e_gracereads's reviews
166 reviews

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

And Then I Woke Up by Malcolm Devlin

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Delightfully horrifying and confusing, in a mind-fuck sort of way! Definitely enjoyed it but it was a bit to wrap my brain around. Really wonderful commentary on narratives, however, and how perception and reality are intertwined. 

The Last Victim: A True-Life Journey Into the Mind of the Serial Killer by Jason Moss

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

This was nauseating, but immensely fascinating. The narrative style of this made it easy to forget it’s nonfiction, but the content brought me back to reality quickly. Most certainly not for the faint hearted, but an immaculate macabre nonfiction. 

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.

Just got bored with it :/ 

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.

Just not my vibe. Wasn’t feeling it. 

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

3.0

This is an objectively good book! I just don’t think it was for me. I’m pretty picky with my sci-fi, and this just didn’t really fulfil that niche for me. That being said, if you really enjoy sci-fi, you’ll probably love this! It was a quick read regardless, and I thought the ethics of sentient AI was discussed in a really interesting way here. 

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

I think this book just wasn’t my cup of tea - not bad, just not really my thing. Super strange, a little disturbing, and more than a little sad. A unique commentary on childhood trauma, though! 

Class 11: My Story Inside the Cia's First Post-9/11 Spy Class by T. J. Waters

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Absolutely INCREDIBLE book about CIA covert training and analysis. I really enjoyed this book. 

I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream: Stories by Harlan Ellison
Did not finish book. Stopped at 40%.

I wish I had just read the titular story - that was five stars, and I’ll be thinking about it for a while. After that, though, they’re all a little lackluster. 

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I loved this book - this is everything We Need to Talk About Kevin and Push wanted to be. Creepy, creepy kid, dual POV, and just absolutely heart wrenching scenes.