svmreads's reviews
389 reviews

All things are too small, except for this book

I've been meaning to pick up this collection forever and I'm SO happy I finally read it this year. "The Embodiment" is a new all-time favorite short story. So excited to read YOUR UTOPIA!

Such a fun rom-com! Loved the scenes where they were developing the video series. Wish we got more of Simone and Ray in a romantic context, as I loved their chemistry. Excited to read more from TJ Alexander!

Loved the imagery in this collection! I'll have to get a physical copy so I could highlight some lines.

I'm so sorry, I tried to enjoy this book and couldn't get into it. I know there's a big plot twist (which I already looked up and...wow) but I was so bored I couldn't get through it. And I know that Emily and Dawn are supposed to be unlikeable but they had literally zero redeeming qualities. Also, I wasn't a fan of the audiobook narration. I am willing to give Anna Dorn's new book, PERFUME AND PAIN, a shot because it sounds intriguing.

This book took the wind out of me. As someone who had a similar experience to Tatum, I could not believe how accurately Villarreal-Moura portrayed the experience of grooming and being in a relationship with an imbalanced power dynamic. The conversations between Tatum and Mateo were pitch perfect in terms of the language Mateo utilized to reel Tatum under his influence. I also loved that Mateo wasn’t portrayed in a cartoonishly villainous way, but rather he is morally gray. It was gratifying to see Tatum look upon her relationship with Mateo with a new lens, but also realize that he was a fundamental part of her life for ten years.
Additionally, I LOVED Villarreal-Moura’s use of the second person in Tatum’s letter to Mateo - I thought this was expertly done and made for an even more powerful story. 
As a booklover, I resonated with Tatum so much. The way she talked about being a pulsating mind and utilizing literature to help her make sense of the world was incredibly relatable, and made Mateo’s betrayal devastating.
If you loved and resonated with this book as much as I did, I highly recommend reading The Adult by Bronwyn Fischer. While that book covers a shorter span of time, its portrayal of a relationship with an unequal power dynamic is also spot on.
Thank you Ursula Villarreal-Moura for writing such a masterpiece. 

Not often I get to describe a book as especially heinous but here we are