Scan barcode
missrosymaplemoth's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this and it was my first ever Playaway experience. I enjoyed listening.
This was a great book. I got some insight into biracial identity while also heavily relating to Isabella’s family dynamic and experience with divorced parents. I did think the pacing was odd at times and the end felt rushed, as well as several things I wish were talking about on a deeper level. I still enjoyed this book and it talked about a lot of issues I hadn’t before read at the middle grade level. I would recommend this book.
This was a great book. I got some insight into biracial identity while also heavily relating to Isabella’s family dynamic and experience with divorced parents. I did think the pacing was odd at times and the end felt rushed, as well as several things I wish were talking about on a deeper level. I still enjoyed this book and it talked about a lot of issues I hadn’t before read at the middle grade level. I would recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, and Gun violence
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Hate crime
Minor: Medical content, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders
suchaslay47's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Police brutality
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
bibblestan_myrical's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I overall enjoyed the book, but I felt that the ending was just unfinished. I really wanted to see a few more events, but I felt it was blandly wrapped up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Bullying
gurnoor's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, and Gun violence
Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, and Violence
Minor: Medical content, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders
zombiezami's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
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
4.0
I really liked Isabella's voice in the book. As always, I think the author doesn't quite capture how teenagers talk, particularly in terms of slang, but I still liked the character's thought process. The plot felt a little disconnected, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, Police brutality, Bullying, Gun violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit and Medical content
Minor: Classism, Antisemitism, Xenophobia, and Mass/school shootings
lynching, colorism, divorcequeer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Blended by Sharon M. Draper was a book I discovered on Bookstagram when a friend posted about it! It's about a mixed raced Black girl dealing with having to live in two worlds. My first thought was: where was this book when I was in middle school!? This middle grade book is great for any young kid dealing with divorces and/or dealing with what comes with being "half Black half White".
We follow 11 year old Isabella as she navigates her parents divorce and, frankly, poor co-parenting skills, along with struggling to figure out where she fits. With the white kids? Or the black kids? What happens when you're both? She quickly learns the world is going to judge her first by her skin color, and to that end she is black.
Although I absolutely loved this book (it had be crying early with just how painfully relatable it was for me), I have decided to dock half a star, because of a twist too near the end, that I felt was jarring and unnecessary. It just didn't seem like that was where the book was going, and it took me out of it a bit.
This was a deeply personal read for me. Despite my one issue, I encourage anyone to read this. I blew through this one day lol.
We follow 11 year old Isabella as she navigates her parents divorce and, frankly, poor co-parenting skills, along with struggling to figure out where she fits. With the white kids? Or the black kids? What happens when you're both? She quickly learns the world is going to judge her first by her skin color, and to that end she is black.
Although I absolutely loved this book (it had be crying early with just how painfully relatable it was for me), I have decided to dock half a star, because of a twist too near the end, that I felt was jarring and unnecessary. It just didn't seem like that was where the book was going, and it took me out of it a bit.
This was a deeply personal read for me. Despite my one issue, I encourage anyone to read this. I blew through this one day lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Police brutality, and Racism
stormywolf's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This was another one that popped up as "if you liked The Hate U Give then try ______" back when the BLM movement was in full swing over the summer. I had a few opportunities to read it, but never really felt as compelled to as I had with other books of that subject matter. So it sat. But when I hit a bit of a reading rut and needed something quick to kick me out of it, I went ahead and picked it up again. I mean, it is Black History Month after all, so this was as good an excuse as any to finally cross it off my TBR list. Unfortunately, it seems my first inclination was correct—it wasn't nearly as compelling as I would have hoped.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, this story felt like it had a lot to discuss but nothing to say. Like I said, it brought up a lot of interesting topics, many of which would be great to discuss in class either concerning race relations or child psychology, but it never seemed willing to state a stance on any of them. I've been feeling disappointed in Middle Grade books' noncommittal stance on political injustices for a while now, so maybe I'm just looking for something that isn't there? Regardless, if you're looking for an entry-point into social justice issues, Black Lives Matter, or racial tensions, but don't want anything involving death or protesting, then I suppose this is a good option. I'll give it this: it doesn't give any answers for free.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, this story felt like it had a lot to discuss but nothing to say. Like I said, it brought up a lot of interesting topics, many of which would be great to discuss in class either concerning race relations or child psychology, but it never seemed willing to state a stance on any of them. I've been feeling disappointed in Middle Grade books' noncommittal stance on political injustices for a while now, so maybe I'm just looking for something that isn't there? Regardless, if you're looking for an entry-point into social justice issues, Black Lives Matter, or racial tensions, but don't want anything involving death or protesting, then I suppose this is a good option. I'll give it this: it doesn't give any answers for free.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, and Police brutality
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Medical content
A student finds a noose hung in their locker at school. Divorce is a main subject of this story, with the main character's parents having split custody of her. Their interactions are almost always yelling and police/legal action is threatened more than once.
More...