amrabad's reviews
398 reviews

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. 
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

2.0

Genuinely better than the rest of the Twilight Saga
The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown

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fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

Good, though unnecessary 
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

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

4.75

This was an easy read while also being dark and interesting. I love the characters and the magic system. 

Is it just me or is the Nightmare a mix of the Cheshire cat and the hormone monster from Big Mouth? 
Digger, Volume Four by Ursula Vernon

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adventurous emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0