cassroberts89's reviews
468 reviews

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman

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funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Hilarious and sweet 🥰 
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Just as phenomenal as Ninth House. I’m looking forward to getting into Bardugo’s Grishaverse soon
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

This was a pick for the tween book club I run at the library. 

It was okay. I could see the appeal, especially because my kiddos are pretty big dragon fans. It took me at least half the book to really get interested in the story though.
Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

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adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing 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? No

4.75

Loved almost as much as the first book! Now to wait a whole two months for book 3 🤦🏻‍♀️

P.S. I picked up the audio version here and there while my hands were busy, and the narrator, Ell Potter, is fantastic!
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Not bad! I was pretty hooked into the story, even if I could see the ending coming a mile away and some characters were a little flat. My library has this shelved in young adult, and Barnes & Noble has it with middle grade. It’s definitely middle grade. I started the second book in the series but decided to DNF, partly because I was mildly annoyed with the long explanations of what happened in the first book (although I bet it’s nice of it’s been a while) and partly because there are other books I’d really like to get to reading. 
The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Super fun read that I finished almost in one day! It’s not very original, the MMC is almost annoyingly perfect, the romance starts out pretty lust-based, and some of the family drama was a bit over the top. You know what though? I found I really didn’t care. I still enjoyed this so much! P.S. Fair warning, it’s quite… descriptive in certain scenes 😉
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What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall

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dark emotional mysterious tense 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

3.5

Okay so… I couldn’t actually put this down. Why only 3 stars then? It was a good, fun, quick read. It got my attention and held it. It just wasn’t… great. I like when twists surprise me. I could kind of guess mostly how this was going to go a little too early. And I didn’t like who it wound up being. I don’t know, it just left a sour taste in my mouth. I won’t say more in case I spoil anything. 
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An Uninterrupted View of the Sky by Melanie Crowder

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challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-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

4.25

Read aloud for homeschool.  

This is a fantastic story that opened up some great discussions with the kids. We are fortunate enough to live a comfortable, fairly sheltered life. I can’t imagine a situation where my kids could possibly begin to understand what Francisco and his family are going through, which is why books like these are so important. Reading diverse perspectives brings awareness. Awareness builds understanding. Understanding makes way for empathy. Empathy is everything that this world needs, right now and always. 

Bonus points for the author’s beautiful use of poetry to explore character feelings and development. And extra bonus points for the sweet, raw romance that is just right for early teens (IMO - yearning, romantic feelings described and a brief kissing scene). I did leave off a star for the kids’ lack of enthusiasm upon finishing the book. I may have enjoyed it more than they did, and they might have felt more of a connection if they were a couple of years older. They are currently 11 and almost-14.
Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island by Jennifer Thermes

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informative lighthearted fast-paced

4.0