berlylovestoread's reviews
277 reviews

A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Court, crime, racism, country & people divided. A good look at what was happening. A little sad but overall well done. Recommend.

Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry

emotional hopeful informative fast-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

4.0

This middle grades book is as informative as it is entertaining. I loved how the main character's part was in verse and the boy's is prose. Maybe a little too "everything turns out" for realism but that goes along with it being for a middle school audience.

We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo, Mitch Anderson

adventurous informative medium-paced

3.5

Very informative and interesting but o would have liked more dates so I could tell how much time had passed. Terrible things are done to indigenous people all over the world in the name of progress. 

The Crash by Freida McFadden

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Freida McFadden, as usual, delivers a tense kidnapping & hostage situation that palys out over 4 tense days. Fast paced and quick plot points to keep you on your toes in this twisty thriller.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Vera is hilarious. I giggled at her antics more than once. I didn't think it was a well disguised mystery but thoroughly enjoyable. 

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative fast-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? Yes

5.0

The main topic is banned books but when books are banned the main reason is to hide topics and change history. So other important topics are covered: slavery, anti-Semitism, the Holocaust to name a few. While this sounds heavy the overall feeling of the book is hopeful. I laughed out loud more than a couple times as I listened to this book. Highly recommend!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

Narrated from the perspective of Death this is a most interesting take on Nazi Germany. I felt it was a little confusing at times because the narrator skips around with his timelines as he remembers those he has collected and those he encounters as he works. He follows a little girl and she is the main character - the story is about her and those in her life. 

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

A great idea and original, too! Twisty and keeps you on your toes as you read.

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson

2.0

Started off with a good idea. Devolved into an unbelievable farce.

She lives with her best friend but that (granted new mom, sleep deprived friend) doesn't have any idea what is happening? She uses her new guy's badge to get into his office and look for evidence but that doesn't trigger mr. Micromanager boss's info?

Anyway, I just couldn't get into it too much and can't recommend.

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer

emotional hopeful informative sad 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

5.0

loner; orphan raised by gpa; awkward; death doula; begins to emerge from shell; great characters; different/new story; great ending that wraps things up but gives enough open endedness to not make it too "perfect"; recommend for those who are facing death of a loved one