serinas's reviews
331 reviews

It hasn't been translated to English (yet), but I still wanted to post my review. It might be something some of you might enjoy, so I want to share my experience with Søstrene.

This is definitely a slow read. I even posted on my Insta story that I was considering to DNF it, as nothing had happened yet (and I was on page 270!!). I did finish it though, as right after page 270 a lot started to happen. It was still slow paced, and I would even say that it is the slowest paced book I've ever read. Beware of that, if this sounds like something you'd be interested in.

I rated it 4/5 stars. I have very mixed feelings, but I'd say that I enjoyed it. It was hard to stop reading, but it was also hard to get back to the book after a break. I loved the main characters, the three sisters, and the very different POVs they had. The minor plot was interesting, but it is almost non-existing. 

The fact that it is 650 pages is pretty wild, as there were definitely parts that could've been shorter. The plot and character development could've been in less pages, probably about 500 pages. 650 pages can rarely be justified, and this was not justified. The ending was also disappointing and felt rushed.

 I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it, just be aware of its faults before reading.

I can't believe it took me this long to finish So Let Them Burn, but I did finish it. I started it in the middle of moving, which was not the best idea, and now I'm studying. I finally found the time to finish it though, and I'm happy to say that I loved it.

The book has dragons, queer people, intricate magic systems and politics - hitting all my checks. Most fantasy is slow in the beginning, and this was no exception, but I still loved it! Faron and Elara truly love each other, and I love my own sisters so so much. I could definitely relate to them, and the love they feel. 

 I rated it 5 stars. I love a good fantasy, and this was definitely one! Siblings are a weak spot of mine, as I love to read about the bond between siblings. The excecution of this book, from plot to writing style, was so well done. This is one hell of a debut, and I can't wait to get my hands on the second book.

When I started reading Do You Dream of Terra-Two?, I was convinced that this would at best be a 3 star rating for me. It was slow, and it was confusing with so many POVs in the beginning. I also didn't understand why there were 130 pages before the launch into space, as I was mostly interested in the space-theme. But damn, I ended up rating this 5 stars.

The pre-launch days truly added more to the story and everything that happened in space. I thought I knew what would happen, but I didn't. Things got so much worse than I imagined. The scenario they are stuck in is my worst nightmare. The thought of being alone, with no one to help you - out in space - truly disturbs me. 

I definitely want to mention that the story is very slow-paced. I also thought this would be a horror when I started reading, but I was wrong! It is tense, and the thought of being alone in space is an absolute horrific thought to me - so it kinda worked as a horror to me. There are also scenes that might be triggering to some, so check the trigger warnings before reading.

I honestly just loved the cover on this one, and once I started my Booksta I saw great reviews about A Psalm For the Wild-Built. It's also just 150 pages, which is perfect while I'm studying.

Dex, the MC, is living their dream selling tea and being on the road, but they still can't find happiness in all of this. They know that their job is fulfilling and helps people, but Dex is still unhappy. One day Dex decides to go to the wilderness, where he meets the robot Mosscap. Dex and Mosscap starts their journey, all because of a simple question: "What do humans need?"

I rated it 5 stars. This is more of a cozy, philosophical and whimsical story that focuses on what makes us human - and what we need to be happy. I truly enjoyed this, and think many others will. It's short as well, but a fullfilling story that leaves you wanting more.

This is an ARC that I read on NetGalley for free, but this will not sway my opinion.

Definitely read the trigger warnings for this book. There is no explicit gore, but lots of trauma and traumatic events that are described. There is also racism, homophobia and transphobia.

The siblings Ezri, Emmanuelle and Eve have to face their past trauma in this horror story. Will the hauntings return when they visit their childhood home again?

This review will probably be a little all over the place, as I have so much too say! So sorry in advance. 

Model Home had the depth I wanted, and worked great as a horror. It has no gore (which I like), but still leaves you on the edge of your seat. The suspense was killing me! You never knew where the story was going. The trauma the siblings endured (and still endures) is a big part of the story, so beware that this will be a hard read.

I was so uncomfy and creeped out throughout most of this book. The interactions and story is done really well, even though I don't really know what was real or not. There was no way to know what was 'fake', which made this book confusing at times. In my opinion, this was not a bad thing. Since there were no real answers, I could make my own. I had an idea of what the ending would look like, but I was wrong. This was such a good read, but a hard one.

