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isabelleverdino's reviews
365 reviews

The Bear by Andrew Krivak

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adventurous emotional sad slow-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

3.0

I’ve realized that the book that impacted me the most when I was younger was The Island of Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. And not necessarily in a positive way, it made me quite upset at the time. 

I think this book reminds me of that one in a lot of ways. A young girl forced to grow up quickly amidst the harshness and the beauty of the wild. Honestly, I think I would have found this book more forgiving than Blue Dolphins as a child because of the voices of the animals and the trees that support her once she’s alone. 

Regardless, I wish there had been a little more about the people from before. Even just a few more remnants. And I also find myself wishing that the ending wasn’t as resolute as it was. It made me sad more than anything to learn that there were no more people for her to find in her whole life. That even though she found solace in her life and in the wild, that a bear had to complete her loop for her. I wish it had ended with her fathers burial and left the rest unanswered. 
 
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

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adventurous hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

3.25

When I started listening to this one, I hadn’t read any of the first books they talked about and I was worried it was going to be too religious (weird feedback for a book about death? My bad) 

But I got into it. And I had read a few of the books they talk about. You really just get so much more into it when you can connect to the literature they’re talking about. 
Lovely War by Julie Berry

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emotional inspiring 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? No

4.25