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rodiemom's reviews
343 reviews
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was my favorite book as a child. I loved reading it to my kids, but I needed something to listen to on a drive today and listened to it myself. It stands up even after so many decades.
The Redhead of Auschwitz: A True Story by Nechama Birnbaum
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Simi is a Mami Wata, (west African mythological mermaid) who is tasked with gathering and guiding the souls of people who’ve died in the sea, but then she finds a boy, Kola, who’s still alive and rescues him, setting off a chain of events that could mean the end of her kind. Simi and Kola set off to find a way for Simi to ask forgiveness
The African mythology in this story is like nothing I’ve ever read. The story brings these gods and creatures to life, vibrantly. The story moves fast, but is easy to follow. Fascinating and beautifully told.
The African mythology in this story is like nothing I’ve ever read. The story brings these gods and creatures to life, vibrantly. The story moves fast, but is easy to follow. Fascinating and beautifully told.
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Family Family by Laurie Frankel
funny
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
India wants nothing other than to be an actress, but when she finds herself pregnant at 16, she has to face a monumental decision and what it means for her dreams. This book follows India as she wrestles with difficult choices and how they affect not only herself but also the people around her.
I really enjoyed this book. It was so touching and dealt with difficult subjects in a delicate and hopeful way. The characters were a little too perfect, and their lives, not realistically messy, but overall, so endearing. I absolutely adored the attachment of the characters to one another because family can be about blood and who you grow up with, but it is also about who you choose to call family. Really lovely.
I really enjoyed this book. It was so touching and dealt with difficult subjects in a delicate and hopeful way. The characters were a little too perfect, and their lives, not realistically messy, but overall, so endearing. I absolutely adored the attachment of the characters to one another because family can be about blood and who you grow up with, but it is also about who you choose to call family. Really lovely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was fun and campy. If you like “Clue” you’ll love this book
The September House by Carissa Orlando
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Well that was a wild ride! I listened to this book in 3 days and kept coming up with chores to do so I could keep listening. My biggest complaint was the narrator was sometimes slow and choppy, and it occasionally took me out of the story. But overall I really enjoyed this story. It kept me on my toes and although I predicted the end, which I don’t often do, it didn’t actually feel predictable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
3.5
This book was interesting and the story was fun. It was too long and convoluted, though. The connections between stories felt forced and unplanned. I really enjoyed it but it took a long time to get through it.