bookmaddie's reviews
1069 reviews

Evenings & Weekends by Oisín McKenna

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emotional funny reflective sad medium-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

Content Warnings

Body Grammar by Jules Ohman

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

Boundless by Jillian Tamaki

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adventurous funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was so cute and fun!!

Content Warnings

The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Very fun summer read! Such a hilarious and dramatic family, but very sweet.

Content Warnings

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

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emotional mysterious 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? No

3.5

Dragged in the latter half. And such coincidence in that part too! I can’t believe it all.

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

Pretty fun and a sweet ending!

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

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challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Content Warnings

Bear by Julia Phillips

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

Happy pub week to BEAR! I was really looking forward to this novel since I absolutely loved DISAPPEARING EARTH by Phillips. This story once again follows a pair of sisters, Sam and Elena, who live with their ailing mother on an island off the coast of Washington. A large bear appears on the island and seems to be drawn to them, forcing each sister to reconsider her daily life.

I admit it took me awhile to get hooked in the story, but even so, I was always fascinated by Sam and Elena’s relationship, and the tensions that formed as they grew up. It’s rare for me to not really like any of the characters but still enjoy the reading experience, yet Phillips pulls it off here. I was transported into the story through Phillips’s writing. She explores the sisters’ relationship with depth, and imbues a magical sense of foreboding and wonder to every page.

As the story spirals to a dramatic end, I was hooked and intrigued. Phillips examines at the magic of the everyday, and how grief, responsibility, and the pressure of living can form something otherworldly. This is a unique story that feels isolated and frenzied at the same time, and if you’re interested in sisterhood, then I’d highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hogarth Books for my advanced digital copy!

Content Warnings

Alison by Lizzy Stewart

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Content Warnings