e_gracereads's reviews
225 reviews

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

The plot in this book wasn’t super existent, honestly. However, it was written so beautifully that it’s worthy the 4 stars and worth the read anyways. 

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

This was exceedingly average. very interesting story, very claustrophobic, very spooky, liked how neither of the main characters were particularly likable, but fell flat in execution. Really only one part where I was unsettled, and it had a very unsatisfying ending. 

Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.

I don’t have the patience to be reading a book that starts off as slow as this. It had me in the first 10 pages and then didn’t get me back for the next 40, and I just don’t think it’s worth it to continue. 

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-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? No

5.0

This was AMAZING. This is the cozy book that everyone says it is; I consumed it all in one sitting, and every second of it was impactful, but not in a way that hurts. Instead, it felt like somebody was looking into the heart of me and seeing exactly what I needed to hear, but instead of telling me something hard to digest, it told me that sometimes it’s okay to just be. Absolutely amazing. 

Lakewood by Megan Giddings

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? No

2.75

This was an exceedingly mediocre read. There is no conclusion, there is no climax, there is no real satisfaction to this novel. It simply starts, and things happen, and it ends. I finished this thinking there would be some answers to something, and instead it just. It just ends. Disappointing to say the least. 

Beach Read by Emily Henry

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-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

5.0

Listen. I’m not a romance guy. At ALL. I like dark fantasy and horror and unhappy endings, and I certainly don’t like modern, contemporary romance in particular. But this book? AMAZING. The characters felt so real and had real world problems that worked so well in this trope. It wasn’t insta-love. It was well thought out and beautiful. I get the Emily Henry hype now. 

The Scottish Boy by Alex de Campi

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense 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

This book is probably objectively like a 3/5, but lucky for the author I am NOT objective. Did this read a little bit like a fanfiction? Sure! But it was an IMMENSELY well researched book, to the point where it was incredibly easy to imagine a forbidden romance set in 1330s England. I loved the characters a truly stupid amount — the cast was lovable, and the love story? Absolutely smashing. Honestly, I’d suggest this for anybody looking for a nice queer period piece.

The Descent by Jeff Long

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense 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

4.75

Honestly fast-paced for a 600 page book, and the kind of sci-fi horror that rides the line of realistic and fantastical SO well. Super creepy and fascinating read. 

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

This was a slow, slow read to get into. The fact that I can still give it four stars despite staying that is IMPRESSIVE. Holy shit, this book had some really tough buildup with a gut punch of an ending. Honestly even more poignant now than when it was published, I think. 

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

4.5

EXCELLENT sci fi/horror novel! I feel like sirens are an immensely underutilized vessel for horror, and this book capitalized on that in the BEST way, making the sirens feel so, so real. Lots of science in here in a very fun and palatable fashion, and I really loved our cast of characters.