jasbeingjas's reviews
829 reviews

The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke

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hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

This is a beautiful short story, and the artwork is gorgeous.  Very whimsical, and a little bit like magical realism.  I especially enjoyed reading the afterward.  It's beautiful the way art can inspire more art, the way that it can stick with us for years.
Lean in: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

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hopeful informative slow-paced

3.0

I had to remind myself that this book came out like a decade ago, so it's natural to feel like this is nothing new.  I think if you aren't familiar with gender biases in the workplace this can be a great starting point.  Personally, some of the personal anecdotes felt self indulgent and dragged on a bit for me.  I'm sure for others these stories might have come across as helpful but I just didn't personally care for them.  But I also have a strong sense that this book in a lot of ways was preaching to the choir.  Most women know these things, having either personally felt or experienced them, but I guess in some ways reading it could be more validating.  Unfortunately, I don't think we've come as far as Sandberg would have hoped since this book came out.
A Very Krampus Holiday by Katee Robert

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Short and spicy little holiday novella. More on the darker side. But it’s just 15 pages so really not a lot of time for story or character building. 
Desperate Measures by Katee Robert

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dark emotional hopeful 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? No

4.5

I really really loved Jafar and Yasmina.  This is one of my favorite authors and I can't believe I've waited so long to dive into this series.  I loved all the bonus content as well.  This is a gorgeous edition with cool artwork sprinkled throughout.
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The Demon's Queen by Katee Robert

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emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-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

4.25

I was dying for this book in the series and it was so good!  I knew I would love Azazel and I’m glad I liked Eve too!  It was fun seeing scenes from some of the other books with more context in this one. I only wish there was an epilogue or something more. The ending felt so abrupt. 
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An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I wasn’t very excited for this book in the series but it’s one of the few I haven’t read yet and I was pleasantly surprised! I really like Benedict and Sophie together and I loved watching Violet be a superb mother and championing them both. I also loved what a hopeless romantic Benedict is even if he’s very quiet and secretive about it. The 2nd epilogue for this book was also great! Loved seeing Posy’s story. 
The Palmistry Workbook: A Step-by-step Guide to the Art of Palm Reading by Laeticia Valverde

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
I had a really hard time getting into this book.  As much as I would love to learn more about palmistry it just wasn't an enjoyable read.  The book also often made references to other lines/area on a palm, various mounts, that hadn't actually been explained or introduced yet.  Without any illustration for where on the palm that might be.  I think this just wasn't the book for me, or good for my learning style.
On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn

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emotional funny hopeful 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? No

3.5

This was a fun story but I absolutely hate Richard and Hermione. Especially Richard. I also didn’t love that Gregory was interested in someone else first. But overall I love Gregory and Lucy together. I’m a bit sad that Kate wasn’t more present in the second half when she was so much a champion for Lucy in the beginning. I loved seeing hyacinth since she and Gregory are so close. Just note that if you read the second epilogue there it could be triggering due to life threatening pregnancy/birthing complications. 
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-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

4.0

Screaming into the void because the ending was not what I hoped but still great story!  I was actually in a bit of a reading slump and definitely struggled with the beginning of this book, but I I think that was more because of my slump than the book just getting off to a slow start. 
Lore Olympus: Volume Seven by Rachel Smythe

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emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Loved this segment in lore Olympus! 
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