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spinesinaline's reviews
815 reviews
Mudflowers by Aley Waterman
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Mar 2024: yeah i loved this book and also hated it. so good but so frustrating.
Aug 2024: I loved this book and hated it in equal measure, which is to say this is one of my favourites of the year.
It is a frustrating read as the MC Sophie navigates adulthood and grief over the loss of her mother, while also dealing with complicated feelings about her long-time close friend, new girlfriend, and recent ex. While Sophie certainly engages in some self-sabotage herself (would it be a lit-fic about a twenty-something without it?), most of these frustrations come from the people she trusts, the secrecy and backstabbing and gaslighting as they claim to want the best for her. This betrayal of trust is the most devastating part of this book and the most infuriating.
With all the messiness around these young people and their relationships, the underlying story gets buried for much of the book but the author expertly brings it back to make clear that at its core, this is a story about mothers and loss and grief, albeit with all this “growing up” in the middle.
Sophie’s story is one of grief not only for those she’s lost but also the version of her life she shared with them, and all the parts of that life that she’s nostalgic for in order to bring a bit of that magic back.
I can’t say that I was thrilled with the ending or agree with many of the characters’ choices but what a heartfelt, equally painful and joyful story that I’ll be thinking of for a long time.
Aug 2024: I loved this book and hated it in equal measure, which is to say this is one of my favourites of the year.
It is a frustrating read as the MC Sophie navigates adulthood and grief over the loss of her mother, while also dealing with complicated feelings about her long-time close friend, new girlfriend, and recent ex. While Sophie certainly engages in some self-sabotage herself (would it be a lit-fic about a twenty-something without it?), most of these frustrations come from the people she trusts, the secrecy and backstabbing and gaslighting as they claim to want the best for her. This betrayal of trust is the most devastating part of this book and the most infuriating.
With all the messiness around these young people and their relationships, the underlying story gets buried for much of the book but the author expertly brings it back to make clear that at its core, this is a story about mothers and loss and grief, albeit with all this “growing up” in the middle.
Sophie’s story is one of grief not only for those she’s lost but also the version of her life she shared with them, and all the parts of that life that she’s nostalgic for in order to bring a bit of that magic back.
I can’t say that I was thrilled with the ending or agree with many of the characters’ choices but what a heartfelt, equally painful and joyful story that I’ll be thinking of for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is definitely up there in fave murderbot books so far, the team reunited! As with most sci-fi, my imagining of most of the scenes is incredibly vague but still loving this series. Though keeping up with all the names and places is starting to get difficult.
No spoilers but I love the memory scene here, it was beautiful.
No spoilers but I love the memory scene here, it was beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Kidnapping
Minor: Slavery
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Excellent, I think the second is still my favourite but this was a close second. All the ways Murderbot continues to contradict everything it thinks it feels ("I don't care about humans or any of their problems", reads a book about alien remnants to learn more about its old research party. Ok Murderbot). Love how it continues to find a group of humans to look after
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
Lives of the Saints by Nino Ricci
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
My January read for #RWYOiC. I found this a mostly good read if slow-moving and at times boring. The story was intriguing enough, though it wasn’t until the third or so chapter that I felt compelled to keep picking it up.
It follows a young boy in a small Italian town who is now trying to deal with rumours of his mother’s infidelity while he goes about his usual life with chores and school and town events. His father has moved overseas to America and is working on sending money so his family can eventually join him. It’s a curious look at this little town in the 1960s, filled with superstitions and busybodies, farming and family life.
To be honest, I’m not sure why this book caught the eye of so many literary awards but the story is interesting enough as a little day in the life of these people in Italy.
It follows a young boy in a small Italian town who is now trying to deal with rumours of his mother’s infidelity while he goes about his usual life with chores and school and town events. His father has moved overseas to America and is working on sending money so his family can eventually join him. It’s a curious look at this little town in the 1960s, filled with superstitions and busybodies, farming and family life.
To be honest, I’m not sure why this book caught the eye of so many literary awards but the story is interesting enough as a little day in the life of these people in Italy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My favourite of the Murderbot series so far. I LOVED the friendships and all the interactions between Murderbot and ART, especially both of them trying to understand human gestures.
