bryanna_'s reviews
141 reviews

Severance by Ling Ma

dark emotional reflective tense fast-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? No

3.5

this was really thought provoking, especially after the pandemic we went thru for basically three years. very nuanced main character w/ a lot of depth & the way this was structured is honestly what made it work for me.

i think i went in w/ super high expectations so i got let down a bit by how it ended & how it played out overall, so there weren't that many moments that left me shocked or bewildered. i was kinda numb to the plot which makes me sound rlly psychotic but i truly didn't connect w/ it as much as i wanted to. 

again, it was rlly thought provoking though, so i am interested in what else she has to offer!

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

maybe 4.5?? this was such an emotional & heartfelt story for me...🥹

i absolutely loved mukesh. he felt so raw & real, i honestly wish i could jus give him a giant hug. the relationship he has w pariya is so dear to me - this book definitely had a huge family theme & i absolutely loved that. 

a lot of ppl think that this book focused too much on the reading list instead of the actual characters but i disagree. i think it was a rlly good balance & when they did discuss the different books, u could rlly see how the lessons & themes resonated w each character in different ways. it also highlighted how easy it is to find some common ideas & subjects even if ur not an avid reader. 

the only reason why this isnt a 5 star read for me is that didnt completely fall in love w the writing & i felt like the beginning of the story focused too much on the books themselves. idk it's bc the writing was too modern or basic or if it's bc ive been reading sm complex literature it threw me off but...😅 it was honestly rlly good & a very emotional/personal story for me 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

i feel like this is one of those books where u either love it or hate it & for me, i didnt completely love it. 

the plot was really interesting when i first read the synopsis and even throughout a good 50% of the book it was great - i dont even think i could put it down. but there was this weird shift in the story that i didnt even realize when it occurred & then next thing you know everything is unveiled in the last 30 pages. so the middle is what really threw me off w this book. 

i also think i was expecting a lot more romance than what we got from marco & celia. i didnt feel a spark w them at allll so the whole dramatic scene towards the end made absolutely no sense to me. but their characters also became rlly bland to me as well by the end of the story, TOO bland for a book as magical as this. 

next point: there was jus something missing from this plot. it's a lot more character driven & i think that made me realize im more of a plot person but also like a balance between the two. but i was expecting so much more from this plot just by the way it started off so strong in the beginning. it's almost like it just progressively died for me (similar to my klara and the sun review). however... 

i will say morgenstern is a wonderful writer & is really able to make the reader feel like a part of the story. i loved the different point of views that we got (audience of the circus vs members), that was something i dont see in writing often. & i didnt enjoy how each section started off with a second person point of view narrative which REALLY made me feel like i was there, indulging in the magic w everyone else. 

so, morgenstern's writing & the beginning/end of the story is what bumped it up to 3.5 instead of just 3. i did enjoy this & thought it was a fun read, but there were some things i definitely would've added to make this better. i would love to hear other's opinions tho!! (i really wanted to like this one btw)

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

emotional tense slow-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

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Silas Marner by George Eliot

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

i guess it's just a 19th century novel summer for me 🤭

i thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. i loved seeing the relationship of Silas and Eppie & how she basically became his guardian angel instantly. i also loved how it showed a male taking that "motherly" role of taking care of a child - it became his sole responsibility. 

a really touching & beautiful story on faith,  hope, class, domesticity. not only that but the drama was THEREEEEE. 

eliot was very blunt & straight to the point w this novel which was honestly perfect for this story. loved loved loved everything about it! would def do a reread on this to analyze & fully grasp the motifs n symbols 

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

4.0

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

3.0

Refugee by Alan Gratz

5.0

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

5.0