Scan barcode
sweetsxrrxw's reviews
99 reviews
Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
im so sad i lost my 46 week streak </3 but maaaan, im so busy with uni and im feeling so sad with the genocide going on in palestine that all i do during the day is just study till late and do my best to spread info :( im physically, mentally and academically tired lmao.
anyways i think this book is really interesting and i would genuinely love to pick it up another time, when im not this busy :((
anyways i think this book is really interesting and i would genuinely love to pick it up another time, when im not this busy :((
Luna de papel by Mitsuyo Kakuta, Mitsuyo Kakuta, Fernando Cordobés, Yoko Ogihara
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
acabo de terminar esta novela y, sinceramente, estoy muy feliz de haberla leído. siento que hace mucho tiempo que no leía una novela que me enganchaba tanto como esta. obviamente, hay varias partes que no me han llamado tanto la atención o que incluso han llegado a aburrirme, pero las tramas se me han hecho interesantes desde el primer momento.
a pesar de que el tema central del libro es el dinero, no hace falta ser especialista en economía para poder entenderlo y disfrutarlo. sí que hay términos que quizás suenen extraños si, como yo, eres una persona poco familiarizada con el tema de los bancos y eso. pero creo que no es un obstáculo relevante.
otros temas principales son el impacto del capitalismo y el consumismo en nuestras vidas, cómo las mujeres concilian su vida laboral y su vida familiar, el deseo de la independencia económica, el clasismo, distintos tipos de relaciones, la imposibilidad de salir de ciertos círculos viciosos...
la historia básicamente consiste en una recapitulación de cómo rika, la protagonista, pasa de convertirse en una mujer de clase acomodada a ser una criminal fugitiva que ha robado enormes cantidades de dinero. la historia está contada in extrema res y, entre capítulos, se introducen los puntos de vista de tres personas que en algún momento fueron cercanas a la protagonista. estas partes "extra" permiten darle un poco más de contexto y profundidad al pasado de rika, a la vez que exploran la relación que estas personas tienen con el dinero.
en definitiva, creo que es un libro con el que creo que es mejor leer a ciegas, sin prestar atención a sinopsis ni reseñas. ¿que hay gente a quien no le puede gustar? por supuesto. pero creo que si buscas una lectura con escritura simple, personajes grises y reflexiones que te permitirán meditar sobre varios aspectos, este libro es para ti.
personalmente mi parte favorita son las reflexiones¡! me gusta cómo la autora juega y combina perfectamente los monólogos interiores y los diálogos. muchas veces, cuando un libro está lleno de soliloquios, pierdo la atención con facilidad. pero los diálgoos siempre son más dinámicos. meten distintas voces y personas en tu cabeza. y considero que este libro tiene un buen equilibrio de ambas cosas.
pd: no me aparece la opción para añadirla en trigger warnings, pero el libro muestra relaciones con age gaps de más de 20 años.
a pesar de que el tema central del libro es el dinero, no hace falta ser especialista en economía para poder entenderlo y disfrutarlo. sí que hay términos que quizás suenen extraños si, como yo, eres una persona poco familiarizada con el tema de los bancos y eso. pero creo que no es un obstáculo relevante.
otros temas principales son el impacto del capitalismo y el consumismo en nuestras vidas, cómo las mujeres concilian su vida laboral y su vida familiar, el deseo de la independencia económica, el clasismo, distintos tipos de relaciones, la imposibilidad de salir de ciertos círculos viciosos...
la historia básicamente consiste en una recapitulación de cómo rika, la protagonista, pasa de convertirse en una mujer de clase acomodada a ser una criminal fugitiva que ha robado enormes cantidades de dinero. la historia está contada in extrema res y, entre capítulos, se introducen los puntos de vista de tres personas que en algún momento fueron cercanas a la protagonista. estas partes "extra" permiten darle un poco más de contexto y profundidad al pasado de rika, a la vez que exploran la relación que estas personas tienen con el dinero.
en definitiva, creo que es un libro con el que creo que es mejor leer a ciegas, sin prestar atención a sinopsis ni reseñas. ¿que hay gente a quien no le puede gustar? por supuesto. pero creo que si buscas una lectura con escritura simple, personajes grises y reflexiones que te permitirán meditar sobre varios aspectos, este libro es para ti.
personalmente mi parte favorita son las reflexiones¡! me gusta cómo la autora juega y combina perfectamente los monólogos interiores y los diálogos. muchas veces, cuando un libro está lleno de soliloquios, pierdo la atención con facilidad. pero los diálgoos siempre son más dinámicos. meten distintas voces y personas en tu cabeza. y considero que este libro tiene un buen equilibrio de ambas cosas.
