Scan barcode
triple_m's reviews
270 reviews
Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird: Stories by Agustina Bazterrica
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
3.0
Maybe short stories aren’t for me. Obviously some short stories were more engaging than others. My favorite was the circle story. It was really weird and a bit gross. Some stories were too confusing for me to enjoy.
While I generally enjoyed my time reading this book, it took me a long time to get through because I never felt strongly compelled to pick it up again.
I do enjoy Bazterrica’s writing style.
While I generally enjoyed my time reading this book, it took me a long time to get through because I never felt strongly compelled to pick it up again.
I do enjoy Bazterrica’s writing style.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
Women in the Picture: What Culture Does with Female Bodies by Catherine McCormack
informative
medium-paced
5.0
I’ve never been particularly interested in art, but I am interested in feminist literature so I thought this book would be a fun way to expand my reading.
I loved it. As an art novice I feel like I learned so much and the author explained the significance, origins, and evolution of each archetype in a way that easy to digest as a newbie.
A very strong intention on being intersectional! Way more than “and here’s a chapter about POC women.” Queer and BIPOC women and their relationship to the chapter topic were discussed in every chapter.
I loved it. As an art novice I feel like I learned so much and the author explained the significance, origins, and evolution of each archetype in a way that easy to digest as a newbie.
A very strong intention on being intersectional! Way more than “and here’s a chapter about POC women.” Queer and BIPOC women and their relationship to the chapter topic were discussed in every chapter.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I thought this was a really interesting and unique way to tell a story. This is quite a slow burn but I enjoyed getting to know our characters.
Honestly I never felt frustrated or impatient with “Rachel” I feel like I really understood her and her hesitations. We join the story after she’s been captive for so long I think her behaviors make sense.
However I didn’t love being in Emily’s head. Her literal obsession with our villain felt unrealistic and I felt secondhand embarrassment at times.
Honestly I never felt frustrated or impatient with “Rachel” I feel like I really understood her and her hesitations. We join the story after she’s been captive for so long I think her behaviors make sense.
However I didn’t love being in Emily’s head. Her literal obsession with our villain felt unrealistic and I felt secondhand embarrassment at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
You & Me by Tal Bauer
medium-paced
3.0
I was eating this book up for the first 50%. Luke and Landon are so damn flirty, they had me kicking my feet, giggling.
After they confess their feelings for one another the book becomes very repetitive and saccharine. It’s still cute, but it’s so much unnecessary descriptions of virtually the same scene over and over again.
After they confess their feelings for one another the book becomes very repetitive and saccharine. It’s still cute, but it’s so much unnecessary descriptions of virtually the same scene over and over again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia and Religious bigotry
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I wouldn’t say I was ever bored reading this, but I do think the pacing in the first chunk is quite slow. Giving this book a thriller tag is generous.
That being said, once it picks up it’s like watching a car crash that you just can’t look away from.
This book was genuinely funny, and also served as great social commentary and a critique on White/privileged liberals and cultural appropriation in publishing.
I enjoyed that the victims in this story weren’t “perfect victims”. Even though we view Athena through the very biased view of June, I do believe that she leeched other people’s trauma for her own profits. Of course, June was still completely in the wrong for stealing her manuscript.
While being 95% unlikable, I think June’s jealously and feelings of failure are sentiments that we all can relate to. And even though she’s an even less of a “perfect victim” than Athena, I do thinkthat she was a victim of the assistant. To be literally haunted by the ghost of her frenemie is horrible. And June didn’t get the assistant fired! She didn’t even ask for that. And maybe a controversial opinion but I do think the assistant posting the negative GoodReads review was unprofessional.
That being said, once it picks up it’s like watching a car crash that you just can’t look away from.
This book was genuinely funny, and also served as great social commentary and a critique on White/privileged liberals and cultural appropriation in publishing.
I enjoyed that the victims in this story weren’t “perfect victims”. Even though we view Athena through the very biased view of June, I do believe that she leeched other people’s trauma for her own profits. Of course, June was still completely in the wrong for stealing her manuscript.
While being 95% unlikable, I think June’s jealously and feelings of failure are sentiments that we all can relate to. And even though she’s an even less of a “perfect victim” than Athena, I do think
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
DNF at 31 pages.
