Scan barcode
genevieve5's reviews
249 reviews
Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town by Warren St. John
2.0
I think the idea behind the book, of societal outcasts banding together in a common effort is a great one, and a powerful one. I just didn’t find the story or writing very compelling, and this book became a bit of a slog for me.
Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter
3.0
Could have been better, but it was still okay. It’s a cheesy teen novel, and it’s written like a cheesy teen novel. It’s got several of the cliches/cheesy bits you would expect, and there also seemed to me to be several logical hiccups and confusing points in the plot. Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book. It’s exciting and suspenseful, the characters are interesting and compelling and fun, and it made the romantic in me very, very happy. Would recommend for any fellow romance and suspense lovers looking for a quick, compelling, and somewhat cheesy read.
Choosing Up Sides by John Ritter
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.25
A good and at times emotional middle-school-level read! Would recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
3.75
This was a good book with a solid storyline and complex characters. It also has great messages about neighborhood gang violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
The Late Show by Michael Connelly
3.0
Solid mystery/detective novel, but I was not really that intrigued or excited by the story or the language until close to the end. Slow and sometimes lagging build-up weighed down with what I felt was too many technical details about the police department, but interesting details dropped in here and there, and an absolutely fantastic ending with a wonderful plot twist. Good emotional depth as well. Would recommend for a patient reader, and a lover of detective stories.
Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, R.M.S. Titanic, 1912 by Ellen Emerson White
3.75
A very enjoyable historical fictional read; not one of the best I've ever read, but certainly a good one with a strong story and charming characters. Suitable for middle schoolers and up. Would recommend!
The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin
2.75
The story at the heart of this book is an interesting, complex, and heart-wrenching one, and Laskin tells it very eloquently, in well-written words that are sometimes given life and feeling by his creative use of devices and techniques most commonly found in fiction. It certainly had its shining moments in terms of description and emotional intensity, and that should be noted.
That is where the stars are earned.
The description and prologue of this book were very promising, but as the book progressed, I was largely disappointed. The plot is bogged down with confusing meteorological details, descriptions of the messy politics behind the blizzard, and long-winded technical passages that had me zoning out and seeing how close I was to end of the book. In my opinion, this book would only read "like a thriller" as the comment on the front cover says, for those invested in the nonfiction genre at large, and excited by a myriad of technical details and descriptions behind a historic weather event. I am just not one of those people.
That is where the stars are earned.
The description and prologue of this book were very promising, but as the book progressed, I was largely disappointed. The plot is bogged down with confusing meteorological details, descriptions of the messy politics behind the blizzard, and long-winded technical passages that had me zoning out and seeing how close I was to end of the book. In my opinion, this book would only read "like a thriller" as the comment on the front cover says, for those invested in the nonfiction genre at large, and excited by a myriad of technical details and descriptions behind a historic weather event. I am just not one of those people.