justjacq's reviews
216 reviews

Salt Houses by Hala Alyan

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-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

4.25

I went into reading this book knowing nothing about it or the storyline, and I think because of that, it spoke to me even more. It's a multi-generational, multi-perspective story that follows a family displaced from Palestine during the 6 day war in 1967. Instead of focusing on the disaster of war, it centers more around displacement and the effects of war on people and families. The story follows the Yacoub family through decades and draws a dizzying picture of displacement - they never seem to belong anywhere and have no home to return to. There are a lot of sad moments and reflections, but it's also a story of perseverance and has moments of joy. The writing is beautiful and absorbing, and I felt like I really grew to know the family as they changed and moved. The epilogue had me tearing up, and the ending was really powerful.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.25

Well this was just the cutest! A short and sweet review to say that this one was heartwarming, easy to read, had fun illustrations, a cute story and lovable characters - what more could you want?! The perfect lil read for the start of fall! 

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

adventurous challenging funny lighthearted mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.75

I was DYING to know what happened in this story, but now I feel a little sad it's over. It was such an adventure! Okay, were there a whole bunch of characters to remember, and did the timeline bounce around more than a handful of times? Yes, and yes. The character names were odd, too, which always makes it a little tricky. BUT... it was totally worth it to stay focused and stick with it. It's completely whimsical and odd, and the setting and post-apocalyptic world were unique and unlike other books that take place after the "world ends." I just really enjoyed it. The mystery had a ba-jillion different paths to explore, and I truly never knew what was coming or how it was going to end. It's got mystery, sci-fi, magical realism, and dystopian narratives - it's eerie, heart-warming, confusing, and thrilling, all at the same time! Also, the afterword was super cute and totally hit me in the feels.

Savor: A Chef's Hunger for More by Fatima Ali

emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

Oh man... I went back and forth between reading this and listening to it, and I'm not lying when I say I listened to the whole last hour through tears. It's a terribly sad, but wonderfully moving memoir of Fatima Ali, who was clearly such a force of joy, honesty, passion and goodness. If you spent even a moment watching her on Top Chef, you would agree she had a magnetism about her and that she was an exceptional and determined chef. As a Top Chef super-fan, I went into this already knowing what was coming, but it didn't make it any less heartbreaking. The writing is well done and beautifully mixed with her family history, specifically her mother's life and how her mother shaped her. I can't deny there were a lot of triggering and tough parts to read through, but it was so incredible to learn more about Fatima and the way she looked at life and living. If you love food, memoirs, and books that wreck you, add this one to your list!

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

adventurous funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Wait... what? What the fudge even is this book, haha!? Romance? Spy novel? Speculative fiction? Sci-fi? Historical fiction? All of the aboveee?? Did I love it? Yes. Did I understand all of it? No. Haha, but whatever - I think with this one, you have to let the time travel details stay a little fuzzy and just hold on for the ride. The humor was lovely - the characters adjusting to the current day was such a hoot, and I found them so lovable. It was dry and witty! The romance was okay - some spicy scenes, but leading up to them, it was a very slow, very one-way burn, and I wasn't sure anything was ever going to happen. In general, I felt like the first 2/3's of the book were a little slow - the ending got a little confusing, but the action picked up the pace a fair amount. It also touched on race, racism, and climate change, but they weren't the focus of the story. It's twisty - and I did not see the ending coming, so predictability is one thing this book definitely does not have! If you like multi-genre, witty, time-travely books, this one if right up your alley!

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious tense 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? No

4.5

I just enjoyed this one so much! It's such a good balance of heartwarming and suspenseful, and the main characters are so lovable. In a sense, it reads like a cozy mystery, with tidbits of humor and fierce female leads. It's fun! There were a few things that stuck out to me as a little predictable or a little far-fetched, but I just didn't care because it was just so enjoyable! The writing is really descriptive, and I could vividly imagine the characters and the slough where the story took place. I listened to this one, and the narrator was fantastic! Definitely recommend!