pd: no me aparece la opción para añadirla en trigger warnings, pero el libro muestra relaciones con age gaps de más de 20 años.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Dementia
It's Lonely At The Centre Of The Earth by Zoe Thorogood
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
i really loved the drawing style on this, and how the author drew herself as different characters to portray her different thoughts. i also loved how she decided to represent depression. overall, the stylistic choices are really good, although they can be a bit confusing at first. but there's no doubt that the author is a really good cartoonist.
the book per se doesn't really have a plot, it is more of a character study, about how the author's depression affected her during six months.
since this is a memoir i think im just gonna keep my rating private. did i like the book? yeah, it was pretty cool and i liked how she handled the complexity of mental health and mental instability. and i totally get how this might have been helpful and therapeutic for the author. i guess i was just expecting to get some closure? maybe a consistent plot?
the book per se doesn't really have a plot, it is more of a character study, about how the author's depression affected her during six months.
since this is a memoir i think im just gonna keep my rating private. did i like the book? yeah, it was pretty cool and i liked how she handled the complexity of mental health and mental instability. and i totally get how this might have been helpful and therapeutic for the author. i guess i was just expecting to get some closure? maybe a consistent plot?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Drug use and Self harm
Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
one thing about me is that i always end up getting stuck in reading slumps for weeks and end up finishing about 50% of the book in a day or two. this is a terrible thing because i always end up forgetting many details. but, anyways, i guess that doesn't really matter for this review.
i must confess i have never read or watched "pride and prejudice" (even though i'll have to watch the movie soon for a uni assignment, lmao) so i had no idea of how the plot would unfold but i honestly did not mind.
there are so many things i have loved about this story. so when i have recently learnt it's the author's debut novel i was surprised because it is so good. the characters she created are truly complex and i love how you couldn't always hate or love them and how they had their cons and pros (some of them felt kinda flat, though).and i love how most of the characters end up being somehow intertwined. even minor characters had some kind of closure and i really like that.
but let's focus on the main characters: khalid and ayesha. there is this other thing i genuinely loved since the beginning of the story and it's khalid standing out because of the way he dresses. usually, it's always muslim women who go through that but he always says he wants to make his identity clear and i love that so much. don't get me wrong, i like relating to hijabi characters who go through discrimination because that's what i face every day too. but i appreciate how, mostly, none of ayesha's issues were related to that. speaking of ayesha, she is also a great character and you can't help but love her. of course, i haven't always necessarily agreed with every thing she did or said (i might have a couple annotations calling her dumb, lmao) but that's what gives her character more depth.
i also love how, before getting together, they took their time to grow and become better versions of themselves.
and i could go on and talk about every other side character since, as i said, i loved many of them. but that would make this review a reaaally long one, so let's just move on.
there were scenes, paragraphs or quotes that made me giggle but i wouldn't really classify this as a funny story or even a rom-com. i think it has more drama than comedy? but i love that, of course. but then there were some parts which felt really slow :/so slow that i am kinda disappointed that we didn't get to see the main relationship properly unfold and the ending left me wanting for more. maybe a second book wouldn't be a bad idea
let me just finish this review with a quote which really ressonated with me <3
i must confess i have never read or watched "pride and prejudice" (even though i'll have to watch the movie soon for a uni assignment, lmao) so i had no idea of how the plot would unfold but i honestly did not mind.
there are so many things i have loved about this story. so when i have recently learnt it's the author's debut novel i was surprised because it is so good. the characters she created are truly complex and i love how you couldn't always hate or love them and how they had their cons and pros (some of them felt kinda flat, though).and i love how most of the characters end up being somehow intertwined. even minor characters had some kind of closure and i really like that.
but let's focus on the main characters: khalid and ayesha. there is this other thing i genuinely loved since the beginning of the story and it's khalid standing out because of the way he dresses. usually, it's always muslim women who go through that but he always says he wants to make his identity clear and i love that so much. don't get me wrong, i like relating to hijabi characters who go through discrimination because that's what i face every day too. but i appreciate how, mostly, none of ayesha's issues were related to that. speaking of ayesha, she is also a great character and you can't help but love her. of course, i haven't always necessarily agreed with every thing she did or said (i might have a couple annotations calling her dumb, lmao) but that's what gives her character more depth.
