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alouette's reviews
258 reviews
The Winners by Fredrik Backman
what can i say? even thinking about this book, weeks after reading it, has tears springing to my eyes. the long-winded prose is so honest and heartfelt, the characters and community so real, and each line break left me on the edge of my seat.
the beartown trilogy, the winners especially, is a tapestry of the best and worst of humanity. and even in those worsts, even when you feel the saddest, even when tears are in your eyes, the book still manages to give you hope.
i've read so many books but this is the first one to make me truly believe that we'll find peace after death. that one day, we'll see our loved ones again.
the most insane, beautiful, terribly true part of the ending that shattered my heart is that it doesn't break all the hopeful beginnings of something new that we get with each glimpse into the future. every scene and chapter is in its perfect place to let the reader know that even when things fracture, they won't shatter, and the world will still go on.
in less poetic terms- this book genuinely made me ugly cry for hours and everyone should definitely read it :') all i will ever want is to see amat and maya and benji happy
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-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
It's so easy for the wind to wreck our illusions that we're the ones making the decisions.
what can i say? even thinking about this book, weeks after reading it, has tears springing to my eyes. the long-winded prose is so honest and heartfelt, the characters and community so real, and each line break left me on the edge of my seat.
Then he sleeps and dreams about time machines. Those are his worst nightmares.
the beartown trilogy, the winners especially, is a tapestry of the best and worst of humanity. and even in those worsts, even when you feel the saddest, even when tears are in your eyes, the book still manages to give you hope.
i've read so many books but this is the first one to make me truly believe that we'll find peace after death. that one day, we'll see our loved ones again.
It's that sort of town, where everything can change and the people can be transformed. Where we find the strength to play even though our lungs are screaming. Possibly because we're used to withstanding the darkness, both inside and outside. Possibly because we live close to wilderness. But perhaps most of all because, just like everyone else in every other place: If we don't have tomorrow, what's the alternative?
the most insane, beautiful, terribly true part of the ending that shattered my heart is that it doesn't break all the hopeful beginnings of something new that we get with each glimpse into the future. every scene and chapter is in its perfect place to let the reader know that even when things fracture, they won't shatter, and the world will still go on.
'He's on the ice somewhere laughing now. He's playing hockey with his best friends. He's lying on his back looking at the stars. He isn't scared. In a hundred years you'll see him again, and tell him about all the things you've done. All about your fantastic life. All your adventures. He'll look forward to that.'
She lets someone play with the number 16 again. For one single game.
Alicia gets up from the bench in the locker room and leads her team out and storms the ice, and Zackell watches her and for for a single moment forgets that it isn't him.
in less poetic terms- this book genuinely made me ugly cry for hours and everyone should definitely read it :') all i will ever want is to see amat and maya and benji happy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Rape, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
the pretty, flowery prose occasionally confused me- but it was fitting for a book packed with so many emotions. you can see grace's perspectives change through the book and the biases of her point of view be unbuilt by her experiences. the pacing was a bit frustrating because i wanted to see much more of her time in New York, but i can never fault a book when it focuses on leaving someone to love them better and taking care of/talking about one's mental health. on that note... it still frustrates me a little that yuki says "but you better not leave me again" when i know that space can be super healthy and i thought that's what was to be learned from this book. so to have it end on that note is a little disappointing. especially when grace's own mother lost the happiness in her first love but has found it again in her second. it shows that as people change they may not always fit with each other in the same ways. which is why i much prefer "i'll stay as long you'll have me" over the "promise" that they'll always be together forever.
i really warmed up to all the characters, who are very strong and realistic, and was super proud of grace. when a character i relate to realizes their happiness and health is important? hell yeah! and even if the romance was quite cheesy, that didn't lessen its impact.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"I love you so much it hurts."
the pretty, flowery prose occasionally confused me- but it was fitting for a book packed with so many emotions. you can see grace's perspectives change through the book and the biases of her point of view be unbuilt by her experiences. the pacing was a bit frustrating because i wanted to see much more of her time in New York, but i can never fault a book when it focuses on leaving someone to love them better and taking care of/talking about one's mental health. on that note...
i really warmed up to all the characters, who are very strong and realistic, and was super proud of grace. when a character i relate to realizes their happiness and health is important? hell yeah! and even if the romance was quite cheesy, that didn't lessen its impact.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content
Grease Bats by Archie Bongiovanni
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
weirdly hopeful for all the hardships and hopelessness of the world. an honour to be part of these characters' weird world, even through their mistakes. optimistic nihilism cocktails for everyone!
Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Spear by Nicola Griffith
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
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
4.0
i don't have much of a point of comparison for retellings like these but! i thought the story was wonderfully told and it really drew me in. while i didn't care much about the romance, the new lore to the old story and the main character's drive and strength was very endearing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Seaside Stranger Vol. 1: Umibe No Étranger by Kanna Kii
adventurous
hopeful
relaxing
fast-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
3.75
i think i would need to read this a few times to fully understand what happened (which is the case with me for a lot of shorter books) but the fluff once they got past the miscommunication was pretty top tier even if shun is silly and bad at emotions. i love that it ends with suzu saying "gay", side characters in this deserved more love!
i will continue to think about the screenshot i took where miu returns and the cat noise makes it look like shun's first reaction was to meow at him lol
i will continue to think about the screenshot i took where miu returns and the cat noise makes it look like shun's first reaction was to meow at him lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
as someone who grew up with the movie, it was hard not to compare the book to that level of whimsy and the fascinating characterizations. it fell short of the movie's beauty for me, but the book was definitely more focused on the horror rather than character building. it was faster paced and showcased coraline's wit and bravery really well. the ending was certainly more unsettling (though weirdly drawn out) and the audiobook music/singing was wonderfully odd.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
2.75
overhyped, imo! though i understand that some of it is a side-effect of translating from another language, the tedious exposition just made me want to nitpick. i liked the build up of character arcs and overarching connections through the individual stories, but it didn't make me feel particularly emotional and some of their decisions made me feel icky.
There Are Things I Can't Tell You by Edako Mofumofu
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
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? Yes
3.5
i still don't understand BL miscommunication lol. but the characters and plot had more depth than i expected and manga expressions always make me grin!
The Times I Knew I Was Gay by Eleanor Crewes
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
fun book! not incredibly memorable, i just love gay people sharing their stories