history and life according to a random girl on the internet
the impossible girl was an intriguing adventure with a likeable protagonist and a set of interesting side-characters. it was gritty and fun and tense, and i enjoyed every last minute of it until the end. i won’t spoil much here (read the full review for that), but the ending definitely made me knock off a few points, and so i will have to unfortunately give this book a 3.5/5.
Continue reading “the impossible girl — review”
this is a well-written book but one i definitely couldn’t get into. i felt that many of the characters were flat and gone too soon, the romance was sudden and out of place, and the actual haunting seemed extremely gruesome and a little strange. however, it wasn’t terrible, and it was quick enough, so i’ll give it a 2.5/5 stars. thanks to netgalley for the digital arc in exchange for an unbiased review.
Continue reading “the haunting of beatrix greene — review”
i had seen this book a lot and heard many good things about it, so i was happy to finally pick it up and read it. my thoughts? oh boy, it deserves all of the praise it’s received! it was such a wonderful book through and through. i loved listening to eleanor’s thoughts and her desires, and i was so happy to be there as she changed and grew and faced her inner demons. the writing was wonderful, the plot was wonderful, and the characters were wonderful. i’m giving this book a 5/5!
Continue reading “eleanor oliphant is completely fine — review”
the station nightclub fire was a terrible tragedy that affected many people. with one hundred dead and even more left injured, it scarred both the community and the nation. though it’s been seventeen years since this fire, it remains fresh in the minds of many. scott james manages to give us a new look into the fire, into various players and issues, and he does so by making everyone human. all too often it’s easy to write off those who suffered as victims and those who made the tragic mistakes as villains, but james reminds us of the human lives behind the story. it was a wonderful read and brought so much new insight into an event i’ve been interested in for years. i’m happy to give this book a 5/5! thank you to scott james, netgalley, and the publisher (st. martin’s press) for the digital arc in exchange for an unbiased review.
Continue reading “trial by fire: a devastating tragedy, 100 lives lost, and a 15-year search for truth — review”
i think with every wwii novel i read, i always try to preface by letting people know i’m not fond of wwii novels (why do i still pick them up, then?). for this one, i want to preface my review by lavishing this book with praise of the highest order. it was a beautiful, tragic tale told so wonderfully. the story and narrative flowed, the characters were realistic and interesting, and the history it reveals was eye-opening. i want to give this book a well-earned 4/5 stars!
Continue reading “the rabbit girls — review”
it was a completely different book from what i expected, but it wasn’t different in a bad way. it was well-written and lovely to read and could be absolutely heart-breaking at times. it offered a fascinating glimpse into life in the late 1500’s and had many thought-provoking questions and beautiful lines of prose. at times, however, i felt the characters were stiff and impersonal, and while i definitely recommend this book, i will have to give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Continue reading “hamnet — review”
for once i stray a bit from my historical fiction realm of expertise in order to open up this wonderful debut novel from celeste ng. and, by golly, i’m so thankful i decided to give this one a chance! it was a quick read, but simply beautiful and intriguing and heart-wrenchingly amazing. it’s definitely one of my favorites now, so i proudly give this one a 5/5 stars.
Continue reading “everything i never told you — review”
i don’t read enough books concerning the civil war and people centered around it, so i was excited to be able to pick this one up. while it was extremely informative, i felt a bit disconnected from the characters. it read more like an actual history book rather than a historical fiction novel, and i feel that made the quality suffer a bit. due to these reasons, i will unfortunately be giving this book a 2.5/5 stars.
Continue reading “mrs. lincoln’s sisters — review”
i wasn’t aware this was based on true stories until halfway through the book, honestly, and that knowledge made everything all the more harrowing. i was on the edge of my seat, awaiting the conclusion for each person’s story. each member of this family became important to me and i cheered for their reunification, but all the while i couldn’t shake off the pain that these people were forced to endure. i’m gladly giving this book a 5/5.
Continue reading “we were the lucky ones — review”
sometimes it’s nice to have a slow, thoughtful book to read. i think we often get caught up in crazy plots and stories, and while the rush of action can definitely be exhilarating, it’s nice to have a calm and charming book. virgil wander is that sort of book. i was drawn by the cozy cover and i was drawn in by the delightful characters leif enger introduced. the small-town feel was certainly portrayed well here, and i found myself wanting the best for everyone involved in the main character’s life. it was a pleasant read and well-worth the 4.5/5 stars i’ll be giving it.
Continue reading “virgil wander – review”
jefferswag 