tidwellcammy's reviews
144 reviews

The Orphanage By The Lake by Daniel G. Miller

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

3.5

First book of 2025 for the BookBar 
and it was pretty good!   My standards are a bit different for these books but we are working on moving the girls towards things a tad more literary.  🤪

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

Frederik Bachman can do no wrong.  

“Love isnt powerful enough.  But SPITE?   Spite can change the world.”

This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

EG gave me this book for part of my advent.   She loved it and thought I would too.   It took me a while to figure out there were three narrators 🤦🏻‍♀️ but I did find the story line a strong draw in and the characters were so well developed.   
Some thought the ending was controversial but not me
Kit had to kill Natalie to be then next Teacher.  

Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-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

4.0

This one kept me turning the pages!   Fun to read during the holidays.  What a horrid bunch of people! 

The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I was very disappointed to turn to the last page and see it was to be continued.  It seemed long enough as it was.   Penney is growing more and more political in her books but I’m not sure the point she was trying to make 

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley, Riley Keough

dark reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

I struggled with the format and content of this book.  

Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey

funny 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? Yes

4.0

The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.

Just didn’t care.  

The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan

lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

It was way too long - by about 100 pages.  Too sweet.  I think I have diabetes now