safsaf118's reviews
264 reviews

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

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adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.0

As I was reading, I kept switching back and forth between whether I enjoyed this or not. I’d be really drawn into the story, then all of a sudden something would just completely take me out of it. It just fell a little flat, despite the potential. 
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

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adventurous inspiring medium-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

4.5

Every now and then I’ll find a book that reminds me of The Westing Game and it makes me so happy. This was like a perfect mix of Knives Out and The Westing Game and randomly, The 39 Clues. It was also just super fun and nostalgic.
The Private Apartments by Idman Nur Omar

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challenging dark medium-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? N/A

4.0

As with any short story collection, some stood out more than others. I loved how they connected to each other and the overall themes of homesickness and family and the immigrant struggle. 
The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester

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dark emotional 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

4.25

There’s no better feeling than finding a good historical fiction that just really gets you going. I found this one to be pretty unique and I’m glad I gave it a chance. Slow at the beginning, but worth it once the peices start falling together. Vaguely reminded me of Miss Fisher’s. 
The Frederick Sisters Are Living the Dream by Jeannie Zusy

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emotional funny 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? It's complicated

3.0

Kind of weird, kind of funny, just an interesting story to follow along.
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

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dark emotional 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

4.5

The reason why this is so hard to read and so heartbreaking is because of how true it is. It hurt, but it was also healing. There were some parts when the writing took me a little bit out of the story but honestly it was really easy to overlook. I’m glad I braved it. 
A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka

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

3.0

It was so weird but I was oddly hooked and invested in what was going to happen. My eyes did glaze over at all the tractor talk like okay we get it I’m bored. But I read this while driving through Alberta so really felt like I was embodying a tractor life.
The Story of Us by Catherine Hernandez

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

3.0

I really loved Scarborough so was hoping I would like this but I wasn’t the biggest fan. I didn’t like how it was narrated by a baby, I just found it kind of weird. I thought it would focus more on the struggles and realities of being a PSW or migrant worker but I find that it just stopped halfway through, and I wish we got more of that perspective in the second half. 
The View Was Exhausting by Onjuli Datta, Mikaella Clements

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adventurous funny lighthearted 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

4.5

Imagine the best fan fiction you’ve ever read, then make it three times better. This book is genuinely so good and entertaining it’s actually scary. Every second of this had me squealing with joy and also so stressed about what was coming next. This was just amazing. 
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

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emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Thought I would give one of Gabrielle Zevin’s books a try but this was just too out there for me. At first I was sort of like okay, I can deal with this but it was a bit less enjoyable as the book went on. But some parts I did like. It just felt a bit disjointed and such a weird execution of an interesting topic. There were some parts that were super sad and touching but it unfortunately did not make up for the rest of the story’s flaws.