sternreads's reviews
14 reviews

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz

reflective slow-paced

1.0

The agreements themselves are simple enough, but the author expounds on them in ways that create circular explanations that say a lot without saying a lot. After the first 3-5 sentences of each chapter, the reader can easily skip to the next chapter because the rest of the content is, essentially, a repeat of the one main idea that the author states in the opening paragraph. I have no doubt that this book has had a profound impact on some, but it just doesn’t do it for me. 

All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel by Anthony Doerr

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

4.5

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob

challenging funny informative fast-paced

4.0

A quick-reading graphic novel that weaves together tough and intimate conversations about being a person of color in America. Mira Jacob's story-telling and imagery (a mix of illustration and photography) come together to make this "memoir in conversations" a reality. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia

Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits by Emmanuel Acho

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.0

While the main message of the book, to not limit oneself to just achieving a goal but rather to work towards an objective, is clear throughout, I found Illogical to be highly reliant on trite metaphors and aphorisms. This book read like an ESPN talk show about positive psychology given Acho's broadcasting and pro sports background. I'm sure there's a lot of folks who will really benefit from the hopeful message that Acho brings in Illogical, but I found it easy to tune out after the first couple of chapters.

The Lightmaker's Manifesto: How to Work for Change Without Losing Your Joy by Karen Walrond

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Walrond's The Lightmaker's Manifesto brings well-written, practical tips for managing the tough balance of work and life, especially for those in the service industry or in activism. The information in this book as well as the prompts found in the final section, titled "The Lightmaker's Manual," are applicable to anyone regardless of career choice. This book is inspiring me to pickup my journal again and work on communicating my thoughts and reflections via the written word.

Shadow of the Bird by Tim Probert

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

5.0

This is a beautiful follow-up to Lightfall: The Girl and the Galdurian. The art and the story are so immersive I couldn't put the books down. While many questions are answered in The Shadow of the Bird, there are still quite a few left unanswered. I'm hopeful that the author has a third book in the works. 

The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

5.0

A beautiful graphic-novel featuring an anxiety-ridden main character accompanied by a daring and loyal companion. Featuring a dramatic, cliffhanger ending, you'll not want to put this down but you're lucky the second book is now out.

Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

For anyone wanting to become familiar with the work of Brené Brown or to start their journey towards introspection, value-setting, and courage-building. As a frequent listener of both of Brown's podcasts, I felt a sense of familiarity with this book. It's a great read for business professionals, educators, parents, and everyone in between.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

adventurous emotional funny 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

5.0

One of the more enjoyable reads I’ve completed in the last 5 years. Klune’s story-telling and word-smithing are phenomenal. The story is chock full of one-liners and quips that will catch you off guard and invoke raucous laughter. At other times, though, a sentence or paragraph will just knock the wind out of you. 

Illegal by Andrew Donkin, Eoin Colfer

adventurous emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced

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

4.0