jenwestpfahl's reviews
299 reviews

Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee

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informative medium-paced

3.5

This probably won’t appeal to everyone but I found some interesting thoughts that could help add joy to my life and to my retreat business. Incredibly wealth of real-life examples.
The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

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emotional 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

A quick and compelling read. I liked that exploration of how “ordinary German” people lived with the choices they made during and after WWII and how that affected the rest of their lives. It shows how life is more complicated than choosing sides.
A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor

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challenging slow-paced
  • Loveable characters? No

3.5

These stories are dark and full of symbolism that I’m not sure I grasp. Have your thinking cap on if you’re going to read this one.
How to Be: A Monk and a Journalist Reflect on LivingDying, PurposePrayer, ForgivenessFriendship by Kathleen Norris, Paul Quenon, Judith Valente

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fast-paced

3.5

An easy read with a few good quotes but overall nothing too revolutionary when it comes to spiritual thoughts.
The It Girl by Ruth Ware

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dark mysterious sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

Very compelling thriller. It kept me guessing at the truths pretty much right until each was revealed. One small plot device doesn’t really make sense to me after the fact. 
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The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

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

3.5

I was excited to read about Hedy Lamarr because I knew she did some sort of scientific/research work but didn’t know any more than that.

The first half of the book about her life in Austria was fascinating and well written. The second half started out just as good but then when we finally got to the part where she was inventing things, it felt slightly rushed. There were mentions of “our new project” being on the flipboard while they waited for answers on the first project but never any info on what that was. We also got no insight into what happened when her mother arrived in California.

The last chapter felt like a huge letdown, and the last page or two was so cheesy. 

It just seems like there was so much of her life still to explore and we were just cut off abruptly.
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

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challenging medium-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? It's complicated

4.75

Some parts were hard to stomach but it’s an excellent book. The characters were so well researched and written. It all felt very real. 

Would be a 5 except for a couple of courtroom scenes that felt a little cribbed from Aaron Sorkin.
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The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

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dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

While the writing style is excellent, I found it hard to follow the through-line of the story as the point of view and timeframe changed with each chapter. I also didn’t feel like we spent enough time with any of the characters to really connect with them. I liked the idea of getting the backstories of what led each person to a specific terrible moment in time, but it just didn’t hit home for me.  
The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans

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Did not finish book.
Library loan expired. Didn’t care enough about the story to get back on the loan list.
Yellow Medicine by Anthony Neil Smith

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
Hard to follow. Not really into following the memories of a cop who sleeps with teenage girls. Looked up a plot synopsis and was not one bit interested. How did this even get on my tbr list?