imperfectcj's reviews
2149 reviews

The Book of George by Kate Greathead

reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

The characters in this novel are realistic and complex, which means they're also maddening. They make stupid choices and jump to conclusions and repeat the same patterns of behavior over and over. But I liked reading this novel. The flow of the story feels right to me, and even my frustration with George and his total self-involvement is satisfying, in a way.

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

emotional inspiring slow-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed this one a lot (despite it dragging a bit towards the end). Walker is so spot-on about public reactions to the discovery and spread of a novel virus, I could hardly believe that this was published in 2019. With one kid at college near the mountains east of LA and another who goes to camp every year in the mountains there, I had a lot of stored imagery to apply to the setting of this novel (but I think I would have liked it anyway).

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

dark medium-paced

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

3.0

I'm giving this one a so-so rating. The characters are interesting, but I live in the part of the country where this story is set, and some inconsistencies bother me (the assertion that hawks don't live in the suburbs when they so do, the common existence of daily school buses in a place where bus service is rare). Also, I don't really get why plants can't grow because there's not enough light when there are still equal amounts of light and dark.

Life Without Children by Roddy Doyle

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

I enjoyed this collection of pandemic stories, even though---like the days during lockdown---the stories tend to blend into one another. In these stories, Doyle explores with sensitivity issues of connection, estrangement, vulnerability, mental illness, substance abuse, and grief. I know a lot of people still don't like revisiting that time, but I find it intriguing and therapeutic to look back at those years that have influenced so much.

Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

While this novel was maybe a little on the nose in a few spots (and the implied future love interest is NOT the person I expected it to be), I enjoyed reading it. The characters are interesting, and I look forward to reading more about them and what they get themselves into. Based on this installment, I think it's quite likely that Marsons's writing will become more skillful as the series progresses.

The Spite House by Johnny Compton

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

This one starts out quite creepy with the story unfolding in a gradual, satisfying way, but then it takes a fork in the road that doesn't quite work for me. There's a plot point that seems central but then kind of gets sidelined, and the logic behind the haunting kind of breaks down. Still a good read, even though it loses steam in the second half.

City of Bones by Martha Wells

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

Although the plot is different, the tone of this novel reminds me of Six of Crows. Wells's skill at worldbuilding and creating three-dimensional characters is evident. Occasionally I found the action difficult to follow, especially with some of the more out-there locations, but overall it was an engrossing read.

Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

More gross than spooky for me. It makes some interesting statements about addiction, but it kind of goes off the rails in a way that doesn't quite work for me. I'm not sure what's inspiring so much of the fungus horror these days. Maybe candida overgrowth controlling our actions? 

Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show by Bethany Joy Lenz

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

I've never seen One Tree Hill and had never heard of Lenz, but I'm intrigued by cults, so I picke  this one up. Lenz's vulnerability makes this story compelling, and her narration is excellent. The common threads between cults and other abusive relationships come through clearly, as does the way increasingly bizarre behaviors can seem logical at any given point, like the "frog in boiling water" analogy. Awareness of the tactics of abusers on any scale is important so that our own needs/wants don't keep us from seeing abuse and manipulation for what they are, in our personal relationships and on a larger scale. It also highlights how poorly we as a culture do at identifying and helping stop abuse.

Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

2.5

I'm not a huge fan of this one. I appreciate the idea that revealing a truth can injure those who are innocent, but there are a lot of strange ideas here about creating a family through adoption and about maternal instinct and about women---especially middle-aged women---that I have trouble getting past. (I was going to say the ideas about women are outdated, but in the current climate, it's clear that a lot of these are still thriving.)