and i could go on and talk about every other side character since, as i said, i loved many of them. but that would make this review a reaaally long one, so let's just move on.
there were scenes, paragraphs or quotes that made me giggle but i wouldn't really classify this as a funny story or even a rom-com. i think it has more drama than comedy? but i love that, of course. but then there were some parts which felt really slow :/
let me just finish this review with a quote which really ressonated with me <3
"just remember to pack light. dreams tend to shatter if you're carrying other people's hopes around you."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Islamophobia, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism and Misogyny
Minor: Sexual content, Grief, Abortion, and Pregnancy
The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
one thing i really love about these books is how short the chapters are. they're so good for people who tend to get in reading slumps easily (me) lmao. but, tbh im still kinda disappointed that the book focuses only on grayson and jameson. xander and nash deserve so much more appreciation :(
and also, i must confess that at first i was kinda scared. just a 15% in you can feel how the author tries to make everyone like and sympathize with grayson (it worked, btw) and i tried to convince myself that what i was reading was tig not tsitp. but anyways, as i said, i ended up liking grayson and understanding his character better.
i think the point of the book was, mainly, to give more depth to the boys. to explain why grayson always acts so cold or why jameson is always so reckless.and, honestly, i feel so bad for them. tobias hawthorne truly traumatized the boys. it's sad that grayson never got close to anyone in order not to make "mistakes" because his grandfather constantly told him he couldn't afford to make them. and i feel so sorry for jameson because of tobias convincing him from a young age he was dumber than his brothers and how, after that, he got obsessed with games and winning to prove his worth.
but i am also happy that by the end they both got rid of those thoughts. while grayson let his walls down and finally allowed his family in, jameson's self-confidence grew and he realized he didn't need anyone's validation anymore <3
i ended up growing fond of many of the new characters: gigi, savannah, acacia, branford, the duchess... and i can't wait to see them in the next book.
and i guess this is more of a me problem, but some parts, some riddled and some mysteries made me kinda zone out. so, even if i enjoyed the read i am not sure if, in a couple weeks, i am going to remember more than the basic points i mentioned here.
and also, i must confess that at first i was kinda scared. just a 15% in you can feel how the author tries to make everyone like and sympathize with grayson (it worked, btw) and i tried to convince myself that what i was reading was tig not tsitp. but anyways, as i said, i ended up liking grayson and understanding his character better.
i think the point of the book was, mainly, to give more depth to the boys. to explain why grayson always acts so cold or why jameson is always so reckless.
but i am also happy that by the end they both got rid of those thoughts. while grayson let his walls down and finally allowed his family in, jameson's self-confidence grew and he realized he didn't need anyone's validation anymore <3
i ended up growing fond of many of the new characters: gigi, savannah, acacia, branford, the duchess... and i can't wait to see them in the next book.
and i guess this is more of a me problem, but some parts, some riddled and some mysteries made me kinda zone out. so, even if i enjoyed the read i am not sure if, in a couple weeks, i am going to remember more than the basic points i mentioned here.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Death of parent
The Boy You Always Wanted by Michelle Quach
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
3.5
despite my star rating, i must say this book was actually nice to read. the characters are (eventually) loveable, the chapters are relatively short, there's a dual pov, and the story deals with a bunch of different but relevant topics.
i think my main problem with the book is that, because there are many themes, the author couldn't really develop all of them properly and some got overlooked. and also i felt like the last 25% of the book was pretty rushed :/ if it wasn't for this two things i would have probably rounded up the rating to 4 stars, tbh.
but let's go back to the positive things. i don't have much to say about the plot because this is more a character-driven book, so i'm just gonna focus on them.
i could relate to both main characters in different ways.
francine is definitely a chronic people pleaser. she spends her whole life trying to make everyone happy and pleased with her,making herself smaller in order to "feel less" and, honestly, i could see myself in her. plus, i'm sure people also thought i was this smart but weird girl in school, lmao.
on the other hand, i had a soft spot for ollie almost as soon as his pov starts on the first page and he explains how he cried to a movie because of the violence and the way it made him emphathize with his family. of course there were parts where i didn't really like him or understand him. but, of course, i could also relate to him being an indecisive person who usually tries to stay away from conflicts.
using a dual pov was a great way to show the juxtaposition of the two of them: their family dynamic, their friendships, their personalities... it was interesting to put myself in their shoes, understand their situations and watch how they managed themselves through them. i just wish the ending didn't feel so rushed and that some thingssuch as if ollie and francine are in a situationship or they're actually dating, or get to see how francine's a gūng reacts to it, or francine's relationship with her mom after knowing the truth about her had been more developed.
