mlsweeten's reviews
168 reviews

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

adventurous dark tense fast-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? No

4.0

The characters are diverse if you consider humans, demons, vampires and werewolves as diverse. The characters were at times likable but there are so many twists that they aren’t always what you expect. This isn’t the type of book I would normally read but it sure kept me interested and entertained. I felt sympathetic towards Simon who was loyal to his friend but felt taken for granted. 

Selected Poems and Letters of Emily Dickinson by Emily Dickinson

challenging inspiring reflective relaxing slow-paced

3.5

I was more interested in the poetry than the letters. Her poems have a consistent rhythm so I find reading them to be relaxing and soothing. While they appear simple, some of them really aren’t. She writes a lot about nature and death. Some seemed very abstract but my favorites are a bit more personal. 

“I shall know why, when time is over
And I have ceased to wonder why;
Christ will explain each separate anguish
In the fair schoolroom of the sky.” 

Maya Angelou: The Complete Poetry by Maya Angelou

emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

I like that many of her poems are straightforward but also raw and brutally honest (after all, poems should evoke some kind of emotion.) She covers topics of aging, abuse, racism, and sexuality.  But my favorite passage: 
“I note the obvious differences
Between each sort and type. 
But we are more alike, my friends,
Than we are unalike.” 

Virgil Wander by Leif Enger

hopeful reflective relaxing 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? Yes

4.0

This is certainly a slow read that is character driven. There’s not a strong plot but the characters make up for that. Really it’s about the rebirth of people in a dying town. If you like this book and have never watched a season of Northern Exposure, you should give it a try. The vibes are similar. 

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

Quite an eccentric family! I kept thinking Avery was chosen because she aced her physics test at the beginning. I’m glad there was a more logical reason.  This was a fun read but this family has some issues. 

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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

3.75

As I started reading this, I realized it was somewhat familiar and that I had read it before. It’s a cute story with likable, quirky characters but not a plot that will stick with me for a long time to come. 

The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

adventurous hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

I loved this book that went back and forth from 1875 to 1987. Benny was a creative teacher who went against the grain and the school’s curriculum and found a way to connect with her students. I was more interested in Hannie’s story as she bravely made her way through some dangerous territory in Texas as a freed slave, trying to protect two younger girls while also looking for information about her relatives. I thought Lisa Wingate told the story in a way that was respectful to actual historical people and events. 

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

challenging reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

This was a difficult book to follow but I’m glad I stuck with it. It takes place after the First World War and covers topics like social class and PTSD. It follows the thoughts of Mrs. Dalloway, as she prepares for her party, and other characters associated with her.  My favorite parts were really the descriptions of London at that time, but I can’t say that I loved it. 

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

hopeful 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

3.25

While I’m sympathetic to the characters, the mom in me wants to yell at them a lot! 

Later by Stephen King

dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.75

It’s about a single mother raising a son who can see dead people. Sound familiar? Yes, but not exactly. Throw in a dirty cop ex-lover, and a demon and you have a pretty intense story. I might read more of King’s hard case crime books…later.