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kellee's reviews
1209 reviews
Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin, Marissa Stapley
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Cute premise, but poorly executed. I didn’t mind the Hallmarkian city that our main characters just happened to be waylaid in, which just happened to be filming the sequel to a favorite Christmas movie. But the silliness of their decisions, the tantrums out of nowhere, and way they don’t recognize what’s going on around them was ridiculous and more characteristic of a children’s movie. It’s disappointing, because I have really enjoyed Uzma Jalaluddin’s books in the past.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Picked up at an indie bookstore solely because of the cover, illustrations inside, one interesting chart, and different fonts. Switched to audio when I saw it was narrated by Simon Vance and Neil Patrick Harris. A silly romp of a murder mystery, but a bit complicated on audio, so I switched back to print. Was I rooting for any of our deletists? Not really, but the book was just charming enough to keep me reading until the end.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
William Kent Krueger’s writing evokes nostalgia, a strong sense of place for the Midwest small town, and the bittersweet feeling of crossing a threshold - whether that of youth to adulthood, the choice to know or not know, and the moment you allow yourself to be changed for the better or not.
Despite these rather weighty topics, the book reads with a fast pace, as we gradually build up to the incriminating event, and understand how it all came to be. I have a few minor quibbles with the coincidental timing of things: Frank and Jake are often in just the right place at the right time to overhear secrets. But the message of the book is clear and beautifully summed up in Frank’s father’s sermon: that after a loss, we are only left with “three profound blessings… faith, hope, and love.”
4.5 stars.
Despite these rather weighty topics, the book reads with a fast pace, as we gradually build up to the incriminating event, and understand how it all came to be. I have a few minor quibbles with the coincidental timing of things: Frank and Jake are often in just the right place at the right time to overhear secrets. But the message of the book is clear and beautifully summed up in Frank’s father’s sermon: that after a loss, we are only left with “three profound blessings… faith, hope, and love.”
4.5 stars.
The View From Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Charming found family story, but dated, this is a novel version of the film Slumdog Millionaire. I thought I’d choose this one for my middle school book club, but ultimately decided against it for some of the tone deaf language.
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
adventurous
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
Fun, immersive, but a little lacking with some plot details. 3.5 stars.
The Book Censor's Library by Bothayna Al-Essa
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
“It struck him that a book was effectively the equivalent of a human being.”
“The Book Censor’s Library”is effectively the equivalent of “1984” for books. It’s a translated work that reads smoothly and beautifully. I didn’t love the ending though. 3.5 stars.
“The Book Censor’s Library”is effectively the equivalent of “1984” for books. It’s a translated work that reads smoothly and beautifully. I didn’t love the ending though. 3.5 stars.
Connie: A Memoir by Connie Chung
inspiring
medium-paced
3.75
Wonderful on audio. Connie Chung narrates her story with feeling, poise, and confidence. I was happy and proud to hear her name her successes, and I like that she doesn’t subject herself to the double standards women so often do. The tone did feel a bit braggadocios at times, because she defended herself often and did not own up to any mistakes. But I get that she wants to tell her own story in the way she wants to tell it.
3.75 stars.
3.75 stars.
Blueback by Tim Winton
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
A short story that expresses what some 500 page books struggle to do. Written in 1997, Blueback is a middle grade novel, less than 100 pages, but it’s poignant and resonant in its telling. The prose is both accessible, beautiful, and timeless - it’s really for anyone middle school and up. It’s another book recommended by fivebooks.com, and I’m rating this one a full 5 stars.