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valley's reviews
27 reviews
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
- felt like it could be written just a few years ago (style, opinions etc) apart from the treatment of black people of course
- holy shit i related to way too many quotes
- i'm a changed woman (for better or for worse)
- idk how she does it but she changed my brain chemistry
- loved the style (just the opening sentence drew me in already)
- probably most accurate portrayal of mental illness i've read (i mean, yes modern books are more accurate on the medical side, but the descriptions were really good at conveying how it feels)
- that being said, MAJOR warning if you're struggling rn cause it details suicide attempts and suicidal ideation in a way that i had to put down the book from time to time. take care of yourself and don't put your mind in a bad place. you can still read the book when you're a little more stable/have a good way to deal with the negative emotions.
- holy shit i related to way too many quotes
- i'm a changed woman (for better or for worse)
- idk how she does it but she changed my brain chemistry
- loved the style (just the opening sentence drew me in already)
- probably most accurate portrayal of mental illness i've read (i mean, yes modern books are more accurate on the medical side, but the descriptions were really good at conveying how it feels)
- that being said, MAJOR warning if you're struggling rn cause it details suicide attempts and suicidal ideation in a way that i had to put down the book from time to time. take care of yourself and don't put your mind in a bad place. you can still read the book when you're a little more stable/have a good way to deal with the negative emotions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Homophobia and Racism
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
All the Young Dudes by MsKingBean89
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
since i either don't know what to write ever or go on long rambles about the smallest things, i'm gonna be reviewing books here in bullet points (for both your and my own wellbeing).
also please note that my "good" and "bad" are OPINIONS and i do not claim to be right about everything. except when i talk about the raven cycle. you aren't allowed to disagree with me on those books. ever.
positives
- the style of writing. not too much waffling about random things and relatively easy to read, so i could finish it without major reading slumps.
- the pacing aka story progression. when i read pride&prejudice i was bored out of my mind, so thank god this was different.
- the message. this seems obvious, but the story itself actually did something. it really illustrated the problems of being stuck in the past and reaching for something you'll never have.
negatives
- f. scott fitzgerald. joking. (am i tho?)
- the covers. i chose this version because it was relatively demure. the original is the worst thing i could ever put in my bookshelf after those romance books which have naked real people or clothed drawn people without faces on the cover.
- the characters. i understand that some are purposefully kept flat or unlikeable, but i like having books where i'm rooting for someone and have a favourite character.
also please note that my "good" and "bad" are OPINIONS and i do not claim to be right about everything. except when i talk about the raven cycle. you aren't allowed to disagree with me on those books. ever.
positives
- the style of writing. not too much waffling about random things and relatively easy to read, so i could finish it without major reading slumps.
- the pacing aka story progression. when i read pride&prejudice i was bored out of my mind, so thank god this was different.
- the message. this seems obvious, but the story itself actually did something. it really illustrated the problems of being stuck in the past and reaching for something you'll never have.
negatives
- f. scott fitzgerald. joking. (am i tho?)
- the covers. i chose this version because it was relatively demure. the original is the worst thing i could ever put in my bookshelf after those romance books which have naked real people or clothed drawn people without faces on the cover.
- the characters. i understand that some are purposefully kept flat or unlikeable, but i like having books where i'm rooting for someone and have a favourite character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, and Car accident
Moderate: Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Gun violence, Misogyny, Grief, and War
Normal People by Sally Rooney
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
You have to read it to understand.
A Haunting in Venice Movie Tie-in: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
i really liked "the moving finger" and wanted to read more of agatha christie. i expected it to take some time to get interesting, as in that book, but i couldn't imagine how long. the murder was commited in the first few pages and still it didn't get interesting or tense until the last few pages. most of the book was just poirot going around talking to people. and while collecting clues is great, at some point you lost track of what they were actually all about.
As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.5
This book had me on the edge of my seat. i wanted to reach into it and shake some sense into them tbh. there's nothing more nervewracking to me than watching a character build a web of lies. i was genuinely more anxious when pip was doing that than when she was abducted.
i had heard both very good and very bad things about this book before reading it, and i saw that someone said that this didn't fit the characters. to which i would say it absolutely does. pip is not the slightly naïve "good girl" anymore. she is traumatised, has lost so much that mattered to her, she has ptsd(and a drug addiction thanks to that). she has been failed by the police before. this developement makes perfect sense, even if it's not what we'd wish for her.
i had heard both very good and very bad things about this book before reading it, and i saw that someone said that this didn't fit the characters. to which i would say it absolutely does. pip is not the slightly naïve "good girl" anymore. she is traumatised, has lost so much that mattered to her, she has ptsd
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
THIS EDITION HAS THE STORY SET IN AMERICA. IF YOU HAVE READ PART 1 AND 2 BY BRITISH PUBLISHERS, DO NOT BUY THIS!!
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5