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alyssastag's reviews
232 reviews
Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein
challenging
slow-paced
3.0
I really like Klein’s takes (and normally enjoy her writing) but this book should’ve been a series of much shorter articles. The first few chapters were interesting and informative, but after that it felt like she was rambling and repeating herself. After the first 100 pages or so the information presented didn’t really feel current. I think I would’ve enjoyed this more if I read it a few years ago. At this point, I don’t feel like I learned anything new from this book.
Down the Drain by Julia Fox
dark
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
Best memoir I’ve read in a while! This was packed with stories. Every single sentence was meaningful and revealed so much about her life and what she’s been through. I switched back and forth between the audiobook and hardcover copy. There were benefits to both. I really enjoyed hearing her deliver her stories using her voice—she explicitly states how important having a voice is to her. But she’s also a writer at heart, so reading the words she put together was meaningful in other ways. I think she did a good job of writing about her mistakes without glamorizing them or making herself out to be a victim. She really owns her decisions and takes responsibility for her successes and failures.
HIM by Geoff Ryman
sad
slow-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
2.0
I really wanted to love this book. The concept is cool, and parts of it were really interesting/thought-provoking. But I’m not sure it fully works. The book is called “Him,” but centers more on Maryam than anyone else. Maybe this is intentional, but I was hoping to get a deeper look into the Jesus/Yeshua character. The science fiction aspects were awesome, but the author barely touched on them. Also, the first half of the book was incredibly slow and boring, while the second (better) half was super quick. There also wasn’t as much explicit conversation about gender as I had hoped.
Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison
dark
mysterious
fast-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? Yes
3.0
This was a fun, quick read. There were some interesting parallels drawn between womanhood and being a werewolf. The way Harrison equated the physical changes women go through because of a sexual assault, pregnancy, or menopause to those of a human turning into a werewolf was funny and dark. Some small things annoyed me: The protagonist and antagonist were just a little too similar. The story was also pretty predictable, and the mother’s character didn’t really make sense to me. The relationship between Rory and Ian was also just not believable.
It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Lazy!! I cannot believe she reused the same journal entries instead of writing new ones. There was literally no need for a sequel for the first one. This book is so unnecessary.
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Some stories should stay on Wattpad. None of the characters feel believable, most are honestly embarrassing. Even her diary entries don’t sound like they were written by a teenager. The Ellen obsession is so weird. The jokes did not hit. The timeline of the story is also odd. Sometimes a new chapter is months after the previous one, and others are just moments apart. She uses way too many exclamation points. Her language is really cringe and just doesn’t sound good. She should have just gotten an abortion like ?? And the DORY at the end was so dumb. The whole ending annoyed me it should’ve been more open. Nevertheless, I enjoyed hate/reading it.
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
emotional
reflective
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
4.0
Loved the story, characters, and concept. The elements of fairytale/allegory made it fun to read and fit the themes perfectly. it was cool to see Alex transform mentally and emotionally while the other women were transforming physically. Didn’t really love how it was organized—the beginning felt really dragged out and the ending felt rushed. Also, Dr. Gantz’s chapters were literally so boring. Maybe she did that purposely because he’s a man writing about the experiences of women? And she did allude to him being wordy. But I kind of skimmed through them.
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
dark
funny
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
5.0
Loved it. The characters’ relationships are emotionally, morally, and sexually complicated. The story is beautifully written, organized in a unique way because of the transcripts. Animals play a meaningful and symbolic role throughout, as do houses and buildings. I really felt immersed in the setting and invested in the characters.
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
So raw and emotional. This book details an example of an abusive queer relationship, which is a topic that deserves visibility despite its complexity. Also love how this was organized— it felt like a pretty quick read for a memoir because of the short chapters. Some of footnotes felt a bit unimportant/distracting.
Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig
inspiring
fast-paced
3.0
Nice message, could relate to everything he was talking about. Got kind of repetitive towards the end.