sarai0410's Reviews (404)

A Soul to Keep

Opal Reyne

4.0

adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Monster romances are not typically my go-to, but damn 👀

Good plot, adorable demon, and great smut?!? Sign me up for the rest of the series.

Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings

Neil Price

3.75

informative slow-paced

The Dark Secret

Mike Holmes, Tui T. Sutherland

5.0

adventurous emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

All the Living and the Dead

Hayley Campbell

2.0

dark informative medium-paced

An Exploration of the People Who Have Made Death Their Life's Work is an incredibly misleading title. While there were parts of the interviews that I enjoyed, specifically when speaking about each individual's role in the death industry and their views and coping mechanisms, the author inserted herself, her beliefs, and her (self-appointed) morbid fascination with death way too often. Not only inserting herself in the narrative, but she also seemed to force her beliefs and views on those she was interviewing - especially so when speaking to executioner turned abolitionist. Overall it left a bad taste in my mouth, and it was not at all what I was hoping it would be. The two stars are strictly for the individuals interviewed, their role in the death industry, and the strict facts provided.

Notes on the audiobook - speaking pace was all over the place; it felt like one long run-on sentence for 9 hours.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Becky Chambers

5.0

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

We don’t have to fall into the same category to be of equal value.

...it is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don’t need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to just live.

The dedication reads For anybody who could use a break. And it truly is the perfect story for those that could use a break, whether that is a break from a sad novel they just completed, a break from complicated world-building, or just a break from life itself. Inclusive characters, beautiful writing, and philosophical in a way that doesn't make your brain hurt - A Psalm for the Wild-Built easily enters my 'best books' list.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Sarah J. Maas

4.0

adventurous dark 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: Yes

I was hesitant to start this series because of the hype surrounding it (plus the spoilers I've seen all over TikTok and Instagram). BUT I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the storyline and writing style. I'm quite fond of Lucien, but this will likely be a series in which I shouldn't get attached to certain characters, so I'm not getting my hopes up for him staying on my good side (fingers crossed, though).

Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much

Jen Winston

4.5

funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

"Maybe confusion is as queer as it gets."

To say my confusion and experiences as a bisexual person (especially one that has minimal game with women) was accurately represented by the author is an understatement. Between the white cis-gender privilege, the experiences as a self-proclaimed slut, a history of sexual assault, and an overwhelming feeling of "not queer enough", I found myself relating to Jen from beginning to end in many ways. This book is more than the bisexual journey, it's a discovery of self and the understanding that "self" is ever-evolving.