mlsweeten's reviews
229 reviews

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

4.25

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. 

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan

hopeful 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? It's complicated

3.0

This was a sweet book but I didn’t love it. I like books that pull at the heart strings but at times this was a bit too forced and overly syrupy. Many of the lost items were junk that probably nobody would miss or remember in real life, like a puzzle piece or hair accessory. Anthony and Therese were not resting in peace over a lost communion medallion that should not have mattered as much as it did. Relationships are more important than that. The book had promise but just didn’t work for me. 

Finding Me by Viola Davis

hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

4.25

An honest and eye-opening book by a talented actress who overcame adversity. She made me think about things that I’ve never had to personally experience. 

Never Wager with a Wallflower by Virginia Heath

funny 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

4.0

Third book in the series about the Merriwell sisters. Vee always seemed the most difficult to reason with and she was that way in this book too. I’m glad she finally came to her senses. The author did a good job of creating enough tension and also some funny scenes. 

Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman

challenging reflective medium-paced

3.75

I appreciate what Amanda Gorman  has written and I’m sure she’s quite talented, but I really prefer traditional poetry over modern poetry. I don’t claim to understand everything in this book and found some of the poems very strange. However, there are a few that were right on point.  _____[GATED], The Truth In One Nation, and Earth Eyes were very eye opening and powerful. My favorite: The Miracle Of Morning

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

5.0

Some real truths about life, dog ownership, and the complications of trying to be a good person told in a unique and funny way. 

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

4.5

This is a true story of Louie Zamperini, an olympic runner, who was taken captive by the Japanese during World War II.  When his plane went down into the ocean due to mechanical failure during a search and rescue mission, only three of the crew survived on a raft in the ocean for over a month.  By the time they reached an island only two were alive.  They were treated horribly by the Japanese, and it's a miracle Louie survived to tell his story. At times I had to put it down for a while because it is unpleasant, but it puts things in perspective. This is a grim reminder of what that generation sacrificed for our freedom to be able to read the books that we choose, like this one. Never forget.

The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt

adventurous informative inspiring slow-paced

3.5

It took me a while to finish this one. I adore Eleanor Roosevelt and found myself making notes of my favorite quotes in her book. She was very proper and stoic, so at times the writing is all factual and lacking emotion. I enjoyed hearing about her travels. She was able to feel comfortable with European royalty or poor West Virginian miners. She seemed to be able to understand all different types of people from all kinds of backgrounds. 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The Roaring Days of Zora Lily by Noelle Salazar

adventurous hopeful inspiring 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? No

4.5

I really enjoy books that take place in the 1920s: the fashion, speakeasies, dancing, and jazz. I hated that Zora’s family was so dependent on her and that she was never able to stand up for herself to the people who did her wrong. But in the end she made her dream come true. I had a hard time envisioning her dresses because they sounded very similar with the dropped waist on every dress, but everyone seemed to love them.  I was happy for her success and hope Elsbeth is sorry for being such an awful person. The first chapter was really only an introduction and I thought the ladies at the Smithsonian would have a more significant part, but they figured out the truth. I really liked Zora though and felt she became such a strong character.