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valeria_balzan's reviews
152 reviews
Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Chloe Gong has not missed on delivering a thrilling, fantasy and romance filled adventurous novel.
All of her hard work and setting in the previous novel was a good foundation for this novel, and I dare to say that it was better than the last one. The prose of the author was just excellent in the telling of their forbidden love story against their feuding families.
Roma and Juliette's moments when the world isn't watching them have my whole heart. It's the bittersweet moments when they know what their fate is, and don't know whether they want it or not. Especially the pinky promise scene.
It's more negative aspects are the very thing I criticized on the last one and that is that sometimes the prose get's lost on the action and it's hard to know what is happening.
Overall I think it is a very solid book. l loved it.
All of her hard work and setting in the previous novel was a good foundation for this novel, and I dare to say that it was better than the last one. The prose of the author was just excellent in the telling of their forbidden love story against their feuding families.
It's more negative aspects are the very thing I criticized on the last one and that is that sometimes the prose get's lost on the action and it's hard to know what is happening.
Overall I think it is a very solid book. l loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
It's a war, what did you expect?
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
dark
inspiring
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Elizabeth might be the most fleshed out, well written and realistic character I have encountered in a while. I really cannot begin to describe her. She is not only awfully smart, but she's witty, empowering, and caring.
She is not just a woman in STEM, she is THE woman in STEM.
On her cooking show, she didn't just teach her audience how to cook but empowered them to aspire to do something valuable with their lives, whatever they wished and longed for in their hearts.
At the beginning, the flashbacks back and forth kind of confused me as I wasn't that into the book, but once you are catched up to everything she is, does and wants, is just a great journey from there.
The ending of the book scared me, but it was surprising how she stayed true to her character. I loved that the author did not shy away from just letting her stay on the cooking show forever, she went for that she loved and understood the most: chemistry. And I deeply admire her for that
She is not just a woman in STEM, she is THE woman in STEM.
On her cooking show, she didn't just teach her audience how to cook but empowered them to aspire to do something valuable with their lives, whatever they wished and longed for in their hearts.
At the beginning, the flashbacks back and forth kind of confused me as I wasn't that into the book, but once you are catched up to everything she is, does and wants, is just a great journey from there.
From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Even though this book is 531 pages long, it doesn't feel like it. Maybe it was because it was reading at big chunks at at time but the pages and the narrative just read very easily. It doesn't feel overwhelming in any way.
The romance evolved very slowly, which made it believable. They got to know themselves first, building up trust and achieving their goals for competitions. Romance just came after that. Which was fine, but that the end it felt a little rushed. You guys just kissed for the first time and then you're fucking? okay I guess
ALSO, Jasmine, my queen, you actually have a personality? Loved that.
My main critique of the book is that, at times, the novel was not focused on figure skating at all. Which is the whole setting and the thing the book is trying to sell you in the beginning. But in the parts that it is, it is very enjoyable. The descriptions help you easily picture both Ivan's and Jasmine's movements on the ice.
My other main complain, which kind of goes along with the previous one, is that the author choooses to focus on certain things or scenes and not on the ones it is setting up to like I wanted to see the competiotion and them winning the medals in present tense, not just in the epilogue.
The romance evolved very slowly, which made it believable. They got to know themselves first, building up trust and achieving their goals for competitions. Romance just came after that. Which was fine, but that the end it felt a little rushed.
ALSO, Jasmine, my queen, you actually have a personality? Loved that.
My main critique of the book is that, at times, the novel was not focused on figure skating at all. Which is the whole setting and the thing the book is trying to sell you in the beginning. But in the parts that it is, it is very enjoyable. The descriptions help you easily picture both Ivan's and Jasmine's movements on the ice.
My other main complain, which kind of goes along with the previous one, is that the author choooses to focus on certain things or scenes and not on the ones it is setting up to
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
adventurous
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? No
4.5
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
emotional
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.75
Taylor Jenkins Reid. My Queen.