I feel like I can tell the author spends a lot of time online based on the vernacular she uses. In the first seven pages, the dialogue includes “Don’t be a cunt,” which was rebutted with “Lick my taint.” Also, “Oh motherfuck me.”
I feel like this is how teenagers try to talk when they’re trying to be cool and edgy.
The premise also felt a little confusing. How would eating testicles give a person an estrogen boost?
Stunning cover, though!
I feel like I can tell the author spends a lot of time online based on the vernacular she uses. In the first seven pages, the dialogue includes “Don’t be a cunt,” which was rebutted with “Lick my taint.” Also, “Oh motherfuck me.”
I feel like this is how teenagers try to talk when they’re trying to be cool and edgy.
The premise also felt a little confusing. How would eating testicles give a person an estrogen boost?
Stunning cover, though!
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
A great book that was easy to read—I read it one day. Roman and Iris were absolutely adorable and I think a really well suited match who deeply love one another.
I almost DNFed because I found Roman insufferable the first 50-ish pages but he does grow on me. Still, it really bothered me that he knew from the jump that he was writing Iris.
Ends on a cliffhanger but that’s fine since it’s a duology, and I’m excited for the next book.
My biggest complaint is that I think this book should’ve been longer. I wanted more chapters from Roman’s POV, and I just wanted to know more about him in general. I don’t believe that he didn’t have a hard time adjusting to his new environment when a few chapters prior he washed a dish for the first time in his life. He felt very secondary compared to Iris.
I almost DNFed because I found Roman insufferable the first 50-ish pages but he does grow on me. Still, it really bothered me that he knew from the jump that he was writing Iris.
Ends on a cliffhanger but that’s fine since it’s a duology, and I’m excited for the next book.
My biggest complaint is that I think this book should’ve been longer. I wanted more chapters from Roman’s POV, and I just wanted to know more about him in general. I don’t believe that he didn’t have a hard time adjusting to his new environment when a few chapters prior he washed a dish for the first time in his life. He felt very secondary compared to Iris.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Death and Grief
Minor: Sexual content
The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
A really cute read. I heard mixed things about this book so I went in with low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised. It’s not tonally dissimilar to Written in the Stars, which I also liked.
Was this book cheesey and cliche? Yeah, of course. But sometimes that’s the exact book you want to read!
Gemma and Tansy are cute and do work well together as a couple. The falling in love was pretty instant and fast paced. I don’t think we got enough dialogue or internal monologue to really understand why Gemma changes her mind on long term relationships other than she likes Tansy.
Was this book cheesey and cliche? Yeah, of course. But sometimes that’s the exact book you want to read!
Gemma and Tansy are cute and do work well together as a couple. The falling in love was pretty instant and fast paced. I don’t think we got enough dialogue or internal monologue to really understand why Gemma changes her mind on long term relationships other than she likes Tansy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual harassment
Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
A really beautiful and vulnerable memoir that’s 1/3 transitioning and coming out, 1/3 politics, and 1/3 touching love story.
While I don’t personally feel Sarah’s optimism and support of our political system, it is refreshing to see someone in the space who truly believes in its potential for good. And why shouldn’t she? She (and countless others along side of her) have fought for some big wins for trans equality.
At the end of the day, Sarah being an openly trans person in politics shows the future generations that it is possible to go after the things you want in life while being your true and authentic self, and I think that’s just beautiful.
While I don’t personally feel Sarah’s optimism and support of our political system, it is refreshing to see someone in the space who truly believes in its potential for good. And why shouldn’t she? She (and countless others along side of her) have fought for some big wins for trans equality.
At the end of the day, Sarah being an openly trans person in politics shows the future generations that it is possible to go after the things you want in life while being your true and authentic self, and I think that’s just beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Transphobia, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying and Suicidal thoughts
The Private Lives of Trees by Alejandro Zambra
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I think this book is so fast paced, and with the protagonist jumping around the timelines so much, it was very hard to follow as an audiobook.
Overall, I do appreciate the story and enjoyed it. Very open ended and had nearly no plot.
Overall, I do appreciate the story and enjoyed it. Very open ended and had nearly no plot.