msrichardsreads89's reviews
2618 reviews

This is an incredibly atmospheric, melancholic, and unsettling story. As far as the plot goes, not much happens, but so much meaning is packed into this book. The author was very purposeful with her prose and imagery. I absolutely loved her descriptions and her ability to tell a small story with a few sentences. I loved the exploration of cultural exploitation/appropriation, depression, exploring one's identity, and beauty standards. The ending is abrupt, so I felt like there was something missing that I couldn't identify, but this is a novel that has stuck with me since I finished it, and I find myself thinking about it often.

"I would walk out to the pagoda at the end of the jetty, skin clammy from the stench of the sea spray that left salt on the cheeks, a taste of iron on the tongue, and soon, the thousands of lights would start to twinkle and the fishermen would cast off from shore and make their way out to sea with their light traps, a slow, stately procession, the Milky Way of the seas."

“Our beaches are still waiting for the end of a war that’s been going on for so long people have stopped believing it’s real.”

This book is just wonderful. I loved the world building, which was incredibly imaginative, the characters, and the plot. I read this in a few sittings because I could not put it down. The Sanderlanche did not disappoint. 

I think this is a great entry point into the Cosmere, and for seasoned Cosmere readers, there are a lot of easter eggs to enjoy. 

I haven't read Steinbeck in years, and this was a pleasant surprise. Yes, some of this is very much a product of it's time, including toxic masculinity, racism, and outdated/negative terms. This was an interesting journey across America with his dog Charley in the fall of 1960. I really enjoyed this snapshot into the lives of people across America and the exploration of roots, language, travel, growing cities, environmentalism, and enjoying the small moments in life. This is a book that I enjoyed reading slowly, and the audiobook narrated by Gary Sinese was wonderful. I loved Steinbeck's prose and his vivid descriptions. I was not expecting the historic moment that he witnessed when he got to Louisiana, but I am glad that it was included. I find it interesting that, looking at America through Steinbeck's novel, we can see how far we've come yet how far we still need to go. 

"She said the autumn never failed to amaze her; to elate. “It is a glory,” she said, “and can’t be remembered, so that it always comes as a surprise.”

"I began to formulate a new law describing the relationship of protection to despondency. A sad soul can kill you quicker, far quicker, than a germ"

"When people are engaged in something they are not proud of, they do not welcome witnesses. In fact, they come to believe the witness causes the trouble."

"For George is an old gray cat who has accumulated a hatred of people and things so intense that even hidden upstairs he communicates his prayer that you will go away."

Super cute!

This was such a wonderful surprise! I love Trollope, but I knew nothing about this book, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I loved the setting, the dynamic characters, and the engaging plot. Trollope has his soapboxes, and I think he did a wonderful job of exploring love, pride, obligation, choosing your own path, marriage, having the power to choose your own future, and the plight of women who have little to no money. Clara is a very frustrating protagonist, but she also has her redeeming and relatable qualities. The two love interests are foils of each other and are so interesting to follow. 

This is a book that took me a few chapters to get into, but once I did, I did not want to put it down! This is one of my favorite novels I've read this year, and one of my favorite Trollope novels!

Overall I enjoyed this debut novel. It is heavily inspired by the author's Venezulan roots and includes South American folklore and myths. She really shines when it comes to weaving these elements into the story. I went into this knowing very little about the plot, but I heard such good things, and the cover is stunning. I think that Gabriela Romero Lacruz does have raw talent as a writer, and I am excited to read more of her work. 

That being said, you can tell that this is a debut. I struggled to connect with the characters. Our two protagonists are Eva and Reina, and I feel like I really got to know Eva and only partially got to know Reina because she was held at a distance. While I understood their motivations/goals, it wasn't always clear in their choices or interactions with other characters. They did have some character growth, which was great to see. The supporting characters were good, but not great. They lacked some subtlety and nuance, but that is something that can be improved in future books. 

I don't feel like I have a clear sense of time and place with this book. I know we got a map, which was great, but I struggled to envision the traveling and places in this world. I also don't really know what time period this world is in. The language sometimes felt very modern, which was a bit jarring, especially when used when they didn't have things that are normally associated with that word. 

The pacing was also hard for me. It started off strong, but I felt like it took a long time to move the plot forward. I know a lot of this is set up, but I feel like we got a lot of set up and less of the plot, climax, and falling action. 

That being said, I did enjoy this, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series! 

Thank you to Orbit for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

This book was perfectly fine and did have some interesting sections. Based on the title, I expected a lot of content about witches and their connection to feminism. However, most of it felt like conversations about feminism with  few stories about witches here and there. I absolutely loved the introduction, and if the rest of the book continued like that, I would have loved this more. The writing was really good, and the narrator did a great job. 

Easily one of my favorite reads of this year. Middlemarch is a wonderful exploration of family, love, politics, small town life, and marriage. This is a book that seeps into your soul and never lets go. It is a slow burn that is so rewarding. I loved Eliot's prose. There were some scenes where I highlighted the entire page because of a beautiful quote or vivid imagery. Her writing is stunning, and her authorial voice is powerful. Eliot's character work is masterful, and I felt like I got to know these characters so well. I loved how thought provoking this book is. The characters are flawed and messy, yet so relatable. I feel as though everyone can get something out of Middlemarch no matter where you are in life, and this is a book that I feel like I will get more out of every time I read it. It is just beautiful.