lisabage's reviews
571 reviews

To Die For by David Baldacci

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Great storyline. Multiple narrators on the audio that were all really easy to follow. I appreciate how Baldacci’s characters are so clear and separate from one another. While this is the third in the series, he gives you enough backstory to catch on without so much that you get bored. This character, Travis Devine, is one of our favorites. Flawed, realistic, and driven. 

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.5

Not my favorite Patchett. Interesting premise, great ending, but a lot of meandering in the middle. Became a slog. But the ending was a worthy payoff. Recommended if you love Patchett’s writing style already.  

The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu

funny hopeful informative fast-paced

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

3.5

A substitute teacher dies in the faculty lounge. The plot holds together a series of character studies about the people at a high school. Interesting characters and a fun set of circumstances. A little preachy with a few too many excursions into liberal opinions about the state of the education system. But an overall sense of teaching as an honorable and rewarding profession, an opinion we don’t get to share much these days. 

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

challenging dark 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

4.5

Incredible writing. Author says much is based in factual accounts of China during WWII. Fantasy elements added to the story. Tone started light and descended into horrific. Recommended for those that can handle gruesome scenes. 

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

adventurous 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? Yes

3.0

Well written. The main character spoke like a teenager but was supposed to be 30. Other than that, fun characters, classic hero’s journey adventure. Inspired me to try more fantasy. 

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway

challenging emotional reflective fast-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? Yes

4.0

A beautiful character study of how normal people navigate war. Heart wrenching yet hopeful.

The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron

adventurous inspiring 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

4.0

A fun romp through a female pirate's life. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting and the struggles of the main characters. The fight scenes were gory and compelling. The first half of the book felt realistic, but the second half leaned heavily on the "fiction" part of historical fiction. It's an interesting idea of what life could have been like though, and well worth the read. As all good readers do, suspend disbelief!

Golden Hill by Francis Spufford
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.

Language was just too hard to get through. Olde English. 

The Hunger by Alma Katsu

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

A fictionalized account of the Donner tragedy. Interesting, well written. Not sure the fictionalization was any better than the actual story. A 3.5 stars at best. 

The Toy Makers by Robert Dinsdale

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

A toy store full of magical toys that’s only open in the winter, a love story, and a bitter sibling rivalry, all wrapped up in a story about war and peace and memories. A great Christmas read!