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storybrookebooks's reviews
32 reviews
Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
3.25
Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl by Joya Goffney
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Nervous by Zane
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, and Cursing
Moderate: Sexual assault and Bullying
Minor: Pedophilia and Incest
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Pedophilia
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, and Murder
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
What Momma Left Me by Renée Watson
4.0
⚠️TW: domestic violence, death, grief, mention of sexual abuse & suicide
Within 220 pages, Watson tackles some tough subjects like domestic violence, sexual abuse, grief, etc but does so in a way that’s not too graphic for her intended audience. I loved that each chapter name was a phrase from The Lord’s Prayer and the chapter related to that phrase in some way. I also liked that it addressed the burden of a child keeping harmful family secrets.
I personally picked this one up at the right time. Although there’s about a 12 year age gap, Serenity’s grief and feelings about her faith mirrored my own at this time after my recent loss and reading about her healing and growth was inspiring. The book was *physically* easy to read, but pulled at some emotional strings as well.
I believe this is more so a middle grade book or on the younger side of YA (young adult), so I do recommend it for my younger readers. However, if you love middle grade/YA or if you don’t discriminate genre wise, I recommend this for you, too.
Within 220 pages, Watson tackles some tough subjects like domestic violence, sexual abuse, grief, etc but does so in a way that’s not too graphic for her intended audience. I loved that each chapter name was a phrase from The Lord’s Prayer and the chapter related to that phrase in some way. I also liked that it addressed the burden of a child keeping harmful family secrets.
I personally picked this one up at the right time. Although there’s about a 12 year age gap, Serenity’s grief and feelings about her faith mirrored my own at this time after my recent loss and reading about her healing and growth was inspiring. The book was *physically* easy to read, but pulled at some emotional strings as well.
I believe this is more so a middle grade book or on the younger side of YA (young adult), so I do recommend it for my younger readers. However, if you love middle grade/YA or if you don’t discriminate genre wise, I recommend this for you, too.