embersonthehearth's reviews
8 reviews

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

informative lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

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

1.0

The book of nothingness. No story, no character development, no anything. Well... Lots of nostalgia from people remembering reading the stories as little kids.
The descriptions are great from a technical standpoint, but boring if you want a story that has something to say. 

Not a novel, but a series of beautifully written narrative descriptions. At least it was short. 

Losing Eden: Why Our Minds Need the Wild by Lucy Jones

informative inspiring reflective

3.0

Very good and worth a read, but could've been a blog post

Elvenquest: The First Series by

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.0

Dietland (Tie-In) by Sarai Walker

challenging dark medium-paced

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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Hate crime and Antisemitism

Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

A lovely book for kids, I have recommended it to both of mine aged 8 and 10.
Can't wait to watch the film and get a more adult view of the story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

A fun quick read, that can get a bit confusing at times when events get referenced before they are explained. 

Worth a read, but won't reread. I haven't watched the film, but it would work great as a play. 

A light-hearted intro to sci-fi for those who aren't ready for the 'heavier' works in the genre.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, and War

What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories by Laura Shapiro

informative reflective medium-paced

2.0

Let me preface this by saying: if you have no idea who the author is, go search her online and read some of her articles/columns/essays. They are fantastic: well-written, funny, witty, informative, and to the point.

This book was not bad, it was just not good. It was too long, and the main premise (how food can show us who someone really is) felt very forced into what are basically annotated biographies of women who have been profiles to infinity already. The author assumes you can make massive assumptions about people because they mention one random meal in a journal.

But, like I said, not everything was bad. If these stories had been written as short articles (the author's strong point in my opinion), they could've been a great read. Trying to extend them into a fully-fleshed book just didn't work.

The intro and epilogue, however, showcase what a good writer the author can be. They are short, snappy, funny, emotional, and make you think. Pity the rest of the book wasn't like that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Genocide, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and War

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

2.25

Not great, not awful. Easy to read, but the writing is not the best.
The story develops in two streams: past and present.
The past one is interesting, however it could take place anywhere at anytime. There is nothing that makes it relevant to the place and location.
The present one is just bad. The protagonist is unbearable even though we're supposed to be rooting for her, and the things she goes through are just plain ridiculous. Bored housewife meets Indiana Jones, but if he was a complete idiot.

The worst part is that the concept of the book is, if not unique, very interesting. Pity the story wasn't better developed.

I can see why the book is popular though, it's chick lit (which I actually like). It's easy to read, you want to know what happens next, and the characters are mostly women. For what it is, it's ok. Just don't sell it as an historical mystery.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism