alanawithdog's reviews
205 reviews

The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Less by Andrew Sean Greer

adventurous emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Well written, great structure. I just really, really didn’t like the main character. He’s not someone I want to spend significant time with. He does all of these amazing things, and has so many people tell him how lucky he is, and he just doesn’t see it. He walks through life feeling like nothing good ever happens to him. While he literally has job offers and awards nominations left and right, and is currently on a multi-country adventure. It feels like he never cares to look up and appreciate what’s around him. Honestly, pretty sad. 

That was a very frustrating mindset for me to spend time with while reading, and not at all the “funny, delightful, happy” book I was expecting on multiple recommendations. 

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Reading this book was a beautiful experience. The compassion developed for each character was lovely. We’re all just out here trying to find our way, aiming to show kindness to those around us but still working through our harms of the past, and somehow finding comfort in the familiarity of those past traumas, too. Feels very true to the lives experiences of women. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury

Child of a Rainless Year by Jane Lindskold

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell

funny informative lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

3.5

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Absolutely incredible. A little slow to get into the world and the talk of dragons but then - wow. Life changing. It has made me think and rethink my life, my community, and those things (and people) I hold desperately on to because my fears want them to stay small. 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

adventurous challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Just delightful, calming, and fun.