so yeah, it's not one of the best books i've ever read, but i could definitely recommend it.
ps: i hope i was not the only one who spent like 60% of the book thinking if "fōng" meant something like "honey" or "sweetie" lmao.
i think my main problem with the book is that, because there are many themes, the author couldn't really develop all of them properly and some got overlooked. and also i felt like the last 25% of the book was pretty rushed :/ if it wasn't for this two things i would have probably rounded up the rating to 4 stars, tbh.
but let's go back to the positive things. i don't have much to say about the plot because this is more a character-driven book, so i'm just gonna focus on them.
i could relate to both main characters in different ways.
francine is definitely a chronic people pleaser. she spends her whole life trying to make everyone happy and pleased with her,
on the other hand, i had a soft spot for ollie almost as soon as his pov starts on the first page and he explains how he cried to a movie because of the violence and the way it made him emphathize with his family. of course there were parts where i didn't really like him or understand him. but, of course, i could also relate to him being an indecisive person who usually tries to stay away from conflicts.
using a dual pov was a great way to show the juxtaposition of the two of them: their family dynamic, their friendships, their personalities... it was interesting to put myself in their shoes, understand their situations and watch how they managed themselves through them. i just wish the ending didn't feel so rushed and that some things
so yeah, it's not one of the best books i've ever read, but i could definitely recommend it.
ps: i hope i was not the only one who spent like 60% of the book thinking if "fōng" meant something like "honey" or "sweetie" lmao.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Cancer and Death of parent
Minor: War
The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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 was an objectively good story and i think the author did a great job at portraying the complexity of grief, how it can change your life and connect people. even if you're not going through a grieving phase right now i think it will really make you sad or, at least, just feel hopeful about life.
there's so many things i liked about this book: how the phone booth realy exists, the author's writing style, the characters, the short chapters and the super short interludes between them... and i absolutely love how despite all of their pain, the characters eventually found something worth living for that allowed them to get over a huge tragedy.
however, i felt like at some point the story got kinda overwhelming and i was
just dragging myself to finish it, since sometimes the narration felt kinda confusing and easy to get unfocused by.
maybe it's not a book for everyone but there's many parts that make me believe it's a worthy read.
there's so many things i liked about this book: how the phone booth realy exists, the author's writing style, the characters, the short chapters and the super short interludes between them... and i absolutely love how despite all of their pain, the characters eventually found something worth living for that allowed them to get over a huge tragedy.
however, i felt like at some point the story got kinda overwhelming and i was
just dragging myself to finish it, since sometimes the narration felt kinda confusing and easy to get unfocused by.
maybe it's not a book for everyone but there's many parts that make me believe it's a worthy read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death
Minor: Vomit
Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
i think the concept of this book is really interesting but my summer depression and my reading slump are making it impossible for me to keep reading it.
i'll probably come back to read it at some point, though.
i'll probably come back to read it at some point, though.
Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i decided to read this after seeing a tweet with the back cover. this was my first time reading it and, while i know it is meant for kids who are picky eaters, i always think it's fun to have your own reinterpretation of the story once you grow up.
ps: im giving it 4 stars because english is not my first language and, honestly, there were some food words i couldn't understand lmao.
ps: im giving it 4 stars because english is not my first language and, honestly, there were some food words i couldn't understand lmao.
Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman
emotional
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
4.75
okay this is definitely one of my top 2 fav books of the series (im still indecisive about if i like volume 3 or volume 4 more, lmao)
i like that we get to see both charlie and nick's point of views about the main incident on the book and how they both turn less codependent towards each other and realize you can find happiness in other people besides your s/o.
also, absolutely adore the "love can't cure a mental illnes" speech, it's just so important. sometimes we are not able to handle everything by ourselves. we can't fix people.
and yeah i know this story is about nick and charlie but i kinda missed the paris gang :( and, although im rereading the books via webtoon, i was pretty disappointed to find out this volume ends in a huge cliffhanger.
i like that we get to see both charlie and nick's point of views about the main incident on the book and how they both turn less codependent towards each other and realize you can find happiness in other people besides your s/o.
also, absolutely adore the "love can't cure a mental illnes" speech, it's just so important. sometimes we are not able to handle everything by ourselves. we can't fix people.
and yeah i know this story is about nick and charlie but i kinda missed the paris gang :( and, although im rereading the books via webtoon, i was pretty disappointed to find out this volume ends in a huge cliffhanger.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Self harm