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booksandbongs's reviews
155 reviews
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
“Dying isn’t the important thing. It’s nothing more than the punctuation mark on the end of your life. It’s everything that came before that matters. Punctuation marks, most people skip right over them. They don’t even have a sound.”
The Final Girl Support Group is a horror novel by Grady Hendrix.
The story follows Lynnette Tarkington, 22 years after she became a real final girl. For over a decade she has been meeting with other final girls in a therapy support group. When a fellow final girl misses a meeting, Lynnette realizes their horrors are not over.
While technically classified as horror, I feel like this one is more of a psychological thriller. Every time I thought I had the plot figured out, there was another twist!
The social commentary in this one is spot on — specifically the way society is entertained by violence against women. That being said, I think Hendrix struggles a little with writing female characters/the female experience. I felt like the female character development left something to be desired. I really enjoyed Lynnette as an unreliable narrator, but felt like the ending was a little too easy/cut and dry.
A fast read with lots of blood and gore that is an homage to classic horror tropes. Not my favorite from Hendrix but still an enjoyable read. If you’re a fan of slasher films from the 80s/90s, definitely check this one out!
Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Excellent and beautiful. Very well done.
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Great middle grade historical fiction that discusses the Partition of India. The diary format was unique but enjoyable. Definitely one that should be taught in schools.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Did not finish book. Stopped at 81%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 81%.
I think I need to read this as a physical book and not an audiobook, my loan also ran out while I was reading so the two month gap was hard to recover from
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
“For what matters in life is not whether we receive a round of applause; what matters is whether we have the courage to venture forth despite the uncertainty of acclaim.”
A Gentleman in Moscow is a multi-decade literary historical fiction novel by Amor Towles.
For the crime of being an aristocrat, Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov is given a sentence to remain in his beloved hotel for the rest of his life, or be shot. Almost exclusively set inside the Metropol Hotel in Moscow, we begin our journey with the Count in 1922, shortly after the Bolsheviks seized power.
This is my second book from Towles — becoming my favorite from him, and one of my favorite historical fiction works overall. I was blown away at the enchanting prose and imagery Towles uses. The historical backdrop is well developed and the footnotes from the narrator were not only informative but amusing. The majority of the story is told in third person from the Count’s POV, but in many instances an omniscient third person narrator speaks directly to the reader, which really made me feel like I was part of the story (not to mention their wry detachment comes across as witty and humorous at times). I found it so easy to fall in love with the Count, Nina, Sophia, and all of the employees of the Metropol.
Towles provides a compelling and immersive narrative that follows the Count’s life in the hotel — a life filled with joy, sorrow, and growth that maintains a tone to appreciate the little things. A Gentleman in every sense of the word, the story of Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov will remain with me for a long time. Definitely pick this book up, you won’t regret it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Enjoyed this as an audiobook.
I thought the characters were interesting although Radha really annoyed me at times.
I know the </pregnancy> was important for the plot but I think Lakshmi’s story would still be interesting without that element.
I enjoyed it enough to place a hold on the secret keeper of Jaipur.
I thought the characters were interesting although Radha really annoyed me at times.
I know the </pregnancy> was important for the plot but I think Lakshmi’s story would still be interesting without that element.
I enjoyed it enough to place a hold on the secret keeper of Jaipur.
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Really enjoyed this as an audiobook. Similar concept to the midnight library but the father daughter relationship and grappling with grief made it it’s own.