svmreads's reviews
387 reviews

Normal People by Sally Rooney

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
I feel bamboozled. I was expecting to love this and it was so boring! I read many books where not much happens but at least in those there is some element I enjoy about it. In this, I found nothing that compelled me to keep going.
The Details by Ia Genberg

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emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“We’d drink cloudy homemade wine and scream loud enough to get through to the core of life, believing that there was less in between us and heaven since we were on a roof. Today, several decades later, separated from that time by a new millennium and a new kind of world, I can still understand that scream, perhaps more so than ever, that yearning for closeness and getting to the heart of it all.”
The Most by Jessica Anthony

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tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This was fine. Not sure why it was longlisted for the National Book Award. I came into this expecting for it to mainly concentrate on Kathleen and her eight hours in the pool but instead we got a meandering back and forth between Virgil and Kathleen's flashbacks. The ending was interesting but not sure it was worth it.
Homie by Danez Smith

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dark emotional funny reflective fast-paced

4.5


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Death Valley by Melissa Broder

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

I’m torn on how to rate this book because on one hand I thought there were parts that were incredibly relatable and moving, but on the other hand I thought that Melissa Broder could have done more with the speculative elements, especially the cactus. Overall, I liked it but didn’t love it.
Consent by Jill Ciment

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.25


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The Moon That Turns You Back by Hala Alyan

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5


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This is Amiko, Do You Copy? by Natsuko Imamura

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dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Boulder by Eva Baltasar

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dark emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Eva Baltasar is one of the most talented authors working today! Loved Permafrost and loved Boulder maybe even more!