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sphynxreads's reviews
771 reviews
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A beautiful modern fable about friendship and parent-child relationships that is deceptively calming and relaxed in the first three quarters but is intense and rather dark towards the end. While the film adaptation is definitely more emotional and less slice-of-life, this one was still such a delight to read—a perfect read to soothe one's nerves.
Twinkle, Twinkle by Tori Tadiar
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
While the storytelling left a lot to be desired, the artwork was gorgeous and the story itself so full of heart.
Saint by Sierra Simone
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Sweet, sexy, and not bad at all. And that's pretty much all there is to it.
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-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
3.5
It's finally over! I finally finished the series that I decided to try out and despite having mixed feelings about every single book, kept giving a chance with the next installment. Well no more extra chances for Mr. Paolini, because for all the skill he has at creating imaginative worlds and building interesting scenes, he simply cannot write well.
Inheritance is expectedly the least clunky book of the cycle, but clunky it is still. This entire series should have been edited significantly both in terms of structure and length, but alas there's nothing to be done about it now. I will say this, however: for all my complaints and frustrations with this series, it has grown quite a bit on me. The characters are quite memorable and full of heart, and I am eager to now scour the Internet for the endless pages of gorgeous fan art that I am sure are waiting for me out there.
Still I have already wasted too many words and brain cells writing a review for a series that has plagued and exhausted me for too long and for no reason, so goodbye and good riddance.
Inheritance is expectedly the least clunky book of the cycle, but clunky it is still. This entire series should have been edited significantly both in terms of structure and length, but alas there's nothing to be done about it now. I will say this, however: for all my complaints and frustrations with this series, it has grown quite a bit on me. The characters are quite memorable and full of heart, and I am eager to now scour the Internet for the endless pages of gorgeous fan art that I am sure are waiting for me out there.
Still I have already wasted too many words and brain cells writing a review for a series that has plagued and exhausted me for too long and for no reason, so goodbye and good riddance.
The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World by Tiffany Yu
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
An excellent primer on understanding disability and how non-disabled people can become better allies to the community. While I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to build more awareness about the triumphs, struggles, contributions, and needs of the disabled community, I can't say it really taught me anything new that I didn't already know before.
An excellent primer on understanding disability and how non-disabled people can become better allies to the community. While I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to build more awareness about the triumphs, struggles, contributions, and needs of the disabled community, I can't say it really taught me anything new that I didn't already know before.
Ipinanganak Akong Bakla At Ilan Pang Mga Akda by Gerard Gruezo
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
4.0
A brilliant sampler of the creative genius behind the online persona Gerald the Bookworm's bubbly personality! I enjoyed all the works in this collection, especially 'Ang Una Kong Regla'. Gerald knows how to write short non-fiction, but I am eager to read any long form stories he might have in store for us in the future.
Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.5
I received an eARC of this book through the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book had a bit of a rough start for me since there were some character moments that came too early and don't feel quite earned. There were also some emotional moments that felt spoonfed. However, upon finishing the book I found myself attached to the main cast of characters as a group because of how endearing they were individually and how much they unquestioningly cared for one another. I haven't read much dark academia before, but I did find myself wishing there was more world-building, particularly in terms of the school setting which seemed interesting but never really got the full exposure it could have had. I did like how everything wrapped together at the end though and how the themes this book was trying to tackle were explored. There's also some great autistic and queer rep here.
This book had a bit of a rough start for me since there were some character moments that came too early and don't feel quite earned. There were also some emotional moments that felt spoonfed. However, upon finishing the book I found myself attached to the main cast of characters as a group because of how endearing they were individually and how much they unquestioningly cared for one another. I haven't read much dark academia before, but I did find myself wishing there was more world-building, particularly in terms of the school setting which seemed interesting but never really got the full exposure it could have had. I did like how everything wrapped together at the end though and how the themes this book was trying to tackle were explored. There's also some great autistic and queer rep here.
Si by Bob Ong
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is my first Bob Ong novel, and wow was I floored by how good it was! Bob Ong's writing style is so accessible yet so beautiful that there were so many seemingly simple lines that hit hard for me. He displays such an intimate understanding of human nature, what it means to love, and how our experiences and the people around us shape us. Phenomenal. Will definitely be reading more of his works in the future!
Spy x Family, Vol. 9 by Tatsuya Endo
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This manga can practically go on forever and I'll eat every single volume up. Wildly entertaining as always!
Spy x Family, Vol. 8 by Tatsuya Endo
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Definitely one of my favorite volumes in the series!! This seems like a huge step up from the previous volumes and I absolutely LOVE Yor!