emcatbee's reviews
247 reviews

Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski

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dark emotional informative fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I knew this could never end well, but I did feel like it had a quiet peace to it the whole way through.
Indiom by Daljit Nagra

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.
I desperately *wanted* to get / I derstand this book, but it was just a little too culturally niche for me. 
We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

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

2.5

This book was very sweet, bordering on twee, but it did have a little more about it than I was expecting.
Lost, Found, Remembered by Lyra McKee

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emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

Strange Pictures by Uketsu

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mysterious relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Actually a bit obsessed with this book, especially given the authors origins. Quietly brilliant, so interesting and just kind of fun? Absolutely going to read their next one.
Lost in the Garden by Adam S. Leslie

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mysterious slow-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

2.5

The premise and parts of the novel suggested it wanted to be like Midsommar, which was why I picked it up in the first place. But it was FAR too long, by which I mean it started well and ended well but had a couple of hundred pages of Beckett-like meandering in the middle. Fine for a certain genre of books but not the way this book had been marketed or set up really. So just ended up being boring - even the exciting bits were rendered boring by what I had to wade through to get there.
She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark

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dark funny fast-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

Incredible from Clark once again. Horror but also hilarious! Fave story was The King.
Diary of an Oxygen Thief by Anonymous

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

1.0

I think this was summed up perfectly when another reviewer said "who let Instagram poems write books?"
And I say that as an Instagram poet x

Badly written and boring. V cringe.
Filth by Irvine Welsh

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dark 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

5.0

Extremely dark, and another breakdown narrative akiñ to American Psycho or Boy Parts (my last reads). Welsh is brilliant as always.
Boy Parts by Eliza Clark

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

5.0

Reading this book after reading American Psycho was particularly interesting - Clark dies incredible things with this book and there are distinct similarities with Easton Ellis's genius in the narrative voice of Bateman and Irina's, as well as their behavior. Clark's presentation of men is also incredibly skilful- I'm not sure I've been made to perceive men in this way before.