heathero621's reviews
562 reviews

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This book is about a widowed women and her two young children that hear a man in their house one night.  They hide out in a secret area of the house, so that he can't get them.  The mom then escapes to get help, but once she does no one believes her and as the reader you aren't sure if she can be believed either.  This was a really good thriller.  I listened to the audiobook and it kept my attention and I enjoyed the narrator and the story.  This was a good book about questioning the narrator and you weren't sure if she was reliable or not reliable.  There was a lot of tension that was building.  I enjoyed the story and liked the ending.

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

emotional reflective sad 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? No

3.0

This book is about a small group of people that bond over books.  They read from a list of books that one of the characters found.  I only thought that the book was so-so.  I think that I had much different expectations from what I thought the book would be to what it actually was.  It was a bit more depressing than I had thought it would be, especially the end.  I had kind of a hard time keeping track of the side characters and who was who.  The characters were likable and it was a decent found family story, but it just wasn't grabbing my attention.

Dearly by Margaret Atwood

informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.0

This is a collection of poems about life.  There were some that I really resonated with.  These poems were also not too over my head and I understood them, which I appreciated!

Wellness by Nathan Hill

challenging emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Jack and Elizabeth meet in college in the 90s and now they are older and in the process of building their dream home and their marriage seems to be falling apart.  The book goes back in forth in time (even to great-great grandparents) to give history of why the main characters are where they are now.  The book was a slow burn for me.  I thought that it would be a quicker paced one, but it wasn't.  I liked all of the backstories about their families (those stories are the ones that actually stick with me the most), but kind of wished there was more backstory about them.  The book is already so long, that adding in that would make it even longer, so I understand why it isn't there.  I just felt like there wasn't much to know about them from after they met until the current times.  There were pieces here and there, but not much.  I went into the book thinking that it was a novel just about these two people from the time they meet until the current times, which is only a portion of what the book is about.  I liked the Wellness aspect that was in the book.

Good Material by Dolly Alderton

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

Andy and his girlfriend recently broke up and he's having a very hard time getting over her.  This story is about him post break-up.  I listened to the audio and I have no complaints there.  I thought that it was really well done.  Where I do have my complaints is with Andy.  I really couldn't stand his character and just kept thinking to myself I wish that he would just get over her and himself already.  The self pity was annoying to keep reading about.  I actually enjoyed the book more towards the end where he is finally getting his life back together.  There were some funny bits, but I had thought this book was more of a comedy than it actually was.  I really liked that the girlfriend got to share her point of view at the end, it made the book a bit better.

Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh

challenging dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

A famous actor named Billy is accused of killing his girlfriend and bodyguard.  He is going to trial for the murders and is represented by attorney Eddie Flynn.  Eddie is sure that Bobby didn't do it, but it really looks like he did.  As Eddie and his co-workers look into the case more it looks as though it was a serial killer that has been framing a bunch of guys for the murders of people.  This serial killer somehow makes his way onto juries to make sure that the person is convicted.  That is the case here with this trial.  Serial killer Cane (or maybe Kane, I listened to the audiobook) gets on the jury and is trying to make sure Bobby is convicted and will kill anyone who gets in his way.

This book was a fun listen.  I like how it was told from Eddie's point of view and Cane's point of view, so we got to see two sides to the same story.  There was definitely tension in the book, especially when it got to the end, but there were no crazy twists that happened, which I liked.  This was a good crime drama.

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

More: A Memoir of Open Marriage by Molly Roden Winter

challenging emotional informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

3.0

Molly and her husband decide to make their marriage open and this is her account of what happens once they do that.  This was interesting to read because I am not in an open marriage and it is very hard to imagine being in one and confirms that I do not want to be in one.  I listened to the audiobook and I thought that it was good to consume it that way.  I think the thing that rubbed me the wrong way and made me like the story less is that Molly and Stewart decide to have an open marriage, but whenever she gets broken up with she starts complaining about the open marriage and "whining" about not wanting to be in one and blaming Stewart for wanting to be in one.  But it seems like whenever she is dating someone she is okay with it.  I think if you are curious to see how one open marriage works you could check out this book, but if you aren't interested at all, then I would skip it.

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

This is a poetry/short essay book that looks at how Black people are treated in the current times.  The stories and reflection on these events are powerful and eye opening.  This is a short book and can be finished in one sitting.  I think that Rankine's words will make you reflect on the racism that is happening currently.

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

Cyrus is an Iranian immigrant who came to the US with his dad after his mother died after her plane was accidentally shot down by the US.  Cyrus is now in college and is reflecting on his life and wants to write a book on Martyrs.  He meets this woman performance artist that is doing a piece at the museum and going to talk to her becomes a big part of his life.  I enjoyed the novel.  I think that the first third and last third were the best parts.  I felt like it dragged a bit in the middle.  The ending was not at all expected and I was really happy with how it worked out.