serinas's reviews
331 reviews

I haven't read that much science fiction, mostly because I haven't had the will to explore the genre. This is my introduction to the genre, and the review will probably reflect that. I read mostly fantasy or literary fiction. 

We jump right into the action, with Murderbot doing their job. Murderbot is a SecUnit that acts as a security guard for a team of researchers, and of course everything doesn't go according to plan on the mission.

I loved the characters and plot - and the themes that were explored. Questions about humanity, morals, and more fascinate me, and All Systems Red had lots of it. I love space and the unknown as well, even though it kind of creeps me out. The books is definitely not scary though, unless you find it uncomfortable to read about stuff you know nothing about.

I rated it 5 stars. I honestly loved it - the exploration of what makes us human and human experiences really intrigues me. I've noticed that I love books that explore our (:human, people) morals, philosophy, and uncertainty - and All Systems Red definitely touched on these themes. It was a hit, that's for sure! I truly enjoyed the end of the book, and it felt conclusive enough to be a standalone (if you don't want to read the rest of the series). 

As it was only 150 pages, I found it easy and managable to read - I finished it in one sitting, and felt like I could immerse myself in the book. I would definitely recommend it! It was a great introduction to sci-fi, and I might read more in the future. I don't know if I'll continue the series, as it gave the closure I needed.

Here is the full review, with NO SPOILERS. I want to clarify that I do follow MJ on instagram and did get the ARC for free, but I will still do my best to be as honest as possible. The Witch of Wall Street is set to release March 25th 2025.

We follow the FMC Miriam, who is a banker on Wall Steeet. The ethics around her job is explored throughout the book, and her identity as a woman in a male-dominated field is a big part of the plot and character. The Witch of Wall Street is a romance, but I found the aspect of the ethics and societal issues really intriguing.

I had no issue reading this during my exam week, as it was an easy read - as in an easy plot to follow, but also plain and understandable language. Definitely a plus, as I have been struggling with my reading this semester.

As this is a romance, the romance is important. I would say there are several tropes: There is rivals to lovers (in an academic sense), grumpy x sunshine, golden retriever bf, and he falls first trope. There are probably way more, but I'm not really a romance-reader, so I wouldn't know to be conpletely honest.

There is sex. Not an overwhelming amount - I would say about 5% was sex itself, but there are of course some moments where the FMC is horny, thinking about the MMC (Nelson) and more. 

I'm a little unsure of what I think of the romance. I didn't hate it, but it didn't work that well for me. I enjoyed it more towards the end, and unfortunatly I can't really say what irked me. I just didn't vibe with it. The FMC and MMC are not the problem, I can tell you that much. I loved Miriam and Nelson! The plot was superfun, and I loved the treasure hunt vibes.

I rated it 4.25 stars. It was enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it - but I'd see if there are tropes you like first. If there are tropes you like - I think you'd like this! The plot is fun, chaotic and adventurous - even if you don't love the romance, the plot might be worth the read.

Honestly,  it just wasn't to my taste. I might try it again at a later date

I just finished The Bluest Eye, and was honestly speechless after reading it. I'll definitely read more books by Toni Morrison - this book was a huge success to me.

I don't know how to explain it well... But in many ways this book reminded me of Go Tell It On the Mountain by James Baldwin. It's the same structure in both stories, and they both handle issues regarding being Black in the US. The Bluest Eye has a unique way to tell the story, that I truly enjoy.

The Bluest Eye was phenomonal, and just what I wanted to read. The story hit me so hard, and I'm still recovering from the impact. It was tragic, infuriating, and awful to read - but in the best way.  The plot is so sad and the characters so fleshed out, you feel for them.

I rated it 5 stars. I have no complaints - I only wish I read it sooner.

Here is a review with no spoilers - but mostly just the reason why I decided to DNF this ARC. This is an ARC provided by NetGalley, that is set to release June 3rd 2025. 

I want to start of by saying that I quickly realized that this book wasn't for me. The writing style wasn't to my taste, and the chapters were awfully long. I struggled through it, but still wanted to give it a shot. About the 40% mark I decided to give up, and DNF.

The story was awfully slow - when I quit reading,

the dad disappeared.

The build up was too slow, and there weren't any climaxes and action curves that made it interesting. I try not to DNF ARCs, as I want to give them a fair review, but I honestly couldn't finish it. All in all, the problem was mostly how slow the book was.

I had no issue with the characters (they were interesting enough) and plot - it was just too slow. This is a very subjective opinion though, and Flashlight will definitely become a favorite to some.

I am not rating Flashlight on StoryGraph, this will be a DNF. On NetGalley I gave it 3 stars as a part of the review, as I had to rate it there.

This was a part of my TBR when I was 16, and I'm turning 26 this year, so 10 years ago since I wanted to read it! 

First: Read the trigger warnings before reading. There are some serious themes in this book, like suicide and bullying. 

