parismia's reviews
24 reviews

Swing Time by Zadie Smith

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 57%.
Swing Time is my first read by Smith and I was excited to learn about the hype of her writing. I will say, I do love her flow and description. Swing Time also acknowledges a lot of difficult conversations in regard to race, gender roles, and the rollercoaster of a mother-daughter relationship. I was really engaged until Aimee was introduced. From there, I had difficulty picking up the book and started reading other “side” books to get me through it. I want to read more by Smith in the future (especially from reading comments of other other work in comparison), however I needed to let this one go. 
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

3.5

This is the first book that I read in the series. It was a cute love story and I will definitely be reading the others. Sometimes I wish there was more character development in secondary characters (or have them not mentioned at all). It felt like filler once I finished it and realized that the secondary characters had gaps. However, the love story made me feel mushy and giggly and that is what I want from my romance reads. 

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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Evelyn Hugo is one of my favourite characters that I have ever read. She is a complicated woman that experienced life events that I hope to never encounter and she handled them the best way she could. I was constantly engaged in her story. I have no complaints. 

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Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Adichie is one of my favourite writers and I will never dislike her work. This novel was slow to get into and it took me awhile to finish it, however it was worth it. Once Kambili and Jaja visit their aunt, I couldn’t put the book down. I would suggest reading this novel when you are in a lighter state of mind, there are very challenging scenes to get through. However, the novel ends on an uplifting note and it really shows the courage and strength of women. 

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The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

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emotional informative lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

I appreciate the lessons and reminders. It allowed me to adapt habits to remain calm within stressful situations. So, for self help, it did its job. However, Manson’s anecdotes sometimes took me out of the book. I didn’t need the extra fluff. It felt forced at times. 
Verity by Colleen Hoover

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

4.25

I needed a quick read to get back into the routine of reading. This book was perfect to cure my reading funk. 
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

I love this essay. It truly breaks down the purpose of feminism in an accessible and informative way. I am a forever stan!
Yearbook by Seth Rogen

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

5.0

If you want to giggle and forget your current life. Seth allows you to feel lighthearted with goofy stories. I literally laughed out loud. 
Normal People by Sally Rooney

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

3.0

I really wanted to be invested in the characters, however the lack of development in their communication and relationship made this novel a drag to read after the first half.