midwifereading's reviews
817 reviews

This is Brandon Sanderson at his best. He should take his wife's advice more often! 

Guys, this book is intelligent, sweet, funny, exciting, subtly romantic, and profoundly enjoyable! I stayed up way too late reading it, and it had me crying and a little worn out by the end. 

Sanderson did his homework when it comes to art--specifically the way he portrays the blood, sweat, and tears as artists learn their craft. It takes hours and days and years of practice to become a master artist, and Sanderson showcases this process beautifully. The art doesn't come easily to the main characters, in spite of beginning with some natural talent. They have to work, and work hard, to do what they do. It's inspiring.

It's also a human book. Yumi explores the definition of art, and the idea that creating art is a big part of what it means to be a human being, and illustrates the way machines can only ever imitate art. That art inherently requires a human being on the other end of the paintbrush.

The entire premise was fascinating, and though it's a fantasy story, it has an everyday quality to it that draws you right in. Every character counts, and they're all so likeable. Except one, but even she invites sympathy as the story progresses.

The stakes are high, the twists are fun, and the ending was actually kinda perfect, in my opinion. I cried kind of a lot. 

Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this cozy story about three sisters coming together in their grief after losing their eccentric Dad. Granted, his will stipulates that they do so in order to claim their inheritance! He sets them some very odd tasks, including reinstating the village winter solstice celebration.

Of course, it all gets done in time, complete with hard, healing conversations and a happy ending for all. Not one person is left without a hopeful end to their story, and it was exactly what I needed.

Though it's a bit Hallmarkish and a tad cheesy, it's smart and honest. Seriously though -- who doesn't like a little cheese now and then? I cared about each of the characters, and found myself rooting for them, crying for them, and just enjoying their company.

I picked it up because I am the oldest of three girls who lost our dad, and thought it would be nice to have a story about sisters. I wasn't disappointed. It helped that the sisters are about the same ages as us three girls are. It felt homey and familiar.

I'm officially convinced that I should set aside time every year to read Christmas books. 

Well, that was a delightful, sweet, historical romance! It might be the first romance novel in a long while that gave me all the warm fuzzies! And it's free of spicy content. There are some lovely, romantic kisses and deep emotion, but no more than that.

I don't really read much romance, partly because I can't usually be sure of the content, and partly because I don't tend to seek it out. I'm much more drawn to other genres, but recently found myself longing for a little bit of swoon-worthy, happy stories. A Holiday by Gaslight was perfect for me! I loved it.

It's descriptive, colorful, and immersive. Mimi Matthews does an excellent job of telling a full story in this short novella with bright details, believable dialogue, and a strong sense of place. The atmosphere is rich and thoroughly Christmassy. Perfect for this time of year. And of course, the romance is sweet without being sentimental, complete with a small, adorable twist at the end. 

Sophie and Ned are great together, and I found myself rooting for them, and rejoicing with them when they arrived at their happy ending! 

I just might pick up another of her books.

An interesting premise, a likeable cast of characters, and a futuristic sci-fi setting? Yes, please!

This independently published debut novel surprised me by being on equal ground with so many debuts published by the big publishing houses. In fact, it's better than some I've read. It's well-written, pretty well polished, and hard to put down.

The relationship between Amara and Ouen is complicated, but not due to the more common tropes. It's a bit odd until you finally find out why they're connected the way they are, and raises the stakes once the climax unfolds. It all comes together just enough to lay the groundwork for the second book, and I am here for it! 

I found it hard to put down, honestly. Stupid adulting forced me to sleep instead of reading!

It ends on a cliffhanger, and I immediately bought the second book because I needed to know what happens next! 

I think the only thing it needs is an experienced, professional editing hand to give it the last boost it needs to read like a great book. It's a phenomenally good book -- no doubt -- and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves sci-fi, found family, and a little bit of mystery. 

I do think Jubilee has something great to give the world, and I would love to see her work in bookstore windows. 

Simply delightful, as usual. This is my second Herriot book, and I am grateful for the sweet and sad stories, his beautiful descriptions, and the wide array of both humans and animals that live and work and love among the pages. 

I needed the lightness lately.

It took me awhile to figure out how I felt about this book. I started it on audio, and finished the last 25% via hardback at 2:00 am. 

King really is a good storyteller in so many ways, and this book is no exception. It starts slowly, establishing the protagonist, his motivations, and his character really well. I loved the first third of the book the most, actually. Getting to know Charlie, his dad, Mr. Bowditch, and Radar (the best doggo) was wonderful! I liked each of them so much, for different reasons. 

Speaking of his dad, I loved him! It's always refreshing to meet a healthy father figure in storytelling. His dad battles alcoholism, enters recovery, stays sober, and is so very present for Charlie. 10/10 dad. Not because he's without fault, but because he does the work of healing without making Charlie his support. 