The only negative thing, in my opinion, was that Elijahs POV felt younger than 12-14. That might be just me though.

I really liked the way it was written, and the horror aspect was well-done. This is a great read for October, the month of Halloween, and I would definitely recommend it.

This is an ARC that I read on NetGalley for free, but this will not sway my opinion. Where the Forest Meets the River will be released September 3rd 2024.

Disclaimer: This is a sequel, but you can read it as a stand-alone. I have not read the first book in the series, and my review will take that into consideration. I would also recommend to go through the trigger warnings before reading. Some mentions are: suicide, homophobia and lgbtq+ issues, grief, hoarding, abuse, and more.

I'm at a loss of words after finishing Where the Forest Meets the River. This was an amazing read, and I feel like I stumbled upon a hidden gem on NetGalley. I truly loved this book. I was hesitant about if I should even ask for the book on NetGalley, but I'm trying to expand my bookshelf with new genres, and decided to give this a try.

It reminds me in many ways of We Deserve Monuments - in the way that it was written, and the small town vibe it gave off. Where the Forest Meets the River was definitely more relaxing and didn't have a clear plot, and just 'followed' several POVs with very different characters compared to We Deserve Monuments. 

We have bisexual Greg, the widow Nate, the alcoholic Annette and Dr. Haskell (and more). This was definitely a challenge in the beginning, but I truly became invested in every POV throughout the book. Every character is unique, and I didn't have any trouble recognizing whos chapter it was.

It explores dark themes, like grief and loss - but Where the Forest Meets the River also shows that there's hope. I was on the verge of crying many times, became frustrated, happy and angry on behalf of the characters. 

I've rated it 5 stars. I can't really compare Where the Forest Meets the River to anything, as this is a genre I haven't gravitated towards before, but I will definitely try more books like this. Everything, from the writing style to characters, really resonated with me. I can't pinpoint what I loved so much about this book, but I truly loved it. You can say that I loved it based on vibes, as I didn't really notice the writing style, pace or anything else while reading. I was truly absorbed into this. I will definitely buy the first book when I have the money to do so.

Will start again at a later date, I really like it so far! I'm just not in the mood

 I rated it 3 stars. I'd say that I did read something, but I'm not sure what I feel about The Bell Jar. I couldn't stop reading it, but at the same time I can't tell you what I liked about it.

The subtle racism throughout The Bell Jar was definitely a turn-off, and made me consider putting it down several times. You could probably argue that it's a product of its time, but it's still something that I wanted to mention (and it's a poor excuse, in my opinion). Some classics are really misogynistic or racist, and that is partly why I avoid many of them, but not a single review I read mentioned the sublte racism in The Bell Jar. I wouldn't have read it if I knew.

I only continued as I was intrigued were the story was going, as at the half-way point nothing had really happened. You need to be patient if you give this a go, that's for sure.

I really liked Esther and her ramblings, but it was fairly confusing in the beginning. It's important to the story though, and I understand it's part of the plot. Her mental healths decline is reliant on these ramblings, as these ramblings truly shows how unwell she is. 

The second half was definitely the better part of the book, and this is where we see Esther becoming ill. I understand that it was revolutionary at the time it was published, but I feel like I have read this story so many times already - but it's probably because I lean towards books that deal with mental health.

All in all, it was okay. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it either. The racism makes this a no for me.

I rated it 5 stars. This book made me bawl my eyes out. Family trauma, friendships falling apart, and queer and racial discrimination makes a very sad book - but this was amazing. I loved every minute of it, even though I was crying.

It was so easy to get into - jumped straight into the story with no hesitation, which I love. We Deserve Monuments was written in a way that felt poetic, but not to the point where I couldn't understand several words or got lost in the writing. It was an easy read, as a non-native English speaker.

The pacing felt natural, and it was very well done. It's not easy to make a steady timeline of 6 months, but I had no problem keeping track of the story and time of year. I honestly have no complaints on the pacing - I loved it.

The story is definitely the best part. It's a mix of plot and a focus on the characters, which I love. Avery, Letty, Simone and Jade will always have a special place in my heart, especially mama Letty. 

We Deserve Monuments explores family drama and trauma, and in a way I feel will be healing for many with similar trauma (it was healing to me, at least). I cried so much though. This book hurt so much, but in a good way. Many things were too relateable, and got me feeling pretty emotional. I loved this book, and I will definitely recommend it to more people.