e_gracereads's reviews
225 reviews

For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States from 1607 to 2012 by Peter Maslowski, William B. Feis, Allan Reed Millett
Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.

I’ll be coming back for another history class. Unfortunately. 

The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It by Kelly McGonigal
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.

Read part for class and why would I want to continue. 

For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War by James M. McPherson

informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

Good, thorough history of the civil war, but a bit repetitive at its best. 

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

challenging hopeful reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

4.25

Perhaps the only religious/philosophical book I will ever read that I don’t find pandering. Aligns well with my own personal beliefs, and I enjoyed the emphasis on finding religion in one’s own self. 

Last Days by Adam L.G. Nevill

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

3.0

The premise of this was UTTERLY fascinating, and I did find the book to be rife with an insane amount of dread, especially with such a unique idea. That being said - this man writing American characters was nothing short of nightmare. The syntax was downright bizarre, accented speech with folks from Arizona an interesting choice, and any mention of the US military (and subsequent complete factual inaccuracy) was absolutely painful to muddle through. For how much of this took place in America, it would’ve paid to have, yknow, an American proof this. Secondly, the grammar in this was clumsy at best. Read a little strange and jilted. On premise alone? This is a 5 star read. The convention and weird sections bring it down for me, but I’d be willing to read more by this author. 

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense 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

4.0

Alright. So. This book DID have me crying my ass off a few times. There are some INCREDIBLE scenes. But there are also some times where it drags a little, where something that happens feels a little too much like a plot device, and not overwhelmingly natural. I also did not really enjoy Bryce for the first… 2/3s of this book? That being said - it was an absolute joy to read, and an absolute ROLLERCOASTER. 

The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion by Stephen B. Oates

challenging dark emotional informative reflective slow-paced

3.25

The Women by Kristin Hannah

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-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

4.0

The subject matter of this book is one you just don’t find very often - women in war are often overlooked, and in the most overlooked and shameful war of them all, women were and continue to be disregarded. This was a beautiful glimpse at some of those hardships. 

A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross

adventurous emotional hopeful tense 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

4.0

I loved this duology. It’s perfect, cozy fantasy with an edge, and the prose is so stunning that I ate up every word. 

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I unexpectedly loved this book. It’s incredibly complex in the way that it handles characters and relationships, really handling those subtle complexities very, very maturely. It’s a cozy fantasy, almost, but maintains a very sharp edge, reminding you that magic has a price, in a beautiful, Scottish-inspired world. I loved this book and will DEFINITELY purchase the sequel.