cmgriffin's reviews
507 reviews

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

5.0

This is a lot, but boy is it worth the read.

So Much Things to Say: The Oral History of Bob Marley by Roger Steffens

3.5

The anecdotes are fascinating, though this definitely isn’t a book for someone who doesn’t already know the general outline of Marley’s life. I wasn’t impressed with the narration of the audiobook.

The Archive of the Forgotten by A.J. Hackwith

4.0

I just love books about stories. Especially ones filled with really messy characters who fuck up a lot and don’t always get along, but who still love each other desperately, in spite of or maybe because of their flaws.

Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky

3.5

Decent, a really broad overview. Could’ve used more analysis. Ends up being mostly a list of facts, many of which are interesting, but the contextualization is lacking a bit.

Path of Deceit by Tessa Gratton, Justina Ireland

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

Wow, this got DARK. Loved it.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

5.0

Stunning, delightful, and poetic. Wildly romantic.

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

5.0

This book is sweet, cozy, funny, existential, and most of all, kind. 

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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

4.0

There’s a lot to like here. The narrative voice is strong, and it’s by turns funny, sweet and mysterious. The relationship between the two protagonists really anchors the whole thing and their banter is very well done. I was never bored reading this.

The Lonely Book by Meg Grehan

4.0

Lovely, beautifully-written. A book about love, family and acceptance. A warm hug of a book.

The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

4.0

I like this one a lot better than The Colour of Magic. It’s funnier, tighter and overall has a better structure to it. It just works on a lot of levels that the previous installment doesn’t. Did I mention it’s quite funny?