Take a photo of a barcode or cover
booklistqueen's Reviews (634)
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
In the sequel to A Game of Thrones, a comet flares red across the sky as the death of Robert Baratheon splits the kingdom, with everyone vying for the Iron Throne. Serving as the Hand of the King, Tyrion Lannister tries to control King Joffrey and prepare King's Landing for attack. Instead of allying together, Robert's brothers each declare themselves King. Meanwhile, the Starks, scattered throughout Westeros, all try to survive and Daenerys Targaryen builds her power across the Narrow Sea.
I'm officially obsessed with this series. I can't begin to say how much I loved the second book. George R. R. Martin continues his epic fantasy with the same characters while adding a few new ones since you never know who will die. A Clash of Kings is full of political intrigue and so many twists and turns. Yet despite the gigantic cast of characters, you still get character development and unique stories from each one. With such a complex story, I was constantly referring to the map in the books cover to keep it all straight. I'm just sad to know that the 6th and 7th books were never written, so this epic story might never wrap up.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Haunted by the violent attack of her brother Chris years ago, Katie Shaw sees threats everywhere. When her brother disappears, Katie leaps into action to help her brother once more. Meanwhile, Detective Laurence Page's investigation of a brutal murder of a professor leads her to suspect the case is connected to Chris's attack .. and to a serial killer said to be able to predict the future.
Creepier and darker than I normally like, I only read The Angel Maker because Celadon Books sent me a free copy ... with presents! I was too curious to pass them up, though I basically just got a box of matchsticks. The Angel Maker is a dark, violent story about how much our fate is pre-determined. The novel kept jumping perspective which, though it connected pretty well in the end, made the beginning harder to follow.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celadon Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Private Investigators Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott take on another case in the 7th book of the series. A worried father seeks Strike's help in extracting his son from a religious cult in Norfolk. When Strike uncovers sinister secrets and unexplained deaths, Robin infiltrates the group undercover, a task that might be much more dangerous than she anticipates.
Fans of the Strike series will absolutely love J. K. Rowling's latest entry. As with the rest of the series, the developing relationship between Strike and Robin is well-done and leaves you coming back for more. However, The Running Grave delights with one of my favorite cases of the series, an in-depth look at a religious cult. The extreme length of the book actually felt justified this time, allowing Robin to fully dive into her undercover assignment. If you aren't a fan yet, it's not to late to pick up a copy of The Cuckoo's Calling.
informative
slow-paced
In the 1990s, Jack and Elizabeth met as ambitious college students, both dreaming of finding places for themselves in Chicago's thriving underground art scene. Now, twenty years later, Jack and Elizabeth find that amidst the struggles of parenting and married life, they feel like they barely know each other. Between Facebook feuds and mindfulness cults, the pair each do the hard work to better understand themselves or they will risk losing each other.
Oprah Winfrey's book club books are almost always guaranteed to be outstanding reads, but Wellness fell far short of her usual mark of excellence for me. Nathan Hill's pretentious ramblings were more than I could take. You can tell Hill did a ton of research about sociology and human behavior, mostly because he insists on proving it to you by mentioning all of it. So many people say they love Wellness, so I forced myself to about the 180-page mark. But I hit my limit at the twenty-page rambling story about the mother feeding her picky toddler that resulted in her deciding she wasn't soulmates with her husband. I do not recommend.
I usually don't give star ratings to books I don't finish, but I'm going to make an exception for Wellness. It was that awful.
adventurous
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
At a Barbados plantation in 1834, the master gathers his slaves together and announces that they have all been emancipated. Now they are to be his apprentices instead of slaves, although they must now work for him for another six years. Instead, Rachel decides to leave, searching for her five children who were sold away.
With endearing characters and an interesting dive into Caribbean history, River Sing Me Home is exactly what you want from historical fiction. Thanks to Rachel's search for her missing children, you get to see a gamut of outcomes for slave children sold away. Most importantly, River Sing Me Home is a reminder of the struggles Blacks dealt without even after the end of slavery, for oppression and racism don't disappear overnight.
