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beth_simmons's reviews
50 reviews
Rook by Sharon Cameron
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Read on the recommendation of my (precocious) 9 year old, this middle -grade/YA novel set in a dystopian future Paris with events meant to reflect the original French Revolution was action packed and kept me up well past my bedtime to finish it! It is fairly gory/violent; the guillotine features prominently and there is a lot of violence with swords and knives and insinuation of torture. There is romance, which physically doesn't go past kissing. There was a lot of consideration of good vs evil and one particular paragraph that I found eerily prescient given the current state of US politics at the beginning of 2025. I loved the strong female protagonist and her love interest, who admired and encouraged her strength and intelligence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood
A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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? It's complicated
5.0
I read this book out loud to my sons, ages 9 & 7. They loved it, love Anne, and are looking forward to starting book 2, as well as hoping to visit PEI some day soon! I enjoyed sharing a favorite character with them. "Anne with an E" is one of my heroes.
Hothouse Kids: The Dilemma of the Gifted Child by Alissa Quart
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
As a "formerly gifted child" myself, married to the same and parent to kids who would probably qualify as gifted, I found this book both interesting and familiar. I was fascinated by the examples she gave, and turned to Google searching for updates, as this was written almost 20 years ago (the skateboard kid is still a pro skateboarder; the Scrabble competitor "The Girl" is a lawyer). It gave me a lot of food for thought about how I'm educating my children and why, and certainly gave me pause about the urge to label them as gifted or push them towards precociousness.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
challenging
dark
informative
tense
fast-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? No
4.5
I found this book fascinating and challenging, intense and disturbing. I couldn't put it down, but I often wanted to. This one will stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit, Deportation
The Summer Cottage by Viola Shipman
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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? No
3.5
Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.0
Minimalism for Families: Practical Minimalist Living Strategies to Simplify Your Home and Life by Zoë Kim
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
A good introduction to minimalism for those just starting out, and a quick refresher for those who've been doing it for a while. Nothing new or innovative, but simple and easy to follow.
A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? No
4.0