librosconcafe's reviews
269 reviews

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

For me, this book felt really long. I felt this way in particular during the second half. I didn’t seem to enjoy it as much as the first one. It was still good though. I felt it was jumping from setting to setting a lot and I didn’t have much descriptions to be able to picture it in my mind. 

Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart M. Brown Jr.

informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

4.5

A really good book, I thought, on the importance of play. 

I think the author was a little harsh on video games at times. I think it would’ve been more beneficial to talk about the positives of gaming and how that can also be a form of play. 

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

adventurous tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I will say that reading books 1-5 within 7 months is the biggest accomplishment of my reading life…especially since most of them  are over 1000 pages long. 

With that said, I liked the fifth book less than the previous four. It’s still good writing, no doubt. This is definitely where the show and the book branch off in totally opposite spectrums. They go in completely different directions. I didn’t expect a lot of it. I just hope we live to see the sequels written. 😅

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

4.25

A very nice memoir about one writer’s experience with running. It’s cool to see how running has shaped many other parts of his life. Sometimes we write hobbies off as being silly or asking why one would do that…but through this writing, we see how our hobbies can improve the overall quality of our life and even make us do our work better. 

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

I didn’t love it as much as Behind Her Eyes, but it still kept me going. I didn’t expect the twist and the ending was…interesting. It was a fun read overall.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous emotional tense 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? Yes

4.5

This book had a very unique premise and kept me hooked throughout. I also liked the depth of the characters. 

Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal

informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

This was a 5 star book that gradually decreased the further I got. The information was fascinating and very important. I learned a lot as well. The second half of the book was in longer chapters, making it harder to get through. There are a lot of neat ideas that could possibly shape the world. 
I’d be interested to see an updated version since we’ve increased a lot the last 15 years in technology. The games mentioned could be useful in the real world, as a pandemic became a reality since this was written. All in all, it was a good read. 

That Sounds Fun: The Joys of Being an Amateur, the Power of Falling in Love, and Why You Need a Hobby by Annie F. Downs

funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

3.75

It was a decent read overall. I was hoping for more on the topic of hobbies, but she didn’t get to that until 70% or so. Still, it’s full of some good stories that are relatable. 

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin

adventurous tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

It was interesting exploring some of the characters’ point of views, especially Cersei’s. This one felt long at times, however. There wasn’t much action or any big events the book was leading up to. But if you read it as part of the whole series, it’s still very good. The writing is superb, as usual. I look forward to reading the rest after a short break. 

The Friend Group by Ty Hutchinson
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.

I wasn’t feeling it.