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411 reviews
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
First things first, Meryl Streep can read any book to me at any time and I'm going to love it.
That aside, this was a classically beautiful Patchett story. She's a master of familial tales and this is no exception. It makes you fall in love with being in love and being young and reminds you about the beauty in everyday mundane things and for that, I'm incredibly grateful to have read it. While it was lovely, it had some parts that felt a little bit forced including the attempt to tackle late-80s racism, and in a way, the undercurrent of the pandemic. I also left the book (even after finding out everything) incredibly curious about a few things, even though the storylines were well wrapped up - they just felt like they could have used more digging.
All in all, incredibly sweet and if you're a fan of Patchett in general (especially The Dutch House), don't skip this one.
That aside, this was a classically beautiful Patchett story. She's a master of familial tales and this is no exception. It makes you fall in love with being in love and being young and reminds you about the beauty in everyday mundane things and for that, I'm incredibly grateful to have read it. While it was lovely, it had some parts that felt a little bit forced including the attempt to tackle late-80s racism, and in a way, the undercurrent of the pandemic. I also left the book (even after finding out everything) incredibly curious about a few things, even though the storylines were well wrapped up - they just felt like they could have used more digging.
All in all, incredibly sweet and if you're a fan of Patchett in general (especially The Dutch House), don't skip this one.
One Day by David Nicholls
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.5
I love a book with characters who are made important simply by the fact that the book is about them. There’s really nothing special about Em and Dex. They’re young, beautiful, funny, smart, and all of those wonderful things, but they’re actually just incredibly real characters that remind you of your friend or of that friend of a friend.
I found myself highlighting constantly and while it wasn’t quite a 5-star read (I could do without the couple of Nazi references and odd racist bit), it was damn close.
I’d recommend it to pretty much anyone who loves a quiet, character-driven novel written in a unique and encompassing way. You’ll walk out a better person.
P.S. The Netflix show is damn near a shot-for-shot remake in the best way so that is also an excellent thing to consume.
The Blues Brothers by Daniel de Visé
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for the gifted finished copy!
Daniel de Visé tackles A LOT in this story, from childhood antics to SNL sketches to movie productions and everything in between. He has a stellar ability to write non-fiction in a way that doesn't feel dry or slogging and even in the moments of the book that weren't as intriguing, I found myself reading through every moment. That said, this book reads more as a biography of John Belushi and improv as a whole.It goes so far as to end with Belushi's death before diving into an Epilogue that highlights Aykroyd's ongoing career and the successes of various other people from throughout the book. It isn't until about halfway through the book that we see the Blues Brothers really form. And while Dan is absolutely a focus, you don't get nearly the in-depth look at him as you get into John. And I would have loved to have seen more talk of their friendship and really diving into what it meant for them to be best friends and brothers through such important times in their lives.
Now...is any of that a bad thing? Absolutely not. The book still chronicles an incredible duo who changes the course of comedy as we know it. de Visé does an impeccable job of putting you directly into moments with the people in the story; you laugh at the jokes, you get frustrated at the drug use, and you feel what they're feeling in a way that is normally closed off in such an informative biography. And when you get into the back half of the book and dive into the behind-the-scenes stories of The Blues Brothers, the book turns to gold. The research and interviewing are incredible and, while the story remains at times frustratingly objective when some more subjective judgment would have been welcome, you never get bored.
If you're a Blues Brothers fan like myself or you want to get a deeper look into the world of comedy, look no further. And if you're planning to see SNL 1975 when it comes out...read this first.
Daniel de Visé tackles A LOT in this story, from childhood antics to SNL sketches to movie productions and everything in between. He has a stellar ability to write non-fiction in a way that doesn't feel dry or slogging and even in the moments of the book that weren't as intriguing, I found myself reading through every moment. That said, this book reads more as a biography of John Belushi and improv as a whole.
