teresagibbons's reviews
49 reviews

The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong
Did not finish book.

i got really into it and then hit a spot where i “figured out” the story and just wasn’t as invested afterwards

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa
Did not finish book.

wasn’t super invested in the slowly progressing plot :(

Beach Read by Emily Henry

adventurous hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

cute romance book, but definitely not in the way i expected. i didn't like it that much (mostly because it read like a fan fiction) but i can see why people would like it. characters were extremely likable, but the meat of the story didn't feel super substantial to me, and i would prefer a piece i could reflect on and process. pretty good if you were looking for something cute and light to chug through, but not most enjoyable for someone looking for something thoughtful 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

one of the best reads i’ve had in a while. i had no expectations going into it, and was expecting it to be a drawn out read, but every time i tried to stop i kept coming back. characters were so easy to get attached to, and the world was just so enamoring. there was a complexity to the novel that was so profound, and i found myself going back between chapters to find more pieces of sadie and sam’s relationship. truly an amazing book, and one that i would recommend to anyone who can read

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

4.0

i wish i had read this earlier in my life when i was a similar age to the main character. i found it be a good crossover of "catcher in the rye" and "believarexic " which were both pretty good books as well, but i'm starting to draw back from more young adult novels, making this a fast and not super engaging read. i was pretty excited to see that there was a movie adaptation, but it feels like the book is more insightful and has more emotional depth than a movie could portray. i think it would be a perfect book for high schoolers, but i feel a little too old to appreciate the lightheartedness of the novel. 

Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.0

super cute fast read!!! felt a little younger than i was expecting, but the story was still adorable and i still enjoyed reading 

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense 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

very engaging, and different from other historical fiction books i have read in the past. made me cry a few times thinking about how it reflected my own immigrant-based family and our relationships. overall a super solid read, but i didn't feel a super intense connection to the book. 

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

4.0

very easy and light read, but packed a punch when i really sat and thought about its meaning. a really good commentary on society and capitalistic ideals.

Heaven by Mieko Kawakami

4.0

reminded me a lot of a shoujo, the bittersweetness of a friendship based on shared pain made the book an excellent emotional twister.

Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom by Sylvia Plath

3.0

pretty enjoyable for my first plath reading. as i read, i didn't realize how sucked in i got, and i was very satisfied with how the plot progressed. wasn't really sure how to interpret the story, though, and was left feeling a bit lost at the end.