andycroll's reviews
91 reviews

Serpentine by Philip Pullman

lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

A delightful short story, it’s good to see Lyra again, briefly.

Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman

lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

4.0

A little dip into the past of Pullman’s north. Lovely.

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

informative slow-paced

4.0

It’s what you fear told incredibly slowly in that modern nonfiction way.

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous mysterious relaxing 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? Yes

4.5

Breathlessly, effortlessly, fun fantasy world building and just delightful.

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

funny lighthearted fast-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? Yes

4.0

Somewhere between Pullman and Potter with imagination to burn and some poetic turns of phrase.

61 Hours by Lee Child

adventurous lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

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

4.5

One of Child’s best. There’s even a cliffhanger ending! Books joining together! GASP.

Will make an excellent series of the TV show.

Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body by Richard J. Davidson, Daniel Goleman

informative slow-paced

3.0

Interesting findings, but the authors do like to spend time name dropping and “adding colour” to the most interesting insights. Which would fill a pamphlet for the layman meditator.

I’m none the wiser as to the proven level of permanent benefits for normal folk, those not prone to retreats of living as monks.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

adventurous 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? No

4.0

Pandemic-relevant. Much more interesting as it went along and darted around the times before and after.

Layered Design for Ruby on Rails Applications: Discover practical design patterns for maintainable web applications by Vladimir Dementyev

informative medium-paced

4.0

Solid technical read.

Why Did You Stay?: A memoir about self-worth by Rebecca Humphries

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.0

Surprisingly solid self-examination in the glare of a public moment.