bmyurs's reviews
288 reviews

Funny Story by Emily Henry

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

Another fantastic Emily Henry book- she can do no wrong! 

The Lost King: How One Remarkable Woman Discovered the Lost Burial Place of Richard III by Michael Jones, Philippa Langley

adventurous informative slow-paced

3.75

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan

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

5.0

Thorns, Lust and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn by Estelle Paranque

informative medium-paced

3.5

Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC of this book!
I've read quite a few other books related to the Tudors/Anne Boleyn, and Paranaque has managed to find a niche of the story that hasn't been told yet. Much of the storyline is the same- the rise and fall of the Boleyn's in English politics; but she takes a wider lense of the time, spending a chunk of the book discussing the choices and impacts of kings in France & Holy Roman Empire, and  the pope in Rome. While the broader scope complicates things a bit (it's not just about love Henry, there are some politics involved too!), I appreciated understanding the mechanisms in play as England, France, and Spain jockey for power in Europe. I would recommend this book for anyone who has a basic understanding of the Tudor story and wants a different perspective on the 1520's/1530's in Europe.

Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quit American Girl by Allison Horrocks, Mary Mahoney

informative slow-paced

3.0

The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes

funny lighthearted fast-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

The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan

emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
Overall I think this book was trying to do too much- the storyline was fine; Jane spends the summer uncovering the past history of a house from her hometown and in the process uncovers some hidden history about her own family's origins on the island. The author though tried to pull in all sorts of other topics ( environmental impact of colonization, Native American and white relations, the spiritualist movement) that just felt forced within the overall plot. She tried tying them into Jane's storyline, but there were times when it felt like I was reading a Wikipedia  article on the topic instead; for me it just bogged the story line down. If you can breeze past those points, and enjoy a slow burn of a plot with no real bag or twist at the end, then this might be the book for you.

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson

adventurous informative slow-paced

3.75

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
I've read many other books by Larson in the past, and this continues in the same stream as his others. Focused on the window of time leading up to the beginning of the Civil War (For Sumter), it centers in on a few parallel story lines- a debutante in Charleston, Major Anderson station at Fort Sumter, Lincoln and his cabinet, and a few southern rebels pushing for secession. It took awhile to get into the book (and to keep the various stories straight); once you get past that point, then it's smooth sailing from there. I have a background in American History and have studied the Civil War a lot; there were still nuggets of information in Larson's book that were new to me which was nice. Appreciate that he didn't just focus on the big stars of the story (Lincoln et.al.)- he gave equal time to to everyday people who lived and witnessed these events.

This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.75