missrosymaplemoth's reviews
183 reviews

You'd Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow

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4.0

A somber coming of age story about grief, sexual exploration and loving an addict.
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Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

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3.5

As usual, Ms. Hazelwood lays it on a little thick, but her books are fast paced and enjoyable to read, like slightly-too-buttery move theatre popcorn. As a woman with type 1 diabetes, I did have a huge problem with that representation and I wish the author had done more research because it was pretty clear the research she did do was partial and on a whim. It seemed more like a plot device to make us feel sympathetic for Elsie, despite her being a grown woman and diabetic for ~15 years. I also did not like how Elsie pressured Jack during the intimate scenes. Overall very similar to her first two, not terrible, but if you’ve read The Love Hypothesis and Love on the Brain you’ve pretty much read this, too.
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Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

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3.5

Sad, triggering and beautifully written. I understood Charlie to an extent and felt for her pain. All my love to those whom the character of Riley brought back painful memories.
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White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

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4.0

A good start for any white person needing to look inward to how they contribute to racism.

P.129 “White people raised
in Western society are conditioned into a white supremacist worldview
because it is the bedrock of our society and its institutions. Regardless of whether a parent told you that everyone was equal, or the poster in the hall of your white suburban school proclaimed the value of diversity, or you have traveled abroad, or you have people of color in your
workplace or family, the ubiquitous socializing power of white supremacy cannot be avoided. The messages circulate 24-7 and have little or nothing to do with intentions, awareness, or agreement. Entering the conversation with this understanding is freeing because it allows us to focus on how—rather than if—our racism is manifest. When we move beyond the good/bad binary, we can become eager to identify our racist patterns because interrupting those patterns becomes more important than managing how we think we look to others. I repeat: stopping our racist patterns must be more important than working to convince others that we don't have them. We do have them, and people of color already know we have them; our efforts to prove otherwise are not convincing. An honest accounting of these patterns is no small task given the power of white fragility and white solidarity, but it is necessary.”
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Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie

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4.0

A witty, humorous and heartfelt story about a woman who finally settles down and learns to appreciate the meaning of home. I loved Vicky’s and Faye’s characters, but Skye was grating at times. She was very funny, though. The book is fast-paced and kept me hooked from chapter one.
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What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman

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3.75

A murder mystery set in an affluent community. It felt a bit low-stakes, but the drama kept me intrigued. The murderer did not surprise me but I was not expecting the backstory and twist ending.
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Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

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5.0

A poignant and powerful look at the cycle of violence as one boy, Will, must make a choice to continue or break the cycle.
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Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman

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5.0

A comprehensive history of autism as a diagnosis, condition and community. A must read for any parent/guardian, educator, caretaker or loved one of an autistic person. A great read for autistic people also; I learned a lot about myself and my disability from reading this book even when I already knew a lot. This book educates about the history of autism while staying consistently respectful and aware of autistic people’s humanity. I now understand why so many call this book “the autism bible.”

☀️16/20
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Central Park by Guillaume Musso

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3.25

Fast-paced thriller with a harsh, unreliable narrator. The fake-out plot twist and the actual plot twist both took me by surprise. I would recommend this to any thriller fan. I did not like how Alice was written as a woman. A bit too pro-cop. The ending was abrupt.

☀️15/20
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Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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4.0

A beautifully written and touching story about family ties, culture and adolescence. I felt for Kambili in her mixed feelings toward her abusive father. The ending has a twist but is somewhat predictable, although this does not take away from its quality. At times I was confused where the story was going, but it didn’t take me out of the narrative.

☀️14/20
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