mlsweeten's reviews
229 reviews

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

3.0

This is an odd little book about a cafe where you can travel to the past. The rules are very stringent and won’t change the present, but this opportunity gives some of the characters the answers or closure that they need. 

Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow

hopeful 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? Yes

3.75

The story is good, the characters unique. It covers three generations of a family in Memphis, and their struggles with racism and violence. It jumps around between characters and time periods so much, it was hard to follow at times. I liked how the women stuck together and supported one another. 

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

emotional hopeful 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

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

adventurous hopeful informative medium-paced

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

3.5

The book has two storylines- one is Elisa’s during 1958 in Cuba at the time of the rebellion which put Fidel Castro into power.  The other is Marisol’s, Elisa’s granddaughter in present time. Marisol must go to Cuba to spread her grandmother’s ashes and while there, she learns secrets about her grandmother’s life. Elisa’s family was exiled during the rebellion and she was never able to return to her homeland, leaving behind Pablo, the man she loved who fought to overthrow the president that her father supported. 

I liked how the author described Cuba in detail- the history, architecture, and lifestyles. I preferred the chapters about Elisa more than Marisol’s and felt the romance in Elisa’s story was better developed. The romance in Marisol’s story felt forced and rushed to make things unfold neatly.  I didn’t like that the author was constantly asking questions on behalf of the characters as if they were thinking out loud….what will happen next? What should I do? Etc. etc. It seemed to go on throughout the whole book.  

Overall it wasn’t bad but certain things could have been better. I haven’t read many books that take place in Cuba, so I was glad I read this one. 

Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

adventurous emotional reflective medium-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? Yes

4.0

This is the story of Eilis, a young Irish woman who travels alone to Brooklyn to begin a new life. She is sponsored by a priest and has a job and boarding waiting for her, but leaves behind her mother, siblings, and friends. She is educated as a bookkeeper but has no prospects in Ireland. In Brooklyn, she struggles with homesickness and finding acceptance with the other women boarders. She meets Tony at the parish dance and begins a relationship with him. Tony is from a vibrant Italian family. When a tragedy happens at home, Eilis must return for a while to Ireland where she must make some  decisions that will have lifelong consequences. Eilis consistently comes across as a people pleaser. She’s a hard worker that doesn’t make friends easily, but will do what people expect of her, even to her own detriment. She is easily manipulated and often gets caught up in whatever plans people make for her. I was particularly annoyed when she returns to Ireland. First they send her away, and once she establishes a life in Brooklyn, now they want her back. I liked the setting of the book and hearing about the lifestyles of immigrant women in that time period. I felt Eilis had outgrown her life in the Irish town she came from and wish she’d been upfront about her intentions to return to Brooklyn but at the same time, I can understand why she felt conflicted under the pressures of the people around her. 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

emotional sad 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

3.75

This is a rollercoaster ride of friendships. While Sam and Sadie are both creative and temperamental, I felt like Marx was the better parts of both of them and the glue that kept them together. I’m not a gamer at all, but I was familiar with some of the games they played because my own kids played them. The games they designed really did sound fun. The book didn’t grab me at first but in the last 120 pages or so, things got really interesting. 

Red Mountain by Boo Walker

hopeful inspiring fast-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

3.0

The story was decent and I liked the complexity of the characters’ relationships. Red Mountain sounds like a cool place to visit, and I’d love to sample the wine. However, the writing style needs work and editing. At times it felt rather flat. 

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

adventurous hopeful relaxing sad slow-paced

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

5.0

What a beautifully written book. I absolutely loved this. It had the feel of a Laura Ingalls Wilder book but with a bit of magic made into a fairy tale. You can picture the harshness of the freezing Alaskan forest as Jack and Mabel survive each season in their cabin. Their lives take on new meaning when the snow child arrives. Faina becomes the daughter they were never able to have, but she wasn’t meant to keep. She’s also a part of the wilderness.  This is a story of survival, love, loss and the cycle of life. I didn’t want it to end. 

A Holly Jolly Ever After by Sierra Simone, Julie Murphy

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This book started as super naughty and then took a turn I didn’t expect. Winnie has trouble trusting Kallum because of past trauma with her parents and her divorce. Kallum was incredibly patient and wasn’t really treated fairly, but it all works out. The romance went from hot to cold rather abruptly and then to something a bit more normal.