shansbookspace's reviews
25 reviews
Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm by Laura Warrell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 29%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 29%.
Took too long to get interesting
The Taste of Sugar by Marisel Vera
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
Took too long to get interesting
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Bath Haus by P.J. Vernon
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
No Land to Light On by Yara Zgheib
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
3.75
“A man will suffer misery to get to the bottom of truth, but he will not suffer boredom.”
Though I took my time getting through this book, it was such a page-turner that I couldn’t read unless I knew I’d have at least an hour or two to immerse myself in the action. Fantasy was the perfect playground for these characters & story. I don’t think I could’ve met Sadogo, Mossi or the Mingi children anywhere else & be completely smitten the way I was. I was never bored for even a moment.?
Diving into a long fantasy read wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. Diving into a second Marlon James book was everything I expected it to be. I expected long sentences, curious characters & vivid imagery.
Tracker is asked to give his statement to his jailers & finds himself telling stories of betrayal, death & an alleged kidnapped royal. In six parts we travel through the North Lands & meet children hidden from society, witches with complex agendas & queens plotting in exile.
This isn’t a light fantasy read. It’s gory, has many mini tragedies & spares no one & it may take you some time to get through. The maps & character listing comes in clutch! The ending left me wondering if we’ll hear Sologon’s recollection or if we’ll hear more about The Boy from the King’s perspective. Whatever happens next, I’m already invested in MOON WITCH SPIDER KING.
Read this if you don’t mind a long fantasy read & lengthy back stories. If you don’t think you can swing a 600+ page fantasy read anytime soon, there’s always the movie coming out 😉.
Though I took my time getting through this book, it was such a page-turner that I couldn’t read unless I knew I’d have at least an hour or two to immerse myself in the action. Fantasy was the perfect playground for these characters & story. I don’t think I could’ve met Sadogo, Mossi or the Mingi children anywhere else & be completely smitten the way I was. I was never bored for even a moment.?
Diving into a long fantasy read wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. Diving into a second Marlon James book was everything I expected it to be. I expected long sentences, curious characters & vivid imagery.
Tracker is asked to give his statement to his jailers & finds himself telling stories of betrayal, death & an alleged kidnapped royal. In six parts we travel through the North Lands & meet children hidden from society, witches with complex agendas & queens plotting in exile.
This isn’t a light fantasy read. It’s gory, has many mini tragedies & spares no one & it may take you some time to get through. The maps & character listing comes in clutch! The ending left me wondering if we’ll hear Sologon’s recollection or if we’ll hear more about The Boy from the King’s perspective. Whatever happens next, I’m already invested in MOON WITCH SPIDER KING.
Read this if you don’t mind a long fantasy read & lengthy back stories. If you don’t think you can swing a 600+ page fantasy read anytime soon, there’s always the movie coming out 😉.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What a read! Loved it! It had everything it needed to be an engaging, entertaining & satisfying read. This is not the story that you would expect. Seven husbands? Bad luck? Falling in & out of love? Or is there something else? Like Evelyn Hugo said “…[r]elationships are complex, people are messy and love can be ugly”. This is by no means a mere love story. It’s a story of unyielding ambition, hidden desire, misunderstood scandal, anticipated betrayal & warm forgiveness. Well written & told with just the right sprinkle of humour this is a story to remember & a hangover to get over.
If you’ve ever watched Grace & Frankie on Netflix & enjoyed it then I’m betting a whole lot on you enjoying this book too. It’s not the same in all ways but it’s similar enough to keep you hooked & on a binge. The narration *chef’s kiss* added so much to this story for me. The different voices, the different angles, the intrigue of it all. I went in with an open mind & in the mood for something different & I was not disappointed.
Stay with Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
this book was, in a word, breathtaking. if i wasn’t holding my breath moments before some incredible plot twist, i was gasping at the drama. it throws you into the unexpected.
i particularly enjoyed the discourse on the traditional expectations laid at women’s feet rather than men’s. how women are expected to remedy problems and carry the emotional welfare of whole families on their backs. what I didn’t expect was the perverted methods employed by one man in this story trying to fulfill familial & societal expectations. his response speaks volumes of how harmful patriarchal structures are, even to those purported to benefit from them.
i particularly enjoyed the discourse on the traditional expectations laid at women’s feet rather than men’s. how women are expected to remedy problems and carry the emotional welfare of whole families on their backs. what I didn’t expect was the perverted methods employed by one man in this story trying to fulfill familial & societal expectations. his response speaks volumes of how harmful patriarchal structures are, even to those purported to benefit from them.
so much happened in this story but my mind keeps returning to akin; his motivations, his desires & how far he was willing to go to achieve them. i’m overwhelmed by curiosity & unanswered questions. i was sad for yejide, the pain & stress she endured was unnerving but i wonder how different her life would’ve looked if she didn’t run into him many years before. if his family was different? would she have been happy?
incredibly written, incredibly told, pure spectacle & magic on pages. i cannot praise this book enough!