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rpweber15's reviews
257 reviews
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Coates pulls zero punches here and when his words hit, they REALLY hit. Should be required reading.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
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
3.5
I really loved the Brown Sisters trilogy but this one was the weakest of the three. I might not really buy into the grumpy/sunshine trope, especially because it is often difficult to really notice character development at a deeper level. That said, I liked the characters, loved the setting, and wish we had a bit more of Eve's family in the mix. I hope Hibbert is working on a new romance series!
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-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
This book was too long. However, the humor and the friendship are just so good that ‘too long’ becomes bearable. I really wanted to find out how it all ended. I’m glad I did.
Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder by Dav Pilkey
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
I did a buddy read with an 8 year old. I'm impressed with some of the words in this book: turpitude, gratuitous, superfluous (alongside stank-a-dank and stunk-a funk lol). The classic storyline of good versus evil alongside the issues of AI maybe hit a little too close to home in the current times. Yowza.
Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel
Did not finish book. Stopped at 29%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 29%.
The writing was repetitive, the story didn’t make much sense, and I just couldn’t get invested in the characters.
House of Frank by Kay Synclaire
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
4.5
I was not prepared for this emotional journey. Incredibly sweet and endearing, this study of grief and found family will tug at your heartstrings in a spectacular fashion. Tears will likely flow.
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
Much like Parable of the Sower, this book felt scarily and horrifyingly real. I think the pacing was a bit off in this book, and the multiple POV lacked depth when it came to Larkin’s perspective, but overall, this book was almost as perfect as the first one in terms of characters and themes.
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
2.0
I joined a creepy book club and so far none of the books are more than 3 stars. This one had potential but the author really did not capitalize on the isolation of a resort in the snowy Alps nor the backstory of the sanatorium. None of the characters are particularly likable and the plot is terrible. I’m reading the second book next (not a sequel, just the same protagonist) and am hoping it is better than this one! Sigh. I have a hard time DNFing mysteries/thrillers because I am always too curious, but I probably should have DNFed this one! In fact, it was reasonably ok until the climax of the story, which really just made me roll my eyes in a dramatic fashion.