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adhesivedolphin's reviews
106 reviews
Queen Goneril by Erin Shields
dark
inspiring
sad
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
4.5
This was a fantastic take on revisiting King Lear focusing on the daughters and their lives before the original play. There were some lines that hit me where I live and stuck with me. There some great lbgtq and poc rep here that was refreshing to see. Highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
5.0
I loved this book. It's a series of short stories spanning out from a contagion that becomes a global pandemic. The characters run into earlier characters, which is a really neat way of showing how they change over time and how different perspectives of a situation/character. This is a story about loss. There's a lot of triggers around that, and how we deal with loss when it becomes an everyday thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Gore, Blood, and Abandonment
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
reflective
medium-paced
1.5
I did not like this book at all. I'll give it a 1.5 because I was able to get through the whole thing. While there were a few good points here and there, most of the book was random stories with questionable lessons learned. There's a lot of misogyny in how he views the world. He tells a series of stories about his own life that seem to contradict his own messages (one of his 'bad values' is seeing the best of things, which he does in the intro to section 7). It felt like it needed some heavy editing and to have more structure. In the end, this is one man talking to himself and I was not into it.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
I loved this book. The main character is very similar to his others, so if that bothers you, it's the only negative for me. I loved how every chapter seemed to have some kind of revelation. The two stories happening is parallel is great. I enjoyed the chaos of the mission and learning about what was going on. Just a fun sci-fi time.
The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I remember reading this in University and loving it; what a thrill to read it again as an adult and find that I had good taste back then. This is a great story about mental health, feminism, isolation and more. The amount of interest packed into 17 pages is truly incredible. As the story progresses it gets more and more unsettling, and the ending is perfect. A must read.
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was an interesting concept and plot, but the writing style just wasn't for me. I'm not generally speaking a big fan of the 'Fall of House of Usher', but this was an interesting take. I struggle with the same things I usually do when I know the original piece that something is inspired by. This did feel like it added a new idea and twist on the story that I enjoyed. Overall, it was good, just not a favourite for me.
Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
I liked this slightly more than the first book. Once I knew where the story was going and that we were playing on some of the themes in the first book in a new way, I really enjoyed it. The new and returning characters are interesting and I enjoyed the ending.
Chlorine by Jade Song
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
5.0
Holy. Shit. I was recommended this book and it's one of the most intense things I've ever read. I wanted to share it with some friends, but this is one of those books that is tailor-made for a specific kind of person. I was lucky enough to be one of those people. I feel like some of the themes of Sorrowland are also at play here. I felt so strongly for Ren and Cathy through the story. This is one of those stories that's hard to talk about without spoiling it. So if you're into sapphic, body and psychological horror and feminist themes, read this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Medical content, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence