alyssastag's reviews
232 reviews

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

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adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Really liked this. It reminded me a lot of Klara and the Sun. Greer really plays with the reader’s emotions/empathy which makes the reading process fun and interesting. Annie’s character is so complex and her journey is captivating. Some parts were a tiny bit slow. 
The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

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adventurous sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Ugh insane
Mercury by Amy Jo Burns

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emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I thought this book was so beautiful. It paints an accurate, heartbreaking picture of life in a Rust Belt town. The organization was kinda messy and weird, but to me it mirrors the disaster that is the Joseph family. I like how the story focused on Baylor and Elsie towards the end, though some people might find that to be an odd or disorganized choice. The beginning gave Little Fires Everywhere, but it morphed into a story all its own. For some reason this book just really captivated me. 
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

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adventurous funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was such a fun read. Grace’s goofy, out-of-place character was perfect for the conflict. Weir’s move to slowly reveal the backstory for how Grace ended up on the mission was a good one. The unexpected friendship was heartwarming and entertaining. There was just enough talk of math and science to make it feel real. And the hopeful ending was a nice change for a sci-fi novel. 
Trust the Messages: A Catholic Discovers Spiritualism in Lessons from the Universe by Lu Dick

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reflective fast-paced

2.0

Lu Dick seems passionate about getting people to open their minds to messages from Spirit. This book kind of just felt like a wannabe “Signs” by Laura Lynn Jackson. A lot of the “messages” Dick described seemed to be more coincidence. She seems like a nice person who means well, though. 
What Wild Women Do by Karma Brown

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hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Cute concept. I enjoyed Eddie’s chapters so much more than Rowan’s, to the point where I kind of wish I could’ve just read a book about Eddie. I liked the appreciation for the natural world. But the attempted parallels between Rowan and Eddie’s experiences with failed relationships and trauma felt disjointed. And Rowan’s relationship with Seth didn’t feel believable to me. A bit corny. 
The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

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adventurous emotional 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

5.0

This was wild omg. An epic western tale, but also a beautiful family legend. Elizabeth Gonzalez James is an incredible storyteller. Her characters have depth to them and the plot is full of action. Her use of magical realism to get across a message of breaking generational curses was super effective and powerful. 
Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom by Gypsy-Rose Blanchard

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emotional reflective fast-paced

3.0

This was a fast and easy read. It was brave of her to discuss so openly the many forms of abuse she faced. But it also felt rushed, and some of the things she said were repetitive or contradictory. Idk I guess I just wish she waited to release this until she had a more fully-fleshed-out piece of writing. 
The First Bad Man by Miranda July

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dark sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Weird. I get that we’re meant to feel uncomfortable reading this but some of the discomfort didn’t end up serving any real purpose. Many of the jokes/surrealisms didn’t really land, either. I am impressed at how Miranda July is able to make us feel a bit bad for the main character, despite how terrible she is. Also I always think about how in books and movies the characters never have to pee; the characters were always peeing in this book. Felt gross?
I'm a Fan by Sheena Patel

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dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I liked it. All of the characters are completely awful, and even though we get a deep look into the main character’s mind, she’s still mysterious in many ways. Patel’s exploration of race, sex, and relationship dynamics is insightful and interesting to read about. Some parts are hard to read because the main character is just completely flawed. Writers are just insufferable I guess.