skudiklier's Reviews (647)

Rosewater

Tade Thompson

3.5

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was a reread for the Life's Library book club, and since I read it for the first time only a couple months ago, I wasn't going to review it--but I felt like my original 4.5 stars is no longer accurate, as I enjoyed it much less this time around. I think I'm mostly interested in the world and mystery of it, but the protagonist is not really likable at all. I'm going to keep reading the rest of the trilogy in the hopes that the characters involved are more likable, but I don't think I'd recommend this book to anyone unless they're interested in the alien/sci-fi aspects. Lowering my rating to 3.5 stars.

(Also the narrator was good! I liked the audiobook, my rating has nothing to do with the medium switch between my two reads.)

Circe

Madeline Miller

5.0

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book was amazing. It was a bit slow to start, but I had heard such good things and loved SOA so much--and wow am I glad I kept going. This book made me feel every possible emotion. Everything I knew about Circe came from reading the Percy Jackson series as a kid, so I knew nothing of what to expect with the plot. It was just incredible. Miller is a fantastic writer, and I copied so many beautiful quotes and passages into my notes. I love the whole concept of this book, of telling the story of Circe's life, of making the epic about her and the stories that never get told. I'd recommend this book to anyone I could convince to read it.

Content Warnings

Eleanor & Park

Rainbow Rowell

1.0

When I read this, I was a teenager, and I remember liking it--not especially, not memorably, but I did. I didn't notice or understand the racism in this book; having since learned more about the harmful racism and racist stereotypes in this book, I'm reviewing it one star just in an attempt to throw that in with all the good reviews. I love Rainbow Rowell's "Carry On" series, I have to admit, but I also read those before learning about how she continues to deny and excuse the racism in this book. I'm really disappointed in how she's handled this criticism, and I won't be supporting her in the future.

Content Warnings

no one here can save you

N.W. Downs

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.

Content Warnings

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Trenton Lee Stewart

4.5

adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was one of my favorite books as a child, but my copy got lost after loaning it to someone, and I've been waiting for years to get a new one so I could reread it. I really enjoyed it! I was surprised by how much I remembered. And like, it's true that some things about the book are problematic and on-the-nose (liking books isn't inherently good, TV isn't inherently bad, there's the ableist trope of

the bad guy getting up from the wheelchair

, and there's so much to unpack with all the "gifted" stuff). But still, I can't help adoring this book. I'm excited to reread the rest of the series!

Also, spoiler:

I can't believe Constance is TWO?! I remembered that she was actually very young, so the whole book I was paying attention to how she spoke and acted and stuff, and in my head I was like "there's no way she's like four what the heck she's the most advanced of all of them." But I thought she was like four or five, not two!!! Wild.

Content Warnings

Memorial

Bryan Washington

4.75

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

My favorite thing about this book is the writing; it's kind of pretentious poet writing, but like, that's exactly my style.

The main characters were kind of unlikeable, and their relationship is pretty sad and terrible tbh, but I still found myself rooting for them and connected to their emotions, for the most part. The ending was a bit dissatisfying but maybe that's okay.

Overall I liked this book and I'm glad I read it, but I couldn't really tell you why. It made me cry.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Becky Chambers

5.0

hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I absolutely adored this book. The first couple of chapters were okay; I was interested in the world, and appreciated having a nonbinary protagonist. But once we got into the rest of the story, I fell in love, and couldn't stop reading. I can't wait for the second book to come out. I love these characters, and the conversations they have.

Content Warnings

Homegoing

Yaa Gyasi

5.0

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

This book was incredible, and heartbreaking, and beautiful. I knew nothing about it going in, but I don't think anything could have prepared me. So much of what happens in it is so hard to read, but I'd recommend Homegoing to anyone.

Content Warnings

The City We Became

N.K. Jemisin

4.5

adventurous emotional reflective tense 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

By the end of this book I really enjoyed it! For a while there it felt a little too slow and repetitive, and like I just didn't appreciate it enough because I don't know NYC at all. But it was definitely interesting and engaging overall and I'm glad I read it. I love the idea here.

Content Warnings

The Associated Press Stylebook 2018: and Briefing on Media Law

The Associated Press

4.5

informative slow-paced

I might come back with an update after I write a whole essay reviewing the experience of reading this book cover to cover over the course of a year, but for now: it was interesting at some points and boring at others. I don't regret reading it but I wouldn't recommend it to others. It had a bunch of typos/errors and I wish I could have copyedited the most updated version for them. I'm excited I finished it. I hope their more recent versions have better stuff on gender, pronouns, and mental illness.

Content Warnings

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