jocelyn_broman's reviews
130 reviews

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

adventurous inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama

challenging inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

This was a huge branch out for me and it did not disappoint. Tsukiyama's lyrical prose and excellent characters that are unwrapped a piece at a time - just wonderful. The WWII era backdrop of Japanese advancement into China while the main character from Hong Kong is recovering in Japan at his grandfather's seaside house melded both old world wealth and new era changes that explored the tensions of this time on a personal level. Loved it. Highly recommend.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

Minor: War

The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

3.75

Born for Silk by Nicci Harris

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

The Indian Card: Who Gets to Be Native in America by Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz

informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

"The more I reseach history, interview thoughtful Native scholars, and contemplate my own story, the more I think about Native identity as, among other things, deeply relational. As professor and writer Jimmy Beason, a member of the Osage nation of Oklahoma, has said, Native identity 'is not so much who you claim; it's who claims you.'" p. 194

"Maybe lists are the only way we can most fully understand." p. 76

An excellent memoir and exploration of Native identity in the United States and the history and policies that affected, and are affecting, Tribes and individual American Indians and Alaska Natives to this day. 

The Last Refuge by Christina Bacilieri

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No

2.0

Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

5.0

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen

4.0