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raesengele's reviews
313 reviews
My Body Is a Book of Rules by Elissa Washuta
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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? Yes
5.0
We Unleash the Merciless Storm by Tehlor Kay Mejia
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
5.0
I concede to the hype.
This book is so good damn good ðŸ˜
This book is so good damn good ðŸ˜
Among Others by Jo Walton
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Have you ever read a book about a kid who can do magic and interact with faeries, but just wanted to know what their life in the real world would be like? This book is for you. It wasn't for me, but it would be good for you if that's what you want.
Now, I love books about people going about their lives, I love books about fae and magic, I love magical realism, I love books about friendship and how connections can get us through the darkest times of our lives, and I love books about books.
But I didn't love this book.
I have so many conflicting feelings about Among Others and I think most of it comes down to how much we saw of the real world and how little magic actually had any effect on it. The magic aspects of the book and the real world aspects were so rigidly separated in the loosest way and I'm fully aware how little sense that makes, but that's my frustration with my feelings over this book. I understand why Jo Walton made the decisions that she did, but I still disagree with those decisions and would have suggested she do something different had I been her editor.
I think another part of my frustration is that I ended the book feeling detached. Actually, I went through most of the book feeling detached. There was so little depth to how Mor experienced anything. Even when talking about her sister's death so often she seemed almost detached from it...but also not? It's odd.
Maybe that's the best way to put it. This book is odd. My feelings about it are odd. I don't know how to feel about anything anymore.
Now, I love books about people going about their lives, I love books about fae and magic, I love magical realism, I love books about friendship and how connections can get us through the darkest times of our lives, and I love books about books.
But I didn't love this book.
I have so many conflicting feelings about Among Others and I think most of it comes down to how much we saw of the real world and how little magic actually had any effect on it. The magic aspects of the book and the real world aspects were so rigidly separated in the loosest way and I'm fully aware how little sense that makes, but that's my frustration with my feelings over this book. I understand why Jo Walton made the decisions that she did, but I still disagree with those decisions and would have suggested she do something different had I been her editor.
I think another part of my frustration is that I ended the book feeling detached. Actually, I went through most of the book feeling detached. There was so little depth to how Mor experienced anything. Even when talking about her sister's death so often she seemed almost detached from it...but also not? It's odd.
Maybe that's the best way to put it. This book is odd. My feelings about it are odd. I don't know how to feel about anything anymore.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Death, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Grief, Car accident, and Lesbophobia
Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century by Roseanne Montillo
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
The Price of Salt, or Carol by Patricia Highsmith
medium-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
3.5
My feelings about The Price of Salt can be summoned up as such:
This book is famous for being one of, if not THE first lesbian romance where the lesbian couple in question stay together in the end.
The problem is I didn't want them to be together to begin with.
Therese deserves so much better and Carol is not it.
This book is famous for being one of, if not THE first lesbian romance where the lesbian couple in question stay together in the end.
The problem is I didn't want them to be together to begin with.
Therese deserves so much better and Carol is not it.