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ivyldc's Reviews (416)
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Yes
Read aloud to Max. Perfect for a night time read. Sweet story of a boy who finds a smart of border collie.
reflective
relaxing
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:
Yes
This was the perfect 3 star book. Nothing too stressful, engaging enough, but easy to put down too. Good story. Just what I needed at the time.
informative
reflective
fast-paced
This is a collection of essays by the founder and first host of Normal Gossip podcast . It is smart and insightful, but lacks the charm of her podcast. The best parts of this were when she shared parts of her own experiences with gossip, like overhearing someone talk about her in the locker room in high school. I found the reality t.v. show deep dive and the Pablo Picasso deep dives tedious.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book started strong with both the Laura chapters and the Freddie Chapters (they alternate), but got so bogged down in the middle it was a slog to finish. I did learn a good deal about WWI before the US entered the war and it was meticulously researched/written, but the overall plot could have moved a lot faster. We lost a lot of tension in the Faland hotel scenes.
adventurous
challenging
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5 This was a cute and funny read aloud to my son. I am going to buy it again on audio though because I heard that was the best way to experience it.
I will say that this book has a lot of characters with hard to pronounce names, and the plot is a bit meandering. It appealed to my kid but not to me, per se. Also, it was set theoretically in the past, but there were cars? I don’t know.
I will say that this book has a lot of characters with hard to pronounce names, and the plot is a bit meandering. It appealed to my kid but not to me, per se. Also, it was set theoretically in the past, but there were cars? I don’t know.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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:
No
This book is a historical novel about the 6888 battalion of the WAC in World War II, an all Black women’s battalion that traveled to England to sort the backlog of the mail to and from the troops. The story features the real characters of Major Charity Adams and other women that I believe are invented characters based on real people. The story principally follows Charity,Judy, from Bronx NY, and Mary Alice, from New Hampshire.
I would have liked this more if there were more focus on how they actually figured out the mail. This mostly focuses on the personal growth of the characters, which was interesting, but not as interesting as the job they did and the major accomplishment of doing it ahead of schedule.
I read this after the Netflix move Three Triple Eight came out, so that also tinged my expectations for this book. This was not the basis of the script, as the stories were very different, including the deaths of three officers which was covered differently in the movie vs this book. One other critique is in this novel Major Adams is a lesbian and in love with her second in command. There doesn’t appear to be any historical record of that which I could easily find from online sources. I found it an unusual choice.
Still this is a good book that highlights a part of history that might have gone under recognized. Pretty good for a debut author.
I would have liked this more if there were more focus on how they actually figured out the mail. This mostly focuses on the personal growth of the characters, which was interesting, but not as interesting as the job they did and the major accomplishment of doing it ahead of schedule.
I read this after the Netflix move Three Triple Eight came out, so that also tinged my expectations for this book. This was not the basis of the script, as the stories were very different, including the deaths of three officers which was covered differently in the movie vs this book. One other critique is in this novel Major Adams is a lesbian and in love with her second in command. There doesn’t appear to be any historical record of that which I could easily find from online sources. I found it an unusual choice.
Still this is a good book that highlights a part of history that might have gone under recognized. Pretty good for a debut author.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
This story of 38 flights stranded in Gander Newfoundland on September 11, 2001 is as sweet as the gets. The generosity of the people in the small towns around Gander just show how good people can be. I actually have to believe this is true wherever you are, not just in Canada, not just in small towns.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Terrorism and September 11
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Read aloud to Graham. It’s good writing. Newberry winner, so hard to go wrong.
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Set in 1961, Netherlands, this is a post WWII book that delves into the long recovery of a society and a family that doesn’t talk about its traumas. Isabel and her brothers grew up in a big country house, in which Isabel still lives alone as a single woman. It is understood her elder brother Louis will claim it upon his or her marriage (when he will “need” it or she will move). But, that summer, Louis needs a place for his new girlfriend to stay while he is out of town for an extended period. When Eva comes to stay tensions rise. Saying any more risks spoilers. I figured out the twist early on, but having finished I believe I was intended to by the author.
emotional
reflective
sad
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:
Yes
My final book of 2024. Beauty land is the story of Adina Giorno, a girl who believes she is an alien from the young age of 4 years old. She communicates with the light being of her home planet by fax machine. She sends her observations on human existence and they reply. She lives with her single mother, Terese in a working class neighborhood across from Auto World and it’s floppy tube man. The story is of her observations from birth through mid 40’s in chronological order. She has so much insight into life, yet is ultimately so lonely it is heart breaking.
I didn’t think I would have another 5 star read in 2024, but I am glad to have finished this. It is so beautiful and mysterious in so many ways. I can’t wait to explore Marie-Helene Bertino’s short stories.
I didn’t think I would have another 5 star read in 2024, but I am glad to have finished this. It is so beautiful and mysterious in so many ways. I can’t wait to explore Marie-Helene Bertino’s short stories.