amandagracereads's reviews
608 reviews

Funny Story by Emily Henry

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

adventurous challenging tense slow-paced

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

2.75

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

adventurous challenging tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

adventurous dark funny tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Homophobia and Xenophobia

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

I was in a bad reading slump and came across this novel. I listened to the audiobook and was riveted. This book is outside the realm of what I normally choose to read, but I think that’s why I liked it so much. 

This is a historical/ realistic fiction book that takes place in 1980s Ireland. Our main character is a hardworking man who runs his own wood and coal business. He has a large family with several daughters and most of the book is him musing on his life and the meaning of all the struggle he goes through. The main conflict in the book comes when he comes across something shocking. The small town of working class families largely ignores the obvious abuse of young women by the local nuns, afraid of the control that the church has. He has to decide if he remains complicit. 

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer

hopeful reflective fast-paced

5.0