ambershelf's Reviews (1.3k)

3.5/5 gifted by the publisher

It’s not actually rom “com”. I liked that it tackles more serious family drama and has a suspense-light quality on top of the romance. The title and cover makes it seem like a more lighthearted read though

3.5/5 Gifted by the publisher

Love the short chapters and fast pacing. It’s very on the nose which might be read better as a satire for readers who really don’t like being spoon fed. The horror is done well—some very gory parts that I definitely skipped through

After her affair with a married politician is exposed, Bianca Bridge loses her job, friends, and prospects of becoming a writer. So when a notoriously tyrannical beauty entrepreneur, Obadiah Cortland, offers Bianca a job writing for his magazine, Bianca accepts her new job. Through her new responsibilities, Bianca must find her way to making friends, reconnecting with her estranged father, and embracing her voice.

Alternating between Bianca's diary and Obadiah's narratives, GOOD LOOKS is a heartfelt and witty portrayal of modern Trinidad. Mc Ivor infuses profound observations of its rigid class barriers, patriarchal structures, and colonial past. I adore the sarcastic yet hilarious commentaries on Trinidad culture & politics, especially from Obadiah's perspective.

Usually I find it difficult to sympathize with MCs who have affairs, but Mc Ivor took such gentle care with writing Bianca, I find myself rooting for her, and I love her character development. GOOD LOOKS is the perfect summer read with short chapters infused with lots of love & laughter.

Thank you to Libro.fm for the gifted ALC

3.25/5 ALC gifted by PRH audio

Great writing. If you like character-focused vignettes, this could be right up your alley. For its length, some characters blend together. I think it would’ve worked better as short stories with interconnected characters, fewer characters, or a more diverse cast

eARC gifted by the publisher

THE LANTERN AND THE NIGHT MOTHS • Yilin Wang • 4/2

Consisting of works from 5 Chinese poets, MOTHS features the original and translated texts along with Wang's essays. I loved their extensive notes on each poet's background, ruminations on translation, and connections to the poems' meanings. Translators often have a BTS role, but I loved how Wang takes center stage in this phenomenal collection.

I remember reading Qiu Jin's poems in Mandarin for school, but it's been a joy reading Wang's translation & anthology. The queer feminist undertone stood out to me, and I'm grateful for Wang's notes in guiding my interpretations. With rhythmic writing covering various topics, from friendships to one's connection to homeland, Wang beautifully demonstrates the power of poetry and its strength in bridging time, culture, history, and language.

3.25/5

These two quote from the book perfectly sums up my experience.

“It feels always that I am on the edge of some comprehension here but never breaking through to the other side.”

“Unsubscribe.”

2.5/5

My conspiracy theory: Booker is trying to get the literary fans and romantasy lovers with HELD. Hence this incomprehensible book

Gifted by the publisher.

Love that we reunite with Adunni! The pacing is phenomenal with even higher stakes this time. Darè raises a lot of important issues about modern Nigeria, especially how women and girls are the most affected with climate change.

The middle could be a bit awkward for some readers due to its multi-POV structures. But it acts as an important element to offer different aspects of violence against women and girls. It absolutely broke my heart