kamrynharned's reviews
194 reviews

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

I started out really disliking this book and by the end, I liked that I started out disliking it, because that was exactly what was supposed to happen.  This is the kind of book where if you think that all of the plot twists are done, there’s probably two more left.  Fredrik Backman has such a unique writing style - winsome & sarcastic, sincere & irreverent.  I was also pleasantly surprised with how Backman dealt with heavy and relevant social topics - in my opinion, it was a textbook example of how to bring depth to your characters and contribute to a meaningful conversation on the topic without preaching or soap-boxing.   His characters could be slightly misogynistic and also loving, slightly racist and also well-meaning, and classist but also capable of great depth.  This book had several of the makings of some of my favorite books, but at the end of the day, the most special part about this book was the limited cast of imperfect characters that chose love in the end. Also the first time I can remember reading a book with a character named Estelle, and she didn’t disappoint. 
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

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adventurous dark funny hopeful 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

4.5

I have shockingly little to say about this legendary book. It was a delight, a journey, and the magnitude of the story and the world building was not lost on me.  I remember trying to pick up this book when I was around 9 or 10 and barely getting through a few pages before I called it quits, because it felt like all they were doing was walking from one place to the next. Unfortunately, because I also read the Hobbit this year and gave it a 5 star, I don’t think this book quite achieves 5 star status, only because the character development, story and significance didn’t feel fully complete (being the first book in a trilogy, not surprising). I listened to this as an audiobook and was frankly blown away by the talent of the narrator.  Not only did he have distinct voices for each of the characters but he also sang all of the songs, and sang them well. 
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

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challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I searched high and low for novels by indigenous authors that would be beautiful, educational and moving WITHOUT being what felt like a trauma dump. This book was almost that, but would have been even more powerful if it had been a little less preachy. I loved the generational approach, but I wish it spent time more evenly on each era and set of characters. It worked through the middle generation so quickly that I almost forgot how everything was connected by the end of the book, and there were some genuinely fascinating parts of history it referenced that I had never heard of (take over of Alcatraz??).  Its portrayal of addiction was very moving and harrowing, especially through the perspective of Orval.  Definitely not a happy ending, but not unsatisfying at all. 
Paradise Lost by John Milton

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slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I feel like I have very little to say about one of the most influential epic poems of our lifetime. It was impressive, yes, but incredibly slow and tedious, even for me. Beautiful in its prose at times and certainly creative in its approach, but I couldn’t get through more than a few pages at a time. Pro tip for anyone trying to get through this book purely for the cultural significance it holds - the entire audiobook is on YouTube. I enjoyed the experience so much more while listening to it.  Adam and Eve were such disappointing characters - the misogyny was quite shocking towards Eve, and Adam was flat and boring. Satan’s character development was more interesting, and I think my favorite part of the book was when it explored what the fall of Satan and his legions might have looked like, or how it might have played out. 
Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools: An Invitation to the Wonder and Mystery of Prayer by Tyler Staton

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challenging funny hopeful medium-paced

4.0

I was surprised by this book. Prayer as a spiritual discipline has always been difficult for me, and so I figured listening to this audiobook wouldn’t hurt, but I definitely didn’t expect for it to be as deep, biblically-based and well-written as it was. It challenged the way that I view prayer, and I left with a deeper understanding for how Jesus wanted us to pray and what a true lifestyle of prayer can look like.  It didn’t spend as much time discussing the concept of unanswered prayer as I thought it would, but I thought it was discussed thoughtfully. It also didn’t fall into the repetitive, circular reasoning trap that so much Christian non-fiction falls into. Short, concise, full of real life experiences and examples, but without being a simple sermon. I can see myself re-reading the physical copy of this book and annotating. 
His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

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emotional 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

3.0

I was initially intrigued by this story set in Ghana, and while I never hated my experience listening to it, it fell flat in many ways. One, the character development of Afi was jarring. She went from being a beyond docile creature to not caring what anybody thought in a few chapters, and while I did find myself sympathizing with her, I didn’t have an emotional connection to any of the characters. It was a very simple story overall, no plot twists or anything exciting, and the ending was lack-lustre. It was quite obvious that the author herself had never had children and did very little research into the whole process, and while there were some interesting glimpses of Ghanaian culture, most of the book was set in the westernized city. The writing could have been worse but the whole story just felt rather pointless and like something I will probably forget very quickly. 
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Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

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adventurous funny lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

I had low expectations for this book, but I really needed what it had to offer! It was faced-paced and interesting, obviously well-researched and atmospheric.  The relationships between the women were believable and the relationship progression was fun to follow. The characters were well-developed, the plot was interesting and unpredictable, and kept me entertained! There wasn’t any uncomfortable or mature content. At the end of the day, I don’t think I’ll remember much about this book, but I really enjoyed the authors style and will definitely pick up more books of hers when I need a quick murder mystery. 
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
I wasn’t into it and that’s not because it wasn’t exciting - I think it’s a book that I would love reading one day though. 
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy, Baroness Orczy

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

3.5

This book was fun! It’s been a while since I read a book that was all adventure and excitement and very little else.  The French Revolution setting was exciting, the writing was beautiful at parts, and while I did guess the major plot twist, there was more that I didn’t anticipate. The main female character was annoying - not as stupid or “inane” (the author’s favorite word apparently) as female characters are often presented in 20th century fiction, but just rather pointless. The romance element was interesting in the beginning, but cheesy towards the end. My main complaint about the writing is that it was constantly belaboring the stakes, leading to entire paragraphs that I would just skip over. 
“The lust of blood grows with its satisfaction; there is no satiety.”

“It was terrible to see a young and beautiful woman - a girl in all but name - still standing almost at the threshold of her life, yet bereft of hope, bereft of illusions, bereft of all those golden and fantastic dreams, which should have made her youth one long, perpetual holiday.” 
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

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dark funny reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is truly one of a kind. I wish I was able to get through it faster to have a more conjoined experience, but because this book had such a limited setting and plot, it was doable to read it this way. I can’t believe Kesey’s ability to articulate what happens in the mind of someone who is mentally ill either paranoid hallucinations. He brought all of the characters to life through the eyes of Chief Bromden.  While there wasn’t much to love about this book, there was much to appreciate. Nurse Rachett was one of the most incredibly written antagonists I’ve ever come across. Confirms the fact that I really appreciate a villain who isn’t black and white, and who is evil in the ways most of societies traditional villains aren’t. The ending was hard and also strangely redemptive. Much of the narrative from Chief Bromden was obviously unreliable, but the book as a whole calls attention to a part of our past (and sadly present) society that is very real and horrifying. We still have such a long way to go in treating those with mental illness with dignity and respect.