ali1311's reviews
240 reviews

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

Tough reread but a great story of course. 
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Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay

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dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

This was a really hard read, but an important story of resilience and the effects of trauma. It was really engaging and a fast read but also a harrowing one, especially because it's clear that the healing process is still ongoing for the author. 
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Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

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emotional funny 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

This was sweet! A fun read about identity, culture, belonging, and love. I thought the romance was really well done, and I loved our main character. She reminded me of Devi from Never Have I Ever with her ability to make the worst possible choice nearly all the time. Always a fun thing to watch.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Series so good I'm rereading within the same year. 
The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

I just love the way John Green writes and his foray into nonfiction was even better than I anticipated. This was the perfect read for the state of the world right now: hopeful but not ignoring the tragedy of everything, too. It was also such a fun concept, to rate just...things. I'd read five more of these books.
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Vicious by V.E. Schwab

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challenging dark mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was wack but in a fun way. I love VE Schwab's ability to create characters and make them really weird and complex. I feel like she also knows how to curate a vibe. The audio narration on this was also really well done. I thought the ending was slightly underwhelming, but I suppose that's potentially what the next book is for!
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Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve by Drew Afualo

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funny inspiring medium-paced

3.5

This was a solid book but a bit of an introduction into feminism and de-centering men than I anticipated. Which is good because a lot of people need a starting point for this journey and I think Drew has given that to many, so it makes sense for this book to be that. I just personally wanted her to go a bit further into things sometimes, but I did appreciate hearing the memoir-like aspects of her story.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

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dark emotional funny hopeful sad 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

4.0

This book was straightforward in its style and message, and I think that's a great thing to find in YA. Definitely a unique book and a good story that gives you a look into the lives of a people while neither glamorizing nor villainizing them.
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The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan

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adventurous funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Definitely my favorite of the three! I enjoyed the plot and romances of this one. I thought it was engaging but still nothing to really phone home about. 
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

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challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Hard to rate a book that covers such an important and horrific topic in such a touching way. This is the story of a family man living in Ireland nearby one of the Magdalene Laundries. The story left me with a real mix of emotions. Sadness, because this is fiction; it was upsetting knowing that so many of these girls and women were never given the kindness shown in the book. Inspiration, because this book, as its title says, is about the impact of small things and holding steadfast to your values. The prose was beautiful, descriptive and created a specific atmosphere. I feel like this is one of those books that talks about tough things without the tough thing being the main focal point, and that almost makes it more impactful in the end.
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