Loving Sylvia Plath: A Reclamation by Emily Van Duyne

challenging dark informative reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

I have just always been so curious about Sylvia Plath and my first real deep dive into her life (and the first book I read about her) was through reading Red Comet in 2022. I was completely sucked in, and by the time I was finished reading it, I was adding everything Sylvia to my cart. I remember planning our trip to London in 2023 and learning that Ted Hughes has a spot in the Poets Corner of Westminster Abbey. I was shooketh. We did not visit it. I have yet to read any of his writing, but I don't need to read any to know that he was not a good human and certainly not worthy of recognition in any Abbey. I formed this opinion simply based on the fact that he was a mean, adulterous, mentally draining husband - everything in this book made me question everything that was left out of Red Comet. There was still some silencing (although maybe not purposefully) of Sylvia even in that massive bio. This book was (drumroll please) spectacular. It took me a little longer to read than I expected, but only because it's such a dense and rich examination of Sylvia's life and work. And beyond Sylvia, it worked through Assia Wevill, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), the difficulty various authors/scholars have faced to write a biography about her, the mythology surrounding Sylvia, her writing, and her legacy, and the monster that was Ted Hughes. It's necessary reading for any Plath fan, and it's an exceptional addition to the collection of writings on Sylvia. Also, I feel beyond lucky to have met Emily Van Duyne and hear her speak at Pocket Books in Lancaster, PA - it was a small, intimate crowd, and it felt truly special to hear about her "Plath-path."

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

5.0

I have so many thoughts about this incredible book, but I'll try to keep this simple. This is necessary reading. Written as a letter to his 15 year old son, Coates details different parts of his life - growing up as a black boy in Baltimore in the 90s, attending Howard University, bringing a child into the world, etc. It's an examination of violence against black bodies, which has been, and continues to be part of the American system and legacy. It's a harrowing, bleak, honest, and hopeful essay, that left me with tears in my eyes by the end. 

Bel Canto: A Novel by Ann Patchett

dark reflective tense slow-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? No

4.0

Hmm, I went into this with really high hopes, and I did really enjoy it, but I'm not sure it's worth the hype, in my opinion. I bumped this one up in my TBR because I found it at the library, AND because it ended up in the Times Top 100 Novels of the 21st century. It was very thought-provoking. After reading a lot of other reviews, it seems like you either loved it or didn't like it at all. I guess I fall somewhere in the middle. I didn't know it was based on a real hostage crisis in Peru in the 90s, so I can't say I have a lot of feelings about that - because I simply didn't know. As a fictional novel, I thought it was wonderfully descriptive and transportative. It does read slightly soap-opera-esque, and it was a little slow moving for me. It was so interesting to watch the crisis play out and to see how the hostages and terrorists grew together and apart. I liked a lot of the characters and felt captivated by their circumstances. I kept waiting for something big to happen, and when it finally did at the very end, I didn't feel like it was what I wanted or expected - I have so many lingering questions about what happened "after." I'm not into opera, so I did find it a little hard to relate to. All of the characters in the story became almost hypnotized by the soprano, and several "fell in love" with her in a way that felt a little dramatic and fairy-tale-ish. The writing was superb, though - it was romantic, full of drama, and longing. This is only the second Patchett novel I've read, and even though I didn't love it as much as Commonwealth, I'll definitely be adding more of her books to my TBR. 

Better Left Buried by Mary E. Roach

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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? No

4.0

Now this was horror I can handle! I'm admittedly a horror wimp, so I felt a little nervous over the Pocket Books YA Horror prompt on the Pocket Books Challenge - but this was downright enjoyable. Scarry, yes, and suspenseful, but not overly to the point that would keep me awake at night! Lucy and Audrey are so lovable - which might seem crazy for a horror novel, but they were just so relatable. They were strong, smart, and confident - they had a whole lot of gumption. The story had its predictable moments, but I honestly didn't connect all the dots until the end. I'm definitely interested in whatever comes out next from Roach!