justagirlwithabook's reviews
432 reviews

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett

adventurous dark funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Well this was a fun and zany read! Here's the premise: An angel and a demon have been enemies since day one in the Garden of Eden. Fast forward to the 90s and they've gotten fairly accustomed to the world and they fairly well like it. Enter in the Antichrist ... as a child. Neither the angel nor the demon are too happy about potentially allowing Armageddon to commence, and so, as the frenemies that they are, they decide to work together to derail the whole thing ... or at least neutralize each other’s actions enough that heaven and hell will have no choice but to abandon the plan and start all over, ultimately leaving the angel and demon to continue their enjoyment-filled lives on earth. This was a great mash up of Gaiman’s talent with words and descriptions and off characters and Pratchett’s wacky storylines. I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised!

Becoming by Michelle Obama

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

Oh, what do I say about this one? I'm probably officially the last person in the goodreads world to finally read this book. I started out on paper and then put in the (months long) wait time for the audio because I just had to. There's something about hearing a person tell their own story, you know, and Michelle is no exception. Talk about a really down to earth and transparent First Lady. I'm so thankful for her contributions, past and ongoing, and the positivity that she puts out into the world. If you haven't read this one yet, then I guess YOU'RE the last person to read it. Tag, you're it.

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I feel partially bad for sequels because they have to follow an amazing first act, you know what I mean? It ends up being a comparison between the first book and the second book, when in reality, they're both incredible books in their own right and would stand up to scrutiny when compared with books outside of their own trilogy. So let's all admit that there's often something about that first book that puts some magical spell on us. Done. Admitted. Now let's talk about how amazing the second one was ... how it picked up on the second day of Kvothe's story like no time had passed, and how with each passing adventure, we're lured deeper into the whole puzzle that is the Chandrian, The Amyr, and Kvothe's connection to it all. If you haven't read The Name of the Wind yet, get on it, and do yourself a favor and immediately read this one afterwards.

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

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

4.0

This was such a fun book and the start of a new series for me that I think will become a favorite. It follows a constable named Peter Grant who discovers quite by accident that he's a wizard. Under the apprenticeship of Chief Inspector Nightingale, Peter takes on a villainous ghost who's wreaking havoc and chaos in London, two old river gods and goddesses of the Thames, and a slew of other odd characters. If you enjoy books in the vein of Sookie Stackhouse (the Southern Vampire Mysteries series) or Jim Butcher's fantasy series The Dresdon Files, and if you especially appreciate dry, British humor, you need to check this book out - it'll be a new favorite!

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This was officially my first reread of the year, and it's been a long time coming. The last time I read Outlander was a decade ago, and I'd pretty much forgotten everything. If you know me and my bookish habits, I don't reread often until enough time has passed that it's like reading a favorite for the first time all over again. And I'm happy to say that Outlander remains a favorite and will continue to stay on The List (of favorites of all time). If I had to put it in a category, I'd place it right next to Pillars of the Earth; it's rich in history, time and place, and the characters are ones you love and hate on a deeper level than most. (Jonathan Randall joins the list of "villains I passionately hate" alongside Henry Bowers and William Hamleigh.)

Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Yikes. I didn't know what I was signing up for when I invited people to join me in a buddy read of what is more commonly known as The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Part of me wishes to apologize even (we were all so excited and then it turned out the way it did). It started out good, funny even, and then it turned ugly really quickly. I don't know that there was one honorable male character in the whole book, but at least the pet goat didn't die, and we'll always have that. Was it a valuable reading experience? Yes. Will I ever pick it up again? Nope.

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous hopeful tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I didn't know if this was going to be the book to get me out of my rut, but it would appear that it's started me back on the right path! This is Book 2 of the Mistborn trilogy, and in a few ways it suffers from second book syndrome: it has to get us from the first book to the third. The first 200 pages were a bit slow (court politics, etc.), but once I passed it, the plot picked up significantly. Highlights from this one: revisiting beloved characters, meeting some new ones, and mourning the loss of some old ones. If you've read the Shades of Magic trilogy and enjoyed them, I highly recommend this trilogy. It's IS unique, but you'll find some shared elements at the forefront: fast-paced plot, strong characters, and awesome worldbuilding.

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

After reading Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy for what felt like ages, I've finally finished! Though I did really enjoy the trilogy, I can't say at this point that I've come out of it as a diehard Sanderson fan. That being said, I'm sure to read more of his books in the future anyway. He has a good handle on worldbuilding and creating systems of "magic" that work well. So, highlights from this trilogy: awesome female lead, endearing "crew" members, unique sort-of magical system, and a mostly fast-paced plot (the first couple hundred pages of each book were the toughest). Recommend to people who really enjoyed the Shades of Magic trilogy by Schwab!

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I've been in a bit of a "thriller" mood lately, it would seem, and this one did not disappoint! It grabbed me from the first few pages and I couldn't put it down (except for general life obligations). The story follows a criminal psychotherapist named Theo who is determined to reach his patient, Alicia Berenson, who hasn't spoken a word since she murdered her husband years ago. All she left behind was a painting and her silence. Now Theo is determined to figure out what happened and to save his patient. But, as is the case with most mystery/thrillers, things aren't quite as simple as they appear, and what we're led to believe is often just the tip of the iceberg. If you want a quick read with a twist, this is your book!

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0