estellegodard's reviews
239 reviews

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I devoured this book! I loved the writing style and the excellent way the author captured how loss and grief feels, but also the beautiful little things that make up a great friendship. I teared up several times (rare for me!) and felt profoundly content with the ending of the book. 

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

adventurous funny hopeful tense fast-paced

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

4.75

I haven’t read a book so bingeable in a while; I kept wanting to read! it’s a funny book whilst still being tense and emotional at times. I thoroughly enjoyed it. my only critique is that while we spend a lot of time with the main character, his character is still pretty one dimensional and his flaws are superficial. the authors doesn’t dig deep into the humanity of the character but it didn’t bother me too much because overall the story is gripping and a lot of fun to take part in. 

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

3.75

listening on audio book & enjoyed the experience. I learned a lot about britney’s life & have been enjoying her music again since listening to the book. the book illicit some strong feelings of anger for what she went through and while it wasn’t written very well, the raw emotion comes through and moved me as a reader. I didn't think the last chapter was as strong however. 

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

there was something so satisfying about how understated this little book was. the climax of the story is subtle and the best part of this book is in everything left unsaid. it’s beautiful to watch the evolution of the main character over the course of a few days & I found the reveal to be hard hitting despite its discreetness. 

Dava Shastri's Last Day by Kirthana Ramisetti

reflective sad fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

this was a profoundly bingeable book. it reminded me a lot of “the seven husbands of evelyn hugo” but I think I enjoyed this one more. I thought dava wasn’t very likable but perhaps that’s the point; it does create a very flawed character which suits the narrative well as someone looks back on their entire life before death. this book was exactly the type of easy reading experience I needed to close off the year. 

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

challenging slow-paced

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

2.75

it’s hard to rate a book this long because there were a lot of moments that I enjoyed, but after some reflection it feels like there were also a lot of passages that were dense without amounting to anything, or repetitive. by the time I got halfway through the book, I thought that everything was well resolved. the second half of the book, and the last 30 pages especially, are tedious and heavy. I enjoyed anna’s character the most, though I found her insufferable at the end and never was really able to sympathize with her because she was so toxic. overall, I’m proud to have read this book; I hadn’t read a classic in a while and i am happy to have been introduced to classic russian literature. 

Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton

fast-paced

3.75

this book was such a huge shock to me; I learned so much about paris hilton and developed a lot of sympathy for her. for these reasons, a book I truly thought would be mostly good fun became very hard hitting. the last couple of chapters became a bit dull & repetitive but I think this was redeemed by the thoughtful afterword she includes. 

Native Son by Richard Wright

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

this read like a thriller and at many times I was so captivated by it that I didn’t want to put my book down. there are so many incredibly reflective moments & they create characters that are rich, nuanced, complex, and fascinating. I think this book screams its messages from the rooftops (as it should) and does so successfully. I thought the defense scenes during the trial were a bit long and meandering but that would be my only real critique. 

My Body by Emily Ratajkowski

emotional reflective fast-paced

4.0

there were parts at the beginning where I wondered if I’d like this book. aspects of it came off as condescending or lacking self awareness, especially when she talked about being beautiful. but as the book continued there were moments that were tender and overall you gain valuable insight into the nuances of being a model, especially at a young age. the audio book held a lot of the raw emotion and it made the storytelling very immersive. I was won over by the passage where she talks about the birth of her child. 

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

dark reflective fast-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

4.5

this book is written with so much sympathy for all of the characters, including the villain. I really enjoyed the multiple povs in this story and I thought the use of second person to tell ansel’s story in prison was very effective; it made me feel closer to the character, as if I was walking a day in his shoes. in doing so, I also sympathized with him which I found fascinating considering the crimes for which he was guilty. I also really enjoyed the reoccurring theme about the multiverse. it serves as a way for us to theorize on the different ways ansel’s life would have been different if his mother had made different choices, if he had made different choices. it also breathed life into the women that were dead in the book, reclaiming their tragedies and allowing them to have a voice. overall, it’s the women that populate this book that make it fascinating and gripping.