carolineolesky's reviews
71 reviews

Murder at an Irish Chipper by Carlene O'Connor

funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Overall I enjoyed this book, but I found it concerning how the one Black character was portrayed. I found it troublesome that her race was used to differentiate her as an outsider, simply stating she was a Londoner would have gotten the same point across. In addition, she was the only character whose race was explicitly mentioned. Lastly, she was, to my recollection, the only character whose physical appearance wasn't described in detail, her looks were simply described as Black. I would have liked to have seen the author find a way to respectfully describe this characters appearance without disparaging or oversexualizing her as opposed to ignoring describing her at all.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for sending me a free advanced digital edition.

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater

dark emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

Really hard and informative read about youth and the criminal justice system.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

challenging emotional

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

5.0

The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr

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

4.5

Really charming quick read!

All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

5.0

Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I mean i finished this in a day so I think it was great

Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Honestly if you just let it be wild and dramatic it’s fun. Definitely hard to follow, especially all the husbands, but I admire this woman in some ways. Original girl boss novel.

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I felt like most of the book was very slow and then all of a sudden it was over. It kept me entertained but I wouldn’t recommend.

Eleanor and Hick: The Love Affair That Shaped a First Lady by Susan Quinn

informative slow-paced

3.5

This was not bad but it also was not good. I think the author was really screwed by their editor. The book is tooo long and ends up being quite repetitive ( like the same point with the same quotes will be made just paragraphs apart) and some major world events of the time are just completely ignored (hello… the atomic bomb?) but overall it was nice to learn more about Roosevelt and Hick. Also lots of FDR drama which I was into.