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makealongstorycourt's reviews
434 reviews
Hot Air: A Novel by Marcy Dermansky
lighthearted
mysterious
3.5
This was a solid read!
I liked this one the best of Dermansky’s novels, not really connecting with Hurricane Girl when I first discovered her work.
Hot Air is multi-POV, which I ultimately appreciated in conjunction with Dermansky’s voice. She tends to write with simpler sentence structure, so it feels a bit choppy at times. Yet, I think it’s meant to represent sporadic, unfiltered internal dialogue. This type of voice translates better in this multi-POV style, I think!
AND while I was much more engaged in this story as a whole, the purpose/message/big idea didn’t quite land for me. It felt like one adventurous plot but without much reflection in the resolution. Alas, maybe I am not Dermansky’s target audience or I just don’t pick up on the deeper meanings of her work. I found this to be true with both Hurricane Girl and Hot Air.
AND AND this book is still entertaining and unique! It’s quick, fun, and feverish.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced review copy!
I liked this one the best of Dermansky’s novels, not really connecting with Hurricane Girl when I first discovered her work.
Hot Air is multi-POV, which I ultimately appreciated in conjunction with Dermansky’s voice. She tends to write with simpler sentence structure, so it feels a bit choppy at times. Yet, I think it’s meant to represent sporadic, unfiltered internal dialogue. This type of voice translates better in this multi-POV style, I think!
AND while I was much more engaged in this story as a whole, the purpose/message/big idea didn’t quite land for me. It felt like one adventurous plot but without much reflection in the resolution. Alas, maybe I am not Dermansky’s target audience or I just don’t pick up on the deeper meanings of her work. I found this to be true with both Hurricane Girl and Hot Air.
AND AND this book is still entertaining and unique! It’s quick, fun, and feverish.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced review copy!
Dengue Boy by Michel Nieva
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I really liked this one, but the ending did get away from me a bit.
The characters were fresh and exciting. The interweaving of their storylines was COOL. The transition between perspectives was flawless, which I appreciate because some books don’t do this well at all and it totally takes away from the books readability.
This is similar in themes and vibes to Mood Swings, which was one of my favorites this year. Unlike Mood Swings, though, the concept of the plot got a bit too existential for my own comprehension. This might be a lost-in-translation thing, but I digress.
Overall, I recommend picking this one up for sure for its novelty and scope!
The characters were fresh and exciting. The interweaving of their storylines was COOL. The transition between perspectives was flawless, which I appreciate because some books don’t do this well at all and it totally takes away from the books readability.
This is similar in themes and vibes to Mood Swings, which was one of my favorites this year. Unlike Mood Swings, though, the concept of the plot got a bit too existential for my own comprehension. This might be a lost-in-translation thing, but I digress.
Overall, I recommend picking this one up for sure for its novelty and scope!
Every Sweet Thing Is Bitter: A Novel by Samantha Crewson
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
All I See Is Violence by Angie Elita Newell
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
2.75
Ugh. This one was a slog because of its execution.
I’m a little disappointed because WHAT A UNIQUE PLOT. multi-POV from 1970s AIM, 1880s colonial period with Custer and Great Plains tribes? Seriously I have not been more intrigued by a premise in a loooooong time.
But the execution was sub-par. Custer’s POV felt flat and fluffy, mostly detailing his strange extended family. Nancy’s POV (1970s) felt too disconnected to the overall theme for my liking. Little Wolf’s POV was the best, by far, but again felt fluffy at times.
Maybe some better editing would’ve flushed out some of the page-goal sentences and narrowed this one down to a solid 280page banger. A little big more beef in the Custer chapter would’ve been delightful, too.
Can some revisions be made so I can have a reread? 😂
I’m a little disappointed because WHAT A UNIQUE PLOT. multi-POV from 1970s AIM, 1880s colonial period with Custer and Great Plains tribes? Seriously I have not been more intrigued by a premise in a loooooong time.
But the execution was sub-par. Custer’s POV felt flat and fluffy, mostly detailing his strange extended family. Nancy’s POV (1970s) felt too disconnected to the overall theme for my liking. Little Wolf’s POV was the best, by far, but again felt fluffy at times.
Maybe some better editing would’ve flushed out some of the page-goal sentences and narrowed this one down to a solid 280page banger. A little big more beef in the Custer chapter would’ve been delightful, too.
Can some revisions be made so I can have a reread? 😂
Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
2.0
This was odd. Again, not a big novella girl, so I found myself wanting more with a quick plot. But the execution of the narrative was hard to follow….I’m not really sure if how the book started (pretty strong!) was upheld to the same caliber as the ending (very strange and unexpected, in a confusing way not a suspenseful way)
I could’ve done without reading this, tbh.
It was a cool window into disability in Japanese society, though. Definitely a unique perspective that hasn’t been done too often.
I could’ve done without reading this, tbh.
It was a cool window into disability in Japanese society, though. Definitely a unique perspective that hasn’t been done too often.
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 44%.
This was boring as fuck lol
And I’m kinda still mad I didn’t figure out what happened.
