areadingstan's reviews
313 reviews

Emma by Jane Austen
Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.

Just wasn’t feeling it at this time but I will be going back!

The Coma by Alex Garland

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

2.5

The House of Hades by Rick Riordan

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

The Lydia Steptoe Stories by Djuna Barnes

funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

adventurous dark emotional funny medium-paced

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

5.0

Hope In The Dark by Rebecca Solnit

hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

3.75

This was a great book in lots of ways, and one I’d been looking forward to reading for a while. Solnit gives us her doctrine of hope by telling us the story of the historic movements that have changed the world into what we live in today. She talks about the activists who took action and didn’t fall into despair, who believed they could disrupt the pillars of power, and highlights that activism is a long game, never a short burst of action. 

I liked learning about the different movements she discussed, and enjoyed many of the beautiful quotes she included from other writers, and there were a few gems from herself too. It definitely helped me recover some of the energy I’ve lost recently when it comes to taking action. 

However, my qualms with the book come from the fact I think the work lacks some depth sometimes, with some surface level ideas, and often a lot of ideas repeated throughout which made it harder to get through. Perhaps it is better read slowly over time to prevent this feeling of repetition. The added chapters at the end of the book really brought it all together though, and I liked seeing Solnit’s perspective after time passing.

I’d recommend this to anyone looking to learn a bit more about activism and anyone in need of hope that things can change in our world. 

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.5

A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing slow-paced

5.0

Such a beautiful collection about nature, the place of humans in the world and the meaning we seek to add to our existence. Mary Oliver’s poetry is so soft and gentle, like being wrapped in a blanket at a riverside, watching the world go by. 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

adventurous dark emotional medium-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? Yes

4.25

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

hopeful 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

3.0