The different POVs, from Oscar and Meg, develop together and gives the reader a good timeline of the plot and characters. I really liked the way the POVs worked together, and moved the story forwards. Oscar and Meg were great characters, and I loved to read about them. But Paloma... Paloma deserves a special place in hell, I rarely hate a character this much. 

I was on the fence about whether this would be a great book. Suicide is a sensitive matter, and too many authors fuck up when writing about it. I thought that The Apple Tart of Hope approached suicide in a way that wasn't insensitive, but still with a sense of lightness.

I rated it 4 stars. It was a solid read and a great start to the year, but the characters fell flat (at times, but not all the time). The book was pretty frustrating at times, since you as the reader know a lot more than Meg and Oscar, and it didn't work in the books favor. A little less frustration would've made the book a lot better, in my opinion. 

Still, it was a great book that I'd recommend. It's just about 200 pages, and a light read if you're in the mood for something easy to read.

Here is the full review, with NO SPOILERS.

The book is a sort of biography of Andrev Walden, where he writes about his childhood. He shows us a unique perspective on growing up with several 'dads' - and the toll it takes on a child. The stories he tells are funny, sad and ffrustrating. Andrev tells the story of 7 dads and how they shaped his childhood - the trauma and life lessons they gave him.

I rated it 3.75. I liked the unique perspective on the different father figures he had throughout his childhood - and how that shaped him. But the writing style and structure wasn't to my taste. That's 100% subjective though. It wasn't bad or boring, it just... didn't vibe with me.

The book hasn't been translated to English, and I don't know if an English translation is in the works or not. 

Here is the full review, with NO SPOILERS. I saw great reviews and I was also recommended it personally from a friend - so I knew I had to read it! It was already apart of my TBR at that point, but the recs definitely sealed the deal. This took some time to read, but that was my fault. I started it right before my exams... so yeah, my fault😅

Chain-Gang All-Stars jumps right into action, and introduces us to the concept of the entertainment programme. This is action-packed, but also pretty relateable to the real world. We get to see the MCs everyday-life, and the relationships that evolve.

Everything mentioned in Chain-Gang All-Stars is already true - prisoners are slaves, and most of them are dark skinned. Some are 16 years old, jailed with men that are triple their age. Chain-Gang All-Stars uses the real world, and puts everything in a twisted, dark perspective that you can't look away from. Making a sports event out of prisoners killing other prisoners is grotesque, but a symbolic way to show today's prison system in many parts of the world. The book even uses sources and data from real life American prisons, which makes the story hit harder.

I rated it 4.5 stars. The women in this book will forever amaze me - they're written so well, and have range and depth. Women truly have my heart, especially the ones in this book. Hurricane Staxxx and Loretta Thurwar will always be one of my favorite characters of all time - they are amazing. 

The few downsides (to me) are that the book had so many POVs, it was confusing at times, and the pacing. The book had a span of several weeks, but it didn't feel like that at all. I don't know if I'd change any of it though,  as the book wouldn't be the same if they did. I might not have been in the right headspace when I read it, which would be my fault ofc.

I honestly found it quite disturbing - as I know for a fact this could happen in real life, and people would love to watch a killing match like this. Some would probably not see the problem, and even encourage a match like the ones we see in the book. This is also (probably) part of why I find it disturbing, as I know many would like this concept in real life. 

An uncomfortable read, but in a good way. This should 100% be a book you put on your TBR if you haven't already!

We meet the main character  Tollak, and get to know him and his life. He talks about the love he has for his wife, Ingeborg, and reminisces about the past. There are mentions of death in this book, but otherwise no major trigger warnings one should be aware of.

I rated it 5 stars. It was short and sweet - definitely hit the spot. The foreshadowing and symbolism were great, I love when books make you read between the lines. As this book was 160 pages, I also had the mindset (and energy) to read and interpret it. This was a clear hit to me, and I might read more of Tore Renberg in the future. 

My review contains zero spoilers.


We meet Bergljot and her family in the midst of their drama, this time concerning their inheritance after their parents Inga and Bjørnar. On the outside, it might seem like the drama is all about the inheritance and their share, but it's about much more - it's about abuse and the different childhood the siblings had. There are mentions of incest and sexual abuse, so check the trigger warnings before reading.

I rated it 4 stars. All in all; I liked it. It explores grief and how people experience it in different ways, especially when you have unresolved trauma relating to the dead person. The bond between siblings and parents are well done, and the cycle of grief was phenomonal. There isn't a plot, just a minor one, and the focus is on the characters- specifically Bergljot and her relationships. 

Unfortunatly it felt dragged out. There were chapters that felt too repetetive, considering this book is 350 pages. Since there are so many different 'POVs' that show how the trauma affects Bergljot (and the whole family) in her everyday life, some of the chapters felt unnecessary. The way the book was written was not to my taste, but it didn't affect my experience with the book too much.

I would recommend it if you're interested in this kind of book, or if you just want to read something different.