breadsalot's reviews
656 reviews

Ghostlore Vol. 1 by Cullen Bunn

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dark emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Northranger by Rey Terciero, Bre Indigo

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emotional lighthearted reflective fast-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? Yes

5.0

I didn’t know I would love this as much as I did. But it was so dang cute AND had a story.
The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher

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dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

A creepy doll room, a mysterious journal that has some pretty weird stuff written down in it’s pages, a snarky protagonist, and a cute dog? This was an immediate pick for book club. 

The writing style in the book was so conducive to sitting down and just binging it. And adding the element of a dog being involved meant I HAD to know what was going to happen. 

Though it wasn’t shake-in-your-boots scary, the unsettling feeling that permeated throughout the entire story made this a great spooky read. I also loved the elements of comedic levity from Mouse’s editorial quips to literally everything about Foxy. This was definitely a fun read. 
Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era by Jerry Mitchell

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dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

This feels like it should be required reading for everyone. I was lucky enough to get to meet Jerry Mitchell years ago when I was in high school and participated in the Sojourn Project and got to hear directly from him about his work on these cold cases. But, reading this book now really opened my eyes to what exactly went into pursuing justice for these cases and how paramount the work that went into them really was.
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

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emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

5.0

 I don’t feel like there’s much I can say about this book that hasn’t already been said as soon as it came out. What a read! And shame on us, as a society, for how we unjustly judged and treated Britney throughout her entire life and career. I’m so glad I got around to finally reading this and it truly has developed such a greater level of respect and admiration for not only her talent, but also for her as a person. The audiobook was so well done (Michelle Williams did a great job with the narration) and I definitely recommend it to anyone even slightly curious about the truly spectacular popstar, mother, and survivor that Britney Spears is. 
Temporada de huracanes by Fernanda Melchor

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dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I finally got around to reading this book, which was recommended by two people who have fantastic taste in literature, and man, was it an experience. It was truly one of those books that stick with you (and not necessarily in the best of ways). This was such a dark exploration of the worst in humans, and at times I found myself thinking I was suspending disbelief because of how fantastical or extreme some of the parts of the book seemed, but then something so grounded in reality would happen that it would feel like a punch in the gut. Sometimes the truest monsters and the scariest horror really exists in the day to day life of a violent and unjust society. This one is going to stick with me for a while. 

OH! And the style in which it was written? chefs kiss It truly felt suffocating to read page after page in this style that reflected how we all think and speak in our normal lives. But kept you wanting to keep turning pages and keep coming back to the story. 


The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste

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mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

*Advance Read Copy*

What Worked: 
  • Visually, Kistie was able to weave a story that had many moments I could see perfectly. Like, Sophie playing with her horses and the neighborhood’s physical grasp on the survivors and the boundary around it.
  • The premise was creative, which piqued my interest and made me want to see what was going to happen next.
  • I always love a good queer storyline. The author did a great job of adding many layers of complications (past and present) to make it feel like an integral and important part of the story.

What Didn’t Work:
  • I didn’t really love Talitha as a character. Though we got to see some of her backstory and context for choices she made, I found myself feeling a bit exasperated with her. On the other hand, characters like Brett and Enid shined the whole way through and I found myself very invested in their stories.

Recommendations/Final Thoughts:
  • If you’re looking for a book that isn’t TOO scary, but has a unique and interesting premise, this is the book for you. You’ll get a good dose of how things rooted in real life, rather than the paranormal or unexplained, can truly be the scariest things of all.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!
 
One Life by Megan Rapinoe

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emotional funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

 I knew I was going to be pretty biased about this book because I’m obsessed with the USWNT, so I won’t say that I was surprised to find how much I loved it or surprised at how quickly I devoured it. But, I will say that all that aside, I still found it to be such an inspiring, informative, funny(!), and worthwhile read. I loved Pinoe’s storytelling and honesty while detailing her life growing up in northern CA, her start in soccer as a kid, and through her career as a professional athlete and player on the national team. In typical Pinoe fashion, she didn’t hold back on sharing her strong opinions about everything from race to politics, lgbtq advocacy to gender and pay inequality, which really kept the reaading experience an engaging one. Next up, I’ll have to hear the audiobook version! 
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

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dark emotional informative sad fast-paced

4.0

Palestine by Joe Sacco

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challenging emotional informative medium-paced

3.75