You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
chandranolynne's reviews
388 reviews
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
“Once again I’m struck by melancholy. I want to spend the rest of my life studying Eridian biology! But I have to save humanity first. Stupid humanity. Getting in the way of my hobbies.”
I will forever regret not having listened to this audiobook sooner! I will also forever be grateful that I decided to listen to this one as opposed to read it. I loved The Martian and just knew going into this one that I would love it, too, but OH MY GOSH DID I LOVE THIS FREAKING BOOK! I could not stop smiling; I did not know how much I needed a human/alien BFF story in my life! I'm only sorry it's over. I could continue listening to Dr. Grace and Rocky bicker, joke, and save their planets forever.
I will forever regret not having listened to this audiobook sooner! I will also forever be grateful that I decided to listen to this one as opposed to read it. I loved The Martian and just knew going into this one that I would love it, too, but OH MY GOSH DID I LOVE THIS FREAKING BOOK! I could not stop smiling; I did not know how much I needed a human/alien BFF story in my life! I'm only sorry it's over. I could continue listening to Dr. Grace and Rocky bicker, joke, and save their planets forever.
Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
5.0
“And so could you know it if you would only use the brains the good God has given you. Sometimes I really am tempted to believe that by inadvertence, He passed you by.”
As always, an intriguing whodunnit in which I had absolutely no clue whodunnit! I am kind of running out of things to say about Agatha Christie's novels; they're all so delightfully clever. The only thing that tends to change for me from book it book is how I feel about the characters, and in this particular story, I LOVED the characters!
As always, an intriguing whodunnit in which I had absolutely no clue whodunnit! I am kind of running out of things to say about Agatha Christie's novels; they're all so delightfully clever. The only thing that tends to change for me from book it book is how I feel about the characters, and in this particular story, I LOVED the characters!
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“She was on a high cliff edge somewhere between laughing and crying and screaming.”
This book had me intrigued from cover to cover. I was so certain I had guessed the twist for a solid quarter of the book, and then was completely blindsided when it was finally revealed. I really appreciated how the main character was written; even though she's a know-it-all and snooper, the author still makes her easy to root for and empathize with. That can be a difficult balance to find, and the author nailed it. I do wonder where the series will go. This one was so neatly wrapped up, it's hard to imagine another book adding to it, but we'll see, I guess! I will definitely be reading sequels at some point.
This book had me intrigued from cover to cover. I was so certain I had guessed the twist for a solid quarter of the book, and then was completely blindsided when it was finally revealed. I really appreciated how the main character was written; even though she's a know-it-all and snooper, the author still makes her easy to root for and empathize with. That can be a difficult balance to find, and the author nailed it. I do wonder where the series will go. This one was so neatly wrapped up, it's hard to imagine another book adding to it, but we'll see, I guess! I will definitely be reading sequels at some point.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
"There is no means of testing which decision is better, because there is no basis for comparison. We live everything as it comes, without warning, like an actor going on cold. And what can life be worth if the first rehearsal for life is life itself? That is why life is always like a sketch. No, "sketch" is not quite a word, because a sketch is an outline of something, the groundwork for a picture, whereas the sketch that is our life is a sketch for nothing, an outline with no picture."
I.... did not enjoy this. In this case, it feels like a me-thing; the writing was good, the insights were great, the characters were intriguing... but I felt like I was waiting for the story to start the whole time. Maybe I just didn't "get" it, or maybe this style simply isn't my thing. The author uses a fictional storyline to philosophize about people and the state of the world, and he definitely has some interesting things to say about all of that, but in the end, I really just wanted a story that I never felt like I got.
I.... did not enjoy this. In this case, it feels like a me-thing; the writing was good, the insights were great, the characters were intriguing... but I felt like I was waiting for the story to start the whole time. Maybe I just didn't "get" it, or maybe this style simply isn't my thing. The author uses a fictional storyline to philosophize about people and the state of the world, and he definitely has some interesting things to say about all of that, but in the end, I really just wanted a story that I never felt like I got.
On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.0
“Everyone had spent so much time telling her that love was a thing of magic, something wild and uncontrollable that came like a thunderstorm. And now it was something else? It was just comfort? Something peaceful? Something that actually sounded nice?”
The Bridgerton series ended on a rather mediocre note for me. I didn't hate this one, but I didn't love it either. I didn't find myself particularly drawn to the heroine or the love interest, and while I wasn't necessarily bored or put out by the book, I wasn't captivated either. I've heard that Julia Quinn didn't plan on and / or didn't want to write all of the siblings' stories, but her fan based more or less demanded it. If I'm being candid, this book felt like Quinn didn't want to be writing it. The first half and second half of the book are wildly different, it was almost like she couldn't decide on a plot, and then the ending (and kind of the transition from the first half to the second half) were so clunkily put together, it felt like she just couldn't wait to be done. It had its moments that kept me in it and at least wanting to finish it, but after it all, I'm glad to be done. So long, Bridgertons, for the foreseeable future anyway. The Rokesbys is on my radar, but it will definitely be some time before I get it into it.
The Bridgerton series ended on a rather mediocre note for me. I didn't hate this one, but I didn't love it either. I didn't find myself particularly drawn to the heroine or the love interest, and while I wasn't necessarily bored or put out by the book, I wasn't captivated either. I've heard that Julia Quinn didn't plan on and / or didn't want to write all of the siblings' stories, but her fan based more or less demanded it. If I'm being candid, this book felt like Quinn didn't want to be writing it. The first half and second half of the book are wildly different, it was almost like she couldn't decide on a plot, and then the ending (and kind of the transition from the first half to the second half) were so clunkily put together, it felt like she just couldn't wait to be done. It had its moments that kept me in it and at least wanting to finish it, but after it all, I'm glad to be done. So long, Bridgertons, for the foreseeable future anyway. The Rokesbys is on my radar, but it will definitely be some time before I get it into it.
Peril at End House by Agatha Christie
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"Poirot," I said, " I have been thinking."
"An admirable practice, my friend! Continue it."
Ohmygosh, this one was so good! I really, really liked the characters; even the jerks in this one were fun to hate! There were so many twists and turns, and I felt like this one was a little bit faster paced than most of the others, too. It was just a super fun roller coaster from start to finish!
"An admirable practice, my friend! Continue it."
Ohmygosh, this one was so good! I really, really liked the characters; even the jerks in this one were fun to hate! There were so many twists and turns, and I felt like this one was a little bit faster paced than most of the others, too. It was just a super fun roller coaster from start to finish!
Black Coffee: A Mystery Play in Three Acts by Agatha Christie
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"POIROT: You do not see? It is not necessary that you should see. But I see. That is enough."
This was as enjoyable as any other, and the play format made it a much quicker read. I'm not quite sure why our beloved author felt the need to write this one as a play when the novel had suited Hercule Poirot so well up until now, but it didn't really take anything away from it either, so it's sort of a no-harm-no-foul situation for me. I really liked the characters in the one, and I (once again) had no idea whodunnit until Mr. Poirot finally told us.
This was as enjoyable as any other, and the play format made it a much quicker read. I'm not quite sure why our beloved author felt the need to write this one as a play when the novel had suited Hercule Poirot so well up until now, but it didn't really take anything away from it either, so it's sort of a no-harm-no-foul situation for me. I really liked the characters in the one, and I (once again) had no idea whodunnit until Mr. Poirot finally told us.
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
“'Everything that dies never really goes. In little ways, it all stays.' Not in the horrific way Lee wrote it. Not with the moaning ghosts and terrifying poltergeists and living dead, but in the way the sun came back around again, the way flowers browned and became dirt and new seeds bloomed the next spring. Everything died, but pieces of it remained."
Well I just adored this. It was had a uniquely intriguing premise with a quick pace that kept it bouncy and light despite its surprising depth and the dark corners it frequently stepped into. It danced in philosophy about love, death, and family, while maintaining its cute and funny edges. It was really everything I wanted it to be without being too much of any of it! I love it when you pick up a book that is just exactly what you need in that particular moment.
Well I just adored this. It was had a uniquely intriguing premise with a quick pace that kept it bouncy and light despite its surprising depth and the dark corners it frequently stepped into. It danced in philosophy about love, death, and family, while maintaining its cute and funny edges. It was really everything I wanted it to be without being too much of any of it! I love it when you pick up a book that is just exactly what you need in that particular moment.
The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
"The cab rattled, jingled, jolted; in fact, the last was quite extraordinary. By its disproportionate violence and magnitude it obliterated every sensation of onward movement; and the effect was of being shaken in a stationary apparatus like a medieval device for the punishment of crime, or some very newfangled invention for the cure of a sluggish liver."
"It is universally understood that, as if it were nothing more substantial than vapour floating in the sky, every emotion of a woman is bound to end in a shower."
This is yet another classic that, while after reading it I completely understand why it is a classic, just wasn't for me. I will start, however, by saying that Joseph Conrad's descriptive phrasing and abundant use of adjectives and clever similes were quite brilliant and, for me, the saving grace of the whole thing. The novel is a lesson in the mastery of the English language, and despite my not liking it overall, it has so many quotable moments throughout, I couldn't pick just one!
Unfortunately, the story just could not keep my interest. This is partly because I am simply not one for political dramas and partly because it was so damn slow paced. Until the last 15% or so, which was riveting, but by then I had had to reread so many parts because I kept losing interest and zoning out that even a compelling ending couldn't fix my attitude toward it.
"It is universally understood that, as if it were nothing more substantial than vapour floating in the sky, every emotion of a woman is bound to end in a shower."
This is yet another classic that, while after reading it I completely understand why it is a classic, just wasn't for me. I will start, however, by saying that Joseph Conrad's descriptive phrasing and abundant use of adjectives and clever similes were quite brilliant and, for me, the saving grace of the whole thing. The novel is a lesson in the mastery of the English language, and despite my not liking it overall, it has so many quotable moments throughout, I couldn't pick just one!
Unfortunately, the story just could not keep my interest. This is partly because I am simply not one for political dramas and partly because it was so damn slow paced. Until the last 15% or so, which was riveting, but by then I had had to reread so many parts because I kept losing interest and zoning out that even a compelling ending couldn't fix my attitude toward it.
Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
“The way I see it, life is a jelly doughnut. You don’t really know what it’s about until you bite into it. And then, just when you decide it’s good, you drop a big glob of jelly on your best T-shirt."
We've made it to double digits! And yes, I'm still enjoying them. I am getting a little bit tired of the Ranger / Morelli love triangle and finding myself more and more just wanting Stephanie and Joe to get their act together already. I like Ranger a lot as a character, but the thought of his being a legitimate prospect is kind of silly. Anyway, the plot of this one was really exciting and interesting; it's always fun when Stephanie gets in way over her head. Plus, Sally Sweet finally came back, which was an enormous added bonus for me!
We've made it to double digits! And yes, I'm still enjoying them. I am getting a little bit tired of the Ranger / Morelli love triangle and finding myself more and more just wanting Stephanie and Joe to get their act together already. I like Ranger a lot as a character, but the thought of his being a legitimate prospect is kind of silly. Anyway, the plot of this one was really exciting and interesting; it's always fun when Stephanie gets in way over her head. Plus, Sally Sweet finally came back, which was an enormous added bonus for me!