lmkennedy's reviews
285 reviews

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account Of The Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

adventurous emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

3.75

This is 3 stars not because it is a bad book, but oh my god am I FRUSTRATED after finishing it. 

$65,000 to put yourself in a position to die in a merciless and dehumanizing way?? wtf is wrong with rich people. 

You want a thrill? Find literally anything else to amuse yourself with. 

The only part of this idiocy I respected was the guides demanding clients respect the sherpas.

Light Bringer by Pierce Brown

dark sad tense slow-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

3.0

My god what a slow start… you have to get like 50% in before caring about wtf is happening.

I sincerely don’t know how many times in this series Pierce uses the “they’re dead… surprise no they aren’t!” trope but when people actually die it feels less real because of it. Cassius’s death should’ve hurt more but considering he died like a book ago too I’m left feeling not sad about it. 

Sevro was so annoying in this book. It’s like Pierce took all his best characters and ripped them to pieces.

What was the point of Lyria’s brain thing if she just removes it?? 

God everything was just so weird… it’s like he’s writing just to write. 

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.75

I think the growth in this book is what makes it special. But there are certainly moments that drag a bit. 

Elsa’s determination for her children in spite of a world that wants to eat them alive is a testament to a different kind of love story. Hanna’s ability to write of motherhood and hardship and femininity and create such a heartbreaking story through all of it is something I will be unable to stop thinking about. 

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann

dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

While the story of the Wager and its crew are actually a crazy true story of hardiness and survival, Grann goes even further and makes the story less about the shipwreck and subsequent events. But rather about the vast power of empire and how they have the ability to undermine history with the flick of a hand. Any book that focuses so heavily on the silences in the archives and in society are a 10/10 to me. Call them out, and Grann does so beautifully. 

Funny Story by Emily Henry

emotional funny inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.5

Emily Henry just knows how to write women and their thoughts, fears, love, and dreams in a way no other person I’ve read can. Despite being different than all of her fmc characters I always feel a visceral connection to them in some way. Daphne perhaps most of all. And that is what makes this book so deliciously beautiful. The focus on herself and not just the love story, plus the growing friendship focus, as well as calling out her father. It all felt so genuine that I feel like Daphne is real, and I want to be her friend too. 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? No

4.25

I am so mad not a single person in my life has read these because I have no one to talk to about everything that just happened…

Ghostbloods?? Kelsier?? Like wtf 

Also, Wayne’s ending was beautiful I really enjoyed that!

The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous emotional reflective 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? No

4.0

My favorite part of this series so far has honestly been Steris 

Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous reflective 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? No

3.75

I really liked how Sanderson played with religion in this book, but other than that highlight I struggled to really feel invested or care about the plot as much as book 1. I do think the ending hooks you back in though.

The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous reflective tense 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

3.75

3.75/5 

Ended with a bang, excited to see where this goes!!

The lead up was not as fantastic as other Sanderson books and I didn’t find myself fully invested until the butler incident which is why it is a 3.75 for me.