics like the immigrant experience, gentrification, generational trauma, elder care, and more in ways that weren’t heavy-handed but still managed to spotlight the necessary all while being very entertaining.
Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl by Joya Goffney
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Biphobia, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Miscarriage
The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.0
Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I’ve come to expect solid stories from KR and this was no exception. Second chance romances don’t really do much for me but I liked this one and enjoyed the push and pull between the love interests.
Unfortunately, the attempt to introduce some external conflict fell flat on its face to me. I’d have loved to see the other lover interests be given enough space to become actual threats but I guess that wasn’t the vision and to be fair, Josiah and Yasmen already had enough going on between them. I did like how Josiah handled his relationship and I liked that while they were very human in many of their reactions and assumptions, they still managed to make many matured decisions in the end.
All in all, It was largely low stakes but also pretty angsty and I liked many of the secondary characters too.
Unfortunately, the attempt to introduce some external conflict fell flat on its face to me. I’d have loved to see the other lover interests be given enough space to become actual threats but I guess that wasn’t the vision and to be fair, Josiah and Yasmen already had enough going on between them. I did like how Josiah handled his relationship and I liked that while they were very human in many of their reactions and assumptions, they still managed to make many matured decisions in the end.
All in all, It was largely low stakes but also pretty angsty and I liked many of the secondary characters too.