kade_spade's reviews
185 reviews

Skeleton Creek #4: The Raven by Patrick Carman

adventurous mysterious 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

4.0

I liked this book as much as I liked the first book. I was concerned after reading book 3 that the series was just going to start progressively getting worse, but I was pleasantly surprised. There’s a lot more mystery in this book than the last one and it delves more into the lore of the books. While I do miss Sarah and seeing more actual acting, the mystery in this book makes up for it. The plot is pretty far fetched at this point but who cares! It’s a fun middle grade book that knows what it is and doesn’t take itself to seriously! 

One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley

challenging emotional mysterious 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

2.0

Overall, not a great book. I LOVED the 1951 chapters, but it couldn’t make up for the slow, repetitiveness of the 2018 chapters. The 2018 chapters were truly heartbreaking and I can’t imagine the emotions of those reading who have/had a loved one with dementia. But sadness alone does not make a book good. This book could’ve been half the length it was which I think would’ve made the book more tolerable. None of the characters were really that likable, and they weren't even fun to hate. This seemed like it was going to be a cozy mystery, but it was more like a long, boring pretentious ramble of a book. 

Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman

hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

I LOVED this novella! Dare I say it’s the best book out of the whole “Heartstopper: Nick and Charlie” universe I’ve read. Oseman’s art is beautiful, but they can write so well and that talent doesn’t get shown as much through their graphic novels. I love that we get to learn a lot more about Nick and Charlie’s thoughts through this style vs. graphic novel. 

Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman

emotional funny lighthearted 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

4.5

I continue to adore each new book in this series. What Oseman tries to do in all of their work is incredible. The positive representation and information is very much needed, it’s so nice to see, and to see it done, overall, in an appropriate way. However, sometimes I do feel like the story gets bogged down with, what can feel like at times, every single issue known to man. Overall, I love Oseman in all that they and hope they continue to write many more stories! 

This Winter by Alice Oseman

emotional hopeful 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

2.5

I really wanted to love this little novella more than I did, but I just can’t find a reason to. Maybe if I read it in the middle of Heartstopper Vol. 4 (chronologically) I would’ve liked it better. It’s a very easy and quick read. It is cute and I loved learning more about Tori. The medium change was a bit jarring to go from comic to regular book style. Overall, this novella felt kinda pointless and repetitive to the comics. It’s saving grace was Tori and Oliver’s POVs. 

Big F@!king Deal by Lawrence Allan

adventurous funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.5

This is a great follow up to the first book. Followed the same tone and was so fun to read. However, the writing seemed slightly slopper than the first book, which occasionally took away from the story. I did still very much enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the third installment! 

American Black Widow by Gregg Olsen

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

2.0

Not that great or interesting book unfortunately. The timeline and transitions at times were hard to follow. There were also so many characters they were hard to keep track of. The author tried to help with that by creating a “character” list at the beginning of the book. I felt like I already knew the whole story from reading the front and back of the book. Nothing interesting happened in between the pages that kept me invested. All that aside, it wasn’t a horrible book, just kind of “meh”. However, criticisms for the book aside, I hope the people whose lives were effected due to Sharon and her horrid actions have found some sort of peace and that this story did them justice in their eyes. 

The Crossbones by Patrick Carman

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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 one was a little weak compared to the first two. The vibes were off and it almost felt like a continuation for sake of just continuing, not that there was more to tell of the story. However, I still found the book and videos entertaining and will continue to read the series. 

Skeleton Creek #2: Ghost in the Machine by Patrick Carman

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Just as fun and entertaining as the first book! Once again horrible acting, maybe even worse than the first book’s videos, but that didn’t take anything away from the story for me.
Great and creative resolution to the mystery and for younger readers I can see the plot twist being huge for them. I will be reading the rest in the series, but the books could’ve ended at this one no problem. I can see how reading these books as a kid/teen could shape someone’s love of horror/thrillers!! 

The Getaway List by Emma Lord

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

2.0

This book definitely fell flat for me. I found the characters so unrelatable and unrealistic. How they talked and interacted just seemed so fake and the humor didn’t work at all. At lot of the book, especially the first 100 pages, was so repetitive. However, the saving grace for this novel was the 50 some pages that focused on the climax and reveal. Those pages were so good, it made me a little sad that the whole novel didn’t feel that way. I also enjoyed how Tom and Luca were not your typical men that you see in YA or Adult books. The vulnerability of them and how they acted in themselves and their relationships was a fresh and rarely seen trait in books.