pilardo's reviews
110 reviews

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book was sweet and light and hopeful, while still being a realistic depiction of struggles and depression. I didn’t like Momoko, but overall, I loved the emotional tone of this book and am searching for more slice-of-life/upbeat/ultimately hopeful contemporary fiction books.

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

fast-paced

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

3.75

I really liked this! I read it in one setting and had a fun time. The character’s relationship and interactions seemed realistic and interesting, but miscommunication drives me CRAZY and there was a bit of that here.

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

dark mysterious

3.5

There were some badass quotes and fun fight scenes. I had a hard time with the character's ages - not sure that the author has spent ANY time with ten year old girls, but whatever, I just ignored the age and pretended they were like seventeen. Overall, I liked the way different plot threads wove together. The emotional impact of the finale was lessened due to its whirlwind nature, but I am still interested in the next book.

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Did not finish book. Stopped at 27%.

Stop with the princess. Please, please stop with the princess at the end of every sentence this man speaks.

Spear by Nicola Griffith

adventurous 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

3.75

I really enjoyed this, and even though it was a short read, I’m not left unsatisfied. Overall a good book with a fun adventure/Hero’s journey/quest and a loveable hero. 

Community Board by Tara Conklin

hopeful lighthearted 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

2.25

This book was sweet and light and fun and also entirely without substance. Somehow a homophobic hatecrime was written in a way that made it seem like it was solved by the power of  democracy? It was just wild how the resolution happened - we skipped a few steps to get there. Could have done without the national geographic sections giving heavy handed life advice. Hildegard is a real g though.

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

I still hold a lot of nostalgia for this world, which is why I rated this as high as I did. If this was my entry into Alagaesia I would be far more disappointed. As it stands, the first 250 pages were just Murtagh making horrible choices and thus getting himself into horrible situations. It was hard to keep reading when he and Thorn could have just left and gotten help at literally any point. I like the Draumer and it doesn’t feel too retcon-y to have them be that powerful, which is nice. 

Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth

3.0

Emotional and interesting and I cared about the characters. Super short and my gripe with all stories this short is that I wish there were more.

Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy
Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.

Dislike the characters, don’t care about the mystery, dialogue is strange.

Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente

slow-paced

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

2.5

Didn’t like this one very much at all. Weird consent and sexual themes, super unlikeable characters, and a plots that is so confusing and wishy washy it might as well not even exist.