Now...is any of that a bad thing? Absolutely not. The book still chronicles an incredible duo who changes the course of comedy as we know it. de Visé does an impeccable job of putting you directly into moments with the people in the story; you laugh at the jokes, you get frustrated at the drug use, and you feel what they're feeling in a way that is normally closed off in such an informative biography. And when you get into the back half of the book and dive into the behind-the-scenes stories of The Blues Brothers, the book turns to gold. The research and interviewing are incredible and, while the story remains at times frustratingly objective when some more subjective judgment would have been welcome, you never get bored.
If you're a Blues Brothers fan like myself or you want to get a deeper look into the world of comedy, look no further. And if you're planning to see SNL 1975 when it comes out...read this first.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Drug abuse
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
As I closed this book, all I found myself really thinking was, “That was fine.” And that’s where it landed for me. At almost 500 pages long, I expected some deep character development/change/growth and it felt like there was surprisingly little.
Some of the turns of phrase were absolutely masterful though so seeing those moments just made me bummed for the lack of them.
It didn’t quite contend with what it was trying to tackle (generational changes in feminism, ambition, relationships, etc.) and while it did a good job creating complex and flawed characters, it just fell flat when it came to showing us them, though there was no lack of telling.
All in all, I’ll definitely read more of her work, but this one was middling for me!
Some of the turns of phrase were absolutely masterful though so seeing those moments just made me bummed for the lack of them.
It didn’t quite contend with what it was trying to tackle (generational changes in feminism, ambition, relationships, etc.) and while it did a good job creating complex and flawed characters, it just fell flat when it came to showing us them, though there was no lack of telling.
All in all, I’ll definitely read more of her work, but this one was middling for me!
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
O’Farrell has got to be one of the most masterful writers out there. While she made me care about the characters immediately, I did have a hard time getting lost in the story like I got lost in Hamnet which is the only thing keeping this from a five star read for me.
Despite that, O’Farrell does a stunning job depicting the internal workings of Lucrezia and is somehow both sparse and poetic with her language. While some parts at times can feel repetitive, it stills feels like every word and moment is purposeful.
If you like a historical story, this is an excellent one to pick up. Just beware that it is really dark at many points!
Despite that, O’Farrell does a stunning job depicting the internal workings of Lucrezia and is somehow both sparse and poetic with her language. While some parts at times can feel repetitive, it stills feels like every word and moment is purposeful.
If you like a historical story, this is an excellent one to pick up. Just beware that it is really dark at many points!
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.0
If you're looking for a quietly inspiring domestic fiction, look no further.
Sara Nisha Adams does a beautiful job of building a community around, of all things, a reading list. While it was pretty clear to me from that start who wrote the reading list, the mystery of that still does a solid job of weaving through each chapter. Mukesh and Aleisha are lovely main characters who build their friendship and trust with each other during some incredibly difficult times and I loved the views into some of the side characters as well. This book covers some difficult topics, but it does so with care and compassion.
I did find some stumbling blocks, as I do with most dual POVs, where I just found myself more attached to Mukesh and found myself waiting for his chapters to pop again. It also at points felt a touch repetitive, but there was good character development once things started moving along. Even in the heartbreaking moments, it was lovely that the characters learned to lean on each other and love each other.
Sara Nisha Adams does a beautiful job of building a community around, of all things, a reading list. While it was pretty clear to me from that start who wrote the reading list, the mystery of that still does a solid job of weaving through each chapter. Mukesh and Aleisha are lovely main characters who build their friendship and trust with each other during some incredibly difficult times and I loved the views into some of the side characters as well. This book covers some difficult topics, but it does so with care and compassion.
I did find some stumbling blocks, as I do with most dual POVs, where I just found myself more attached to Mukesh and found myself waiting for his chapters to pop again. It also at points felt a touch repetitive, but there was good character development once things started moving along. Even in the heartbreaking moments, it was lovely that the characters learned to lean on each other and love each other.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Death
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
I absolutely understand the hype now.
This book spans so much in what feels like a very short amount of pages, not only years but also in building these interconnected side stories that Wilkerson does a great job tying up at the end.
She also does a phenomenal job of building real and complex characters without ever feeling like the development is dragging. She always gave just enough information for you to follow what was going on, but still, gives you the chance to build the characters in your head.
