ect625's reviews
89 reviews

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

4.75

This book really takes you through a huge range of emotions! It is as beautiful as it is painful. I would recommend it to fans of Trevor Noah, people approaching it for the sociology of post-apartheid SA, and also for those who relate to the struggle of finding a place for themselves in the world. I listened to the audio book, which Trevor narrates, and it gave me a more vivid experience than I would have had otherwise.
Becoming by Michelle Obama

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson

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mysterious medium-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

I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it either. It kind of dragged in the middle, and I didn't have any emotional attachment to the characters.
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

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adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

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adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring sad tense slow-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

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

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adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.0

Despite its slow start, the book is full of action. The main character, Lyra, is fierce and fearless in the face of danger. Her emotional development is quite remarkable. I'm excited to read the sequel!
The Enchantress Returns by Chris Colfer

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I think Chris Colfer is imaginative, but he hasn't done anything new with the fairytale characters. They're very one-dimensional, and I'm not invested in them at all. However, I love the kiddos in the book and enjoyed watching their connection to each other deepen. I hope other books in the series begin to focus more on them and less on fairytale characters.
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

4.75

There is so much more to Matthew McConaughey than his classic one-liner: alright, alright, alright! He weaves stories from his youth and adulthood and introduces himself to readers in a way that breaks the image that has been painted by the media. I listened to the audio book and highly recommend it since he narrates it himself. 
Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0