bestja01's reviews
282 reviews

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-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

4.25

A great conclusion to the trilogy- I found myself surprised by some of the plot twists and very invested in the fates of the characters. It was a satisfying ending that still kept me guessing. I read the three books of the trilogy in three days, and found them a highly enjoyable way to pass the time in isolation.

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

A strong second book in the trilogy that expanded the world, introduced new loveable characters, and kept me guessing. A fun read for a sick day.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional 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

3.75

A solid start for a YA fantasy series- I enjoyed the world she built and found many of the characters intriguing. 

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

emotional 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

4.0

Satisfying family drama- an enjoyable read. I got very invested in the characters’ journeys and enjoyed seeing how each sibling managed to cope with their issues.

Land of Big Numbers: Stories by Te-Ping Chen

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

Lovely collection of short stories with intriguing characters and varied experiences.

When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

Very interesting to read about these scientific principles and the men who developed them, however I found it a bit confusing to separate the fact from the fiction

The Starless Crown by James Rollins

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.75

Solid fantasy novel- nothing that blew me away, but an enjoyable read with likeable characters. I liked the use of song to access the magic, and I am curious to see what happens next.

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.0

I immensely enjoy Brandon Sanderson’s narrative style, and while all of his series/worlds share a similar structure, it’s a comforting familiarity. It’s interesting to try to puzzle together all of the Cosmere books, but this novel also stands incredibly well on its own and was an enjoyable read with great characters- even if those characters bore striking resemblance to some of his Way of Kings characters.

The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

A book about triplets with a mom who tried so hard to make a family, but who was unable to make these siblings form any kind of bond, made me feel deeply sad and made my appreciate the bonds I have with my own siblings. It was a captivating read and I stayed up until 4am to finish it. I thought the author’s fascination with in-vitro fertilization was a bit strange, as a fellow test-tube baby, but I guess some do find it a fascinating subject. The “latecomer’s” moral crisis over her test-tube-baby-ness also felt strange to me, but other than that it was a fascinating read that made me think deeply about what we owe to and deserve from our families.

Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake

challenging informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

Loved this book and its insights- made me constantly consider the way we see our world, and just how much we don’t know. I’ve accidentally made “weird mushroom facts” my entire personality over the past few weeks, oops!