estellegodard's reviews
296 reviews

Good Material by Dolly Alderton

emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced

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

4.25

I devoured this book and had real moments of laughter. i think it is very cool to see a breakup tale told from the mans perspective. the narrators voice is so strong and there are so many amazing and universal passages about heartbreak that struck a chord. 
I enjoyed the final section when we get a glimpse into jen’s perspective. the dialogue in this book is so realistic and the way dolly alderton wrote children was wonderfully funny and charming. 
my only wish is that we had seen andy’s evolution as a comedian a bit more progressively. 

Arrangements in Blue: Notes on Loving and Living Alone by Amy Key

slow-paced

2.5

a book that should have been completely up my alley but turned out to be kind of boring, kind of repetitive, and frankly bummed me out. I was expecting a powerful introspective look at love and solitude and while it was certainly introspective, I found it a little meek without anything very new or insightful to share. I did appreciate the various ways the author explores love and what it can mean. but I thought the book “everything I know about love” by dolly alderton set out to do something similar and did it better, without the self-pitying tone. 
what I thought was most successful was setting front and center the taboo subject of a woman living without romantic love. it doesn’t shy from those tricky feelings and the jealousy and sadness that may come with it. 

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I am always touched by woodson’s writing style but I did not like this as much as “red at the bone”. I wanted to feel more connected to the characters, especially given how important the girls are to august. nonetheless, there are a lot of moments that are tremendously sad yet written with a gentle touch that eases you into the situation. the brooklyn setting is vivid (like out of spike lee’s “do the right thing”) and speaks to the culture of the time. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual assault, Suicide

Playing to the Gallery by Grayson Perry

medium-paced

2.75

I was expecting something a little more informative regarding the art world and galleries. while there certainly were some interesting topics, I thought none of the main questions the authors seeks out to answer were actually answered. as an audio book this felt a lot more like a ted talk too, which made it a little hard to follow at times. 

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

emotional 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

I loved this book! it reads similarly to emily henry’s books with a strong emotional core, amazing dialogue and descriptions, fully fleshed out and believable characters, and really great sex scenes. I thought it was overall really realistic and such a joy to read while still delving into deep subject matter and pulling on the heart strings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Self harm

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

adventurous fast-paced

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

2.75

it was a fast paced and entertaining book but beyond that it really wasn’t anything special. I was expecting something a lot more airtight and intense. while there were interesting facets to this, there were many moments that felt repetitive and the science felt flimsy. I also found it weak that we never get any closer on amanda’s arc. 
I picked up this book because it was pitched to me as being similar to “project hail mary”. this novel doesn’t stack up in the slightest to weir’s book. but, this book was exactly the sort of easy and quick read I needed at the moment. I just wish it had a bit more substance. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence

La Chute by Albert Camus

challenging slow-paced

1.0

a book that truly went completely over my head. I found it hard to get through and vert ambiguous. certain things stood out and gave the novel some meaning, but fundamentally this does not feel like the sort of book I can enjoy without a discussion being led around it. I was disappointed by this as I had heard many people recommend it to me and was excited to read it. 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

emotional fast-paced

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

3.0

while very bingeable and pleasant to read, this book does not rewrite the wheel. it’s a fairly predictable family drama with elements (like jack) that are not developed enough. a lot rides on the miscommunications between characters and there comes a time when these miscommunications become a bit redundant. despite these shortcomings, there are some well written passages and the pages turned themselves. celeste ng is a gripping author but i definitely liked “little fires everywhere” more. 

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

adventurous mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

I was ready to give this book 5 stars but ultimately the last 100 pages or so fell a little short for me. but overall I absolutely loved this book. it was so whimsical and the writing style was really lovely and special. each intertwining story was a joy to read and I loved all the world building. 
I appreciated that some things are never explained nor resolved, but the ending was a tad confusing and it felt at times like the author was trying to shove in extra layers, just for the sake of it. 
I found this to be a very rewarding book to read & as someone who rarely reads fantasy, I was totally enamored by the intricate storytelling.  

Want by Gillian Anderson

slow-paced

2.25

conceptually I really like the idea of this book but the execution didn’t work for me. it becomes quite redundant after a while and we never gain any particular insight into the causes of certain fantasies. granted, we are told early on that this book won’t provide any analysis, but I think this is what it desperately needed to create a more interesting book & not just an accumulation of various sexual thoughts. 
there is, of course, still value in having a book that destigmatizes sex and doesn’t make women feel judged or taboo.