I also enjoyed the hints at something more, something magical lurking in the background somewhere. The world-building is interesting and a bit weird, which is great for an "otherworld" setting. Everything is just familiar enough, but off in all the right ways. 

Did I mention the incredible illustrations at the beginning of each chapter? They remind me of illustrations in classic horror novels like Dracula or War of the Worlds! All books should have those whenever possible. 

I did have a few issues though, which is why my star rating isn't higher. 

1) Swearing. Of course, I expect it. It is Stephen King, soooo... However, when did we start limiting it almost exclusively to the f-bomb? I wouldn't call it gratuitous, but dude. No one talks like that. It distracts from the story at times. Drives me crazy.

2) Charlie is supposed to be 17 years old, in present day. He's Gen Z. But he feels Gen X. His references are those from a kid who grew up in the 80's or early 90's. The TCM movie references make sense, because of his relationship with his dad, though. Either Charlie is an old soul (he's not), or King hasn't hung out with Gen Z-ers enough. Still, he's well written as a whole.

3) The payoff doesn't quite match the setup... There's a massive evil creature to defeat at the end, and his defeat is somewhat anticlimactic for me. Some great imagery, for sure, but it feels too fast. 

4) The weird language thing. At first, Charlie discovers he can't say certain words in the Other world, and figures out that he's speaking their native language, not English. Cool thought, methinks. But near the end, he CAN say English words that don't have a native translation, and they just don't understand him. So, it felt inconsistent. I wish an editor had caught that and had King polish it up.

Overall, it was a fun read, complete with a Chosen One and a happy ending. A good October read.

I have never been a big fan of Phantom. I have seen the movie, but this was the first time I have read the book.

I can see why it's a classic, but I had a hard time deciding how I feel about it. It's a true melodrama, and while I enjoy some melodrama now and then, Phantom is too serious to be taken seriously.

I did enjoy the childhood story of friendship between Raoul and Christine. I thought that was sweet and a bit romantic. I also loved Christine's father, and his role in her love of music.

Erik is definitely a deeply tragic character, a tortured genius, it seems. But, there could be so much more to him. There is very little nuance to Erik. He's practically a caricature. A vivid one, to be sure, but there's virtually no depth. 

Still, it's a compelling story that builds suspense and has a high stakes climax that keeps you guessing until everything wraps up. (Yes, I have seen the movie, but that was years ago and I didn't remember anything.) 

If you're a fan of plot-driven books, high drama, and romance, you're probably going to love it! There's a reason it became so popular. It's just not really my thing. And yet, I liked it. 

The ONLY reason I didn't DNF this one is because I do collect books that feature midwives - fiction and non. So, it's staying on my shelves purely for that reason.

It was the first James Patterson novel I have ever read, and it will be the last. He is not for me.

Every single character feels like a token character. I knew whodunnit from the first time I met him (it's the OB/gyn). The protagonist is... something. She makes no sense as a human being. She's a shrill banshee of a woman, shallow, selfish, and totally NOT representative of midwifery. And not in the cool, badass kind of way. She's immature, one-dimensional, and boring.

As a midwife, I was sorely disappointed in the complete and utter mishandling of midwifery and what it means. Patterson apparently consulted with a couple of midwives, but I am 99% sure he dismissed 99% of what they said and sacrificed realism for a bad narrative. A narrative held together by paper clips and spitballs, probably. It's that untenable.

I do NOT expect 100% accuracy in fiction, but I do expect something that those who aren't familiar with midwifery can find believable. This is not that.

Some say these kinds of books are palate cleansers. But can't a palate cleanser still be pretty good? Like lime sherbet? 

This book is character-driven vacation with some deep substance to it. When people talk about books as palate cleansers, THIS is what I want them to mean: Something well-written, light, happy, and with just enough conflict to create reasons to root for the characters. A book that leaves your heart feeling wrapped in a sturdy, squeezy, anxiety-calming HUG.

This book is so sweet and cozy and cheerful and homey! I loved every minute in this unnamed country, with this rag-tag found family of ostracized kids. I'm not going to say another word about any of the kids -- it would steal some of your delight when you meet them. Go into this one as fresh as you can!

The main character, Linus, is an absolute dear! He's a true everyman, just doing the best he can with what he has, trying so hard to do everything by the book, until he meets those who never have and never will fit into the book. At all.

He is kind, thoughtful, thorough, and open-hearted. His chemistry with the kids is pure sweetness, and he treats each one with the dignity and kindness they deserve, even though he's quite discombobulated when he meets them.

And when push comes to shove, he can certainly hold his own! His character arc is wonderful, and he finds that he does, indeed, have a rather sturdy backbone. 

I loved it and can't wait to read the next one in the series!