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sareidle's reviews
137 reviews
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A fun introduction to Persian folklore and fairy tales. I enjoyed spending time with the main character, Soraya, and watching her gain confidence and a strong sense of self. The beginning and end of the book were very engaging; I felt that the middle section lagged a bit. Overall, it was a nice read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture, Death of parent, and Murder
Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner
emotional
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
4.5
A moving portrait of a family separated by the division of Germany and their parallel lives on opposite sides of the wall. Willner demonstrates how the political becomes personal, as different GDR policies and local Communist party decisions affected her mother's communication with her siblings and parents. While most of the family survived the Cold War, a sadness lingers for all of the time lost that could have been spent together.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Death of parent
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows, Mary Ann Shaffer
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Bad Mormon by Heather Gay
emotional
informative
fast-paced
3.5
This is a quick read that provides a unique perspective on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the consequences of expecting perfection from members. Heather has a strong voice and shares humorous anecdotes to lighten some of the religious trauma she experienced. The front half is much more insightful and reflective than the back half. I don't think she's fully processed her divorce and departure from the church - she's too quick to latch on to the "community" of the Real Housewives franchise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Minor: Death, Homophobia, Suicide, and Grief
Burning Down the Haus: Punk Rock, Revolution, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall by Tim Mohr
informative
tense
slow-paced
3.5
I enjoyed Mohr's voice and writing style - it was informative but irreverent which suited the subject matter. The stories of East German punks came to life and the photos added context and character. My only critique is the pacing of the book - it spent a lot of time on the events of 1983-84 and a bit on the mid- to late-80s but breezed through 1989. The book felt like it was building up to the fall of the Berlin Wall, but skipped over the action, instead telling the story of a band who played in West Berlin on November 9th and noticed their East Berlin friends joining the crowd.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality and Stalking
Moderate: Cursing and Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Daphne du Maurier's writing is truly immersive, which makes the atmosphere and plot of the story work so well. The narrator lacks a name and any identifying details - we never learn her name, exact age, or family situation - which allows the ghost of Rebecca to loom large over Manderley. As I think more about how the narrator's perspective is limited and heavily informed by her insecurity, I question the retelling of events and the true circumstances surrounding Rebecca's death. I would highly recommend this book - it's even better at creating suspense than the Hitchcock adaptation!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Cancer, Incest, and Fire/Fire injury
Super Pancake and the Mini Muffin Mayhem: by Megan Wagner Lloyd
funny
lighthearted
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
3.0
A fun, lighthearted read. I enjoy the art style and food puns, and the story was cute albeit mostly predictable.
Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.25
A very insightful account of Hepburn's years in the Netherlands. The story was immersive and kept me on the edge of my seat as the family dynamic was challenged and the war zeroed in on Arnhem. Through Audrey's life, I gained a more nuanced understanding of the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The Dutch faced extreme hardship and decisions were often morally grey rather than simply good or evil. However, this was not the view of the public in the post-war years, and why Audrey was evasive about this chapter of her life. Overall, Matzen presented a thought-provoking and well-done narrative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Eating disorder, Antisemitism, and Abandonment
How to Fight Anti-Semitism by Bari Weiss
informative
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
A Brief History of Japanese Civilization by Conrad Schirokauer, David Lurie, Suzanne Gay
informative
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: War