Genuinely loved reading this! My only stumbling point was there was just so much going on at every moment that I often got a touch lost and had to take a second at the start of each chapter to reorient myself to where I was in the story. For other readers, I'd recommend reading this one while you're not reading anything else to help you keep the characters and story straight.
This book spans so much in what feels like a very short amount of pages, not only years but also in building these interconnected side stories that Wilkerson does a great job tying up at the end.
She also does a phenomenal job of building real and complex characters without ever feeling like the development is dragging. She always gave just enough information for you to follow what was going on, but still, gives you the chance to build the characters in your head.
Genuinely loved reading this! My only stumbling point was there was just so much going on at every moment that I often got a touch lost and had to take a second at the start of each chapter to reorient myself to where I was in the story. For other readers, I'd recommend reading this one while you're not reading anything else to help you keep the characters and story straight.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Suicide attempt, Rape, and Sexual assault
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I picked this book for my book club this month and even though I had read it before, I feel like I had a totally different experience reading it this time.
St. John Mandel does an incredible job of spanning time and characters to build a world that feels realistic and haunting at the same time. Although, I found some characters less “necessary” to the story than others, I rarely regretted the moments spent with them on the page.
I love how she toyed with the timeline of the events in the book and teased growth and hope in the perfect amount throughout the story. I’d been avoiding pandemic/dystopian fiction for a long time (for a pretty obvious reason) but I’m grateful that I dove back in with this one.
St. John Mandel does an incredible job of spanning time and characters to build a world that feels realistic and haunting at the same time. Although, I found some characters less “necessary” to the story than others, I rarely regretted the moments spent with them on the page.
I love how she toyed with the timeline of the events in the book and teased growth and hope in the perfect amount throughout the story. I’d been avoiding pandemic/dystopian fiction for a long time (for a pretty obvious reason) but I’m grateful that I dove back in with this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic and Death
Moderate: Kidnapping and Suicide
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
A Thousand Mornings: Poems by Mary Oliver
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
It's incredibly difficult to rate a collection of poems when the things I normally look to review (character development, pacing, relationships, etc.) just simply don't exist in poetry - at least not in the same way.
Mary Oliver is clearly a one-of-a-kind poet whose words I'm sure I will return to time and again. My favorite way to consume poetry is just to read one when I stumble upon it so reading a collection isn't quite my cup of tea, but I have no doubt that this collection would be perfect if that's something that you enjoy. It made me want to stop and take a second just to look at the world and it feels like that's exactly what the goal was.
Mary Oliver is clearly a one-of-a-kind poet whose words I'm sure I will return to time and again. My favorite way to consume poetry is just to read one when I stumble upon it so reading a collection isn't quite my cup of tea, but I have no doubt that this collection would be perfect if that's something that you enjoy. It made me want to stop and take a second just to look at the world and it feels like that's exactly what the goal was.
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson
dark
informative
slow-paced
2.75
This was my first dive into Erik Larson's writing, and while I loved his style (lots of details that really put you in a moment), I think this fell a little bit flat for me. It felt like he just wanted to write a book about the World's Fair, but decided to throw in the story of H.H. Holmes to make it a bit more interesting. From what the book tells, there's essentially no connection between Holmes and the Fair, so pushing them into a book together doesn't make sense.
That said, I loved the sections about the fair and genuinely wish that had been the entirety of the book rather than being pulled between the two different stories. Even though there are times when Larson dives into characters with no real conclusion on them until the last part of the book, he does such a vivid job of building them that you kind of forgive it. All in all, not a waste of a read, but I doubt I'll be reading it again or thinking too much about it.
That said, I loved the sections about the fair and genuinely wish that had been the entirety of the book rather than being pulled between the two different stories. Even though there are times when Larson dives into characters with no real conclusion on them until the last part of the book, he does such a vivid job of building them that you kind of forgive it. All in all, not a waste of a read, but I doubt I'll be reading it again or thinking too much about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Kidnapping