bestja01's reviews
303 reviews

Every Good Boy Does Fine: A Love Story, in Music Lessons by Jeremy Denk

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.75

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

adventurous mysterious 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

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

emotional hopeful reflective medium-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

4.25

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous 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

4.25

Reckless by Lauren Roberts

adventurous mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

Powerless by Lauren Roberts

adventurous lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

The Art Thief by Michael Finkel

adventurous informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.25

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

I was enjoying this series a lot, but this third book really sold it for me. So many trilogies lose me when they leave their pre-established world (leaving the scholomance to be in the real world in this case), but this book knew what it was doing and stuck the landing beautifully. Maybe a bit contrived how things work out, but the emotional beats worked for me and I was full of feelings at the end.

The Atlas Complex by Olivie Blake

adventurous challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

The plot was confusing, especially since it has been a while since I read book 2. The characters are great, as engaging as ever, but the story was hard to follow. Some really poignant moments, though, and some beautiful prose.

The Iliad by Homer: Rendered into English Prose by Samuel Butler by Samuel Butler

challenging slow-paced

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

2.5

Took me a year to read and only a few chapters were interesting- a whole book of battles with little plot. I strongly prefer The Odyssey if I had to pick one of Homer’s epics.