gfulton6's reviews
113 reviews

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

2.0

Very quick read but honestly really difficult to understand why it was so popular. The author’s note gives some much needed clarity but overall…hard to love

The Return by Nicholas Sparks

lighthearted fast-paced

2.5

Overall pretty predictable, but unoffensive and an easy read but not sure I would recommend it to others.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

First time reading even though the Cool Girl monologue has been in my mind for a while. So many details that were missing from the movie that enriched the story and…almost made me root for Nick.

Happy Place by Emily Henry

lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.75

A perfectly fine beach read, but not much more! 

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

challenging slow-paced

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

3.0

After reading more of Brooks' work, I'm able to see what made me such a fan of Horse and what has led to my disappointment in her other work. Her attention to detail and story setting is meticulous, and it really feels like she is honoring the story of the group/person she is centering on. However, if this niche interest is not one you share, it can feel tedious and too in-depth to enjoy. Might just need to be grateful for the one book I loved and need to lower my expectations for her others. 

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

The premise reminded me a bit of Homegoing, which was a favorite of mine. I liked the author's style and how we got to know each of the character's perspectives, even as decades passed. The ending, with the group of girls shrinking, was a heartbreaking sidenote. 

Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee

emotional slow-paced

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

4.25

This long, drawn out family drama was surprisingly hard to put down. Casey Han is such a difficult character to love, but I think she is very realistic. I think her story and struggles with money, family, and identity are even more applicable now than when the book was released. 

Also, I can’t explain my relief at Casey’s confrontation with the choir director at the end. I was cheering for someone to set him straight from the minute he entered the plot and I’m so glad Casey told him exactly how he hurt her mother.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

3.75

Didn’t get up until I finished this once I started. Such an easy and entertaining read! The writing style threw me off at times but that can be chalked up to the 1940s in general

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

fast-paced

3.5

Perfectly fine, semi predictable read. Not a page turner but enjoyable!

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

challenging dark slow-paced

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

3.0

In the time I read this book, I picked it up and put it down and finished a few other books in the meantime. I found it quite hard to get into and favored other more entertaining reads, but once I had a few uninterrupted hours to read I got through it quickly. 

Going into it as such a fan of Brooks' "Horse," I had high hopes. I quickly realized that the immense detail and world-building I loved from that novel was a touch tiresome when I wasn't as familiar with or interested in the overall premise of the novel.