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hannahleelovestoread's reviews
613 reviews
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, War
Minor: Grief
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Car accident
Minor: Emotional abuse
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Lonely Prisoner by Michael J. Kundu is a fast-paced mystery about a man wrongly convicted of a terrible crime. Michael, as the author interestingly chooses to call him, barely remembers the fateful night he left a local bar after a fun night with friends. The legal system shows no sympathy, however, and he is given a lengthy sentence. While enduring the horrors of solitary confinement, Michael befriends a prison guard named Jack and comes to trust the man even via the communicative limits of the food slot at the front of the high-security prison cell. There is a twist, however, that Michael never sees coming. While I enjoyed the book overall and did not predict the exact ending, I guessed the gist of what would happen from early on. This book has potential, but the mystery element could have had more depth, and much of the dialogue felt a bit stilted. This piece is a solid effort with numerous promising components, and I look to see more from Kundu in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
American Idioms for Leadership by Liz Chroman and Richard Koret is an instruction manual on turns of phrase in the English language on this side of the Atlantic. Divided neatly into sections according to larger overall categories, the history; etymology; and modern usage of idioms ranging from “up in the air” to “weigh your options” to “let the cat out of the bag” are discussed. As a history buff, I thoroughly enjoyed the refresher on interesting tidbits like the Alexandrian legend behind “Gordian’s knot.” I also found it fascinating to learn what a strong effect Harry Truman’s famous motto “the buck stops here” has ultimately had on modern American linguistics. To summarize, this was an incredibly fun, quick, easy read. The unique premise kept things interesting, but the material remained light and casual enough for the book to qualify as a palate cleanser. I’d definitely recommend this work to anyone.
Satisfaction Selling: How to Become a Trusted Advisor in High-Value Complex Sales and Build a Movement of Positive Activists Using the Satisfaction Cycle
Henrik Wenøe, Virpi Varjonen, Joseph Riggio
informative
medium-paced
Satisfaction Selling by Joseph Riggio, Virpi Varjonen, and Henrik Wenøe is an upbeat self-help work. A manifesto on Riggio’s 1990’s business innovation, the Satisfaction Cycle, it touts a fresh approach to marketing — one uniquely customized to each client’s wants, needs, and personal brand. “Satisfaction Selling,” the authors explain, “is about fundamentally about uncovering each person's unique decision-making process.” I admire this personalized business approach and the way that the authors explained it by breaking the Satisfaction Cycle down into five steps: Present State Positive, Desired State Positive, Process, Solution Experience, and Action. These authors are fond of saying that a salesperson who carries out this method successfully becomes a “trusted advisor” in satisfied clients’ minds. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the piece was the inclusion of the Platinum rather than the Golden Rule: Treat others as they wish to be treated. Overall, I recommend this book to any businessperson or client for a new perspective on successful marketing.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Stellar Wanderer by John Dalomba is a fresh and exciting science fiction novella. It tells the story of Nova, who was born on Earth and travels the universe, and her emergency landing on the mysterious planet of Xeranthia. Once there, she meets a nameless boy with whom she shares a connection which she believes cannot be coincidence. After learning the universe is in great peril, Nova and her friend embark on a long and convoluted quest to save everything they know and believe. This is a fine work of science fiction, full of detailed descriptions of outlandish yet sentient beings with the potential to alter space and time. I developed a genuine affection for the main characters, and the author’s writing style is unique and memorable. My only minor complaint was that the complicated, fast-paced plot became a bit hard to follow at certain points. Overall, however, I highly recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Violence
Minor: Death, Death of parent
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Developing My Type: Personal Life Edition by Guadalupe Lepe is a thoroughly explanatory book which delves into the behavioral tendencies of each of the sixteen personality types defined by the Myers-Briggs test. Even in the business and psychology courses I took in high school and college, I never encountered such detailed information about my personality type — INFJ — or any of the others. I learned, for example, that I am a typical INFJ in that I dislike being forced to adjust quickly to unexpected situations. As a “judger” rather than a “perceiver,” I am also more likely to actively and immediately seek a resolution to conflict as opposed to taking time to cool down. My only complaint with this text is that it operates entirely on the assumptions of the Myers-Briggs test, which has been proven to be scientifically invalid. However, many people — myself included — find their “types” to be uncannily accurate depictions of their personalities. As such, overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who understands that its advice must be taken with a grain of salt, so to speak.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes