laurenrussell's reviews
60 reviews

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This took awhile for me to really get into, but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it (i don’t think it was the books fault). this book to me is a case study on grief. the alternating chapters on past and present paint a vivid picture, especially how knowing the past makes the present so much more devastating. i honestly was not expecting how impactful this was, I even teared up at the

hamlet playbill reveal and how cruel it was for agnes to learn

it’s weighing heavy on me. i wasn’t sure what i was getting into! 

as always, maggie o’farrells writing is superb. before reading, i had read reviews of it being bulky and wordy but i think it comes down to preference. the writing is deeply immerse and paints a mood vibrantly. one of my favorite parts of this book was the chapter on the flea, and how it tracked the flea’s journey in a domino-effect. the descriptions of grief are unmatched. i’m not really sure what to say—i feel empty lol. 

a heavy but rewarding read. 

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

after reading lapvona i had to take a long break from miss moshfegh but what a great book to come back to! like her other books im not really sure how to describe it—its gross, morbid, but something about it draws you in. eileen the character was fascinating to read about and even though nothing really happens in this book until the last 20%, i was hooked from the beginning just curious to learn more about her odd, grotesque mind. the characters are vibrant, the imagery is rich, the writing is a++++ .

i really enjoyed how the future eileen narrated this and alluded to all her personal growth. eileen is the most extreme and depraved representation for feeling lost when you’re young/womanhood. 

The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.25

A gentle, comforting book with gorgeous imagery. there are uncomfortable parts (that’s how nature is), but Renkl shows (not convince) us that it is all ok. I’m not a huge fan of essay collections, but the premise of this book sounded too good to pass up and i found it during a very stressful time. if you are a maladaptive daydreamer pondering the world 24/7—this book is for you. 

i highly recommend this book as something to read on a nature-y vacation or something to pick up and put down frequently when you want to feel grounded and connected to the natural world. I think reading this book in 1 sitting takes away from its potential. i will definitely reread this book when im out in a cabin or camping! 

themes of environmentalism, community, aging, mindfulness, and acceptance. 

my favorite part of this was the author and her reflections on aging and how it felt to her. it seems most books now are a struggling 20 something woman so this was refreshing. the pandemic references and reflections were also very tolerable and relatable—i don’t like to read about it but in this case it was comforting. also as a tennessean, it’s always a joy to read about someone appreciating the beauty of this state and the south in general. 

it can be very wordy and flowery but i enjoyed it in this context. i almost think it forces you to slow down, listen, and appreciate which is the entire theme of the book! only criticism is that it can be a little repetitive and a bit judgmental towards others. 

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

👁️💧💧👁️

i laughed, i cried, i was anxious, i was happy….a tender book that i will be thinking about for a long time. i can’t emphasize how much i loved the appalachian history sprinkled in and the beautiful descriptions of the landscape and also culture—the good and bad. i’ll admit i don’t have much exposure to the topic of addiction, but kingsolver paints a crushing and empathetic picture. there were so many lines in this book that hit hard and punched you in the gut. writing is a+ and I was happy I read the acknowledgments because Kingsolver explains she based this book off of David Copperfield and Charles Dickens in general—her genius mind. 

i could ramble forever but what impressed me was the class conversations—especially examining city vs rural and how it’s the same issue just manifests differently. Think the McCobbs vs Creaky. As someone from Knoxville, I cracked up over the descriptions and was obsessed that Governor’s School was mentioned! 

extremely loveable characters that will break your heart while you root for them. a great diversity of characters as well, it was fun learning about everyone. 

themes i’ve been thinking about after reading: friendship, support systems, poverty, capitalism/environment, and stereotypes. can’t recommend this enough. 

Bunny by Mona Awad

funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No

3.5

This book definitely takes the cake for the most bizarre book I’ve read. Not really sure what to say other than it was fun and sometimes confusing. I didn’t find it to be as “crazy” as some people said. Unreliable narrator + wild imagination vibes. I did love the “twist” though. Mona Awad is an excellent writer and the imagery/descriptions used throughout the book were stunning. 

Left me thinking about friendships and in/outgroups. Overall not my fav but there’s a lot to be analyzed and if I cared enough I would read it again. Overall, recommend. 

Penance by Eliza Clark

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense

5.0

this book consumed me and every spare moment i had i tried to read it. a riveting, disturbing, and in-depth story that takes a stark look at the weirdness of the true crime industry. the quips about meal delivery box ads and the inappropriate (and misogynistic) jokes during the “podcasts” cut deep and really forced some reflection. it was hard to remember this was a fictional novel because it was so immersive and detailed it felt real (thankfully not lol)

I didn’t really know much about the book going into it, but there is a whole unreliable narrator aspect throughout it which I always love and in this case was very captivating. It was so strange reading a book about middle/high school girls in the 2010s when I was in the exact same age as well! Eliza Clark did such an excellent job at capturing the absurdity of the culture especially around tumblr. The included posts and comments mirrored the language exactly (key board smashing, “i’m going to cry” were 2 things that really stuck out to me) and i found that incredibly impressive and immersive.

i expected a regular true crime mystery book and instead got a book that challenges us to examine that industry while exploring girlhood, the pains of maturing in a (repressive) small town, and fandom internet culture. loved every moment of reading it and highly recommend it! 

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Amazing that this is a debut novel! Of course the premise immediately drew me in but the writing was so vivid and descriptive that it was a great read. It didn’t make me as emotional though as others described which is why I took off the .5. The first chapter (Magos) was where I felt the most emotional and honestly depressed lol. 

I came to really love Monstrilio, especially

his pre human form. I was upset when I thought he had died at the end of the Magos chapter. I liked his evolution and his almost child-like naivety.

Loved how the book shifted from the 4 perspectives, I enjoyed Lena’s the most. Such a deep and intricate character, I almost want a book just on her! I particularly enjoyed her dilemma of how to balance Magos/Joseph’s wants with what was best for Monstrilio. I will say Magos is an insane woman, even not taking her way of coping with grief into account. All the characters are questionable, but Magos is truly unhinged at times.

This book explores grief, how different it is for each person, what it means to be human/monster, and the expectations we have for loved ones. Wouldn’t say it’s horror, but def dark/creepy vibes about grief and our little monster. Loved this book and will probably buy a copy! 

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

adventurous emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Wow I don’t think I’ve ever been so blindsided by the twists in this book. I only wish it had a better buildup with more tension and pacing. I was roughly 200 pages in and everything felt repetitive and honestly a little boring. It felt like stereotypical airport thriller but then those last 150 pages came and I guess made up for it. Took way too long to reach the point of actually interesting twists and I felt the writing was lackluster at times. I loved the premise of seaside cliff mega mansion murder mystery but the writing just didn’t have the imagery or tone to really immerse the reader/emit the vibe. But once you get to the twists it’s quite good and very shocking!  I also despised Kit—I found her to be so annoying and insufferable. After the snow globe scene l had to put down the book because it made me so mad 😭 

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

adventurous dark reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

4.75

I’ve never read any historical fiction during this time period and it was wonderful reading about it. I had so much fun researching different words and clothes and picturing what everything looked like. The imagery and writing was natural and immersive, and I think Lucre was such a vivid character and it felt like I was getting to know a real person. Seeing her (painfully) learn the realities of the world and grow from a naive child was heartbreaking and I loved witnessing it. This book drew me in immediately and was quick, I don’t think there were any dull/slow parts to the story. Loved the switching timelines—it really built up the suspense and tension. The ending was superb imo. Will definitely check out more of the authors books. I was left thinking of: women’s roles/femininity, masculinity, family dynamics, and the passion behind art