bozzi1's reviews
805 reviews

Piñata by Leopoldo Gout

dark mysterious medium-paced

3.5

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

I love Russ!! Body image issues are not exclusive to certain gender identifies and it was a great change to see a male character who was bigger and dealt with the same self confidence issues typically portrayed in a female character. Him being a father at a young age was another surprise that I thought worked really well. Ari was very easy to connect to and likable also. While I’m not in the same situation, I am working on a closer relationship with my mom later in life so those scenes hit particularly close to home. 

There was some of the predictability of your standard romcom, specifically the third act break up, but I don’t mind a little predictability in the romance genre. I liked the peek into the Jewish faith and while this story wasn’t all sunshine, the inclusion of mental health issues made it more realistic and didn’t detract from my enjoyment. 

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

There’s so much to unpack with this novel, it’s a tough one to rate and review. 

This was not an easy read. There is a lot to process in terms of sheer volume. The Love Songs…is over 800 pages, exploring a family history that spans centuries. There are many, many scenes of trauma; some brought me to tears while others made me so angry I had to walk away for a bit. 

Despite the heavy feeling throughout much of the novel, it is also filled with beauty. It explores the bond between sisters, the love of a parent for their child (biological and chosen), the sense of belonging-in family, In community, in nature. 

It could have been shorter, but it could also be longer. I think the decision to alternate the timeline was a good one and it’s a testament to Jeffers’ skill that each time it changed, I was thrilled to find out what was happening to the characters in that time. 

I think I could read this book several more times and find a new connection, but it’s also such an emotionally complex read, I don’t know if I’ll want to revisit it. 

The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

2.75

Jay Anson (1921-1980)

Writer, director, and former copy boy for the New York Evening Journal. 

The debate of whether he was a hack who packaged make believe as a true story or a talented author who brought one of the most well-known paranormal cases to light may rage on forever, but there is one fact that everyone can agree on-the man LOVED exclamation points!

Out of respect for the deceased, and a slight fear of being haunted by a marching band, all I’m going to say about this read is that I’m thankful I had the company of the always awesome #classichorrorcrew 👻

Golden Son by Pierce Brown

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

4.5

Incredible character development and world building continue while keeping plenty of the action I loved from book one. I am loving this series and highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator is fabulous. 

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi

dark emotional fast-paced

4.25

The majority of Pet had a middle school fantasy/Neil Gaiman feel which I loved. Things got darker toward the end which worked really well on one level, but also complicated how I feel about it overall. As a horror fan, I thought the descriptive writing was fantastic, particularly within the ending. The problem I have is that I’m not sure it was the best direction to take considering the moral stance the author seemed to be taking throughout the story up to that point. I also wish it had been longer so some of the characters could have been more fleshed out, but I do see how that might not fit with a book meant for a younger audience. The representation was great and I’d love to see more of the world the author created for Pet and Redemption. 

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Absolutely loved this audiobook!

As a 45 year old white woman, my first thoughts while listening to this were “I’m not the target audience for this”. I kept listening because I don’t need to be the ‘target audience’; I don’t have to relate to the characters or have had the same experiences to enjoy a book. Surprisingly, as I listened I was able to feel a connection to the main character despite all of our differences. I remember what it was like feeling like an outsider in my own home growing up, having a first crush, and dealing with all the consequences that come with developing curves. 

Raw, real, and moving. Highly recommend!

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

challenging dark medium-paced

3.5

The God of Good Looks by Breanne Mc Ivor

emotional medium-paced

4.25

I really enjoyed this story. The characters were diverse and interesting, although I would have loved more about OC’s childhood/background. The setting is one I’m not familiar with personally, but the descriptions made the island come alive. I liked the dual narration and while the relationship between Bianca and OC didn’t feel quite as genuine as the author seemed to be going for, it worked for me. I’ll be on the look out for more from this author!

Oh, and the cover is to-die-for gorgeous 😍

The Prettiest Girl in the Grave by Kristopher Triana

dark fast-paced

4.0

I liked this one, just wish there’d been a character I cared enough about to root for when everything started going down.