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safsaf118's reviews
264 reviews

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

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adventurous hopeful tense 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

3.75

 This one was a bit of a roller coaster. At first, I was mostly engrossed and interested in what was happening, but I got bored about halfway through and had to force myself to keep reading. I’m really glad I did, because I loved the ending and the final act of resistance. I think I mostly felt like this was half-finished. It almost felt like there wasn't enough world-building in the beginning so I had a really hard time pinpointing what was happening and what Bird's life looked like. The flashbacks of Bird's mother and her life before her arrest were definitely a strong part of the book. 
What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad

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emotional hopeful sad tense 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

5.0

I needed to sit for a few days and let this one sink in. What hurts the most about this story and how true it is - this genuinely could pass for a non-fiction story. The deeply entrenched anti-immigration sentiment that has spread and risen through Europe and Arab countries, the lack of justice and human rights that refugees deal with, and the death and loss that comes with searching for safety and a new home. It took everything in me to keep reading, because I kept wanting to put it down. The ending completely broke me.
I know there are different interpretations of the ending, and I go back and forth between two sides of it: first, the idea that the ending of the story is what would have happened if no one stepped in and helped. OR the other way around, where the entire story imagines an alternate ending if only someone had helped - throughout the journey we only saw people take advantage of Amir and his family, but Vanna's acts of kindness show that there is an alternative, if only she had acted.
Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler

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

2.0

Another Anne Tyler book that let me down. I don't even know what was going on with this book. It just felt weird and disjointed, like it was leading down a certain path -- but the message got lost along the way. Not for me. 
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

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

4.0

Wow. I was not expecting that. This reminded me a lot of A Man Called Ove and had similar themes. This felt really fulfilling to read and such a good mix of hope and grief and love. 
The Anthill by Julianne Pachico

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

3.75

 Sorry, what did I just read? I’m actually conflicted because I really liked the first half but I didn’t fully understand the premise of the story and I still have a few questions. But it did a good job of making me feel unsettled and I couldn’t put it down at first. Would like this more if I understood the ending, I think. I couldn't put it down, but I also was just hoping for more resolution than what we were given.  
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

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dark funny tense 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

4.0

I don't even have the words to describe this. I genuinely enjoyed Dial A for Aunties so I had high hopes for this and it did not disappoint. Is Vera completely unhinged and suffering from a lack of boundaries? Yes, absolutely. But she was also iconic. This actually got a little bit dark at times but still was funny and entertaining and kept me hooked. 
Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

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funny lighthearted 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? It's complicated

2.5

Always a huge fan of retellings of The Taming of the Schrew. I really liked the idea of this but it felt like something was missing. Honestly, it felt pretty rushed and way too short. We never really got to see a genuine development of the relationship between Kate and Pyotr, which kind of ruins the whole point of the story? That really ruined it for me. The other characters also didn't feel flushed out at all, which is pretty disappointing. Again, it felt like this was the first draft and could have benefitted from lots of revision. It was sweet and funny though, like I see the vision but we just needed to get there. 
Happy Place by Emily Henry

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emotional funny hopeful 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

 This was my third Emily Henry book and I have to say that it was definitely my favourite. I just felt like the characters were really flushed out and I loved the focus on their college friendship and how they got where they are today.  Fake dating with a twist, which I loved. I liked how we got to see their whole relationship from when they first met to how it started to fall apart in the end. Now don't get me wrong, I'm ALL for people chasing their dreams but I just don't buy that she's happy to drop out of med school to do pottery like what? Like she couldn't find a single other job in the medical field that she would like? 
Caraval by Stephanie Garber

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

4.0

Why did I find Tella so very annoying? Maybe I'm just a hater. But other than that I really loved the mystery and the actual setting of where the story took place!! The detail, the game and the riddles were all super intriguing and kept me hooked. Some parts were a bit confusing, and I'm not sure if it was like that on purpose or will be built upon more in the second book...so I'll let it slide for now. 
Diary by Chuck Palahniuk

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

0.0

ZERO STARS. Horrible, awful, one of the worst I’ve ever read. A waste of paper, I’m genuinely shocked - not only did someone write this thinking it was worthy of being told but they also felt the need to share it with the rest of the world. Just a terrible, terrible story that’s weird beyond words and gross. Hated every second.