sarahrahrah's reviews
99 reviews

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

I went into reading this knowing nothing about it, other than having seen lots of praise and recommendations for it. It right away starts the intrigue with the short chapter one and the "this is the story of how we got there," and then goes on to develop the town and characters and explain all the various aspects of living in a "hockey town". Because of that first chapter, I assumed that the "violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil" from the back blurb was about someone killing someone else with a shotgun. Even though Backman does a phenomenal job of hinting at what's coming through the character development and locker room culture, I was still unprepared for when

Kevin rapes Maya

and emotionally had a hard time continuing to read after that moment. But all in all it was a fantastic book with lots of interesting themes and thoughts about the human experience wrapped up in an interesting story about a small hockey town.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Classism

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

4.0

This was a fun, quick read of a classic children's story that I missed out on reading "at the right time". Very fun to imagine living in the Met, and makes me want to go to New York even more than I already did. Some of it does not hold up today (prices, the way Claudia corrects Jaime's grammar, etc), but it's easy enough to look past and to just enjoy the mysterious tale. 

Troublemakers: Lessons in Freedom from Young Children at School by Carla Shalaby

challenging funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

This was a fantastic read that challenged my own feelings around classroom management and the so-deemed "troublemakers" in a school/classroom. The vignettes of the 4 children were quick and easy to read, and also so relatable to students I have worked with over the years. The author's letter to teachers and appeal to all readers at the end of the book felt sincere and genuine, and hopeful in that we CAN do the challenging work of imagining a school dynamic that could be, versus continuing to prepetuate the power structures as they are. I agreed wholeheartedly with all of Shalaby's points and arguments. Even so, I found her argument to be overzealous and felt conflicted in my own reflections of how to shift my practices while also still attending to the daily requirements of a whole classroom. I read this book over the course of a week in which I subbed every day, at different grade levels. I observed in myself and others the repeated patterns of exclusion or scolding or otherwise curtailing student's freedom to be. This book really challenged my already broken heart as related to my own burnout and experiences, and the state of public education at large. It was both inspiring and hopeful, while also evoking anxiety and in many ways defeat. How do we honor and uphold all student's freedom and inclusion in the school community, while also meeting the ever-rising demands placed on teachers? How can one teacher possibly shift her classroom "management" to better see and elevate the "troublemakers" while also still being able to teach and to keep a safe learning space for all 25+ kiddos in the room? 

This will certainly be a book I return to and reread often, as I continue to fight for abolition and a community-centric world. I have so many thoughts and reflections and highly recommend this book to every educator, parent, staff, anyone who interacts with young people in our schools 

Zia Erases the World by Bree Barton

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

This is an incredible middle-grade read, and the type of book I wish I had read at that time! Addresses mental health, depression, anxiety, generational trauma, friendship, and so much more, all wrapped up in a uniquely fun story. Chalk full of fun word play and portmanteaus, including many words that I had to look up myself! I loved this book, and wish all kids could read it to help not feel so alone in their feels 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Transphobia

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.75

This was a quick, light-hearted and enjoyable read, and I actually ended up staying up til 2 AM to finish (aka mostly read this in basically one sitting) not because it was particularly tense or page-turning, but because it was captivating and held my interest. The narrative structure was a little bit different, but not too off-putting -- it was like the MC was retelling things that had already happened while also feeling like present tense with the action and not necessarily knowing what would come next. It was slightly jarring when she would randomly add in a reflective line like "looking back, I should've known..." and I found it annoying the way she broke the 4th wall when talking about all the famous films he had started in like "but you already know what a dreamboat scene that was". Even so, this was still a 10/10 easy read romance

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

Wow, this was a powerful but tough read. Schusterman did a fantastic job of writing in such a way that you as the reader feel the sense of confusion about what is reality or not just as much as the character. I loved the insight from his son as well as the inclusion of his many drawings and scribblings. The shift in Caden's struggle and eventual hospital admittance/diagnosis was built at the perfect pace, and it felt like I was figuring out the connections of the doctors and nurses and other patients to the crewmates on the ship as Caden was also figuring it out. There were many poignant descriptions throughout the book, and one that has really stuck out to me is how Caden describes having to clean the cannon barrel, and how loud and disorienting it was and later finding out that was his experience of getting an MRI done. 

All in all amazing book, I think the only reason I am not giving it a full 5 stars is because if how tough it was for me to keep reading at parts due to my own mental health journey 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Suicide attempt

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

emotional inspiring fast-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

5.0

This was a reread, and it still hit me in the feels just as much as the first read.

Chouette by Claire Oshetsky

challenging reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Hoo boy this was a goooood read! Magical realism rooted in the very real, complicated feelings that are addressed - related to queerness, motherhood, pregnancy/childbirth, disability. I was blown away by the read (and read it very quickly) and connected to a lot of what the MC was feeling and grappling with (esp. as someone who does not really want to have kids)

Lease on Love by Falon Ballard

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Enjoyable, light-hearted read. I liked the premise and characters (def related to the teacher who hates/is burnt out by her job lol). It was definitely very happily ever after / everything worked out / isn't it amazing how everything just worked out, but if you just lean into that and suspend your disbelief, it's fine. I didn't like the "twist"/disagreement at the end, and did not find the resulting fallou, believable, nor how easily and perfectly it all resolved