redewhurst's reviews
397 reviews

Hex and the City by Kate Johnson

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

emotional sad 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? No

5.0

Shy by Max Porter

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

An Extra Pair of Hands: A story of caring and everyday acts of love by Kate Mosse

emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

3.75

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Ethel and Ernest by Raymond Briggs

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

To Be Honest by Michael Leviton

challenging emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.

To no one’s surprise - least of all my own - I am putting aside War and Peace for good. 
I joined my friend in participating in Simon Haisell’s (Footnotes and Tangents on Substack) year long Readathon. The plan was to read a chapter each day for 361 days and to have a marvellous, educational, time. I love this idea and really love Simon’s commitment to making ‘big and scary’ books more accessible - his passion, enthusiasm, and excitement is palpable. But … War and Peace just isn’t for me. Not at all. And especially not with this spirally, blue, meh brain I’ve got at the moment. 

I’m sad to step out even before giving it a whole month (I haven’t read any since chapter 17) but I know that it’s the right decision. Even when I was reading it I wasn’t really reading it. It was a daily tickbox and what’s the point of that. 

I wish all the readingalongers a fantastic time. 

She Speaks: Women's Speeches That Changed the World, from Pankhurst to Thunberg by Yvette Cooper

informative inspiring slow-paced

3.75