jordn's reviews
161 reviews

The Passengers by John Marrs

2.5

i didn't really care about this book. i bought the audiobook then wasn't able to return it so i finished it so it wouldn't go to waste, but truthfully it felt like a bit of a chore. it wasn't bad but just not something i was interested in at the moment. 

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

tense fast-paced

3.5

this book was really quick to get though and had an interesting story to unravel. but ..... the characters were honestly just so insufferable that i couldn't stand them half the time. i'm not sure if the author intended for them to be extremely unlikeable but they absolutely were (especially the main character OMG). i also think the final reveal was thrilling but not entirely unexpected. 

also, i don't understand the title of this book lol. 

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

tense medium-paced

4.5

past me thought i was just going to read a fun, action-packed YA thriller... little did i know i was going to get my heart ripped out of my chest. seriously, the last 100 pages of this book were so gripping and emotional for me in a way i was not expecting.  

admittedly, the plot was a little slow to begin with and i found some moments overly descriptive but this was easily forgiven for how good it got in the second half. i also predicted a lot of the plot twists but i didn't mind bc this is a thriller more than a mystery & it definitely served its purpose of being thrilling. holly jackson is also so good at revealing things that i still get shocked even if the reveal is something i already guessed. the commentary on "red feelings" was also very touching and something i will probably think about for a very long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Gore

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous medium-paced

5.0

what can i possibly say about this book? what words are there to explain this life changing, mind shattering, world altering experience that i have just had. 

i cannot remember the last time, or if there ever has been a time, that i have felt this way while reading a book. i loved everything. i love the characters, the plot, the world, the DRAGONS!!! everything !!!!! 

was it perfect in a literary sense? probably not. but i do not care !!! every page, every moment, everything, filled me with an almost unbearable amount of emotion and joy unlike any book i've read in such a long time (maybe ever?) ... i don't know what else to say and i'm not being dramatic but this book changed my life. 

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

3.5

this was a very fun read with a likeable cast of characters. vera, especially, was so loveable and the audio narrator did such a good job at bringing her to life. the mystery wasn't full of thrilling twists and turns, but that wasn't really the point of this book. the mystery is left on the back burner a bit at times but is still interesting enough to carry the book. i'm not giving it a higher rating just bc i wasn't completely obsessed and emotionally invested in the characters or plot. 

The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni

adventurous medium-paced

4.0

i have been putting off reading this book for so long bc i wasn't expecting to love it, but idk why i thought that bc this was so much better than i imagined!!! 

i absolutely loveddd the plot of this one even more than the previous books. i love any sort of plot with a magical quest and a cast of likeable characters who travel the magical world together. i have to admit that i didn't really care about the romance & some of the dialogue was a bit cringey but i can forgive this bc the same can be said for most books i read (especially ya). anyway i was pleasantly surprised by some of the plot twists, the way things wrapped up, & the amount of caldon content. 

Still Alive: Notes from Australia's Immigration Detention System by Safdar Ahmed

challenging emotional informative

5.0

Sometimes refugees are held up in a positive light ... They've shown incredible resilience to escape from persecution and survive their journeys. They have so much to offer. But these factors should never condition their acceptance. People who have been through hell do not have to be angels. They do not have to benefit anyone. Most will be as ordinary ... and as unimpressive as you and I. 

a profound, heartbreaking, and essential non-fiction graphic novel about australia's immigration detention centres. it is shameful that these stories are not discussed in australia or throughout the world. as an australian, i am shocked & grateful & saddened by how much i learned from this book. this book provides only a glimpse into the horrific reality that refugees face in australia, but it is impactful enough to spread awareness and ignite hope that the system can be changed, if only more people were reading it. 

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

3.0

tbh i zoned out for a large portion of this audiobook. i vaguely remember the plot but it wasn't memorable enough for me to say i loved it or hated it. i might've been more interested if i read it physically but i guess we'll never know bc i'm probably not gonna reread this one. 

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

3.0

i am writing this review a while after reading this book so i can hardly remember how i felt about it, but i think the main plot twist at the end was somewhat surprising & it was a decent book overall. 

Sensor by Junji Ito

4.0

upon seeing other reviews of people not enjoying this as much as most of junji ito's other work, i am a little confused bc i actually really enjoyed this book & would probably rank it higher than lots of his other books that i've read. i thought it was an interesting concept & great art as usual.