imperfectcj's reviews
2149 reviews

A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond

adventurous emotional slow-paced

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

3.5

It took me a while to get into this one, and I eventually needed to enlist the aid of the audiobook, which was helpful in getting a sense for the Welsh pronunciations anyway, but in the end, I quite enjoyed this novel. It's definitely dated, written in 1976 with gender roles to match, but the mythology and the emotional truth of the relationships makes up for some of my grouchy feelings about the importance of learning homemaking for a teen girl.

The Waiting by Michael Connelly

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

This is a pretty straightforward Ballard/Bosch novel, with more focus on the younger Bosch. Touching on so many different cases and personal issues made this one a little challenging to follow sometimes, but it's still an enjoyable read.

The Warehouse by Rob Hart

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

This novel captures well the feeling that the tech-bro-owned companies inspire in me...that sense that the world is worse for how they do things but also that there's so little one can do to resist them. And really, what's the alternative? My attempts at resistance remind me of the "Flaming Moe's" episode of The Simpsons where Homer yells, "You just lost yourself a customer!" but the bar is so full, Moe can't hear him. But I still try.

Desert Creatures by Kay Chronister

dark emotional hopeful slow-paced

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

3.5

This one is weird and moody, which I like, but it's not quite as tight as Chronister's The Bog Wife.

A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

I'm not sure the setting played much of a role in this mystery, and several of the characters feel almost extraneous, but it's a diverting story nevertheless. I like how Christie writes about aging. This one has a feel reminiscent to The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

This one is decent. It has some fun twists (and some that are a little confusing), but it seems like it can't quite decide how YA it is. Part of that could be the audiobook narrator (who also mispronounced several words, and whoever was editing the audiobook left background sounds in a few times, which I found distracting), but I think a lot of it is just how tenuous the characters are, like they're not fully formed. 

The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister

emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

4.0

This novel does not go in any of the several directions I expected it to, which is actually kind of delightful. It's a bizarre story of family systems, mourning, and discovering new ways of upholding responsibilities when the old ones no longer work. In a way, it's kind of a coming-of-age story for the painful growing up one does when our parents no longer carry us (literally and metaphorically), for whatever reason and at whatever age.

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

I kept putting this one off because I wanted to re-familiarize myself with There There first, but finally I picked it up without the re-read, and I'm glad I stopped delaying. The interwoven stories, including those in the past and present and about figures both fictional and historical, are gripping and deal poignantly with how various addictions can draw a person in and how the legacy of colonialism continues today.

The repetition of "hella" and the focus on breadth rather than depth in character development detract a bit from an otherwise well-told story.

Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice

adventurous hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

What a beautiful and immersive follow-up this novel is. I love the portrayal of the landscape and that Rice leaves dialogue in Anishinaabemowin untranslated, with context clues to meaning. While reading this novel, I have found myself observing the world around me differently and requesting from myself more attention in the moment. I find myself contemplating what's most important and how to center those elements in my life. It's a gift of a book.

Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman

informative sad medium-paced

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

4.0

My mom and my brother both worked at a major discount retailer in a rust belt city for several years, and Waldman captures well the feeling of being trapped---by corporate indifference, by an economically bifurcated community, by the accident of birth and privilege---that those years highlighted for our family (and that led me to boycott the retailer for 25+ years and counting). This is a well written but depressing novel from the #ToB25 longlist.