And I’m kinda still mad I didn’t figure out what happened.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
3.75
I didn’t hate this, I enjoyed the experience of reading it, but it wasn’t mind blowing. And it might’ve been a little too long.
I love a good mystery, and I think Moore achieved this. However, my gripes are with the execution and the larger meaning. I think the last 35% of the book felt too twisty. Every chapter ended with one more nugget of information meant to throw you off - cool in theory, but it’s starting to be a bit overdone?? 🥴
The larger meaning of this book, since it’s considered literary fiction, fell a bit flat for me — I think due to the lack of a historical setting. I wish Moore had spent a bit more time building up the societal scene of the 1970s so that the ending would’ve hit a bit harder.
Alas, I get the hype. Is it my favorite? No. Did I enjoy it? Sure.
I love a good mystery, and I think Moore achieved this. However, my gripes are with the execution and the larger meaning. I think the last 35% of the book felt too twisty. Every chapter ended with one more nugget of information meant to throw you off - cool in theory, but it’s starting to be a bit overdone?? 🥴
The larger meaning of this book, since it’s considered literary fiction, fell a bit flat for me — I think due to the lack of a historical setting. I wish Moore had spent a bit more time building up the societal scene of the 1970s so that the ending would’ve hit a bit harder.
Alas, I get the hype. Is it my favorite? No. Did I enjoy it? Sure.
Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi
I don’t know how to rate this, tbh.
I was engrossed in the plot the entire time. Truly impressed by Emezi’s talent of tying characters together - kind of how I felt the rabbit hutch SHOULD have been.
But the purpose……….idk. It felt very Lapvona but lacked a larger societal commentary that would’ve (potentially?) warranted some of the disturbing details in this one.
I did like this more than Emezi’s romance novel, and I loved VIVEK OJI…but I am at a loss for words on if I liked this or not?
The experience of reading it, for me, was worth my time. The ending leaves me 🥴
I was engrossed in the plot the entire time. Truly impressed by Emezi’s talent of tying characters together - kind of how I felt the rabbit hutch SHOULD have been.
But the purpose……….idk. It felt very Lapvona but lacked a larger societal commentary that would’ve (potentially?) warranted some of the disturbing details in this one.
I did like this more than Emezi’s romance novel, and I loved VIVEK OJI…but I am at a loss for words on if I liked this or not?
The experience of reading it, for me, was worth my time. The ending leaves me 🥴
Fire Exit by Morgan Talty
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
This wasn’t bad but wasn’t extraordinary.
I didn’t really enjoy the main character, Charles, that much. His character felt a little shallow. In a similar vein, the “plot” of his daughter living across the river without her knowing that she is his daughter was lackluster — it didn’t feel like the focal point of the novel as much as it was marketed to be.
The ending was sweet, but did the entire exposition build the story up for that resolution? I don’t think so.
The indigenous elements in this one also felt light, too. I wish this discussed blood quantum more and dove deeper into the why behind Elizabeth’s true father’s identity being hidden. Tbh it felt like a subplot to the struggles Charles had with his ailing mother.
The prose was well written, though. I don’t have any critiques in that realm.
Alas, I am left feeling a little disappointed in this book. It just didn’t land as strongly as I’d hoped it would.
I didn’t really enjoy the main character, Charles, that much. His character felt a little shallow. In a similar vein, the “plot” of his daughter living across the river without her knowing that she is his daughter was lackluster — it didn’t feel like the focal point of the novel as much as it was marketed to be.
The ending was sweet, but did the entire exposition build the story up for that resolution? I don’t think so.
The indigenous elements in this one also felt light, too. I wish this discussed blood quantum more and dove deeper into the why behind Elizabeth’s true father’s identity being hidden. Tbh it felt like a subplot to the struggles Charles had with his ailing mother.
The prose was well written, though. I don’t have any critiques in that realm.
Alas, I am left feeling a little disappointed in this book. It just didn’t land as strongly as I’d hoped it would.
Come & Get It by Kiley Reid
2.0
Ummm
The only character I liked was Kennedy - everyone else can go kick rocks lol. There was some impressive visceral description of Kennedy’s social anxiety which I thought was superb. Every other character was so flat.
I get that the campus novel is “in” right now in the lit world, but this one is not it. There’s a plot but it’s so narrow it reads as weak and unclear. I’m not too sure what themes were even explored in depth - SUCH A FUN AGE was much better in my opinion. This sophomore novel feels deeply unfinished and lacking in any sort of scope.
TBH I didn’t get the entire experience of reading this book lol
The only character I liked was Kennedy - everyone else can go kick rocks lol. There was some impressive visceral description of Kennedy’s social anxiety which I thought was superb. Every other character was so flat.
I get that the campus novel is “in” right now in the lit world, but this one is not it. There’s a plot but it’s so narrow it reads as weak and unclear. I’m not too sure what themes were even explored in depth - SUCH A FUN AGE was much better in my opinion. This sophomore novel feels deeply unfinished and lacking in any sort of scope.
TBH I didn’t get the entire experience of reading this book lol