cassroberts89's reviews
468 reviews

The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History by Sharon McMahon

Go to review page

hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

If you are struggling to make sense of the way things are looking right now, pick up this book. I felt such a boost and heightened sense of hope every time I read a chapter or two. True, it is apparent that McMahon has opinions and isn’t afraid to insert them. It reads with an almost conversational tone at times, and I would expect this to be more in the YA range than adult. I did get a little lost here and there when she inserted oddly placed side stories. I’d love to see how she grows as a writer, as there is definitely room for growth. Still… I loved how I felt after reading. There have been so many good people doing good things for our nation, simply because they are the right things to do. It’s easy to lose sight of that while staying glued to the news.
The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful informative 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

A short but impactful book! We are studying world geography this year in our homeschool, and this was a fantastic conversation starter on topics such as human rights violations, the Taliban, women’s rights, etc. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Go to review page

dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Okay, this one dragged. Like… a lot. It starts off almost TOO fast and action-packed, and then shows way down basically until the last chapter or two. We get a good, long look inside Alina’s mind while her army trains and… waits for the end to come? Idk. There were a lot of unexplained moments and things that seemed pretty random. I enjoyed the first book much more, which is when I decided to buy book 3 😂 I’ll read it when it comes in. Hoping it finishes strong. 

P.S. How could I forget? Nikolai is a fun new character. I would read the third book just to see his story play out!
Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted slow-paced

3.0

I went into this expecting to hear a lot more about the author’s experience as an undocumented immigrant than we got. The humor and personal experiences made for an enjoyable read (oh, the chaotic thoughts of a teenager!) and tempered some of the tension of her family’s struggle toward citizenship, but it was almost watered down as a result. I think being targeted to YA makes a lot of sense though. It was pretty engaging, more so for the target age group I’m sure. 

Parents: I previewed this (skimming mostly, but I tried to catch any potentially questionable content) for my 14yo who chose it as her next reader for homeschool. In case it helps others: There are 1-2 brief mentions of masturbation (not description, just in passing). There are a couple of instances of smoking pot, with one being a description of what the experience felt like (negative). There are a couple of super brief mentions of other drugs, none that the author took or was really around. There’s mention of alcohol consumption, not a lot though, but one story of her older cousin (and sister I think)  bringing over vodka to try and get her drunk at 13. There are many references to body image issues such as having a unibrow, boobs developing, etc as well as plenty of talk about having crushes. One relationship lasts for a couple of years later in high school, and she talks about deciding to lose her virginity to him (I think senior year? Not descriptive, just that it was an awkward experience). 

That’s all I can think of. I hope it helps other parents who don’t have time to pre-read it. FWIW I am on the fence about it at 14yo and might wait a year or two. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser

Go to review page

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Super cute. I would have rated higher, but the book did kind of drag a little bit in the middle. Also… wth about Edward’s whole revenge obsession? I get being hurt, but it seemed just a bit over the top. Anyway, I sped right through this book and enjoyed most of it. It was nice to read about a fairly mature FMC—I read a lot of YA. 
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Go to review page

adventurous dark tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

I’m hooked. There were a few really convenient plot devices that seemed a little out there, but I gave those a pass because this is YA. I can see a notable difference in her adult novels compared to this, which I appreciate. On to book 2!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

5.0

That was… quite a bit heavier than Jimenez’s other books. These are not fluffy romcoms; heed content warnings. Even the other two were pretty emotionally charged, but this one hit hard. I knew it was going to be set in the same world as Part of Your World and Yours Truly, but I guess I didn’t make the connection immediately. I thought that was a clever way to tie the stories together. The ending was slightly rushed, but still beautiful. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Go to review page

adventurous funny informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I could listen to Neil Gaiman read me books all day, every day. HIGHLY recommend the audio version of this!

My working knowledge of Norse mythology is pretty much limited to what I gleaned from watching Thor. This is an exceptional overview of some of the high points, definitely enough to inform in case you come across the occasional cultural reference. And again, do yourself a favor and grab the audio. You won’t be disappointed. 
Watership Down by Richard Adams

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.25

Listened to the audiobook as our homeschool literature read-aloud. 

The kids and I were SO onto this for about the first half. I can’t put my finger on when or why exactly, but I simply lost interest. They seemed to still be pretty invested as they finished up the audiobook. I will say that Ralph Cosham was a wonderful narrator, very soothing to listen to. 
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful medium-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

5.0

So sweet. I think  it’s safe to say I’m fan of Jimenez, and I know I’ll be returning to these when I need a pick-me-up ☺️