issyd23's reviews
136 reviews

It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Surprisingly enjoyable after detesting the first book 3🌸 

NB I picked up this book expecting to hate & make fun of it, but ended up liking the story. I found it really satisfying & empowering to see Lily call out Ryle’s abusive behaviour & get a second chance of love with Atlas. There are still Ellen DeGeneres diaries but thankfully not as much as book 1 + the inclusion of Atlas’ perspective was a good addition. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

dark emotional reflective sad 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

2.0

Just a more boring version of American Psycho with slightly less rape, violence and torture 2❄️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned" by Lena Dunham

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

Lena Dunham is far from perfect, and despite what people say, she is a good comedy writer and GIRLS is actually funny 3👧

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Acephobia/Arophobia, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Basically the quiet, artsy, English version of Michael Bay’s The Island. TBH I kinda prefer Bay’s version with car chases & explosions 3👩🏼‍🍼

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

challenging dark emotional reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Harrowing! Child turns to sex work to pay bills thanks to deadbeat family. Horrifyingly inspired by true events. NB ACAB! 3🚔

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Spare by Prince Harry

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.0

You know his life is fucked when he’d enter a war zone to escape the paps. Vive la république! 3🎳

NB This was actually quite boring as I’ve read 3 Royal bios & knew everything already. The Palace Papers is 100x better! Kate Middleton’s chapter is tantalising. However, this did make me want to go to Botswana. 

Other thoughts:

• I cannot believe I now know that Prince Harry is circumcised 
• Find it hilarious that according to Haz Charles is in his ‘Camilla era’ - Taylor take note! ✍️
• On a serious note his hatred of the media (especially Murdoch) is palpable - I wonder if he’ll pursue them in court
• On a personal note I don’t love that Harry is convinced we (US + allies) were the ‘good guys’ in Afghanistan - and his refusal to think critically about the wider implications and complexities of the war/occupation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks by Patrick Radden Keefe

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

3.0

My fav chapters were the first and the last: Bill Koch gets scammed by fake wine and a profile on Anthony Bourdain 3🏴‍☠️

NB I love survivor but fuck Mark Burnett.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Orlando by Virginia Woolf

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

3.0

Virginia Woolf really said ‘trans rights’. Endlessly quotable. Orlando’s just a gal who really loves nature and her dogs 3🐕 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Cultural appropriation, Dysphoria, and Classism

Not Now, Not Ever: Ten years on from the misogyny speech by Julia Gillard

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

Diverse collection of essays & reflections from activists, journalists, politicians & academics. Fav chapter was the last: What do next-generation activists think? In conversation with Chanel Contos, Caitlin Figueiredo & Sally Scales which interviews young feminist activists 3🪞

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.0

Atavistic mode activated. Justice for Piggy! About to wack these dumb kids with a conch 2🐷

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and War