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radmad_reads's reviews
123 reviews
Playing for Keeps by Jennifer Dugan
emotional
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? Yes
3.75
I feel that this book was perfect for its target audience. It addressed concerns without being overbearing and I feel like it could help teenagers in many different situations feel seen. Both girls were going through different struggles and receiving different level of ignorance and support from their parents. As a teenager neglect is often justified because another part of your life is being focused on and I think that topic was done very well in this book. We were able to see how the girls navigated the neglect they were feeling while also justifying the behavior of their parents because of the love they were receiving for others things. I loved that they stood up for themselves in the end and that they had loving and supportive parents who wanted to change the way they were doing things to make sure their children were happy. I thought the aspect of young/first love was done so well. The fact that Ivy saw June in a way that nobody else ever had was beautiful. This book does YA well because it connects to people in that age group without treating them like children. Although I am not the target audience for this book I really enjoyed reading it and felt that the high school version of myself was seen in a way she hadn't been before.
A Story Spun in Scarlet by R. Dugan
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I have to admit that I had a hard time getting into this book and I felt that it dragged for the last 30% but once I hit that mark and we discovered more of the plot I was hooked and read the rest of the novel in a matter of hours. The magic system is amazing and really touches the heart of someone like me who loves stories. The romance is so genuine and beautiful without being overbearing and taking away from the main focus. I really enjoyed the characters and how unique each one was. I also love when a book actually surprises me I had absolutely no idea how things were going to play out and the plot twists were shocking. I feel that this book could have been one of my top books of the year but there were two things that I just didn't enjoy. One of those being the slow start and the difficulty I had connecting with the main character for the first fourth of the book and the second being how much inner dialogue we got about Audra's feelings. Although I love knowing what the main character is feeling I felt that it was becoming repetitive and she often disregarded Jaik's feeling because she was too scared to actually deal with her emotions. Despite the small issues I had with the book I really enjoyed it and I loved how beautifully tragic it was.
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench, Brendan O’Hea
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
For some reason I expected a very different format of story when starting this book, but soon realized it was simply an in depth interview with actress Judi Dench about her experience with Shakespearian work. I have to admit that I didn't know much about Judi Dench or Shakespeare before reading this book but now I have a love for both of them and have already started reading and watching their other work. Judi puts Shakespeare in a beautiful perspective that made me want to dedicate all of my time to his work. I no longer feel as intimidated by the speech and writing instead I feel excited to learn how to best read the plays and sonnets as well as watch as many as I can. I was extremely impressed with how immersed I was into each play that was talked about in this book especially since I had little to no background knowledge on any of them. A beautiful non fiction novel that reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six but with the passionate love for Shakespeare rather than rock music. I highly recommend this book wether or not you are interested in Shakespeare. It is so much more than a book about one writer it is a book about passion, learning, love, and friendship.
Dominoes by Phoebe McIntosh
emotional
informative
- 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
2.5
Dominoes follows Layla a biracial women who is about to embark on an exciting new chapter of her life. Her wedding is fast approaching and with it comes a vast amount of history about her Jamaican ancestors. These historical revelations force Layla into an uncomfortable truth and she watches as the persona of the person she loves changes in front of her very eyes. This is a hard to read story about race, Americas tragic past with slavery, and the truth of how that past was often covered up rather than corrected.
I have really gone back and forth with my thoughts on this book. On one hand I loved the deep discussions Layla and Andy had throughout the book. It was very reminiscent of my own relationship as I am a white women who is married to a biracial man and we often discuss topics such as the ones in this book and plan to educate our children on these topics as well. I feel this book has some amazing knowledge to share with the world. That being said I didn't like the story itself. After finishing the book I was left with heaviness in my heart and usually i expect that when educating myself on black history and Americas past but the reason I felt this way wasn't even because of the "dark" topics discussed because those were handled very well and the characters talked very openly about them. My feeling of discomfort was because of the character Sera and the way she treated Layla. Treating your best friend horribly and wishing for the destruction of their happiness because you disagree with something they are doing is ridiculous. I found Sera to be self righteous and used race as a defense mechanisms to justify her bad behavior. Being mean towards those who deserved it, like someone who was discriminating or being racist, makes sense but not to your best friend for falling in love with a white man. Overall this book was a good read but I couldn't stand the awful treatment Layla faced from someone who has been by her side for so long and instead of helping her through a potentially devastating discovery she dumped it on her and then abandoned her.
The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown
- 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
As a reader, I was intrigued by this book from the title alone but as I read it my love for it continued to grow. Cassie has a special place in my heart because I see a lot of myself in her and I am so proud of how far she went and all that she survived in this book. I love her relationship with Izzy and how they were so different but complemented each other so well. The sparks that flew between her and Drummond were immaculate without being overbearing and overpowering the book. The world-building alone would have made this book five stars for me. It takes place in a modern world but the in-depth magic system with the magical books is amazing. Each character was so unique and had respective dialogue as well as a clear personality. There are so many amazing things about this book and I was continually awestruck by the action and the plot twists. There were so many points where the story clicked and made so much sense and there were times I set the book down and had to close my eyes to process what I had just read. This book is a masterpiece! I honestly don't know if time travel has ever been done so well.
Not in the Plan by Dana Hawkins
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is very character-driven and takes place within the same few settings. I often struggle with books that don't have in-depth world-building or plot development, but I enjoyed the growth each character goes through and the relationship they form with each other. By the end of the book, I am so proud of both characters and their journeys. Charlie gives herself the respect she deserves and stands up to those who don't treat her right. Mack realizes that some of her habits can hurt others and develops new ways to create stories for her books. They support and love each other despite their differences and form a beautiful relationship and life with each other that encourages each of them to continue growing and learning from the experiences in their lives. Dana Hawkins writes a beautiful story of personal growth. The characters learn to allow themselves to be vulnerable with those who care about them. This book dives into different family relationships, trials, and traumas of the characters, and as the reader, you follow them as they grow from their pasts.