bookchatwithbeth's reviews
390 reviews

Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.

Finding it really slow, and would want to be a lot more invested than this nearly 150 pages in, especially as it isn’t a very long book. 
A shame, as I was really interested in the premise as I’m very interested in romantic era Hellenism and this promised to offer that as well as be as “irresistible “ “intriguing “ and “suspenseful “ as endorsements on the cover claimed. It’s just so slow!! 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Car accident

Minor: Drug use, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Dementia, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

A Curious History of Sex by Kate Lister

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I only wish some of the chapters were longer or the book twice as long. It was fascinating!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Medical content

Moderate: Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Sexual harassment

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Richard III: The Maligned King by Annette Carson

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

This would have been absolutely perfect, had Carson examined the arguments of other scholars in a way that was more respectful to her fellow academics, instead of being quite rude and disparaging about some of them and maintaining that her analysis must simply be the only possibly correct one.

The Light We Carry: Overcoming In Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama

challenging hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Kidnapping, Death of parent

The Illustrated Story of England by Christopher Hibbert

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Christmas Carols and a Cornish Cream Tea: The perfect heart-warming and romantic Christmas romance: Book 5 by Cressida McLaughlin

emotional funny inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief

The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Abortion