villagrandres's reviews
31 reviews

And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

Truly a creative book in many senses of the word. Love how the author plays with the syntax to create tension and horror. The twist was also quite surprising, and landed well for me and didn’t feel shoe horned or unbelievable.
Blade Runner by Philip K. Dick

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

4.0

A very enjoyable book, the narration was quite enjoyable because of how distinct he was able to make each character. Not gonna lie some of the themes were lost on me and it took me over a month to finish, but it was still a very entertaining books with many twists I didn’t see coming. I would happily recommend this book to others even if I myself did not fall completely in love with it.
The Consequences: Stories by Manuel Muñoz

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

3.5

I began this book unable to immerse myself in the stories. I found them to be too brief for me to care, and I did not see the meanings in the stories. But that did change towards the end,
as the stories became interconnected.
I grew appreciative of the syntax and the messages attempting to be conveyed. I think this is a great collection that captures the culture it sets out to do.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective 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

An amazing feel good story that I absolutely fell in love with. The quips, narration, internal monologue, the mystery, the emotions, all driven by lovable characters made for an enjoyable read start to finish. I laughed out loud and shed some tears more than a few times while reading. Also nice that it comes with heartfelt messages for all to enjoy.
The Devil in the City of Angels: My Encounters With the Diabolical by Jesse Romero

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dark inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

1.5

I think this book has cemented my stray from Catholicism. The book is centered around “spiritual warfare”, a concept in itself I am saddened exists in Catholicism. This concept fans the flames of an “us versus them” mindset - one adopted by many extremist religion folks to brush off mental illness (which is done multiple times in this book). Should not religion be a complete beacon of hope, something to help you cope with the unexplainable evils of this world? I don’t have all the answers to questions like this, and I don’t think I found them in this book. 
I also found the stories themselves just outside the realm of believability. For example, it is my suspicion that the exorcisms that felt like hours were actually 10 minutes or so, and seemed longer in the moment and when looking back on them. A small nitpick I know, but one that popped up in every story.
That all being said, the stories are entertaining and the writing is personable, authentic and not over produced. I have no doubt Romero is a good hearted man, as are many Catholics who read this book, I just see it as doing more damage than good.
Spider-Man: Fake Red by Yusuke Osawa

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

A really fun read!! Really enjoyed the new takes on the established Spider-Man characters and storylines we know about. The story perfectly encapsulates the idea that anyone can wear a mask and what it means to be a hero, which I absolutely adore. Some of the dialogue was just a teeny bit too cheesy, so for me personally it’s almost shy of 5 stars, but I’m willing to look past it for spider-man. Overall I really enjoyed this book and hope that they make more!
Stars Above, Earth Below: A Guide to Astronomy in the National Parks by Tyler Nordgren

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

A beautifully crafted book. A guide book, a history textbook, campfire stories, and so much more all wrapped into one. The photos are breathtaking and the writing is nothing short of wonderful. I could sit here and logistically break down its benefits, but doing so would feel inauthentic - like dissecting the highlights your mother’s cooking. This book spoke to my heart, educated and inspired me. Very grateful to have read it and will be coming back to it over the course of my life.
Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Anna Lembke

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challenging dark informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

A great read that challenges you on how you navigate your life and how society fosters addictive practices. The patient stories are engaging and informative, pacing is great and the summary of lessons at the end was a great reminder of the takeaway message.
The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A really fun, quick and easy read! Great to see the gang back in action. Lots of references to the original trilogy and other books in the series, so I did miss out on those references. But I still had a lot of fun reading it!
Also love how they set up for another trilogy through quests! Makes me very excited since I thought this was a one off book.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

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challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

A beautiful listen, fast paced advice with lots of humor and great story telling intertwined. Don’t agree with all the advice given, but he is clear about his binary outlook on life. What this book represents and the wisdom imparted to his children, you can really feel the love he had for them. It was a privilege to listen and be inspired. I think I will come back to this book for tidbits of wisdom as I navigate my life.