helendipietro's reviews
272 reviews

emotional hopeful informative reflective 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? N/A

5.0

What a duo! ⭐️ Cariad Lloyd and Tom Percival have joined forces to create this beautifully touching picture book dealing with the theme of grief and loss of a loved one.

The little girl loves to ask questions and she has many about where her Grandma has gone? She is confused by the common phrases like ‘sorry for your loss’ and wants to help find her Grandma in any of the ways she knows how!

This then leads to a touching and honest conversation with her Mum about death and what some people believe happens. We are then provided with ways to remember our loved ones.

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson

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emotional reflective 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

Caleb Azumah Nelson’s prose flows like water and this lyrical writing is just such a joy to read; he is a master at capturing feeling.

Some of the lines in this are very powerful; they had me stopping in my tracks just to take them in. The repetition of certain phrases kept drawing me back in, forcing me to witness the evolution of the main character’s life.

His short chapters provide small windows into an intimate scene or scenario which builds up to many moments forming a relationship between loveable and relatable characters.

It’s an emotional and reflective read with odes to music running throughout that really adds depth to the story.

Again, I loved this.

The Fairy Tale Fan Club: Legendary Letters Collected by C.C. Cecily by Richard Ayoade

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funny lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

4.0

Really clever concept, formatting and design!
Even though it's a children's book, I think it coould have been a bit more beefy/ more content! But definitely a good read.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

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dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

4* rating as this was a good thriller and kept me reading on and on! It's very dark, a bit simplistic in places/unbelievable as a result but there's a big twist that I didn't see coming. We read this as a book club and there was definitely lots to discuss. A book that will you remember reading for good or bad.

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

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challenging funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced