lafate's reviews
135 reviews

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

This is my fourth book by Elizabeth Acevedo and my favorite so far. I listened to the audiobook read by the author. I'm not the target audience of Young Adult books. I'm an old woman. I was into poetry some as a teenager, but most of my stuff wouldn't have stood the test of time. 

This book has heart, conflicts, and joys. It's about a teenage girl who begins to write poetry. She has a twin brother, immigrant parents, and a best friend, all living in Harlem. I will not give any spoilers. 

I give this a hearty five stars. 

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I listened to this on Audible. 

First off, before I even discuss the story, let me say that Dion Graham was a perfect narrator  I know there were a couple of parts when his voice was a little too soft, but the sound engineer should have caught that. The ratings on Audible are much higher than here.

This book has been awaiting me on Audible for a while and is my first book by Colson Whitehead. He invented a cast of characters whom I could feel for and against. The main character, Ray Carney, is someone I rooted for from beginning to end. Sure, some dealings might have been a little sketchy, but it's tough to get by in the city. I also loved the humorous parts that usually caught me unaware.

I grew up in a different city, but I remember the mid-1960s. This book felt true to the times. I have a friend who sold vintage furniture, and I was surprised at how well the author described the furniture of Ray Carney's furniture shop. 

I'll be back for more Colson Whitehead. And Ray Carney. I love this book.

Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales by Nelson Mandela

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I listened on Audible. First off, I loved the stories, some a little more than others, and most of the narration was 5 stars. The music was fantastic, but it is so much louder than the stories that you should be ready to adjust your headphones if that's how you're listening. 

I would recommend these stories to anyone who likes folktales. They come from many African countries. I'm an adult, but I would also enjoy these with my grandkids, even the one who would claim to be too old. 

I'm thankful for the PDF with all the pictures and credits - great illustrations! If you are borrowing from the library or buying from any source, please check for the PDF! This is also in print. It was produced to raise money for children orphaned and impacted by HIV/AIDS in South Africa. I'm glad to have this!

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I will not give any spoilers. I went into this book knowing it took place during the busing crisis in Boston in 1974. I knew it was a thriller because Dennis Lehane is good at writing them, although this is my first book by him. 

The main character, Mary Pat Fennessy is a tough cookie who has lived a tougher life. The Boston Public Schools are about to be desegregated and she and the mostly Irish American South Boston community are not happy about it. Her daughter Jules goes missing. a young Black man is murdered. The city is in turmoil. The stage is set. 

As a Bostonian I remember the times. we no longer lived in Boston, but I knew what was happening about busing. Dennis Lehane captured the city pretty much perfectly. The narration is excellent. I think Mary Pat's Boston accent was a little off in the beginning, but by about a third of the way in it sounded authentic. When Jules calls Mary Pat Ma she sounded just like me calling my mother Ma. 

I highly recommend this book. 

Japanese Folktales: Classic Stories from Japan's Enchanted Past by Yei Theodora Ozaki

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

I received a paperback copy of this charming book and read a story it two a day. The author was half Japanese and half English. She published this in 1903. I don't know how much Japanese literature was translated to English at that time, but I'm sure there was interest in tales from exotic lands. I did feel a little Western influence at times, but the tales seemed otherwise authentic. 

Some of these are very Samurai inspired, so maybe you want to read them before sharing with young children. Most are fine, but there are a few I would hold back on. As an adult who loves Japanese literature, I enjoyed reading these while adding some more cultural background to my understanding of Japan. I do recommend it if you like folktales, fairy tales, and mythology.

Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie

adventurous funny mysterious reflective 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

4.25

I listened to this one that had 14 stories. This was the American version. The original British version had 11 stories. 

I enjoyed the stories, some more than others. A few felt contrived. A few were absolutely brilliant. It is sprinkled with a little humor as usual; Poirot is quite the character. Richard Armitage narrates this perfectly, but doesn't he always do a five-star job? I'm bumping it up to 4.25 to account for the perfect  narration. The stories are an average of 4 stars.

I'm fairly new to Agatha Christie and classic mysteries and am enjoying them. 

We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo, Mitch Anderson

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

When I started this book, I thought that I would listen to it quickly. I did start that way, then I had to slow down and savor it. I had to slow down to experience the heartbreaking times, as well as the good. I had to contemplate and experience the story.

This book has gotten under my skin. All the things I learned when I was 18 in my first linguistics and anthropology classes came flooding back. All that I've learned about colonialism, missionaries, capitalism, and corporate greed came together here. 

The book is about the Indigenous Peoples of Ecaudor fighting to save their land, their stories, their culture, and way of life. I think everyone should read this. If you like audiobooks, then try listening. Savor it. Take it to heart. Learn from it. Celebrate it.

Friends by Kōbō Abe

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

This reminds me of French Theatre of the Absurd. A man is alone in his apartment planning for his fiancee to move in. But a family of eight shows up uninvited instead. He doesn't know how to get them to leave. I won't give spoilers. 

This book was suggested to me about 3 years ago; the only option was to buy a used copy. I had started it, but misplaced it. After I found it, I put it aside until now. I'm thrilled to have finally gotten to it. 

Full Tilt by Dervla Murphy

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

This is a wonderfully adventurous book. It was the perfect way to start the year. Dervla Murphy was in her early 20s when she took off from Ireland with her bicycle, in 1963, the worst European winter in 60 years. Whenever possible she rode her bike. This is her story and the beginning of a career traveling and writing about it. She did all this without the internet or cell phones! 

Now Wait for Last Year by Philip K. Dick

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I wish Goodreads would allow us to go beyond half stars. This interesting book with drug induced time travel deserves 4.5 stars. There are relationship issues between the main character, Dr. Eric Sweetscent and his wife Kathy. Eric leaves her to go work for 
UN Secretary Gino Molinari, a seeming hypochondriac. But there is this drug at the center of the story to complicate things.

Then there is a war and some beings from other planets. The plot is fairly complex, so you'll want to pay attention. It took me a while to read because I have dry eyes, and paper books are the hardest for me. But I do recommend this book if you enjoy science fiction and moral dilemmas. So, it's 4.5 stars, but I'm giving it 4 here. It's my first finished book of 2025.