skeltzer's reviews
268 reviews

Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning by James M. Lang

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hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

3.0

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding

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funny hopeful lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.0

"'Oh my god, Abby!' Zoe leans over and pokes my leg. 'Hours ago you said no one is gay at all and now you have a girlfriend.'" A lighthearted read, sweet and funny, a good counterbalance to Crying in H Mart, which I just finished. Jax was my favorite character.
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Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

Absolutely devastating. I had to slow down my reading because I started feeling this in my chest. It must have been cathartic for Zauner to write, and she writes grief very well. Reading this reminded me of how I felt when my father died. I also loved how prominently situated Korean cuisine was in this book. I loved the way food was written about, and I love that Zauner didn't try to explain every dish to us - I had to go look up some of the food. One lingering curiosity for me is how her family was able to afford so much - all the trips, the food, the really good insurance. I think this book is a good example of many things being true at once: your parent can be abusive, and they can also be a victim of abuse, and you can still love them, and you can also be a terrible child, and they can be a terrible person, and and and.
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Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Damian Duffy, Octavia E. Butler

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Loved the artwork. It's been a while since I've read Parable of the Sower so can't say how true to the original this was.
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American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson

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

3.5

This was an interesting read. I enjoyed how historical events were woven into the narrative and I learned a lot about the political history of Burkina Faso. Having also spent time in Martinique I enjoyed reading about the descriptions there too. The book doesn't pick up until over halfway through, though. I also found it almost unbelievable that she would remember these events in such detail, and it was funny to read her mention her strong attention to detail.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • 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

Loved this style of vignette chapters, just enough to paint a vibrant picture of longing/belonging on a street full of characters. 

"Only a house quiet as snow, a space for myself to go, clean as paper before the poem."
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The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

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emotional mysterious 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

The New Way to Cake: Simple Recipes with Exceptional Flavor by Benjamina Ebuehi

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adventurous informative lighthearted medium-paced

4.5

A Good Day to Bake: Simple Baking Recipes for Every Mood by Benjamina Ebuehi

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informative lighthearted medium-paced

4.0