gossamer_lens's reviews
1350 reviews

Dancing On Ice by Time Princess

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dark emotional inspiring 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? No

4.25

I truly enjoyed this book. The complicated mother daughter dynamic really drew me in. Having played soccer and had a best friend with a coach for a father, it felt really real and grounded. Dynamics like that can be hard, straining and rewarding all in one go.

The romance also felt grounded and subtle and I like that you can see things beginning but not quite ending. It fits very well with the ending of the book that I achieved. 
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Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

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

5.0

Just... Very very good. I absolutely love the wit if the writing and I love how much disdain this books holds for the christian god. It just calls things into stark question and centers on how much life just goes on and it is what it is. And that doesn't change with whatever overarching lie we tell ourselves to make it feel better. 
The Art of War, with eBook by Sun Tzu

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informative fast-paced

2.5

This was really boring.. but I guess you can say I read it now. It is interesting that something is old exists and I get to read it. But otherwise I found it uninteresting.
Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond

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challenging informative reflective fast-paced

4.5

A very wonderful overview of how Poverty in America exists, came to be, why the Rich want to keep it, and how recently all political parties are failing to help address the concerns of poor Americans. I was only disappointed by a lack of actionable items or real call to action. The ending asks all people to become "poverty abolitionists". It is a hard call to action for me, because it comes across as very "hope for better and make personal choices to do better" which feels very "black box on Instagram for BLM". Like is it something to be and engender? sure! Is it the end of the line? No. I think if I wasn't more aware of this issue I would find that very satisfying as an end... but as I am not unfamiliar with it, it just felt like I read something affirming instead of helpful. Which is nice, but wasn't what I was hoping for.  
Becoming RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Journey to Justice by Debbie Levy

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.5

A good overview of RBGs life and what can be left as her legacy. It is hard to read this after her death and to have noted a few places where things were glossed over and worded to make RBG sound like she did most of the work on some things that peers/others could have had more credit given to them. But overall, it was enjoyable and gave interesting insights into her life.
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

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dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Wow, just wow. So dark and good. Really has things to say with the most intriguing things happening throughout. Just... I live to find these sorts of books. My god. 
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The Follower of Flowers by Natalia Hernandez

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adventurous sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

I think I liked this installment in the series just slightly less than the first because I wanted more focus on the characters and character dynamics. But things definitely got moved along and put in place for the next book to be able to focus more on that... so I'm excited to see where it goes. The romance was very light, cute and fun. The friendship relationships are complicated and intriguing. The plot makes me need to know what happens next. Very fun! 
Have You Seen Claudia? by Time Princess

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adventurous dark emotional sad slow-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? No

3.5

I am not particularly fond of mysteries... but I found this fun, surprisingly dark, and enjoyable. 
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A Romance Novelist Desperately Tries to Romanticize Midwestern Winter by Mary Spencer

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funny lighthearted fast-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? No

5.0

This is my favorite book in the whole advent series... it is way too relatable and hilarious. Every Christmas rom-com ever has made me have thoughts adjacent to what this book puts forward. It is on the nose, but in the perfect way! I couldn't stop giggling and laughing all the way through my husband reading it out loud for us. Just such a fun experience for such a quick little read! 
The 100 Percent True Story of Santa and Jesus, Probably by John Moe, Charlie Moe

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emotional funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book managed to connect Santa and Jesus in the best way! It was stunningly imaginative, hilarious, and irreverent. I just cannot get over the jumps it made from one narrative choice to the next to make the most funny and somehow based story of the two characters' connection to each other. I might end up reading this every year... it is too good!