chloemakesbooks's reviews
668 reviews
Shit Cassandra Saw by Gwen E. Kirby
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Very entertaining, very dark. As with all story collections, some better/more memorable than others, but definitely many chuckles throughout.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
dark
informative
slow-paced
3.5
Fascinating to read as an editor and see the editorial choices here. A few passages with real emotional impact (both personal and related to the killer) but still a little repetitive and hard to follow at times (to be expected). Fasci ating to read the appendixes including the resolution of the case.
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Well worth reading despite inconsistencies (shifting focus, intermittent conflict, varying depth of characterization). A compelling experiment, and the details of a mother's grief were devastatingly evocative. Felt like the book either should have done more with the secondary characters or less- frustrating to sketch out a character in such detail and then not really hear about them again. Good ending, although I'm a little tired of characters who become stuck in their grief and never really see the other side.
Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Argh the last third of this book was not at all what I expected. Truly like a train wreck you can't look away from. Almost DNF. Ending not worth it, wish I had put it down. Not a bad book (perhaps style over substance) but not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Cannibalism, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Excrement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Minor: Drug use
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
emotional
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
Although I do think the end of the book could have stood to get a haircut of about 50 pages or so (typical youth fiction author feels the need to play out the entire lives of her characters) the book was an interesting foray into magical realism, with some really difficult hit-too-close-to-home moments and some beautiful passages toward the end. I wish the author had spent more time with the dragons (and clearly, she wanted to, hence the drag toward the end) but what time we did get was lots of fun.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Cancer, Xenophobia, Grief, Homophobia, Abandonment, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders
Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright
dark
informative
fast-paced
4.0
Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry, Alexis C. Bunten
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Murder, Xenophobia, Fatphobia, Bullying, Confinement, and Death
The Familiars by Stacey Halls
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? No
3.0
A good story. Could have used a little haircut, and a deeply flawed main character that I don't think I liked... And a heaping dose of classism. I wanted a little more historic in my fiction, I think.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Sexism
Moderate: Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Classism, Child death, Pedophilia, Confinement, and Alcoholism
Minor: Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury