expatally's reviews
1475 reviews

Artemis by Andy Weir

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

1.0

Can’t figure out why I’m supposed to be rooting for the main character when she basically almost kills everyone for….what? 

And so much welding….
Patient H.M.: A Story of Memory, Madness, and Family Secrets by Luke Dittrich

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.
I enjoyed the writing and there were some interesting parts, but so many stories didn’t really support the overall plot which made the story so disjointed
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo

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dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

This is why you read outside of your regular genre. Even better to listen to the author narrate it.
The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante

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emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

Start, Stay, or Leave: The Art of Decision Making by Trey Gowdy

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hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

Really enjoyed this one. A great reminder that just because you disagree with someone politically, does not mean you won’t find plenty of other things on which you might agree. 
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-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

5.0

Love the pacing of this book. At the beginning of the book, I wasn’t a huge fan of Soto, but Jenkins Reid does a great job of helping you understand her mindset so that you are on the edge of your seat by the end. 
Lila by Marilynne Robinson

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This series is just beautifully written. If you take it as if you are peeling back bits of it at a time, you’ll get used to the slow pace and will be so glad that you took the time to read it.
How Learning Works: Eight Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching by Marsha C. Lovett

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informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

Loved working through this book with my doc students. Looking forward to applying the principles in SLP clinical ed!
The Children's Story by James Clavell

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dark fast-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

1.0