asliyase's reviews
46 reviews

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

emotional funny reflective 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? Yes

3.75

Rental Person Who Does Nothing by Shoji Morimoto

funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.0

There’s some beauty in it’s simplicity. 

Terrific Mother by Lorrie Moore

funny reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

I think the snarky and dark humor was perfect & this book was both reflective and funny to me. The author also did an incredible job of creating a character that you understand and agree that is unlikeable, that you also find quite likeable. The chacacter felt very grounded. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky

1.5

Just the thoughts of an extremely misogynistic man over a few days, wlth no criticism of that overt and unending misogyny. It was so tough to get through. I swear the main character would have been an incel if he was living in contemporary times. 

Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor

dark tense

4.0

I struggled a lot to rate this book.

I enjoy dark books with flawed narrators/characters in general, and was really excited to read this. There were many identities, life events and decisions I could relate to in this book, so I wonder why I felt like something was off about the book, and not just in the way one would want to feel adter finishing such a book. Maybe I’ll be better able to define that element that was missing after I have some time to digest the book. 

On the positive side, I enjoyed the intrigue I felt at certain points,, and that this book managed to make me think “IS THIS HOW A LOT OF MEN CAN THINK?” many, many times (& the jury is still out by the way). I finished the book with a lot of remanining questions to myself, to the author, and about humanity in general, which I appreciate. 

One thing I will say is that this book may not be for everyone, every mood, or every mental state so I would read the blurb and glance at the content warnings before jumping into it. 

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

medium-paced

4.75

Oh, man. 

Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth about Your Weight by Linda Bacon

slow-paced

3.75

I did get a lot of information from it but still sould not recommend it to most people in my circle because it felt as if it wasn’t written for people who are living or have lived with addiction, poverty, an eating disorder and/or people who live outside of the US. 

The Book That No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade

funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

medium-paced

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

4.5