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nitroglycerin's reviews
918 reviews
Greater Sins by Gabrielle Griffiths
emotional
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
The Garden by Nick Newman
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Lamb by Lucy Rose
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Compelling and hard to put down! This one was all over Instagram and it was like everyone and their Nan had to read it. And it is good! But maybe not worth quite the hype that was expressed in my corner of bookstagram.
Mama (Ruth) and Margot live in the woods where any wanderers may get lost and never be seen again. Ruth has a taste for a specific meat đ„© and not one you find in the supermarket. Everything changes when Eden finds their cottage, and instead of turning her into dinner, Ruth makes her her lover. Eden seems too good to be true though, and soon her desires sway Ruthâs away from the status quo of Margotâs life so far.
Things I liked: Margot and her school friends relationship, Margot and the bus drivers relationship, Margotâs determination towards the end.
Things I disliked: the weird constant mentioning of church dresses and the amount of buttons done up, the short chapters, the pacing in the middle of the book, the ending was not the one I wanted!
Things that should have bothered me more but didnât: the descriptions of gore, cannibalism etc.
I originally rated this a 4.5 but reflecting on the writing and the little things that bugged me has been dropping it to a 4.
Mama (Ruth) and Margot live in the woods where any wanderers may get lost and never be seen again. Ruth has a taste for a specific meat đ„© and not one you find in the supermarket. Everything changes when Eden finds their cottage, and instead of turning her into dinner, Ruth makes her her lover. Eden seems too good to be true though, and soon her desires sway Ruthâs away from the status quo of Margotâs life so far.
Things I liked: Margot and her school friends relationship, Margot and the bus drivers relationship, Margotâs determination towards the end.
Things I disliked: the weird constant mentioning of church dresses and the amount of buttons done up, the short chapters, the pacing in the middle of the book, the ending was not the one I wanted!
Things that should have bothered me more but didnât: the descriptions of gore, cannibalism etc.
I originally rated this a 4.5 but reflecting on the writing and the little things that bugged me has been dropping it to a 4.
Black Ghosts: Encounters With the Africans Changing China by Noo Saro-Wiwa
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Black ghosts was a fascinating account of Noo Saro-Wiwaâs travels in China. As a black (Nigerian) British woman she explores the African communities living in China, how this diaspora came to be, the relationship between the Chinese and various African nation governments, the implications of the cheap imports of Chinese goods into Africa. She mixes personal observations, and interviews with the people she encounters. These people vary so wildly in their backgrounds and reasons for being.
Overall this was an interesting read that opened my eyes to perspectives that I hadnât come across before. I spent a lot of time googling along side reading to visualise places within China or to broaden my knowledge on a historical fact that was mentioned. Exactly what I like from my non-fiction reading đ
Overall this was an interesting read that opened my eyes to perspectives that I hadnât come across before. I spent a lot of time googling along side reading to visualise places within China or to broaden my knowledge on a historical fact that was mentioned. Exactly what I like from my non-fiction reading đ
Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Nature Is Never Silent by Madlen Ziege
informative
slow-paced
2.5
I was hoping for a natural history book but got a biology science lesson instead. Listening on audio made it harder to follow the science, especially the first 40 to 50%. Thr latter half was a bit more what I was expecting but by then I was already finding it a slog and ended up listening to it at a much faster speed to get through it.
With Love from the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.25
This edition combines both of Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop.
Japanese âhealing fictionâ is everywhere at the moment and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is one of the ones most of you will have seen around. It was all over the gram last year and all over bookstores too.
Now I am a big fan of slice of life, especially Japanese, whether in literature or in anime, so these stories are right up my street. I see so many reviews bashing on their quieter nature, but for me thatâs what I love.
In Tokyo, there is a neighbourhood with the highest number of bookstores in the world. It is called Jimbocho where book lovers can browse to their heartâs delight and where hunters of first editions or autographed copies prowl the bookcases.
Takako is lost. Her uncle Satoru is heartbroken. Together, working in the family bookshop, they help each other heal. With a small cast of supporting characters from the neighbourhood and a nearby coffee shop, both Takako and Satoru, over the course of the two instalments, come to terms with their current lot in life and find something to look forward to. And that is what a lot of this genre of âhealing fictionâ seems to aim for, giving people hope that thereâs something to strive for.
Japanese âhealing fictionâ is everywhere at the moment and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is one of the ones most of you will have seen around. It was all over the gram last year and all over bookstores too.
Now I am a big fan of slice of life, especially Japanese, whether in literature or in anime, so these stories are right up my street. I see so many reviews bashing on their quieter nature, but for me thatâs what I love.
In Tokyo, there is a neighbourhood with the highest number of bookstores in the world. It is called Jimbocho where book lovers can browse to their heartâs delight and where hunters of first editions or autographed copies prowl the bookcases.
Takako is lost. Her uncle Satoru is heartbroken. Together, working in the family bookshop, they help each other heal. With a small cast of supporting characters from the neighbourhood and a nearby coffee shop, both Takako and Satoru, over the course of the two instalments, come to terms with their current lot in life and find something to look forward to. And that is what a lot of this genre of âhealing fictionâ seems to aim for, giving people hope that thereâs something to strive for.
Mornings With My Cat Mii by Mayumi Inaba
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Mayumi Inaba was a prize winning and well respected poet and author in Japan. In Mornings with my Cat, Mii we follow her 20 year companionship with her cat, from rescued kitten to the deteriorating end.
Inabasâ writing is beautiful and calming throughout which makes this a joy to read but can make her appear somewhat detached from the situations she is describing. As a memoir, Inaba also describes her marriage and its breakdown, her life as a writer and its ups and downs, and all the while Mii is there to be her comfort and focus.
As a pet owner, she makes many decisions that I donât think I would make regarding Mii and her quality of life, especially towards the end. This shouldnât be read by anyone where the death of an animal will be a problem or too uncomfortable. To me though, the inclusion of the end of Miisâ life added a sense of realness and intimacy that other stories or memoirs may prefer to skip over.
Inabasâ writing is beautiful and calming throughout which makes this a joy to read but can make her appear somewhat detached from the situations she is describing. As a memoir, Inaba also describes her marriage and its breakdown, her life as a writer and its ups and downs, and all the while Mii is there to be her comfort and focus.
As a pet owner, she makes many decisions that I donât think I would make regarding Mii and her quality of life, especially towards the end. This shouldnât be read by anyone where the death of an animal will be a problem or too uncomfortable. To me though, the inclusion of the end of Miisâ life added a sense of realness and intimacy that other stories or memoirs may prefer to skip over.