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Shame researcher Brene Brown (author of The Gifts of Imperfection and Daring Greatly) turns her focus to what it means to feel like you belong. Unlike fitting in, true belonging comes when we feel like we are fully embraced for who we are. In a world of disconnection, Brown uses anecdotes and research to teach how to embrace ourselves and learn to see past differences to find connection and belonging.
I don't know what it is about Brené Brown, but I struggle with all of her books. Oddly, I think her content is super important and has great insights into the human condition. Which always makes me like something is wrong with me when I don't love her books. Or even like them. I'm not sure if it's me, or her writing, or just that I don't really like philosophy, but I think I'm finally throwing in the towel and admitting I am never going to be a Brené Brown fan.
I don't know what it is about Brené Brown, but I struggle with all of her books. Oddly, I think her content is super important and has great insights into the human condition. Which always makes me like something is wrong with me when I don't love her books. Or even like them. I'm not sure if it's me, or her writing, or just that I don't really like philosophy, but I think I'm finally throwing in the towel and admitting I am never going to be a Brené Brown fan.
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
In 1984, Ron and Dan Lafferty walked into their younger brother's house and their sister-in-law Brenda and her 14-month-old daughter in cold blood. For their entire lives, neither expressed guilt for their crime because God had told them to do it. Jon Krakauer takes you into the world of Mormon fundamentalists, radical break-offs of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In between showcasing various fundamentalist groups, Krakauer explains the early teachings of the church that such people take to the extreme to justify polygamy and violence in the name of God.
I could not put down this fascinating look at the extremist offshoots of Mormonism. Being an agnostic, Krakauer's skepticism of religion is heavily on display. Yet, I found it fascinating to contemplate his views on the rationality of religion. Is a religious fanatic sane? And if not, can he be tried for his crimes? Any belief taken to an extreme can lead to violence. In Under the Banner of Heaven, Krakauer focuses on fundamentalism in Mormonism, but the same principle could be written about plenty of different beliefs.
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
From the First World War to the 1970s, a mass exodus ensued of Blacks leaving the South and settling in northern and western cities. Wilkerson's book highlights three stories from The Great Migration: Ida Mae Gladney who left sharecropping in 1937 for a blue-collar life in Chicago; George Starling, who left orange-picking in Florida in 1945 for Harlem; and Robert Foster, who moved from Louisiana in 1953 to become a personal physician in Los Angeles.
Isabel Wilkerson's history of the Great Migration is simply outstanding. Impeccably written, The Warmth of Other Suns brilliantly uses the three narratives to pull you into history while Wilkerson gives you a fuller understanding of the broader context. With great insights into the complex and complicated history of race in America in the 19th century, The Warmth of Other Suns shines a light on many of our current race issues today.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
After her husband died, Tova Sullivan began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Thirty years ago, Tova's son Erik disappeared on a boat in the Puget Sound, and cleaning the aquarium helps her cope. When she befriends Marcellus, the aquarium's giant octopus, Marcellus discovers what happened to Erik and must find a way to show Tova the truth before it's too late.
Remarkably Bright Creatures is a cute story of finding connection and growing past our limited viewpoints of ourselves. Normally I hate animal narrators, but Marcellus's chapters shine. His unique narration and dry humor elevate the entire book. Sweet and heartwarming, Remarkably Bright Creatures would be a great book club book.
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Fleeing her abusive husband Wen, Jasmine Yang arrives in New York from China with no money but a fierce determination to do anything to find her daughter he pretended had died and then secretly gave up for adoption because of China's one-child policy. Meanwhile, publishing executive Rebecca Whitney has a perfect job, marriage, and the most adorable adopted Chinese daughter, Fifi. When a scandal at work threatens to ruin her marriage, Rebecca and Jasmine find themselves on a shocking collision course.
I was intrigued by Kwok's look at motherhood and transracial adoption but felt like she missed the mark by styling her novel as a thriller rather than a straight drama. Especially since her biggest twist seemed extremely obvious. Although Jasmine's complexity shone, the rest of the characters felt overly one-dimensional, stilting the narrative and leaving me wanting more depth.