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wordswithjustine's reviews
473 reviews
Redeeming Heartache: How Past Suffering Reveals Our True Calling by Dan B. Allender, Cathy Loerzel
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
In many ways I feel like the first half of this book is better than the second. It feels like they are trying to do too much in it. Having said that, honestly it has been a life-changing paradigm shift for me. In the future I hope to go back through the book while answering the questions over each chapter that are in the back. I think doing that would help me process it better and understand the things that just seem too deep this time through.
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin
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? No
3.5
Really enjoyed the first part. Good writing, great setting, and a wonderful main character but too much adultery and lots of unnecessary bits that didn't add to the story at all. This could have been so so good.
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
North Woods by Daniel Mason
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I almost DNF'd this book because I wasn't in a murdery frame of mind nor do I pre er books with much sex and it seemed like those things were maybe going to be the focus. I am glad I stuck with it. The nature focus shines through in the second half. The writing is absolutely extraordinary with so many strands woven together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Gore, Sexual content, Slavery, and Dementia
The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
hopeful
medium-paced
4.0
I enjoyed this creation account more now that I am in my fifties, but I would still say that this is perhaps my least favorite of The Chronicles of Narnia. Of course it is still an excellent book and should be read (in publication order, of course!)
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
As a child this was my favorite of The Chronicles of Narnia, but as a young adult it became one of my least favorites for a while. Now, in my fifties, it has moved back towards the top of the stack. The undragoning of Eustace is everything. It is possibly the most meaningful scene ever in any book. It helps me see certain truths in a way no other book ever has.
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This has always been one of my favorites of The Chronicles of Narnia. I think it forever will be with its strong themes of guidance and sovereignty, along with the omniscience of God. I really enjoy reading it now in my fifties. I read it multiple times as a child, and again a couple of times as a younger adult, but it has been at least a decade or more. It is still just as good as I remember, and I saw a different things and got different things out of it than before.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.5
I'm convinced!