ronda_bowen's reviews
196 reviews

An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten

dark funny 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

5.0

This book was hilarious. I found myself loving old Maud, even though she was definitely, and very thoroughly, up to no good. I can't wait to read more of her adventures and I'm glad that she's got another book with stories about her.

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse

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adventurous 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

4.5

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

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lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

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emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

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challenging emotional sad 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

This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

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challenging dark reflective slow-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

3.5

Not a fan. 30% in I still don't get what's going on or why, and I'm not invested in it.

I went back...the next day and finished it in a sitting. I just needed to have stayed with it a little longer. I like the language in the book. I feel like the authors could have done more with grounding the plot and characters. But overall, I finished it and enjoyed it. I would have rated it higher if It didn't make me put it down 1/3 in... but I did keep thinking about it enough to come back to it.

Last to Leave the Room by Caitlin Starling

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced