life_full_ofbooks's reviews
2518 reviews

3.75 rounded up to 4-
I have always loved fluffy romances starring 20-somethings, but I really feel like as I’ve gotten older I’ve lost my patience for them. These type of books are formulaic which makes them very predictable. Being able to predict where the story is going takes the fun out of reading/listening to it. The protagonists were likable and the story was entertaining, but I hated how both of they skirted around their feelings pretty much nonstop and I would have liked to see more closure in a couple of places. I found all of the supporting characters to be quite enjoyable and they added a lovely layer to this. 20 year old me would have loved this book and would be thinking about it for days. 45 year old me found it pretty good, but not the greatest. I know I’ll keep reading this genre though because 20 year old me is still in here.

Merged review:

3.75 rounded up to 4-
I have always loved fluffy romances starring 20-somethings, but I really feel like as I’ve gotten older I’ve lost my patience for them. These type of books are formulaic which makes them very predictable. Being able to predict where the story is going takes the fun out of reading/listening to it. The protagonists were likable and the story was entertaining, but I hated how both of they skirted around their feelings pretty much nonstop and I would have liked to see more closure in a couple of places. I found all of the supporting characters to be quite enjoyable and they added a lovely layer to this. 20 year old me would have loved this book and would be thinking about it for days. 45 year old me found it pretty good, but not the greatest. I know I’ll keep reading this genre though because 20 year old me is still in here.

I truly think Blubber is the most prolific of all of Judy Blume’s juvenile fiction. Dealing with bullying, following, and not standing up for the victim, this is a book for all kids and adults.
Jill Brenner is in the 5th grade and is an average student. While her best friend, Tracy, is in a different 5th grade class, it’s ok because she has other friends in her class. When the Queen Bee starts teasing Linda, Jill jumps on the bandwagon. She figures since Linda never stands up for herself, it’s ok; but when the tables are turned Jill discovers sometimes it’s not so easy to stand up for yourself when everyone keeps pushing you down.
This was the first Judy Blume book I read when I was a kid and it’s what caused me to fall I love with Ms. Blume’s writing. Listening to it as an adult brought about an entirely different set of emotions.
This book is not an easy read. It’s a beautiful look into a classroom hierarchy and how one mean kid can turn the entire class against one student in the blink of an eye. It also shines light on how some of the followers might think they are doing the right thing. This is a must read with a discussion for every 5th grade classroom because everyone from the teachers to the students can learn something from it.

3.75- I’m really not to sure as to what to make of this book and I’m actually torn between 3.5 and 4 stars, hence the 3.75.
This is the story of a kid who was born to junkie Mom in a trailer and who had to grow up far faster than any child should. Demon (a nickname given to him when he was little) has a big heart and a good soul, but the trials of life from having to move into a foster home on a tobacco farm to another home where he’s treated worse than a dog to a dream scenario that ends as a nightmare. Along the way he discovers drugs and ultimately ends up walking the same path his mother did.
I’m docking a point from this because I hated the ending. That’s all I’m saying about that because, you know, spoilers.
I can see how this won the Pulitzer Award this year because the writing is absolutely beautiful but the substance under the writing leaves a lot to be desired.
This is a gut wrenching story. There were so many moments my heart felt like it was breaking into two and even during Demon’s good moments I was awaiting the fall of the other shoe. It’s hard to enjoy a book when you’re constantly expecting something terrible to happen.
Barbara Kingsolver was inspired to write this because of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield. In following Mr. Dickens’ footsteps, Ms. Kingsolver has brought the very real issues of foster care, addicts, and people living below the poverty line front and center, and while I commend her for that there’s not much for her readers to do except feel terrible for those we can’t help.
I’ll definitely read other books written by Ms. Kingsolver because she truly has a gift of giving beauty to words.

4.5-Once again I read a book out of my comfort zone and once again I loved it!
Hannah Hall has been married to Owen Michaels for a little more than a year and save for her surly 16 year old stepdaughter, Bailey, her life is pretty golden. So when Owen doesn’t come home from work one night, Hannah and Bailey’s lives are thrown into turmoil. In trying to find out what happened to him, Hannah discovers her husband isn’t who he appears to be and she has to figure out who is trustworthy and who isn’t all while trying to keep Bailey safe.
I loved this book beyond what I ever expected I would. I loved how the story is told both in present day and in the past from most recent events to the first date of Hannah and Owen. I was sucked in from the very beginning because Hannah is so likable and the writing flows beautifully.
I loved the all of the scenery descriptions Laura Dave gave us and I especially liked how unpredictable this was.
I think this is a great mystery for someone who isn’t a big fan of mysteries (me, I’m talking about me) because it doesn’t read like a mystery.

This has been on my radar for quite sometime so when it finally came through at the library, I was excited to start it. Admittedly I hadn’t heard anything about it and I kind of wish I had, as I probably wouldn’t have picked it up.
Juniper (June or Junie) Hayward and Athena Liu are the best of frenemies. They started off as friends at Yale but when Athena became a published author before they even graduated and June was still struggling, she pulled away and let her friendship drop.
After Athena dies from a freak accident in front of June, June takes Athena’s masterpiece and finishes it. June then publishes it and has to face repercussions from critics, readers, and even Athena.
While I found the plot to be intriguing and I loved the inside look into the world of publishing, there wasn’t a likable character in this book. I found it hard to sympathize with both June and Athena because both were cunning and selfish people. In all honesty, I’m not even sure what the point of this was. Was it a commentary on white authors writing about ethnic events/ethnic protagonists? Was it a query of what would happen in this scenario? Was it just an idea floating around in Ms. Kuang’s head?
This is one book of which I just don’t get the hype. I truly to appreciate the social commentary, but I feel it was filled with such abhorrent characters that it completely missed the mark.

