theshelvesofschae's reviews
197 reviews

The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson

adventurous mysterious 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

3.75

Great finale to the initial trilogy of books. I think the second book is my favorite overall, but I still found this enjoyable. Probably my least favorite part is that a lot of the side characters ended up being throwaways, which is always a bummer when some of them I enjoyed having around.

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

This was leagues better than the first one. Things really picked up and this second installment of the series really hit. The plot felt so much more straightforward and cohesive this time around. 

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

Overall, I found this to be a decent start to the trilogy. It did feel a bit stretched out to fit into three books. I loved the moody, secluded campus and I wanted more of that world building! 

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Feels good to read a Liane Moriarty book again! It's been a while. She always gets me with her characters and clever twists.

Poster Girl by Veronica Roth

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

I was in such a reading slump while reading this book. I feel like this could've been 100 pages shorter. Way too much reliance on lore and exposition. The world building was somewhat fascinating but really felt like wasted potential as the book progressed.

Barbie by Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig

emotional funny hopeful 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

I'm not the same person I was before seeing this movie.

Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton

reflective medium-paced

2.75

A quick, easy read with bitesize chapters and stories. Some parts were stronger than others (not necessarily content-wise, more so structure). There were some cohesion issues with parts of his life/career. I really appreciated the vulnerability in sharing details of his mental health issues and addiction problems and found those to be the most powerful and moving parts. I wish more of the book had been like that.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

dark informative medium-paced

5.0

I love a well-written narrative non-fiction and Truman Capote more than delivers. There were parts that I found extremely scary for me, but overall it was a really fascinating read. 

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

This might've just become my new favorite book of all time. I can't remember the last time I cried while reading a book. I was so invested in Celie's journey, thanks to Alice Walker's remarkable talent. Wholeheartedly deserving of a Pulitzer and should be required reading for everyone.

Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson

dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

A gift from a co-worker. Nice short, quick read but I never felt super attached to any one character. It's a very eclectic work but had some fascinating prose and dialogue.