jessicamusch's reviews
158 reviews

Korean Short Stories for Beginners and Intermediate Learners: Engaging Short Stories to Learn Korean and Build Your Vocabulary by Language Guru

challenging informative lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed reading this and found it was a good level for me. However I think it is definitely not for beginners, and is more at the upper intermediate or low advanced level. There are many complex words and even a few idioms used. 

As a lower advanced learner, I found it really satisfying to be able to finish this really quickly but still understand the content. There are questions at the end of each chapter to test understanding which were helpful. 

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

3.0

Felt a little anti climactic 

DallerGut Dream Department Store by Mi-Ye Lee 이미예

adventurous hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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? No

4.0

This is such a fun book!! Penny works at a department store that sells dreams. The perfect read before bed. 

The English translation is excellent - it doesn’t feel like a translation which is rare for books translated from Korean in my opinion. 

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

The beginning dragged on but the ending was so exciting I couldn’t put it down 

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

adventurous hopeful inspiring reflective medium-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

4.5

I’m inspired to keep on my path to realising my personal legend. 

I’m glad I read this 

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

dark fast-paced

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

3.0

I haven’t read Unravel Me yet, but I don’t quite get the hype around this book and don’t consider it a must read.

Quicksilver by Callie Hart

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I loved the world building but didn’t love the relationship between the 2 fated lovers. We never really got a sense of why they are into each other. 

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

Excellent, of course 

These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I struggled to get into this but glad I stayed with it because the twist at the end!! I’m very invested 

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

adventurous challenging funny 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

3.0

Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim don’t have much in common. Except that they live in a peaceful retirement village and have an interest in investigating unsolved murders. When a murder happens right on their doorstep they band together and work to catch the killer.

I’ve realised that perhaps crime fiction isn’t my genre. I wanted to love this so badly but I found it hard to follow and that I wasn’t that interested in the who done it, and more interested in the relationships between the main characters.

The writing was gorgeous, written in part in the form of diaries.