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booklistqueen's Reviews (634)
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
In the sleepy town of New Bremen, Minnesota, death will forever shape one young man. In 1961, Frank Drum is having a typical teenage summer with his family: his minister father, his doubting mother, his talented older sister, and his quiet younger brother who stutters. When deaths start accumulating by accident, nature, suicide, and murder, Frank's ordinary life is rocked by the secrets and motives of an adult world he doesn't fully understand. A stunning addition to any reading list, Ordinary Grace was exactly what you want from coming-of-age historical fiction.
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In 1994, high school dropout April sets out on a journey to find herself a better life after fighting with her dad in their broken-down motorhome. April ends up in Ithaca, New York, and finds herself drawn to the people at the local coffee shop. Yet, as April begins to feel at home, she worries she will only end up hurting the people to whom she becomes close.
A coming-of-age story that speaks on the importance of found family, The People We Keep never really captured me. I struggled to like April, a lost soul who veered from completely independent and guarded to instantly clinging to much older men. The age gaps in the romances were alarming, and the story overall felt overdone and pointless.
reflective
slow-paced
One of my most-anticipated March 2022 book releases is a novel about grieving and understanding a parent. When her mother dies just before their planned mother-daughter trip to Italy, Katy decides to still spend the summer exploring the Amalfi coast as she grieves. Magically, Katy meets a younger version of her mother, giving Katy a whole new perspective on her mother as a person.
I really wanted to like One Italian Summer because I adored the complex themes of Serle's last novel, In Five Years. Yet, I really disliked the protagonist - who was overly reliant on her mother and was way too ambivalent to her husband. The mechanics of the time travel situation were not well thought out, which was also annoying. One positive thing: I loved the descriptions of Positano so much that I started learning Italian on Duolingo with intentions of visiting the Amalfi Coast as soon as possible.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
All Plot. No Emotion
I love reading World War II historical fiction, so I so wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, the storytelling didn't live up to my expectations. I almost stopped halfway through, but decided I should push through so I could give a fair review.
You could tell Susan Meissner had thoroughly researched her topics. I enjoyed learning more about WWII internment camps in the United States. I honestly had no idea that German and Japanese citizens were repatriated back to their respective countries.
Unfortunately, the book didn't make me feel anything. The whole story hinges on Elise and Mariko's friendship, but I didn't really feel like they were undying friends.
The phrase that kept coming to mind was "Show. Don't Tell." The book just told and told and told, but didn't show. The plot just kept rolling on, but none of the events prompted anything more than a cursory reflection.
* I received an advanced review copy of this book for free on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love reading World War II historical fiction, so I so wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, the storytelling didn't live up to my expectations. I almost stopped halfway through, but decided I should push through so I could give a fair review.
You could tell Susan Meissner had thoroughly researched her topics. I enjoyed learning more about WWII internment camps in the United States. I honestly had no idea that German and Japanese citizens were repatriated back to their respective countries.
Unfortunately, the book didn't make me feel anything. The whole story hinges on Elise and Mariko's friendship, but I didn't really feel like they were undying friends.
The phrase that kept coming to mind was "Show. Don't Tell." The book just told and told and told, but didn't show. The plot just kept rolling on, but none of the events prompted anything more than a cursory reflection.
* I received an advanced review copy of this book for free on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you love learning about other cultures ...
On the island of Jeju just off the Korean peninsula, lives a society where women are the breadwinners – sea divers, risking untold hazards to provide for their families from the ocean. Among them are best friends Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls just entering their village’s diving collective. Telling the account of their lives and from the Japanese occupation in the 1930s, through World War II and the tumultuous aftermath up to the present, Lisa See’s latest historical fiction novel is a beautifully written account. If you love reading historical fiction about different cultures, this is one that you don’t want to miss.
On the island of Jeju just off the Korean peninsula, lives a society where women are the breadwinners – sea divers, risking untold hazards to provide for their families from the ocean. Among them are best friends Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls just entering their village’s diving collective. Telling the account of their lives and from the Japanese occupation in the 1930s, through World War II and the tumultuous aftermath up to the present, Lisa See’s latest historical fiction novel is a beautifully written account. If you love reading historical fiction about different cultures, this is one that you don’t want to miss.
Following three generations of Palestinian women, Rum’s powerful story highlights the dangers of beliefs that view women as inferior. The tale begins with the arranged marriage of Isra, forced to move to America where she knows no one. Years later, Isra’s daughter Deya herself faces an arranged marriage in Brooklyn. This raw account of the oppression of women in an extremely strict family is depressing and at the same time beautifully written. Certainly worth a read, and easily one of the best new books to read now.
I expected more from Gretchen Rubin
I love Gretchen Rubin and I love reading about minimalism, so I expected to get a fun, well-researched book like her previous works. Instead, I received a collection of tips, quotes and sayings with little depth or research placed together in not the most orderly fashion. I appreciate that we was trying to keep the book minimal, but the whole thing felt half-baked, tired and far from original.
I love Gretchen Rubin and I love reading about minimalism, so I expected to get a fun, well-researched book like her previous works. Instead, I received a collection of tips, quotes and sayings with little depth or research placed together in not the most orderly fashion. I appreciate that we was trying to keep the book minimal, but the whole thing felt half-baked, tired and far from original.
Charming little story ...
While working on her graduate research in rural Illinois, Joanna Teale returns one night to find a little girl outside her cabin. But not just any little girl. Ursa claims to be an alien who needs to witness 5 miracles before she can return to her planet. This charming little story had me guessing the whole time. Was it a science fiction novel? Or was Ursa just an abused and neglected little girl.
While working on her graduate research in rural Illinois, Joanna Teale returns one night to find a little girl outside her cabin. But not just any little girl. Ursa claims to be an alien who needs to witness 5 miracles before she can return to her planet. This charming little story had me guessing the whole time. Was it a science fiction novel? Or was Ursa just an abused and neglected little girl.
Showing the power of poetry ...
I rarely read poetry, so I struggled at first with the eccentric format of this collection. Nevertheless, I came to love her unconventional method. Considering how few words she actually uses, I’m amazed at the depth of feeling Lovelace is able to convey about the highs and lows, doubts and fears of sexual assault. I hope her collection does indeed help other women find their voices.
I rarely read poetry, so I struggled at first with the eccentric format of this collection. Nevertheless, I came to love her unconventional method. Considering how few words she actually uses, I’m amazed at the depth of feeling Lovelace is able to convey about the highs and lows, doubts and fears of sexual assault. I hope her collection does indeed help other women find their voices.