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specificwonderland's reviews
846 reviews
Gloria by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I heard about this book from uncarley. I knew the premise/spoiler going into it but that really made me want to read it. It is a very tense act 1 and a reeling/untangling act 2.
I found the characters interesting. It reminded me of Search Party, you have these vapid-ish characters slogging along, doing the least, and then something happens that snaps everyone into the present moment and we see the characters process something deeper than their every day lives. Loved the layout/pacing/organization of the story (act 1 v act 2) and the conversations of the characters. I wish we could have gotten more growth from the characters (this feels mainly plot driven) but maybe that's the point: when a deep thing happens to shallow people, some of them still remain shallow.
As an aside, I really like when writers (and playwrights) mention music. I put on Bach while I read this, it's a very quick read, I probably read it in the amount of the Gloria section of Bach's Mass in B Minor and that felt orchestrated and I appreciated that.
I found the characters interesting. It reminded me of Search Party, you have these vapid-ish characters slogging along, doing the least, and then something happens that snaps everyone into the present moment and we see the characters process something deeper than their every day lives. Loved the layout/pacing/organization of the story (act 1 v act 2) and the conversations of the characters. I wish we could have gotten more growth from the characters (this feels mainly plot driven) but maybe that's the point: when a deep thing happens to shallow people, some of them still remain shallow.
As an aside, I really like when writers (and playwrights) mention music. I put on Bach while I read this, it's a very quick read, I probably read it in the amount of the Gloria section of Bach's Mass in B Minor and that felt orchestrated and I appreciated that.
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
STRONG START TO 2025!
One of my 2025 goals is to source more things for myself and stop letting the general pop make my recommendations. So I found this book in a comments section of what else is like Demon Copperhead.
This book reminded me of many books I enjoyed, the most recent of which is in fact Demon Copperhead. I also got vibes of The Jungle (extreme capitalism and poverty), Grapes of Wrath (dust bowl Hoovervilles), & The Goldfinch. The revival also reminded me of the show Carnivale. It's a fraught tale of two brothers and their misfit friends enduring hell at an Indian School in Lincoln, Neb in the 1920s.
I was rooting for these characters and I enjoyed the scenery changes where we kept getting fresh characters and new plot points. I loved Odie's way to storytelling and how the kids had to trust their instincts about whether someone was a friend or foe. It really was a good blend of plot and character development.
I laughed at the acknowledgements when he thanked Caribou saying this book wouldn't be possible without them 🤣
A deserved 5 star book if you liked any of the above mentioned books. I also tagged it as a doorstopper even though it was "only" 450 pages. There was an afterword, then acknowledgments, then discussion questions and then a preview of another book so I'm counting it.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
STRONG START TO 2025!
One of my 2025 goals is to source more things for myself and stop letting the general pop make my recommendations. So I found this book in a comments section of what else is like Demon Copperhead.
This book reminded me of many books I enjoyed, the most recent of which is in fact Demon Copperhead. I also got vibes of The Jungle (extreme capitalism and poverty), Grapes of Wrath (dust bowl Hoovervilles), & The Goldfinch. The revival also reminded me of the show Carnivale. It's a fraught tale of two brothers and their misfit friends enduring hell at an Indian School in Lincoln, Neb in the 1920s.
I was rooting for these characters and I enjoyed the scenery changes where we kept getting fresh characters and new plot points. I loved Odie's way to storytelling and how the kids had to trust their instincts about whether someone was a friend or foe. It really was a good blend of plot and character development.
I laughed at the acknowledgements when he thanked Caribou saying this book wouldn't be possible without them 🤣
A deserved 5 star book if you liked any of the above mentioned books. I also tagged it as a doorstopper even though it was "only" 450 pages. There was an afterword, then acknowledgments, then discussion questions and then a preview of another book so I'm counting it.
Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett
dark
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
5.0
Great way to end the year! This was really touching and hit something inside me. Elvis was a spunky nerdy kid and let her freak flag fly.
Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
3.5
One of my goals for 2025 is to eat more vegetables. So I started here: browsing vegetable-heavy recipes to see what inspired me. I bookmarked a few things! Stuffed tomatoes, stuffed onions. A few salads.
A Christmas Duet: A Novel by Debbie Macomber
relaxing
fast-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
No spice. All Christmas. Kinda dorky.
Want by Gillian Anderson
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Loved the organization of the stories. Would prefer less narration at the beginning of each section. Creativity abounds!
The Wife by Meg Wolitzer
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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 predicted the ending, at least partly, because of the title of the book.
Why would we be focusing so much on the Wife, and her trajectory, unless she actually was the writer? The impression Mozell left on her was that she'd never make it, why bother and her husband got propped up by her first, then everyone else. She lied and said his short story was good, she took his manuscript to her powerful job that he made her quit, she had all the talent. I didn't predict she'd take her story to Bone (ha, to Bone Joe royally) or that Joe would die from the shock of the threat of being exposed.
I loved the start of the book, her deciding she can't be with him anyone on the plane for him to go get an award - then knowing it was actually her award made it so much sweeter.
Good book! I think I'd probably enjoy a re-read knowing the ending now. And I would read more of Wolitzer!
Why would we be focusing so much on the Wife, and her trajectory, unless she actually was the writer? The impression Mozell left on her was that she'd never make it, why bother and her husband got propped up by her first, then everyone else. She lied and said his short story was good, she took his manuscript to her powerful job that he made her quit, she had all the talent. I didn't predict she'd take her story to Bone (ha, to Bone Joe royally) or that Joe would die from the shock of the threat of being exposed.
I loved the start of the book, her deciding she can't be with him anyone on the plane for him to go get an award - then knowing it was actually her award made it so much sweeter.
Good book! I think I'd probably enjoy a re-read knowing the ending now. And I would read more of Wolitzer!
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
3.5
This was heavier than I thought it was going to be. I thought it would be kind of cozy and slightly mysterious but it was heavier than that. Cut to me crying in the bathtub.
Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Little predictable on the ending.
Enjoyed the ride. Hannah wasn't the most likeable MC but she did seem kinda real and faceted. She wasn't all good, she wasn't all bad. Neither was William. The thrill of their letters was palpable to me, making me wonder if I would ever write to a serial killer, whatever pretense I used (would it be anger, like Hannah) to start the conversation?
Predicted Hannah's arc, and figured out the main plot about 70% in. Does that mean it's bad? Nah. You don't want a book that's totally nonsensical in the plot, the dots have to connect together, don't they? So that was a way to connect the dots.
Also the courtroom scenes reminded me of Red Rooms, the film about the French murderer Ludavic Chevalier. There was some of the same unsettling confusing behavior from Kelly Anne as there was with Hannah.
Enjoyed the ride. Hannah wasn't the most likeable MC but she did seem kinda real and faceted. She wasn't all good, she wasn't all bad. Neither was William. The thrill of their letters was palpable to me, making me wonder if I would ever write to a serial killer, whatever pretense I used (would it be anger, like Hannah) to start the conversation?
Predicted Hannah's arc, and figured out the main plot about 70% in. Does that mean it's bad? Nah. You don't want a book that's totally nonsensical in the plot, the dots have to connect together, don't they? So that was a way to connect the dots.
Also the courtroom scenes reminded me of Red Rooms, the film about the French murderer Ludavic Chevalier. There was some of the same unsettling confusing behavior from Kelly Anne as there was with Hannah.