"Yes, the giant transport bot is going to help the construct SecUnit pretend to be human. This will go well." (p. 71-72)
I was missing some of the wrap-up of the conflict from the first book so I'm glad we intermittently touch on some of the details here, especially the admin side of how it all gets cleaned up.
"Yes, the giant transport bot is going to help the construct SecUnit pretend to be human. This will go well." (p. 71-72)
I was missing some of the wrap-up of the conflict from the first book so I'm glad we intermittently touch on some of the details here, especially the admin side of how it all gets cleaned up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
The Dark Is Rising [Dramatisation] by Susan Cooper
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I listened to the BBC dramatization which is an abridged form of the story. It offers something really brilliant as it's not just that we have a full cast with largely age-appropriate actors (never mind the few immortal characters in the book). We also get a full sound immersion with horse hoofs, a crackling firepit, the sounds of a busy house during a Christmas party. It’s more like listening to a radio play and I loved it.
I’m surprised I’d never heard of this fantasy series before, especially with how long it’s been around. I would be curious about visiting the rest of this series and learning more about the immortals. It is fairly dark for a children’s series, at least as presented by the audio version, but still something I think many ages would enjoy.
I’m surprised I’d never heard of this fantasy series before, especially with how long it’s been around. I would be curious about visiting the rest of this series and learning more about the immortals. It is fairly dark for a children’s series, at least as presented by the audio version, but still something I think many ages would enjoy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail
Grandview Drive by Tim Blackett
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thanks to ZG Reads for a copy to review!
This was a very curious take on a story collection and one I think would be worth a reread now that I know all the characters. But it is quite graphic, immediately starting with a violent and gory fatal car crash, which did initially put me off.
Each story in this collection seems at first to stand alone, besides all having some tie to this street, Grandview Drive. We have the people who live in this stretch of houses, others who have moved away and reflect on their time here, and some who are just driving through.
After the shock of the first story, I did enjoy many of these stories, and the realization as they started to fit in together and paint the whole picture of this street. My difficulty with the collection was in keeping things straight as there are so many characters I had completely forgotten about by the time we were properly introduced to them. This test on memory, as well as unannounced and unexpected time jumps and character details changing in each story, mostly detracted on my reading so a reread would be in order to keep things straight.
This was a very curious take on a story collection and one I think would be worth a reread now that I know all the characters. But it is quite graphic, immediately starting with a violent and gory fatal car crash, which did initially put me off.
Each story in this collection seems at first to stand alone, besides all having some tie to this street, Grandview Drive. We have the people who live in this stretch of houses, others who have moved away and reflect on their time here, and some who are just driving through.
After the shock of the first story, I did enjoy many of these stories, and the realization as they started to fit in together and paint the whole picture of this street. My difficulty with the collection was in keeping things straight as there are so many characters I had completely forgotten about by the time we were properly introduced to them. This test on memory, as well as unannounced and unexpected time jumps and character details changing in each story, mostly detracted on my reading so a reread would be in order to keep things straight.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Car accident, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Drug use
The Red Mother by Elizabeth Bear
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
a funny and sweet novella, I didn't read the earlier story but found it a great read on its own
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Child death
The Other Americans by Laila Lalami
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Honestly loved the book until the ending. I've seen other reviews complain about too many POVs and being unable to tell the characters apart but it was a HUGE help to listen to the audiobook which had a whole cast of narrators who did a great job. Though I did not care for the character of Jeremy at all, very white saviour-like but presented with no criticism.
For me, the problem was that the ending made it so simplistic when the story had started really promising as a true reflection of our current society. Instead of focusing on societal issues and systemic racism, it took an easy out with a cartoon villain taking all the blame at the end. Still, pretty strong writing overall.
For me, the problem was that the ending made it so simplistic when the story had started really promising as a true reflection of our current society. Instead of focusing on societal issues and systemic racism, it took an easy out with a cartoon villain taking all the blame at the end. Still, pretty strong writing overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Minor: Addiction and Drug use