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rodiemom's reviews
343 reviews

Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.

The interview/narrative form of this book writing was awkward for me to get into, but I kept with it because I was reading this book for a book club. But I had to put it down about 1/3 through because it was just too “Lord of the Flies” I realize this was in the description, so if you’re a fan of that psychological thriller with a lot of gore, go for it. But this story doesn’t just allude to horror. It feels sensational purely for the purpose of disturbing the reader. Not for me.

James by Percival Everett

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adventurous challenging tense 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

Whoa. This book is a masterpiece. It’s no necessary to read Huck Finn to appreciate it, but it certainly adds to it. The author is a master of his craft, sucking the reader into a story well-known and turning it on its head.

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang

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adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a beautifully written novel. The world building is not intense, easy to understand for those of us who struggle with high fantasy, but a well-designed magic system that isn’t overwhelmed. The family relationships and the growth of the characters made me desperate to keep going. Fantastic political fantasy.

The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

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adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

T. Kingfisher is so creatively weird and I LOVE it! This story started out a little slower than I like, but once the characters find themselves in a new world behind the wall, it really picks up. Every twist and turn is so bizarre and creepy, it kept me on the edge of my seat. I really loved Thornhedge and Nettle & Bones creepy yet lovable characters and I missed that aspect in this story, but I still enjoyed the unlucky main character and her goofy barista neighbor. Well done

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

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dark emotional mysterious fast-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

5.0

This was a fantastic mix of family drama and mystery/thriller! The atmosphere has a Dirty Dancing vibe that I loved and the thriller aspect was compelling without being terrifying. The family drama made the story so fascinating as long as you aren’t turned off by the timeline jumps. Splitting timelines between the two missing children made this a “can’t put it down” read for me!

Yonder Come Day: Exploring the Collective Witness of the Formerly Enslaved by Jasmine L. Holmes

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challenging hopeful informative medium-paced

5.0

Wow. The research for this book is so amazing and thorough. And the creation of Little Bit is nothing short of genius. Jasmine Holmes has done something truly remarkable here. She masterfully weaves individual stories in with the collective stories of people who lived through slavery and emancipation and tells them through the truly compelling story of Little Bit. Even the changing of her name throughout her lifetime to Lonely One and Lovely One and on until she’s finally Grandmama brings these narratives into a clearer view than any other story I’ve ever encountered. Truly remarkable.

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

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3.0

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

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dark tense medium-paced