amrabad's reviews
392 reviews

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

A beautiful and lyrical story of the lives and loves of Achilles and Patroclus. I sobbed at the end. I learned how to pronounce Patroclus. One thousand percent better than the movie Troy, which was my only other source of information about Achilles and Patroclus. 
The One by John Marrs

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tense fast-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? Yes

2.75

The story concept itself was interesting and I liked that it was five different stories being told. That said, I didn't care at all about two of the characters, two I found interesting but didn't actually like, and one I actually felt something for. 

The chapters were short so it made for an easy read. In general, it wasn't a bad book, but I wouldn't call it good either. 
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Such a weird story, but in exactly the way I needed something a bit weird and a bit sweet.
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan

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informative slow-paced

4.0

I wasn't raised religious so there were many stories and people I didn't know about. I enjoyed that it was a historical perspective of early Christianity, but also talked about some of the lore. Ultimately, my takeaway is 'people ignore history and facts and the biggest religion in the world is created.'
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

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

4.75

I had a general idea about what this book would be about but I was not expecting to not know which way the story was heading. We’re told a story that is engaging, thrilling and more than a bit addicting while also picking apart the publishing industry. RF Kuang has yet to let me down. 

The audiobook narration was fantastic. She wasn’t just reading a book, she was acting. 
Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo

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informative medium-paced

5.0

Yes, you should read this. 
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

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dark funny inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

A murder mystery mixed with conversations about gender equality and classism mixed with some hijinx and humor. 

A smidge slow around the 30% mark for me, but otherwise it was a good story that was also very funny.
Unwrap My Heart: or It's Time For Mummies by Alex Falcone, Ezra Fox

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funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was incredibly unserious in exactly the kind of way that I appreciate. A satire poking at the YA fantasy/paranormal romances of the late 00s and early 10s *cough* I'm looking at you Twilight. It felt like reading a SNL skit or something Tina Belcher would've written, except with mummies. Sofia, our main character, actually has some character growth, which I feel cannot also be said about Bella Swan. I laughed out loud multiple times because of humor, not horror. I'm glad this joke was published.
Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

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dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

RF Kuang has an impressive way of making me feel an impending sense of dread while telling a captivating story that talks about real issues in real life. I know I have to be in the right mental space to read her books because they always tear me apart. But my god if I don’t love the way it destroys me. 
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

At no point did I know where this was going. The addition of the drawings throughout the books made it a lot more immersive.