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1029 reviews
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
The Reformatory is a must read, full stop. I stayed away from this book for quite sometime, because of the length and it's classification as horror. Oh how wrong I was. I flew through the 576 pages in three days, resenting everything I had to do in between reading sessions. Due tells an incredible story, rich with detail and propulsive.
This novel is the story of a boys home in Florida in 1950, where one of our main characters, Robbie Stephens, finds himself after kicking a white boy who harassed his older sister. Sentenced to six months, his sister Gloria is intent on finding help to get him out of this school which is known to abuse and often cause the deaths of young boys who are more the victims of racism and bad luck than guilty of crimes.
Soon after arriving at Gracetown School for Boys, Robbie begins seeing ghosts. He is befriended by Redbone and Blue who help him learn the rules and how to survive. Meanwhile, the haints are showing Robbie that this school has a past even darker than the school's reputation.
This is currently my favorite book of 2024 and I don't know how anything will top it. I cannot recommend this enough. Based on actual boys schools including the Dozier School for Boys, this novel brings important subjects to light in a book that just cannot be put down.
This novel is the story of a boys home in Florida in 1950, where one of our main characters, Robbie Stephens, finds himself after kicking a white boy who harassed his older sister. Sentenced to six months, his sister Gloria is intent on finding help to get him out of this school which is known to abuse and often cause the deaths of young boys who are more the victims of racism and bad luck than guilty of crimes.
Soon after arriving at Gracetown School for Boys, Robbie begins seeing ghosts. He is befriended by Redbone and Blue who help him learn the rules and how to survive. Meanwhile, the haints are showing Robbie that this school has a past even darker than the school's reputation.
This is currently my favorite book of 2024 and I don't know how anything will top it. I cannot recommend this enough. Based on actual boys schools including the Dozier School for Boys, this novel brings important subjects to light in a book that just cannot be put down.
Misconception: A Novella by Amanda Dolan, Liv Constantine
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Ya'll, this was fun. You may have recently read or heard about Liv Constantine's short story titled Everywhere You Look- which is, demonstrably, a dumpster fire. This novella, Misconception, is much better. You'll still see what's coming a mile away, but trust me you can't turn away. Also, it was more believable and the character development was strong for the length and enjoyable.
My only note, two people both liking mint chocolate chip ice cream is not a strange coincidence. It's not an unusual flavor. However, this is less ridiculous than red nail polish in the refrigerator in Everywhere You Look.
My only note, two people both liking mint chocolate chip ice cream is not a strange coincidence. It's not an unusual flavor. However, this is less ridiculous than red nail polish in the refrigerator in Everywhere You Look.
What Waits in the Woods by Terri Parlato
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
What Waits in the Woods is a suburban mystery that alternates between the points of view of Rita, an older female detective, and Esme, a nearly thirty year old woman who has just returned to her hometown after her ballerina career and her relationship have both ended. I do not usually enjoy detective books and I'm decidedly on the side of ACAB, yet Rita had character development that made her enjoyable for me. Esme was especially relatable, who hasn't spent too much time, energy, and money on a relationship that didn't deserve it in their twenties?
The night before Esme returns, one of her high school friends is killed in Esme's backyard. Her ailing father was home and heard a scream, her brother was at work, and the list of suspects is quite long as no one seems to quite fit the bill. This slow but steady suburban mystery with a background sense of drama and small town secrets is a great fit for fans of Megan Miranda.
The end was a bit of a surprise for me, but not jaw dropping. I don't regret reading this, it's just not quite my current reading style.
The night before Esme returns, one of her high school friends is killed in Esme's backyard. Her ailing father was home and heard a scream, her brother was at work, and the list of suspects is quite long as no one seems to quite fit the bill. This slow but steady suburban mystery with a background sense of drama and small town secrets is a great fit for fans of Megan Miranda.
The end was a bit of a surprise for me, but not jaw dropping. I don't regret reading this, it's just not quite my current reading style.
A History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
After reading a poetry collection by Billy-Ray Belcourt, I was eager to read this essay collection. A History of My Brief Body dives into topics around queerness, being indigenous, and surviving in a post-colonial society.
I found the writing style dense and the first half of the book I spent adjusting to Belcourt's writing style in this context. As I adjusted, it did become easier to read. This is a verbose book in a small package. Belcourt is highly intelligent and speaks to the reader as though they are as well. I appreciated that he wrote about difficult and complex subjects with the complexity they deserve, but maybe yes I'm just not as smart as him.
I found the writing style dense and the first half of the book I spent adjusting to Belcourt's writing style in this context. As I adjusted, it did become easier to read. This is a verbose book in a small package. Belcourt is highly intelligent and speaks to the reader as though they are as well. I appreciated that he wrote about difficult and complex subjects with the complexity they deserve, but maybe yes I'm just not as smart as him.
The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer is her sophomore book following her debut, The Wishing Game. I adored The Wishing Game, flying through it and also not wanting it to end. This book involves more magical realism and is inspired by The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. However, it does not contain religious allusions like the inspirational text.
