bookmaddie's reviews
1104 reviews

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

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emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Dragged in the latter half. And such coincidence in that part too! I can’t believe it all.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Pretty fun and a sweet ending!
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

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challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Bear by Julia Phillips

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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? Yes

3.75

Happy pub week to BEAR! I was really looking forward to this novel since I absolutely loved DISAPPEARING EARTH by Phillips. This story once again follows a pair of sisters, Sam and Elena, who live with their ailing mother on an island off the coast of Washington. A large bear appears on the island and seems to be drawn to them, forcing each sister to reconsider her daily life.

I admit it took me awhile to get hooked in the story, but even so, I was always fascinated by Sam and Elena’s relationship, and the tensions that formed as they grew up. It’s rare for me to not really like any of the characters but still enjoy the reading experience, yet Phillips pulls it off here. I was transported into the story through Phillips’s writing. She explores the sisters’ relationship with depth, and imbues a magical sense of foreboding and wonder to every page.

As the story spirals to a dramatic end, I was hooked and intrigued. Phillips examines at the magic of the everyday, and how grief, responsibility, and the pressure of living can form something otherworldly. This is a unique story that feels isolated and frenzied at the same time, and if you’re interested in sisterhood, then I’d highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hogarth Books for my advanced digital copy!
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Alison by Lizzy Stewart

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emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

i’m such a wimp
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I Love This Part by Tillie Walden

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

gorgeous and succinct.
Forgotten on Sunday by Valérie Perrin

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emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

So sweet! 😭
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In the Woods by Tana French

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Really fun, pacy, great mystery. I’m excited to read more Tana French but wow I really grew to hate Rob, the main character. I wanted to punch him the entire last quarter of the book.
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Pelican Girls by Julia Malye

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.
felt really overwritten and i couldn’t find it in me to begin to be invested in the story. i was starting to skim—a bad sign when you’re only just started!! eek!