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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
از اولم جذبم نکرده بود و فقط به خاطر اینکه هدیه بود خوندمش. (و اینکه درباره کتاب ها بود) البته وقتی سارا و عشقش به کتاب رو می دیدم ذوق می کردم. و اون ارتباطی که بین سارا و اعضای بروکن ویل بود خیلیییی قشنگ بود. ولی واقعا چیز خاصی نداشت. :)
A pleasant enough light lockdown read, but basically nonsense.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
There are things that I liked about The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend and then parts that were a little tedious. Overall it was an enjoyable read, but I doubt I'll be thinking about it for weeks to come. Actually, I think it would be a good pick for my local library bookclub, so I might nominate it.
What worked well:
1. It is a book by a book lover, about a book lover, who wants to share her love of books with others. Well duh, isn't that pretty much everyone at Goodreads? So yes, I loved Sara's dedication to books, her connection to Amy, whom she'd never met in person, a connection forged through a love of books, and I liked her mission to get the whole town of Broken Wheel reading. I also liked the discussion about other books. Some reviewers were mad that there were "spoilers" by discussing these books. However, I think most of the books referenced have been out for years, and my thoughts are, if you haven't read it by now, what are you waiting for. Oh no, I now know the ending of the horse whisperer, both in the book and in the movie. This reminds me of people who show up at a book club, haven't finished the book that we are discussing at that meeting, and then don't want people to discuss it. Seriously, if you don't want it spoiled, you have several choices - a.) finish the book on time, or b.) don't go to that meeting. Anyway, I liked the discussions of the books.
2.) Small town Iowa. I liked the descriptions of small town Iowa. I grew up in small town Wisconsin and went to college in pretty darn small town Iowa (but still, much bigger than my hometown), so I know this topic pretty well. I thought the descriptions of life in Broken Wheel, the town's rivalry with neighboring town Hope, the longstanding grudges and hanging out at the local bar - this all played realistic to us. It's amazing well done knowing that the author is Swedish and hadn't set foot in America prior to writing this book.
Now for the things that didn't work quite as well:
1.) Confusing characters. Maybe it was the very similar and all very standard names (Tom, John, Josh, George), and maybe it was partly attributable to the fact that I listened to this in audiobook and the narrator gave the exact same voice to all of the male characters, but I could not keep the male characters' identities straight. The female characters were a little more clearly drawn, but I couldn't keep track of who was doing what and what was his backstory, etc. I know I'm not the only one, as others have asked questions trying to figure out Amy's relationship with John (or was it Tom), and I think he was her nephew, but that is far from crystal clear.
2.) The central romance. In addition to a love of books catching all over Broken Wheel following Sara's arrival, there was also a rash of new romances. Some of them worked better than others. The weakest one was probably the central one, which was predictably a plot straight out of Green Card and The Proposal (and they even referenced Green Card in the book).
Overall it was an enjoyable read - nothing too weighty.
What worked well:
1. It is a book by a book lover, about a book lover, who wants to share her love of books with others. Well duh, isn't that pretty much everyone at Goodreads? So yes, I loved Sara's dedication to books, her connection to Amy, whom she'd never met in person, a connection forged through a love of books, and I liked her mission to get the whole town of Broken Wheel reading. I also liked the discussion about other books. Some reviewers were mad that there were "spoilers" by discussing these books. However, I think most of the books referenced have been out for years, and my thoughts are, if you haven't read it by now, what are you waiting for. Oh no, I now know the ending of the horse whisperer, both in the book and in the movie. This reminds me of people who show up at a book club, haven't finished the book that we are discussing at that meeting, and then don't want people to discuss it. Seriously, if you don't want it spoiled, you have several choices - a.) finish the book on time, or b.) don't go to that meeting. Anyway, I liked the discussions of the books.
2.) Small town Iowa. I liked the descriptions of small town Iowa. I grew up in small town Wisconsin and went to college in pretty darn small town Iowa (but still, much bigger than my hometown), so I know this topic pretty well. I thought the descriptions of life in Broken Wheel, the town's rivalry with neighboring town Hope, the longstanding grudges and hanging out at the local bar - this all played realistic to us. It's amazing well done knowing that the author is Swedish and hadn't set foot in America prior to writing this book.
Now for the things that didn't work quite as well:
1.) Confusing characters. Maybe it was the very similar and all very standard names (Tom, John, Josh, George), and maybe it was partly attributable to the fact that I listened to this in audiobook and the narrator gave the exact same voice to all of the male characters, but I could not keep the male characters' identities straight. The female characters were a little more clearly drawn, but I couldn't keep track of who was doing what and what was his backstory, etc. I know I'm not the only one, as others have asked questions trying to figure out Amy's relationship with John (or was it Tom), and I think he was her nephew, but that is far from crystal clear.
2.) The central romance. In addition to a love of books catching all over Broken Wheel following Sara's arrival, there was also a rash of new romances. Some of them worked better than others. The weakest one was probably the central one, which was predictably a plot straight out of Green Card and The Proposal (and they even referenced Green Card in the book).
Overall it was an enjoyable read - nothing too weighty.
Fun, cute story about a quirky town with unique personalities and a tourist and her bookstore. Fun for people who love books
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I had a hard time getting into the story, and the characters felt very two-dimensional. Some of the subplots could have gone somewhere, but I think I wasn't interested enough in the main plot, so it was overall not my favorite read. I can see why other people might enjoy this book, it just wasn't for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Homophobia, Xenophobia
Minor: Racism, Deportation
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
3.5 stars
So many interesting characters and not sure I got to find out enough back story on any of them.
Heroine waits for life to happen around her and rarely speaks up for herself.
Very thankful for the lists at the end of all the books mentioned.
So many interesting characters and not sure I got to find out enough back story on any of them.
Heroine waits for life to happen around her and rarely speaks up for herself.
Very thankful for the lists at the end of all the books mentioned.
What a delightful tale that weaves enough light-hearted joy with the realities of 'life' making a quick page turner!
Such a good story! Confusing at times and so clear at times. A very good read.