This book plays with the idea of true loves, and what it is like to love someone truly. It stuck with me that if you're willing to give a lot of yourself to other people, then you can have more than one true love. (No shit, it's the main point of the book)
Even though Jesse and Sam are almost polar opposites they both coincide in the way they make Emma feel. How their relationship with her is unique and perfect for a certain stage of her life.
The part of the book where they are in Jesse's family cabin in Maine is so beautifully tragic because you realize how much they have grown apart yet they can't seem to let go of eachother. That heartbreak that comes with it it almost feels like grief.
And when Jesse calls Emma to tell her he's met someone, and that now he understands what she was going through is just, wow, so mature but like, it made my heart ache but in a good way.
This book plays with the idea of true loves, and what it is like to love someone truly.
Even though Jesse and Sam are almost polar opposites they both coincide in the way they make Emma feel. How their relationship with her is unique and perfect for a certain stage of her life.
And when Jesse calls Emma to tell her he's met someone, and that now he understands what she was going through is just, wow, so mature but like, it made my heart ache but in a good way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The way that not feeling like you aren't the protagonist of your own life, as I have felt before. You know, it's nice to read a main character that doesn't have her life together because it's #relatable.
I definitely liked this one better than the last one because it was ✨friends to lovers✨ Reading their love story gave me warmth and enjoyment
I definitely liked this one better than the last one because it was ✨friends to lovers✨ Reading their love story gave me warmth and enjoyment
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
adventurous
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.75
One of the strongest points of this book are its characters. They are fleshed out and relatable, because they thought, acted and behaved like teenagers. Not only does the author incorporate diversity in ethnicities but also in sexualities with gives this book a very comtemporary twist (along with all of the magic and fantasy elements) to a Mexican tradition such as Dia de Muertos.
It was so hard for me to get into this book in the beginning since it was a constant state of worldbuilding and setting bases for the story to be finally in motion. But when it did, it was hard to not listen to it.
I found myself wanting more of certain parts of the story and less of others, but it was a good narrative overall.
It was so hard for me to get into this book in the beginning since it was a constant state of worldbuilding and setting bases for the story to be finally in motion. But when it did, it was hard to not listen to it.
I found myself wanting more of certain parts of the story and less of others, but it was a good narrative overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I was pretty invested in this book at the beginning. Usually world building is tough for me to understand but with this one was different, it was told in such a way that was understandable but not flat or boring.
Reading about this dystopian past (future?) makes me understand and appreciate this classic for what it is: a journey of dehumanization. Exploring themes such as totalitarianism, manipulation (both physical and historical), control and loyalty.
The world building alone makes for such a rich setting that gives place to the critique of modern society that it is.
The third act of the book threw me on a reading slump but it was (almost) worth it for that ending scene.
Reading about this dystopian past (future?) makes me understand and appreciate this classic for what it is: a journey of dehumanization. Exploring themes such as totalitarianism, manipulation (both physical and historical), control and loyalty.
The world building alone makes for such a rich setting that gives place to the critique of modern society that it is.
The third act of the book threw me on a reading slump but it was (almost) worth it for that ending scene.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Rape
Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The premise of the book made me want to read it. Two editors falling in love in the margins of a manuscript? Sign me up. But it was kind of a letdown that their relationship and the build up to their romance wasn't executed as well.
The whole plot with the sister and the ex boyfriend really saved the book for some part, because I liked the character improvement it brought.
The whole plot with the sister and the ex boyfriend really saved the book for some part, because I liked the character improvement it brought.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
This is one of those memoirs where you're like: "this one is going to hurt like a bitch" and it does.
The prose and narrative of the author are stellar. Even though I have never experienced what she has (and hopefully I never do) she paints such a good picture that it resonates with the reader so well. On more than one occasion it made my chest physically hurt from the pain of what I was reading/listening.
On the downside, it feels slow at times where it feels unnecessary to me.
The prose and narrative of the author are stellar. Even though I have never experienced what she has (and hopefully I never do) she paints such a good picture that it resonates with the reader so well. On more than one occasion it made my chest physically hurt from the pain of what I was reading/listening.
On the downside, it feels slow at times where it feels unnecessary to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, and Death of parent