I tried reading this years ago and couldn’t get into it. Then I tried watching the show and didn’t make it through the first episode because I didn’t understand it. I wasn’t going to try again, but I saw a friend’s review of another book comparing it to this and The School for Good Mothers. I’ve already read the latter so I decided to give this one another try so I could see the comparison. This time around I listened to it and I have to admit I loved it so much more than I expected.
Taking place at least 100 years in our future, women no longer matter. They don’t have names, but rather words that describe to whom they belong. The Handmaid’s Tale is the story of Offred (Of Fred) a handmaid who is telling us how society got to where it is. Women were meant to go through a process where they are taught to suppress their memories from before, but Offred remembers what life was like before. Back when she was a wife, a mother, a person.
I don’t always go for dystopian novels, but I’m glad I gave this one another try.
I really enjoyed Offred’s telling of both her life in the present, her life in the past, and her life as she was learning to be handmaid. It sounds confusing, but the story unfolds so beautifully and the ending gave me chills.

4.5

This is not an easy read by any means. In addition to language that was used during the time of writing and the dialogue that is written completely in dialect, this book takes a lot of brain power, but it’s an important read.
Janie Crawford is a young teenager who lives with her grandmother, Nanny. Nanny wants to marry Janie off as soon as possible so when Janie is 16, Nanny finds an older farmer, Logan, and insists he marry Janie. Janie’s life with Logan is miserable, so when a stranger starts flirting with Janie, she flirts back and eventually runs off with him. Joe moves Janie to Eatonville (in Central Florida about 26 minutes outside of Disney World) and she soon discovers he’s not much better than Logan. After 2 decades she has finally had enough and leaves, having met yet a third man who goes by the name Tea Cake. In Tea Cake, Janie has finally found her true love and is happy to finally be with someone who loves her for her.
Zora Neale Hurston created an amazing character with Janie Crawford. She refused to stick to social conventions for both females and African Americans and Janie not only stood up for herself, but spoke her mind about all sorts of topics. In doing this, Ms. Hurston received a lot of backlash and the book was on a banned book list for a bit.
I really enjoyed the story. Ultimately it’s a story of loving yourself and not being afraid to go after what or who you want. That being said, it took so much mental power for me to decipher the dialogue. Don’t get me wrong, the dialect used is very much needed and important. The characters are all descendants of slaves and are in the south, with most of the book taking place in Florida. Had Ms. Hurston not written it in the dialect used at that time and in that place the book wouldn’t be nearly as powerful. I think perhaps this is a book better listened to since the dialogue would flow better than stumbling over words.

4.25- I have to admit, many times between May and now I’ve wondered if I only gave Fourth Wing a high rating because of the hype. Why would I have rated a book about dragons so highly when I don’t even like fantasy? Well, after finishing Iron Flame, I can tell you it wasn’t a fluke.
Picking up exactly where Fourth Wing ended we join Violet Sorrengail and her squad as they embark on their journey as Second Year students at Basgiath War College.
Once again, Violet has to prove herself to not only those who see her as weak, but also to herself. She shows everyone how someone whose body isn’t quite as able as another can still be strong. Filled with as much excitement, pain, laughter, and spice as the first one, Iron Flame is a fantastic second book in what I hope will be a full series.
Rebecca Yarros’ world building is something truly amazing and the way she captures all of the excitement Violet experiences in her life through words is incredible.
I just recently discovered Ms. Yarros has other novels besides this series and I’ll definitely be devouring them while I wait for the third installment into the lives of Violet, Xaden, Tairn, Andarna, and the rest of students and their dragons.

I love books that take place in beachy places and books about families and this book delivered in both areas.
Three generations of women are brought together when 28 year old Marin and 22 year old Rachel each take a DNA test and realize they are half sisters. For Rachel, this is the best news, as she’s an only child of a single Mom, but for Marin, the news is less than appealing. She always thought her parents Blythe and Kip had the perfect marriage, so to find out her father is someone other than Kip is jarring. She has lost all of her trust for Blythe and is boo longer sure of who she is. Together, the three women travel from New York to Cape Cod to learn more about the man who brought them all together. Rachel is hoping to get more family, Marin is hoping to figure out why her mother never told her or Kip about this deception, and Blythe is hoping to find out what happened to her summer fling after he left her all those years ago. The three women find Amelia, her wife Kelly, and a small, picturesque town filled with great people, a relaxing atmosphere, and the answers they all need.
Jamie Brenner has given us such a charming story in The Forever Summer. The character development is spot on, but better than that is the relationships all of the characters have with each other. She has written these characters in such a way that you can’t help but love all of them. I laughed, I cried, and I felt like I was at the Beach Rose Inn. I am sure this is meant to be a stand alone book, but I’d love to see more books that take place in this idyllic B&B with these amazing characters.