oliviaoverthinkseverything's reviews
513 reviews

Prime Meridian by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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

5.0

The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman

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funny informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

I learned so much about the 90s from reading this book! I was born in 1990, so while I was alive when all these things happened I definitely wasn't aware of them. It put a lot of things in perspective for me. Klosterman does an excellent job of weaving pop culture in with political and other major events, making it all equally relevant to understanding this turbulent decade. I look forward to reading more social histories from this author. 
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds—The Illyrian Enigma #1 by Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson

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

5.0

Everyone on the Moon is Essential Personnel by Julian K. Jarboe

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challenging dark emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

This collection of short stories was such an emotional thing to read. It's funny but also horrifying, spiritual yet irreverent, fantastical but also darkly reminiscent of our current reality. There are a lot of content and trigger warnings here, so do your research before deciding whether this is a good choice for you. I'm going to be thinking about it for quite a while. 
Back in a Spell by Lana Harper

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hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-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? Yes

5.0

Each time a new installment of The Witches of Thistle Grove comes out, I find myself thinking there's no way I'll like this one as much as the others. Each time I'm wrong. I love these witches and this charming little town they live in! More of this, please. 
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

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dark funny hopeful fast-paced

5.0

This was my first graphic memoir! Last year was my first experience with graphic books and comics and I'm really enjoying this "discovery" of a new format/genre. I only knew of Alison Bechdel from the famous Bechdel Test (does a book/movie/show have at least one instance of two or more women discussing something other than a man). I really enjoy her art style and her approach to storytelling. It's incredible that she was able to present such a heavy, dark story in such a way to make it feel humorous and light. Her relationship with her father was complicated, as was the man himself - equal parts victim of tragedy and monstrous villain. This book has a lot of trigger and content warnings and does not shy away from tough topics, so do your own due diligence before you decide if this is a good choice for you. 
South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation by Imani Perry

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challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book is dense, but in a good way - like a slice of that expensive, oversized sandwich bread studded with nuts and seeds, with rolled oats pressed into the crust. Equal parts memoir, history, sociology and cultural anthropology, Perry examines different sections of "the South" and dives deep. As someone who often becomes irritated when "the South" is painted with a broad brush, I greatly appreciated the distinctions made here. Southern culture is so varied and textured, and I learned quite a bit about Alabaman history in particular (the author was born in Birmingham and considers Ensley home). 
The Hours by Michael Cunningham

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

5.0

 This is a very melancholy book, but one that very much resonated with me. Fellow depressives beware, as much of this book could be quite triggering depending on your state of mind, but it struck the gloomy winter note I have been craving lately and the writing is just absolutely lovely. 
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

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dark funny informative inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Matrix by Lauren Groff

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0