smblanc1793's reviews
417 reviews

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

Murder Isn't Easy: The Forensics of Agatha Christie by Carla Valentine

dark informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.25

This put me on the biggest Agatha Christie kick of my life and I could not be more thankful. 

Dykette by Jenny Fran Davis

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I thought I was gay enough for this book, but alas I am not. 

Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes

adventurous dark lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.0

The downfall of this book for me started on page 1. The narrative style is ridiculous; so utterly consumed with making every pun, joke, and witticism it could that I found it difficult to even concentrate on the plot, much less empathize. 
For me, the book became overall more enjoyable once they all left the school—something about that grand, gothic boarding school fantasy just feels off when everyone there is a fully grown adult at least a few years out of college—and the more active plotting and enactment of our three protagonists’ “theses” left less room for self-serving narrative pontification. 
Though I empathized with the plights of all of the characters, as people themselves I never really felt them come into their own. Overall—in keeping with the school metaphor—this gets a C from me. And I think I’m grading generously.

What-The-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy by Gregory Maguire

adventurous hopeful lighthearted 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

One of my favorite books as a child, and even as an adult it makes me smile

The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

Casually bizarre and hauntingly lyrical. It was a little on-the-nose, but it’s based on a folk tale, and those often are.

The Caretaker by Doon Arbus

mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

Quietly strange. Brief yet pensive. For a book where not much happens, I was still intrigued to keep reading.

Inside The Mind of Sherlock Holmes by Cyril Liéron, Cyril Liéron, Benoît Dahan

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.5

One of the most gorgeous books I’ve ever seen. Every page is breathtaking. It could be absolute gibberish as far as I’m concerned and I’d still give it a near perfect rating for the ingenuity of the page layouts and art alone.

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense 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

4.5

Exactly the swashbuckling, whirlwind adventure I was looking for. Just the right amount of heartfelt, the right amount of ridiculous, the right balance of mythology and modern imagination, and the right amount of snark (i.e. as much as possible).

The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn

adventurous challenging emotional reflective 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? No

3.0

This was good, but I wanted more whale carcass and less Nazis.