mildlyjulie's reviews
1118 reviews

The Bone Thief by Jefferson Bass

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? Yes

3.0

Random find from Little Free Library. I liked it, I’ll read more. 

44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

funny lighthearted slow-paced

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

2.75

What a bunch of misfit weirdos! Interesting to bounce between so many different characters and see interactions with each other. Some great lines too.

The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

So lovely! Lots of interesting people. I got some Secret Garden vibes, and the neglectful father was extremely annoying. Overall delightful. Also, you can tell that Jenny Colgan thinks everyone should live in Scotland. I certainly want to visit again after reading her books!

Gray Mountain by John Grisham

challenging slow-paced

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

2.0

I haven't read John Grisham in years but I always liked them. This one was pretty meh. The dialogue was stilted and the characters were all pretty one-note. I feel like the plot went inside out--something exciting would happen and then die out. There's a bit of intrigue but it doesn't go anywhere. The end was finally gearing up for a John Grisham story! and then...the book ended.

It was good? awful? horrifying? to learn about strip mining and the evil reaches of Big Coal. I looked up the Martin County disaster to see if it was real, and oh, it was. I do like when books can make a real world issue feel more personal and understandable. 

Mrs. Engels by Gavin McCrea

slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Blergh. This took me an absolute eternity to slog through. Why should I care about any of these people?

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

adventurous informative 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

4.0

Really fun to re read this with my children!

Shame On You: Big Truths From a Bad Mom by Arianna Bradford

funny inspiring medium-paced

4.0

Arianna is a national treasure. Funny, smart, great at advice.

The Switch by Beth O'Leary

lighthearted 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

3.5

Lovely! Lots of well-rounded characters, focused on them instead of just romantic stuff.

You Have a Match by Emma Lord

lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

 I wish you could have seen the look on my face when I got to the bit about someone looking at the photos "you could sell these!". Y'all. Someone PLEASE kill this teenage secret genius photographer trope.

I was excited for a YA book to be about a sister relationship instead of a boy...but then they boy was there still. He and the other friend never really came alive to me, since all that development was in the past, so I just never really cared about either of them.

Also, this girl is kind of terrible. Am I the only one who didn't actually like her that much? 

Super cool to have plenty of representation and diversity though. 

Other nitpicks :
Seattle is neither humid nor muggy.
Does anyone actually say Bell Square? And why on earth would teens in Seattle drive all the way on traffic filled freeways to freaking Bellevue?
425 is an area code for the area around Seattle, not Seattle proper, and I feel like all the 206/425 numbers are taken by now so a cell phone would be the one that starts with 9. 

The Crossing by Michael Connelly

mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0