lisabage's reviews
527 reviews

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

adventurous mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

It’s unusual that I think the second half of a book is better than the first. This book opens calmly and comfortably. The second half turns into a more dramatic mystery although still a bit of a cozy mystery. I appreciated the feel of the novel as much as the plot. The plot got a bit confusing at points but all made sense at the end. Would recommend for someone looking for a warm family mystery.

Started with the ebook but had to switch to the audiobook half way through due to some eye issues. Pretty good narrator. 

The Secret by Lee Child, Andrew Child

adventurous mysterious tense medium-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

4.25

Fast paced. Good plot. Back to the basics Jack Reacher. Less intricately plotted than some other spy novels but always a reliable listen for a long car trip. 

Code Name Sapphire by Pam Jenoff

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

5.0

Fantastic listen! Great characters, fast moving intricate plot, great writing and a good narrator. 

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis
Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.

About half way and just lost interest. Good writing and interesting characters and story line, but just didn’t grab my attention. 

Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy

mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

A quick fun read with a mystery, a few sharp pointy twists that I didn’t see coming, a thread of King’s Misery, and an ending that wasn’t predictable. 

Holly by Stephen King

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

4.5

Follow up story about Holly now that Bill Hodges is gone. Good to spend some time with her, Jerome, and Barbara. Some people were frustrated with the liberal views here but Hollys views and quirks were true to her character. If you let politics stand between you and a great story, your loss. The mystery here was good, the characters were well done, and I liked the pace of the narration. The ending was all that I wanted it to be. Recommend. 

Tom Lake [Large Print] by Ann Patchett

emotional funny hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

Patchett has such a way of letting her stories grow. I get pulled into each character’s life so slowly that I don’t recognize the moment when they become old friends I don’t want to let go of anymore. This tale of a woman working on the farm with her three daughters turns into her telling her life story to them, including her affair with a young movie star and the different paths they followed. A slow build but a solid recommend. 

The Long March Home by Tosca Lee, Marcus Brotherton

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

Excellent fictional account of three young men trapped on Bataan during WW II. Based on true stories, much of the book felt familiar but the characters were fresh and their backstories so well plotted that the whole story was engrossing. The writing moved quickly, interspersing touching stories of the boys growing up in Mobile with the horrors of their time in the Philippines. Listened to the audio which was also well executed. A strong recommend.

iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us by Jean M. Twenge
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.

It became somewhat repetitive and I started to see some problems since all the research was done before the pandemic. Really interesting research though and a good start to understanding the newest generation. 

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
Did not finish book. Stopped at 53%.

Just didn’t want to pick it up again even after getting through quite a bit. Even tried audio. For some reason the characters just didn’t grab me and the plot was predictable and slow.