sometimes_samantha_reads's reviews
268 reviews

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

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

3.0

I'm continuing to read middle grades books to support my students. I finally got around to reading this classic. It's was pretty good.
You Make It Feel like Christmas by Toni Shiloh

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

2.0

I  really wanted to enjoy this book but was so disappointed when it started to become religious about 50% in. I was looking for a sweet secular Christmas romance, kind of like Hallmark, but the religious part really threw me off. 

I also thought all the characters seemed naive and pretentious. Not very relatable as the main character's family were supposedly rich. The romance also seemed very quick paced and a little forced.

Not the book for me. Maybe someone else would enjoy it better.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-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

4.0

I had never read this classic before. I'm going to be teaching it to my students in the new year so I had to be familiar with it. It was fun and whimsical! Not something I would've picked up on my own but I'm glad I read it. The narration in the audiobook was engaging and I'm considering keeping it as a resource for my students to help motivate them while they follow along with the paperback.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

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emotional inspiring reflective 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? Yes

3.0

This is required reading for my students this year and I hadn't read it myself before. It was pretty interesting and fits out language arts theme well. Not my favorite style of writing but the story was good.
American Spirits by Russell Banks

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

3.0

This was an interesting read. Tough to read through given the circumstances and the time I read it. The stories were interesting but very human and dark. Banks has done a great job capturing the feeling of cognitive dissonance and despair of the country with these short stories. It's just tough to read when you are living it, too.
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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

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dark hopeful reflective sad 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

3.75

Very well written! The audiobook was enjoyable to listen to. Be warned this book has some strong triggers and sad moments. Check the TWs before deciding to read.
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Gleanings by Neal Shusterman

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
Life happens and I couldn't renew it for a 5th time in a row 😅

I was enjoying it and will pick it back up again when I have the time!
Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 1 by Sui Ishida

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

5.0

I loved the anime and wanted to read more details in the manga. Perfect for October!
Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen

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adventurous 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? It's complicated

3.0

The pacing was a bit off - sometimes way too fast and sometimes way too slow. The ending was too romance-y in my opinion. For a novel about conquest and war, the ending seemed like a cop out. I wanted to know more about the loose ends that were not resolved at all. 

There is a sequel. I need some space from this one to decide if it's worth reading the second book or not.
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

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emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

It's interesting reflecting on this essay in 2024. I sometimes had a hard time following the more complex sentences but I think that's probably just a "me" issue.