Scan barcode
bookishinteriors's reviews
154 reviews
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? No
4.0
This was a cute YA romance that touched on a handful of serious topics without feeling too heavy. The main character was sweet and definitely someone you root for throughout the book.
Turbulence by David Szalay
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book absolutely holds up to its beautiful cover. I am typically not a short story gal but this book won me over early and often. I loved how a secondary character from each story then became the main character for the next. It kept the pace steady without feeling like you had to reorient every few pages.
This would be the perfect vacation or airport read. The writing is beautiful but still easy to follow. You learn enough about each character to feel invested in their story yet enough is left unsaid the reader could imagine many scenarios as time unfolds. I never wanted the book to end.
This would be the perfect vacation or airport read. The writing is beautiful but still easy to follow. You learn enough about each character to feel invested in their story yet enough is left unsaid the reader could imagine many scenarios as time unfolds. I never wanted the book to end.
Calypso by David Sedaris
dark
funny
slow-paced
3.0
This was selected for my book club and I wasn't expecting there to be much to talk about in response to a comedic collection of essays but it actually spurred some wonderful conversations. The pacing was inconsistent and it was hard to find the appropriate reaction/mood to many of the stories, but it definitely provided family drama, shock value, and some dark humor.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Rape
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
funny
lighthearted
medium-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 story started out a little caricaturesque but the author settled into a more believable narrative pretty quickly and the story turned out to be a well-paced, cute read.
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
My thoughts on this book can be summed up in two words: too much.
Too many characters, too long, too many red herrings, just too dang much.
I wanted to love this book so badly and maybe in another time in another place I could have, but it just felt like it was trying too hard. For the first half of the book (aka 8.5 hours for those listening on audio) I just kept asking myself "who are these people and why do I care?" Ok, to the first question, that can sometimes be a tactic, but if 8.5 hours in I don't care about anyone what are we doing here? If I had been reading a physical copy rather than listening on audio I surely would have DNFed but it is easier to forge on when you can't reach the stop button. After the halfway point things started to come together and I started to understand more, was finally hooked, and going along steadily with the plot and characters, until all of a sudden we hopped off the rails again towards the end. It felt like the author just didn't want to stop writing so they just undid half the story, added in some other random entity that you never fully learn about, all to then throw a random twist ending at you.
Perhaps if I had read the hard copy I would have liked it better, perhaps if there was some MAJOR editing undertaken it could have been really thrilling. Instead I was left feeling unsure if I was glad I read it or not, despite it being a good story and premise.
Too many characters, too long, too many red herrings, just too dang much.
I wanted to love this book so badly and maybe in another time in another place I could have, but it just felt like it was trying too hard. For the first half of the book (aka 8.5 hours for those listening on audio) I just kept asking myself "who are these people and why do I care?" Ok, to the first question, that can sometimes be a tactic, but if 8.5 hours in I don't care about anyone what are we doing here? If I had been reading a physical copy rather than listening on audio I surely would have DNFed but it is easier to forge on when you can't reach the stop button. After the halfway point things started to come together and I started to understand more, was finally hooked, and going along steadily with the plot and characters, until all of a sudden we hopped off the rails again towards the end. It felt like the author just didn't want to stop writing so they just undid half the story, added in some other random entity that you never fully learn about, all to then throw a random twist ending at you.
Perhaps if I had read the hard copy I would have liked it better, perhaps if there was some MAJOR editing undertaken it could have been really thrilling. Instead I was left feeling unsure if I was glad I read it or not, despite it being a good story and premise.
The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais
hopeful
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? No
5.0
This book was a great example of how no community is a monolith, but it is important to understand what some of those experiences are like. I especially enjoyed the interview with the author at the end of the book for an even better understanding of her personal experience being deaf.
I found the depiction of teenage hopes, fears, struggles, and triumphs (and let’s be honest, mood swings) to be so utterly realistic. The character development and plot were both well-paced and interesting the entire time. And the friendships were so sweet!
I found the depiction of teenage hopes, fears, struggles, and triumphs (and let’s be honest, mood swings) to be so utterly realistic. The character development and plot were both well-paced and interesting the entire time. And the friendships were so sweet!
The (Other) You by Joyce Carol Oates
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
This book was much quirkier and darker than I was expecting. It also proved what I already thought, that short stories are not my cup of tea.