pkc's reviews
391 reviews

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

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

5.0

This book was just insanely good. I really enjoyed Wolf Hall, but found it especially challenging. It takes a great author to hear those critiques and very subtly tweak their prose so that the critiques are addressed but the tone and timbre remain unaffected. Cromwell is such a brilliantly written baddie, but Mantel never seeks to make him look truly wicked. In fact, he’s so cunning that sometimes, I was inexplicably coming around to his way of thinking before giving myself a shake. Mantel’s command of language brings unconventional beauty to some truly dark moments and I can’t praise this book highly enough.
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The Diva Rules: Ditch the Drama, Find Your Strength, and Sparkle Your Way to the Top by Michelle Visage

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funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

3.0

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Emma by Jane Austen

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emotional funny slow-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

3.5

I didn’t enjoy this as much as Pride & Prejudice but I found it revolutionary for the time. This was a brilliant look at the dangers of idle prattle and pitting women against one another. Emma was such a beautifully flawed protagonist and how refreshing it was to see someone live so brashly but also take full ownership of that. In all, I really enjoyed it. I did feel as though it veered into reportage on occasion, but in terms of psychology, I understand the approach. It just wasn’t for me all the way through. The back half of the book was lovely. No one writes declarations of love like Austen - it flows from her pen. I can’t wait until the next one of hers I read!
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The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 56%.
I really lost the way with this one and I sadly don’t think I have the intellect for it .
Galatea by Madeline Miller

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

5.0

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

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

3.0

Dear Dolly: On Love, Life and Friendship, Collected wisdom from her Sunday Times Style Column by Dolly Alderton

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emotional funny reflective fast-paced

3.5

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Landlines by Raynor Winn

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

I had few expectations for this book, but I devoured it in three sittings more or less. The premise appealed to me going off of the blurb, but the actual executed reality was breathtaking. It’s a story of hope, despair and persistence set against the rugged terrains of the UK as the world starts to reopen after Covid. It’s also non fiction, so I can’t really comment on protagonists because they’re real people. BUT, Raynor Winn does a beautiful job painting a portrait of a comfortable love between two devoted people as they navigate their changing lives. I just loved this so much.
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The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

This book had a touch of everything and I loved it. It was a rip-roaring plot, fabulous character development and a really great mystery that seemed to be one thing but masqueraded as something else. Just brilliant. I had a rare time reading this book and I’d like to look at more that the author has released!
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