Scan barcode
nila's reviews
500 reviews
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A perfectly fine, quick romance read. As always I'm a sucker for the traditional tropes, and the book checked most of the boxes that I have for contemporary romances. What I could've done without was some of the cringy dialogue, but again, it's nothing worse than what I've read in other books with the same genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness
To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Another great work from Becky Chambers. I loved the dynamics between the characters, and Chambers has a unique way of making you care so deeply about people/creatures/events that were introduced only two pages earlier. The ending was also (scarily) relevant for these times, with millionaire space travels etc etc
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I usually pick up contemporary romance when I'm in a reading slump or I want a fast and fun read. Given that, I find that I enjoy the regular tropes and plot devices that are regularly used in this genre. In The Hating Game, Sally Thorne employs a number of this tropes (tiny woman - giant man, enemies to lover, office romance, hard guy is actually a softie etc etc etc), but I enjoy those aspects so it was a plus for me. I also liked how they didn't dance around each other due to too many miscommunication and other temporarily love interests (though there's a bit of both). All in all, it was an enjoyable read, and I raced through it. The rating is due to the fact that it doesn't add anything new to the genre or to the tropes that were used. The "big conflict" was also incredibly predictable and the build-up was therefore understandably anticlimactic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Ableism and Fatphobia
Vox by Christina Dalcher
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Torture, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Gun violence, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Transphobia, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Vomit and Alcohol
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.25
Really interesting premise, and I liked the writing style and the mix of facts and reflective passages. It felt a bit repetitive as the author writes about each woman separately and there are many similarities between them. Sometimes I think she went into too many details that just felt like fillers to the story, and many of these parts were filled with assumptions due to lack of findings in her research. The book ends with a conclusive chapter which I thought summed up the whole book quite neatly and I wish it had been longer, as this was the aspect of the book I was the most interested in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Minor: Violence
Luftslottet som sprengtes by Stieg Larsson
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
FIVE FRICKIN' STARS!!!!
If I had to nitpick, I'd say the lead-up to the "big event" was a bit long, I would've wanted it to have lasted longer, especially considering all the information the reader is presented for during the first 550 pages. Larsson's writing has just gotten better and better in this series. Gone are the awkward product placements, the random English terms, and there are fewer "experiemental" expositions (are whatever you call them). I still think it's weird that he keeps referring to characters with their full names, even Salander and Blomkvist... Speaking of names, there's also a sequence in the book that annoyed me to bits because Larsson for some reason had to name two secondary/minor characters Benny, and another one where two characters named Niedermann and Nieminen were interacting. Needlessly confusing, in my opinion.
Again, a warning of how graphic the descriptions of violence, sex and all kinds of terrible things. DO NOT READ if you are sensitive to it! I've done my best to include all the content warnings I could think of.
But the stars of the show are all the women. Honestly, whatever kind of female character you want, they're in this book. Flawed, ambitious, insecure, innocent, naïve, assertive etc. etc. My personal favorite being Annika Giannini. Throughout the entire book I just wanted more from her, and then in the end when she had her moment, I was basically just fistpumping the air every paragraph. One of my favorite literary characters, for sure!
If I had to nitpick, I'd say the lead-up to the "big event" was a bit long, I would've wanted it to have lasted longer, especially considering all the information the reader is presented for during the first 550 pages. Larsson's writing has just gotten better and better in this series. Gone are the awkward product placements, the random English terms, and there are fewer "experiemental" expositions (are whatever you call them). I still think it's weird that he keeps referring to characters with their full names, even Salander and Blomkvist... Speaking of names, there's also a sequence in the book that annoyed me to bits because Larsson for some reason had to name two secondary/minor characters Benny, and another one where two characters named Niedermann and Nieminen were interacting. Needlessly confusing, in my opinion.
Again, a warning of how graphic the descriptions of violence, sex and all kinds of terrible things. DO NOT READ if you are sensitive to it! I've done my best to include all the content warnings I could think of.
But the stars of the show are all the women. Honestly, whatever kind of female character you want, they're in this book. Flawed, ambitious, insecure, innocent, naïve, assertive etc. etc. My personal favorite being Annika Giannini. Throughout the entire book I just wanted more from her, and then in the end when she had her moment, I was basically just fistpumping the air every paragraph. One of my favorite literary characters, for sure!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Torture, Trafficking, and Stalking
Minor: Homophobia and Panic attacks/disorders
Przewalskis hest by Maja Lunde
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I think this might deserve a higher rating if I hadn't read it through a very stressful time. I've been reading it sporadically for over a month which doesn't reflect on how much I enjoyed it. This book, more than the others in the series, is more eerie and feels closer to today's reality. There's a sense of hopelessness in each storyline, but Lunde balances it with heartwarming moments in the different character arcs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Sexual content
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Drug abuse
Minor: Rape
Moral Resilience: Transforming Moral Suffering in Healthcare by Cynda H Rushton
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
Used this for my bachelor thesis in nursing. There were definitely some chapters that went over my head, language-wise, but for the most part it was a really interesting and, at times, a daunting read.
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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? No
3.25
Really sweet YA contempory romance, which I haven't read in ages... I honestly just picked this up due to a prompt in a reading challenge I'm participating in and I'm really glad it turned out to be a good read. It was fun and sweet with the a really nice blend of character clichés and a surprisingly good amount of honest communication about setting boundaries and expectations for a relationship and taking the next step in the relationship. There was a minimal amount of pining and unnecessary conflict which I really appreciated. It of course has some of the main hallmarks of a YA romance, but it also has its own "paint me like one of your French girls"-moment (ish)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Sexual content
Normal People by Sally Rooney
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I've heard such varying reviews of this book, that I was unsure of what to expect. The first 100 pages felt a bit like a fast-forward version of One Day, but then the different arcs intensified and though it was intense and hard to read at times, I really liked exploring the new aspects of the characters. The timeline in the novel spans over several years, but I didn't find that the relationship between Marianne and Connell always reflected that, especially considering how they communicated with and kept misunderstanding each other. I was also disappointed with the ending, though I should've expected it as other character-driven novels I've read have ended somewhat similarly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying and Eating disorder
Anxiety and depression are also prevalent among one of the main characters