This novel begins with the story of two teenage boys who went missing on a hike and suspiciously reemerged from the woods not worse for wear six months later. Rafe and Jeremy have since gone their separate ways. Now, Emilie seeks out Jeremy who has become a bit famous for finding missing people to help her find her kidnapped sister whom she has never met.
Ramping up at about the halfway point, this novel had a slow start in my opinion and then a rushed conclusion. I would have liked more time with the wonderful cast of characters together and more depth for each of them with tighter exposition to open the story. That said, I had a good time reading and was happy when this book ended in a set up for a sequel or potential series.
CW: kidnapping, child abuse, toxic family relationships
This novel begins with the story of two teenage boys who went missing on a hike and suspiciously reemerged from the woods not worse for wear six months later. Rafe and Jeremy have since gone their separate ways. Now, Emilie seeks out Jeremy who has become a bit famous for finding missing people to help her find her kidnapped sister whom she has never met.
Ramping up at about the halfway point, this novel had a slow start in my opinion and then a rushed conclusion. I would have liked more time with the wonderful cast of characters together and more depth for each of them with tighter exposition to open the story. That said, I had a good time reading and was happy when this book ended in a set up for a sequel or potential series.
CW: kidnapping, child abuse, toxic family relationships
The Sky Club by Terry Roberts
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I picked up The Sky Club because it is by a local author and set so close to me, literally on the mountain in my neighborhood. Told from before the crash to during the early years of the Great Depression, Roberts tells the story of Asheville and Jo Salter, a country girl from Madison County who came to the city to "live a life her mother could never have imagined" after she dies.
In Asheville, Jo moves in with her wealthy Uncle and soon begins working at Central Bank and Trust. She takes quickly to keeping track of numbers and becomes an essential employee on the first floor of tellers. Suddenly knocking elbows with many of Asheville's most wealthy and socially elite, Jo is out of place but learns quickly how to get by. But when trouble comes for the city and the bank, Jo is in a tight spot.
As Jo navigates bank work and the crash, she comes to know a reclusive speakeasy manager. Their relationship is the focus of the latter part of the book, and I enjoyed their dynamic.
So for my praise and criticism, here are my opinions:
+I flew through this 409 page book, finishing the second half in one day. That says something positive.
+I liked the historical details and the way Roberts told a possible story of a woman wrapped up in the city's terrible crash.
+Jo was tough, determined, and tender too.
-The historical accuracy was not as much as I hoped for outside of the banking details and Asheville setting.
-The intimate scenes were... awkward. Clearly this is a case of men writing women badly.
-It was a little too long for what it was.
So I had a great time with this book, but do I think you will? I don't know. Do you live in or love Asheville and have a special interest for history? Then maybe it's worth a try.
In Asheville, Jo moves in with her wealthy Uncle and soon begins working at Central Bank and Trust. She takes quickly to keeping track of numbers and becomes an essential employee on the first floor of tellers. Suddenly knocking elbows with many of Asheville's most wealthy and socially elite, Jo is out of place but learns quickly how to get by. But when trouble comes for the city and the bank, Jo is in a tight spot.
As Jo navigates bank work and the crash, she comes to know a reclusive speakeasy manager. Their relationship is the focus of the latter part of the book, and I enjoyed their dynamic.
So for my praise and criticism, here are my opinions:
+I flew through this 409 page book, finishing the second half in one day. That says something positive.
+I liked the historical details and the way Roberts told a possible story of a woman wrapped up in the city's terrible crash.
+Jo was tough, determined, and tender too.
-The historical accuracy was not as much as I hoped for outside of the banking details and Asheville setting.
-The intimate scenes were... awkward. Clearly this is a case of men writing women badly.
-It was a little too long for what it was.
So I had a great time with this book, but do I think you will? I don't know. Do you live in or love Asheville and have a special interest for history? Then maybe it's worth a try.
The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
The Great Divide was a wonderfully written novel about the building of the Panama Canal and how that impacted the people of Panama. I learned so much from this book and it was a really thorough and engaging look at how colonialism impacted this area and people.
As for the story, I felt the connection to the characters was uneven throughout the novel. At first I felt bored and unconnected, then towards the middle I felt so close and concerned for the characters, and then I felt disconnected and removed from the characters again. I think perhaps it was an uneven balance of character emotionality and development with factual storytelling about the canal, but I'm not sure.
I'm glad I read this, but I hoped to feel more rooted to the characters throughout.
As for the story, I felt the connection to the characters was uneven throughout the novel. At first I felt bored and unconnected, then towards the middle I felt so close and concerned for the characters, and then I felt disconnected and removed from the characters again. I think perhaps it was an uneven balance of character emotionality and development with factual storytelling about the canal, but I'm not sure.
I'm glad I read this, but I hoped to feel more rooted to the characters throughout.
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
I first read this book when I was in fourth grade. Roughly twenty years later as a teacher, I read it aloud to my class of fourth graders. And now ten years after that, I revisited it as a parent and just as someone who loves middle grade lit.
This book holds up. I love the competitive spirit of this group of boys as they dare each other to something so gross- eating 15 worms in fifteen days. It's a quick funny read and I love it.
This book holds up. I love the competitive spirit of this group of boys as they dare each other to something so gross- eating 15 worms in fifteen days. It's a quick funny read and I love it.