teresarosereads's reviews
171 reviews

The Scent of Burnt Flowers by Blitz Bazawule

tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I have to say this novel was incredibly gripping! I was very invested in Mel’s and Bernadette’s escape plan and whether they were going to succeed or not. When the book starting switching between snippets of the couple and then of the FBI agent following them I was even more glued to the page. I couldn’t wait to find out how it would all end. However, the ending took a turn that was disappointing for me. I didn’t care much about what was happening with the government and president of Ghana and that seemed to be the main focus of the last part of the book. I wish the main couple had remained the focus throughout. Also, the magical realism aspects felt a bit out of place for me and I kept thinking that they would come together by the end of the novel but I was left unsatisfied. 

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

adventurous funny 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

I think this was a really solid follow-up novel to Legends and Lattes! I will say the first book is still my favorite because I loved reading about the process of building the cafe from scratch and I think I was more attached to the side characters, but I still loved being back with Viv in this prequel and seeing some of her adventures before coming to Thune. It still had the same humor as the first book too which I loved. And Satchel was my absolute favorite I loved him so much. Also, the last few pages and the epilogue unexpectedly made me tear up🥺🥺

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
Did not finish book. Stopped at 37%.

Just taking a pause

I’m enjoying making my way through these books, but because I’ve watched the movies a couple of times very recently and because of the slow pace of the book at times I think I need to take a pause on these and read something else because it’s putting me in a slump😭 I will be returning though when I really want to sink into a fantasy book and don’t have so much going on in my life.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous slow-paced

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

4.5

I’m so glad I finally read this! The LOTR movies have gotten me through some of the darkest times of my life so getting to read the origin text was so much fun. I loved learning about the details that weren’t mentioned in the movie and seeing what they changed when they adapted it. All the scenes with the elves were my favorite, especially when they got to Lothlorien. The elves are just so cool! And Aragorn is just as cool in the book as he is in the movie!

Also, I’m so glad I listened to the audiobook narrated by Andy Serkis because he does an incredible job and it added a lot to the immersion.

I can’t wait to move onto book two soon!

Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman

emotional 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

4.0

I haven’t given ratings to the first 4 volumes, but this series as a whole feels so special. It depicts such a wholesome queer relationship and simultaneously manages to be so sweet and gushy while also handling serious topics so well (in my opinion). I’m sad that there is only one more volume but I can definitely see myself rereading these in the future!

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

So good!! This is a great coming-of-age story that covers so many important themes. I loved not only the discussions around queerness and drag but also those around family, race, and belonging. Such a good first read of pride month!

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-paced

I made it through my first history book and I’m so glad it was this one! Although I probably won’t remember all the details of this long and sometimes dense book, I know that the big ideas will stick with me for a long time to come. I learned so much while reading and I feel compelled to keep reading and learning too. 

It will make you so angry and sad at many points but will also leave you with a sense that we can have a more equal and just future if we keep fighting for it. This is a must read for anyone wanting to learn about the origins and development of racist ideas in America and where to go from here.

Dreams from Many Rivers: A Hispanic History of the United States Told in Poems by Margarita Engle

emotional hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

This was such a unique way to learn about Hispanic/Latino history! The information was presented in a way that was easy to understand which helped me to learn a lot and makes me want to continue to learn more. This would be great for younger audiences who want to learn about history without getting overwhelmed by complicated text. I also loved the mix of voices and the addition of illustrations. Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read that taught me a lot! 

The Hobbit Illustrated by the Author by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

I hadn’t read this book since elementary school so I wanted to reread it before diving into LOTR for the first time. I thought it was really funny and a fun adventure! My favorite part was definitely when Bilbo met Gollum in the caves. Also Gandalf is sassy as hell and I love it😆 

I got to listen to the last 100 pages via the audio narrated by Andy Serkis and it made the experience even better! He did such a great job bringing the voices and story to life. I could picture everything so vividly listening to him tell it.

I did feel like the story moved slowly at times but I understand that the writing style was probably intended to be read slowly and thoughtfully. At the same time there were a few parts where I actually wanted more details than what we got. I also felt like some things happened a bit conveniently but I get that it’s a children’s book at the end of the day and isn’t supposed to be overly complicated.

Although I liked some parts more than others, I think that overall it was a cozy and fun adventure story set in a vivid world, and I loved seeing Bilbo’s journey going from not wanting to leave his hobbit hole to being an important part of an epic adventure!

A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston
Did not finish book. Stopped at 66%.

I was planning to push through and give this book a full chance, but I got distracted from reading by school for a month and now all my motivation to finish it is gone😭

I appreciate what this book was trying to do in giving voice to the female characters of a classic like Arabian Nights, but the style just wasn’t for me. It felt like one of those books that is mostly focused on having flowery, beautiful writing but feels like nothing is really happening in terms of plot which I don’t tend to like. I also didn’t like how many things were unexplained (at least not up to the part where I stopped) in terms of how the magic worked which I also don’t like in books. I like to know exactly how the magic works and it’s limitations.

In terms of Arabian Nights retellings, I liked The Wrath and The Dawn much better!