bchristian541's reviews
181 reviews

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

Follow President Snow through his late teen years, from being an Academy student, to being a mentor for The Hunger Games, and more. Find out why Snow is the way he is, how The Hunger Games started, and much more.
I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I did not want to put it down. You even start to feel bad for Snow, just a little bit. There were twists and turns galore. 

Justice Calling by Annie Bellet

adventurous mysterious 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? Yes

3.0

 Sorceress Jade Crow has been hiding from her ex, an evil sorcerer, in a small town full of non-humans. She hasn't used her powers in ages and didn't plan on doing it anytime soon, at least until she gets a visit from a Justice. Then things start to go south. An unknown magic is trapping shifters into their animal forms and feeding off of their powers. When those she loves are being targeted, Jade does not hesitate to use the powers she has been hiding. Is Jade able to save her friends? Find out in Justice Calling.
Justice Calling is a fast read. It is a good story with some twists. I do wish that it was drawn out a little more. It felt rushed. I also wish that it went a little more into the character's lives (such as why Jade is called the twenty-sided sorceress). It is more of a 3.5 than a 3, but I do not feel like it was a 4 star read. Maybe the other books in the series go further into character backstories, but I'm not interested enough to read more. 

Country Gold by Heatherly Bell

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Lexi used to be in a band with her two sisters until a scandal made their label drop them. Luke, coming from a bad background, joined the sisters as a back up. After the scandal, he became the main star, but not before he and Lexi fall in love. Eventually, Lexi and her sisters leave Nashville, and Luke. Determined to win Lexi back, Luke returns to California after his tour. Can Luke win Lexi back? Find out in Country Gold.
I liked the story it was cute. The quotes at the beginning were a little weird, not because they were quotes but because of their sources (such as t-shirts and memes). Some of the wording was a little off and confusing as well. For example, it said Lexi wrapped her arms around him and put her hands on his abs. I was thinking he was back to her, but a couple of sentences later I found that to not be the case. Overall, it was a cute, quick read. 

Before I Knew by Jamie Beck

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 Colby's life is filled with tragedy. She lost her best friend and neighbor, Joe, to a tragedy, a tragedy that his family blames her husband, Mark for. Bi-polar Mark succumbs to his disease and Colby is struck with another tragic loss. Between losing the two people she loved the most, Joe's father not even looking at her anymore, a toxic stepmother, and a somewhat narcissistic mother, Colby's life is looking bleak. That is, until her brother, Hunter, and their dad help her to open up a restaurant called A CertainTea. Hunter, unknowingly to Colby, hires Joe's older brother Alec to be the lead chef. Alec has been reeling ever since the loss of his little brother, the loss of his restaurant, and Mark's death. Both deaths he partly blames himself for. Before I Knew follows Colby and Alec's journey to heal. Do they manage to find peace? Does Alec ever come clean about some secrets he's been hiding? Does Colby share the love for him like he does for her? Find out in Before I Knew. 

Kismet by Amina Akhtar

adventurous dark 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? Yes

5.0

 Ronnie's parents passed away, leaving her in the hands of her less-than-friendly Aunt. After being abused for years by her aunt, Ronnie befriends Marley, a self-proclaimed healer. Together they decide to pack up and move to Arizona. Things start to become sinister in Arizona when the girls stumble upon a dead body on a trail. Marley makes a new friend, Caroline, who acts suspicious. Not liking this new friend, Ronnie befriends and starts working for twins, Britt and Star. Bodies continue to appear. Who is the murderer? Could it be Caroline? And what is with these ravens that seem to have taken a liking to Ronnie? Find out in 'Kismet'.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It went between Ronnie's point of view and The Town's point of view. The Town even included the point of view of the ravens. There were some lovable characters and some very dislikable characters. The twists and turns made me not want to put it down. 

The Bastiat Collection by Frédéric Bastiat

informative slow-paced

4.5

 This collection is full of valuable information for anyone from any country. Some parts do get a little tedious, but overall there is so much great information. I learned a bunch of new words as well. The only way I could have gotten more out of it, is if I took detailed notes. It does mention the Christian faith a good bit, but it does not overwhelm the read. I did have to take breaks to absorb all of the information. Below is a breakdown of how I rated it. Please note that my breakdown knowhere near summarizes all of the information that you would learn from this collection.

I. That Which is Seen, and That Which is Not Seen
5 Stars - even though it is set in France, there is plenty of important information for anyone to know about the economy
II. The Law
5 stars - compares law with the economy and morality and warns against the dangers of law becoming an "instrument of plunder"
III. Government
5 stars - goes over the different definitions of government
IV. What is Money?
4 stars - gets a little tedious, but still has many references and comparisons to help the reader understand the sources of money and what is considered money
V. Capital and Interest
5 stars - talks about capital, loans, exchanges, interest, and more with many different examples and comparisons
VI. Economic Sophisms - First Series
5 stars - talks about trade, fairness of labor, how many trades are needed to make one item, and more
VII. Economic Sophisms - Second Series
5 stars - talks Spoliation and what causes it: morality, war, good and evil, politics, religion, etc.
VIII. Harmonies of Political Economy (Book One)
5 stars - Theories, happiness, morality, wants and needs, perils: a letter to the youth
VIIII. Harmonies of Political Economy (Book One)
4 stars - Society as a mechanism. People can either make it stronger or make it deteriorate, chapters are longer which makes it more tedious but it still has a lot of good information, focuses more on land, property, capital, services, and labor and how they tie together in the economy
IX. Harmonies of Political Economy (Book Two) 4.5 stars- how different parts of the society and the economy intertwine. Mostly focuses on wages and where the wages go such as rent, taxes, services, and war. A lot of good information, like the other parts. Some of the chapters are a bit lengthy which make them a bit tedious. 

The Stand by Stephen King

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 Another amazing novel by Stephen King. The Stand kept me engaged through every page. There were so many different twists, turns, and surprises. The Stand shows what could happen if humanity is not careful. I wish I read it sooner. 

Into Enemy Waters: A World War II Story of the Demolition Divers Who Became the Navy SEALS by Andrew Dubbins, Andrew Dubbins

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

 Andrew Dubbins follows the story of US Frogman, George Morgan, during WWII. I am not usually into non-fiction books, but this one is written beautifully and is packed full of interesting information. I did not want to put it down. Follow George from before WWII until the end of it and see what it was like to be a Frogman. 

Her Name Is Knight by Yasmin Angoe

dark mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

 Trigger warning: contains moments of abuse, human trafficking, and physical and sexual violence. Parts of this book were uncomfortable to read, but it's an amazing book nonetheless. It is full of detail, twists, turns, and surprises. 

The Girl and the Midnight Murder by A.J. Rivers

adventurous mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

 Another amazing book in the Emma Griffin series. AJ Rivers is an amazing author and knows how to beautifully write a story while adding multiple twists and turns. I cannot wait for the series to continue.