araowl's reviews
54 reviews

Bunny by Mona Awad

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I'm just not in the mood for this right now. I may pick it up again in the future
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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

3.0

'Certain Dark Things' by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a unique take on the vampire story, following a diverse cast of vampires and humans living in crime-filled Mexico City. We are first introduced to Domingo, a 17-year-old garbage collector who happens to meet Atl, a young vampire woman from a subspecies of vampires descended from Aztecs. Romance, violence and an atmosphere of crime noir ensue. I felt this book succeeded in its goal of being an entertaining, thrilling, and unique take on a vampire story, but lacked a compelling layer of emotional weight. I didn't find the romance between Atl and Domingo to be that well-developed or something I wanted to root for, but that could be my preference. I also found the story lacked satisfying character development, and I found it hard to suspend my disbelief while reading, as the worldbuilding felt slightly shallow and forced. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a thrilling, diverse take on a vampire story, but caution those who are looking for something with more emotional weight or character development.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker

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adventurous emotional reflective slow-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

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

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hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

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emotional hopeful sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I am so impressed that this is the author's debut novel. It was beautifully written and such an eye-opening look at what's going on in Syria. I loved that the author didn't shy away from the brutality and darkness, yet also added so much light and hope. The portrayal of PTSD was also beautifully done. I did not see the plot twist coming. 

Overall, 5/5 stars. Definitely one of my favorites of 2024! I will be sure to be on the lookout for Katouh's future work. 
Praying with Jane Eyre: Reflections on Reading as a Sacred Practice by Vanessa Zoltan

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inspiring reflective relaxing slow-paced

4.0

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

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adventurous hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

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adventurous emotional mysterious 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

5.0

I loved everything about this! High-quality, yet readable writing, fascinatingly loveable yet flawed characters, and a dynamically magical historical setting! What more could you want? I can't wait to read the sequel!