jo
CW: dementia, death, and lost of loved one
I came for public pool chisme and left heartbroken
CW: death, racism, colorism, sexism, misogyny, car accident, mention of miscarriage, self-harm, and homophobia.
I went into this book hoping to find a piece of myself within its pages, and thankfully I did. This is a love letter to Brown girls, particularly Brown girls from New York. I felt seen as a Dominican woman from New York. Reading bits of my culture, my upbringing, and myself were special. The writing style was excellent, I highlighted many lines that made an impact on me. I look forward to reading more by Palasi Andreades in the future.
Yet, I'm not sure if this was the book for me. I sadly didn't vibe with it. While reading it I found myself bored and wanting to be done with it. There was no real structure, characters, or plot. It felt like vignettes or short stories, things that I don't tend to like. This is why I believe that it is a me problem and not the book's fault. Clearly, it is loved by so many, sadly, I am not one of them.
Don't let my one negative review keep you from reading this. I will still recommend anyone to read this <3
tw: colorism, drug abuse, toxic friendships/family, and misogyny.
hi my name is cielo and this book personally attacked me. i felt so seen y'all. also the mc name is sky and we are one in the same
CW: death of loved one, sexual assault, murder, child abuse, abuse, and Islamophobia
I wanted to love this so badly. This had so many things that, ideally, it should've been a new favorite. The poetic prose and the way the author strung each sentence together with such care left me wanting more. The actual storytelling was where I felt the book fell short. Throughout the book, there were times when I felt lost. I wish everything had been fleshed out a little more. Within 352 pages, the author wanted to cover a wide range of topics. It would have been nice if they had talked more about the sisters' difficulties in dealing with grief and all they have been through at such a young age. It felt rushed in places where I wanted more.
I would still recommend this novel. Maybe even re-read it physically to see if it was due to the format I chose to consume it in.
CW: abuse, suicide, miscarriage, cheating, use of the r-slur.
This felt like I was watching an episode of the k-drama, Hello my Twenties. This novel follows 5 women as they deal with the life expectations and beauty standards in Korean culture. It was interesting to see the characters in their day-to-day lives. It felt as if I was in a conversation with each of the characters. Not knowing everything but knowing enough to love and care for them all. I ended up connecting with and invested in the lives of each of the women we follow. I would recommend it for fans of Kim Ji-young born 1982 and contemporary k-dramas.
Beautiful, just beautiful. It made me cry, laugh, and long for a cute relationship like maddie and olly. Since I picked up this book, I kid you not, I couldn't put it down. By the end of the book It just left me wanting more. I recommended it to all of my friends and when they finish they all say the same thing. I can't wait to finally see the movie!!
I am officially dnfing this at 40%. I tried but i just wasn't feeling it. I might return to it at a later date. But for the time being I won't be finishing it.
3.5 stars
TW: child dead, murder, gaslighting, rape, graphic domestic violence, cheating, and loss of child
i'm emotional
So disappointed :( I was expecting to love this book.
I just finished this book and I couldn't even tell you what happened in the book because it was just so forgettable. I liked Jin and Amani as characters but the plot, writing, and the over all story fell so flat for me. I was told it was a middle eastern fantasy about magic and mythology. But it literally just felt like I was reading a western based in America. Take away the middle eastern sounding names and switch them with American names and bam you got a western. I own book two so maybe I will give it a try just because I really liked the main characters. But I wouldn't be surprised if I dnfed. Sorry not sorry.
Also I read some own voices reviewers from middle eastern reviews and yikes...
CW: racism, microaggressions, bullying, deportation, and death of a parent.
This was so wholesome yet so important and informative. I felt so connected to the characters, especially Esteban. Esteban is a Dominican kid that fears that his dad will be deported back to the Dominican republic. As a person with Dominican parents, I fear this every day. I might've cried a few times if I'm being honest.
I would recommend this book to everyone regardless of age!!
*2.5
the last 30% saved it for me tbh..
ps. the movie waz better in my opinion. Idk if i will continue in the series
I'm lowkey so disappointed. I went into this book thinking i'd be a thriller but its actually a contemporary with a dash of a thrill i guess. I really liked the writing and the main character korede. I felt for her and her strained relationship with her sister. caught in the middle of her murderous tendencies and always being seen as lesser. korede wasn't perfect, she had her flaws and i loved that about her. even with her feelings towards her sister she still has her back. even though it's not really morally correct... but sisters before misters i guess lmao. I just wish that there was more murder?? also i see a lot of people say that it's too short but honestly i liked the length. yes it went by really fast but it worked for the story. i would recommend if you are interested but just know it's not as thriller-y as the synopsis makes it out to be.
I enjoyed reading this fantastic graphic novel! It reminded me of Wash Day Diaries but with a more middle-grade feel. The characters in the story are adorable, and I loved how they dealt with the anxieties of starting at a new school. Charlie's transformation from a shy new kid to a confident young girl who embraces her true self is truly inspiring. I could relate to Charlie's experiences because I was once in the same position, afraid to reveal my true self to others. It would have been amazing to have a book like this when I was younger, reminding me to be authentic and not worry about what others think. The real ones will love you for who you are.
4.5/5 stars
O H M Y G O S H!!! this book left me shooked and needing more like yesterday.
I loved this book so much. It was beautifully written and the audio book is amazing!!! I totally recommend y'all to read this if you like light thrillers, mysteries, and historical fictions. I'm personally not a fan of “horror” themed books or movies but this was not bad. The suspense aspects of it actually made me want to keep reading it. I will tell you this I CALLED IT!!! I knew who was Jack the Ripper before it was revealed. But it was still a great reveal though. Being Kerri Maniscalco's debut novel it was phenomenal!!
WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!!
This book was amazing because It had the bad ass heroine but she was bad ass because she was smart and took risks. Audrey Rose loves forensic science even though she lives in the Victorian era and women are supposed to love fashion, beauty, and tea. Although Audrey likes those things too her love for science is first. She is an amazing character that is what the female bad ass trope should be... some books wish they could relate.
When I first saw the synopsis I thought it was going to be filled with romance. It had its little bits of romance here and there but it wasn't the main focus. Thomas was so cute, he was a bit of a smart ass. Thomas and Audrey's relationship was one of the best things in this book. It wasn't the annoying insta-love, Its developed slowly and it was soooo cute!!
I personally knew it was going to be Nathaniel it was obvious to me because of the way his character developed. It was very minor but I'm the type of person that focuses on details. The second they mentioned that Nathaniel started looking a bit more rugged was a huge clue. Tbh his reveal would've been more shocking if his motive for killing them was also because they were women his father slept with too like that would've shooked me 1000 times more.
Moral of the story is that I loved this book and I totally recommend it!!