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whittaker's reviews
216 reviews
To Drown as a Cure for Thirst: Poems by Blake Auden
emotional
fast-paced
4.0
I really enjoy this poetry book, despite it being deeply sad, although that was perhaps the beauty in it. So many lines brought back memories or stuck a chord in me and I really enjoyed it. Would recommend to fans of Keaton Henson.
This book was provided for review by NetGalley UK.
This book was provided for review by NetGalley UK.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
This book made me cry, and I truly didn't expect that ending - although it all makes so much sense looking back. God, truly an amazing YA - and as a YA, very well written. Not ground breaking, but really good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Fire/Fire injury
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
hopeful
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
4.0
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is so difficult and yet so captivating that it's hard to truly sum it up. Ultimately, it is hard to love Vanessa in the world of Me Too (and sometimes our own stories) but her story is so important. Her story is the perfect example of how trauma can manifest and whilst I understand the criticism that the story might be romanticising, I don't think it is. It's written from a victim's point of view and so we witness her try and romanticise it - and she references this so much. She is an unreliable narrator but it's the perfect example of how being groomed at a young age can warp your sense of reality - and when we read what Strane does, says, there is no doubt in our mind that he is a pedophile. We witness her go through this trauma and then as an adult come to terms with it - we can see the inconsistencies as she remembers things differently as an adult. She states directly that when he first had sex (well, rape) with her, it was rape at the time - she said no, didn't want it, forced it - she even recalls times he ignored her "no"s or when she was clearly forced into it, even when he would do it when she was asleep. But when she's older she's forgotten this, states it was never rape, she was into it (ignoring statutory rape). It's so clear as a reader that this is the product of being groomed and raped - she's dissociating, has memory blocks and is also trying to convince herself that she wanted it, because if she didn't then she has to come to terms with what happens <\spoilers> Vanessa does things we don't like, but I think it's needed to explore this trauma - how it manifests, how a victim doesn't have to be a "good" victim. We see all the different ways she has been affected by this, and how disgusting it is that she was put through this, continuously held in this loop and failed by everyone.
I don't think this is a book to be read by everyone, and especially not by people who may miss nuance, or who may romanticise it - I'm sure if I was very young when I read this I might've missed the gaslighting and grooming. I also think with the graphic descriptions this book would be incredibly difficult for a grooming or rape victim to read. But that isn't to say that this book hasn't stuck with me, changed me somewhat.
I don't think this is a book to be read by everyone, and especially not by people who may miss nuance, or who may romanticise it - I'm sure if I was very young when I read this I might've missed the gaslighting and grooming. I also think with the graphic descriptions this book would be incredibly difficult for a grooming or rape victim to read. But that isn't to say that this book hasn't stuck with me, changed me somewhat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent
Little Scratch by Rebecca Watson
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book broke me and it's writing style is really unique and I genuinely felt I was in the head of this woman - going through her day, dealing with the aftermath. Very quick and amazing, although only 4.5 as the style was slightly tricky at times for me and my donkey brain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Self harm
The Do-Over by Sharon M. Peterson
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.0
This is just a fun little romance, coming-of-age in a 30 year old finally finding her way in life way. Some of it was cliche and cringy but it's perfectly enjoyable as a book and very cute.
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo
emotional
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was amazing. Truly. I think something I adored about this isn't just us exploring Jiyoung's life - all the hardships she has to endure on a daily basis since her birth just by merit of being a woman in South Korea, but that the author had statistics to show how Jiyoung's story is not fictional - it is in the sense that this isn't biographical - but it's truthful in how it is what women go through. Just because Jiyoung is in a book doesn't mean that there isn't plenty of other women walking around who have lived Jiyoung's life. The ending also shocked me in a way that didn't shock me. I know people talk about a book having a twist at the end, and its always some shocking, often psychologically scary hidden truth. This book ended with the sad truth, right when it got you to feel angry and righteous and frankly upset for Jiyoung - we were reminded again that despite someone listening to her whole life, her trauma, if that person is a man, he will never understand or even remember a woman's inherent trauma, no matter how hard he pretends he is woke or well-educated.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Sexual assault
Battle Cry by Jennifer Sara Widelitz
emotional
fast-paced
2.0
This poetry book was... okay. Listen, I enjoy poetry - I'm not particularly good at it myself but I do enjoy it. And this was not bad poetry, it just was not mind-blowing. I know that's heavy expectation to put on poetry - but truthfully as an art form it needs to bring something new. This very much reminded me of Amanda Lovelace - and I'm not the biggest fan of her poetry either. Listen - not bad. Some of the poems were very touching, in fact. The writing was not bad, but the issue is - you either have to be an amazing writer or talk about concepts no one else has - in a way no one else has. Self-esteem issues and illness have been touched on a billion times and unfortunately I've read about them a lot. Maybe if this was the first poetry book id ever read I would think differently but it isn't. I had to lower it down to 2 starts because it really is hard to get through this book when so many of them just reiterate the same sentiments in very similar words (the repeated references to storm in regards to pain and depression - boring, especially since the poems weren't special). It feels lazy to me - like the editor didn't do their job.
Provided for review by NetGalley.
Provided for review by NetGalley.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
This book is an adorable, heart-warming and sometimes -wrenching tale of found family, magic, and love. I also feel like this book is a book that can teach teenagers about discrimination - and how horrible it is.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment
Happy New Year by Malin Stehn
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.5
This book is one of the best thriller/mysteries I've read recently - and thriller is my favourite genre. No spoilers, but there are twists you truly would not predict, the mix of POVs really helps with this alongside letting you develop a relationship with each character. I wholeheartedly believe that this deserves all and any praise it will get, as I was gripped from start to finish.
This book was kindly given for me to review by NetGalley.
This book was kindly given for me to review by NetGalley.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder