Scan barcode
jrayereads's reviews
290 reviews
The Husbands by Chandler Baker
3.0
I really enjoyed Baker’s writing style which was captivating and infused with lots of humor. The dialogue was painfully real and very believable and I was invested in Nora’s story. There was a solid amount of tension built at the beginning, both in Nora’s marriage, and also with the other women in the neighborhood. Unfortunately that tension didn’t really go anywhere? The twists were pretty predictable and bland. I was waiting for things to get CRAZY and they just didn’t.
3 stars for it being mostly enjoyable and I would definitely read something else written by this author. It mostly just needed stronger payoff for so much build up. I appreciated the feminist themes that Baker attempted to weave in, but they would’ve hit so much harder if the plot had been tighter.
Also a minor pet peeve is that the therapist character should NOT have basically all her neighbors/friends as clients. Not that she was that ethical of a therapist anyways, which is obviously the point, but still.
3 stars for it being mostly enjoyable and I would definitely read something else written by this author. It mostly just needed stronger payoff for so much build up. I appreciated the feminist themes that Baker attempted to weave in, but they would’ve hit so much harder if the plot had been tighter.
Also a minor pet peeve is that the therapist character should NOT have basically all her neighbors/friends as clients. Not that she was that ethical of a therapist anyways, which is obviously the point, but still.
The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? N/A
4.0
It’s a gorgeously written Anne of Green Gables retelling with Marilla as a grumpy witch and adorably cozy magic. What more could you want in a book?
I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger
4.5
I Cheerfully Refuse is a lovely dystopian novel with some of the most refreshingly gorgeous prose I have read in a long time. The world that Lief Enger built was familiar enough to create a looming darkness and bleak atmosphere, but it was foreign enough to feel anxious at what the harshness of these different coastal towns would throw at our protagonist. Enger’s characterization is stellar. I adored Rainy as a protagonist. He is gentle, observant, and clever, which made accompanying him through a confusing and sometimes infuriatingly unfair landscape deeply satisfying. The writing was concise and beautiful with moments of being genuinely hilarious.
This is not a fast read and it was a book that I slowly enjoyed over a much longer period of time than I usually take to finish a 300~ page book. One thing keeping it from a full 5 stars was a few moments where the excellently built tension and momentum would stall, leaving me either a bit confused by where we were at or antsy to get moving forward. Despite this, the payoff was worth it for the moments where the story stagnated and despite the occasional frustration, the ending was deeply satisfying.
This is a story about grief and community, exploitation and dread, existential malaise and finding meaning when things feel hopeless. It felt granular and personal but it was also a daring adventure. I will be thinking about this world and these characters for a long time.
This is not a fast read and it was a book that I slowly enjoyed over a much longer period of time than I usually take to finish a 300~ page book. One thing keeping it from a full 5 stars was a few moments where the excellently built tension and momentum would stall, leaving me either a bit confused by where we were at or antsy to get moving forward. Despite this, the payoff was worth it for the moments where the story stagnated and despite the occasional frustration, the ending was deeply satisfying.
This is a story about grief and community, exploitation and dread, existential malaise and finding meaning when things feel hopeless. It felt granular and personal but it was also a daring adventure. I will be thinking about this world and these characters for a long time.