katietotallybooked's reviews
741 reviews

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do: Take Back Your Power, Embrace Change, Face Your Fears, and Train Your Brain for Happiness and Success by Amy Morin

5.0

Batter Royale by Leisl Adams

5.0

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Did not finish book. Stopped at 50%.

Fantasy just isn't for me. I found I was losing interest and the motivation to pick it up. 

Heartstopper Volume 2 by Alice Oseman

emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

5.0

This is a wonderful coming out story. It has incredible representation and it showcases healthy discussions of sexual identity. The storytelling is superb and Charlie & Nick are just so adorable! I am officially a Heartstopper fan and I can't wait to see where the story goes next! 

Hamilton: The Revolution by Jeremy McCarter, Lin-Manuel Miranda

informative fast-paced

5.0

As a Hamilton fan, I loved everything about this book. It was a fantastic listen on audio. I learned so much about how Hamilton was created, from the writing to the composing to the casting of the original Broadway production. Immediately after finishing, I listened to the Original Broadway Cast soundtrack just so that I could continue to live in this fandom world. 

I highly recommend this book to any Hamilton fan, whether you are a newbie or an original. 

Hockey Moms: The Heart of the Game by Terry Marcotte, Theresa Bailey

informative reflective medium-paced

2.0

The best parts were the stories of now-famous NHL players and their Moms and their experiences. 
It wasn't a super memorable read, and it isn't one that I will be thinking about long after finishing. 

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson

emotional informative sad fast-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

5.0

From the Author’s Note:
“I wrote this book for women like Georgia Mae, my grandmother Yvonne Clair, my great-grandmother Addie Murray and every woman who was forced to surrender her child either because of race, age, sexual abuse, shame or coer-cion. You are not alone. The House of Eve is for you.”

I picked this book up because it was an in person book club pick. I knew little about it going in, and honestly I did not expect to love it so much!

Positives: 

• Engaging writing
• Dual perspective, with dual audio narration! 
• Based on experiences from real women 
• An emotional read with some gut wrenching parts
• I was hooked early on and I wanted to keep turning the pages to see how it would all turn out for Ruby and Eleanor

Negatives:

• that it took until the ending to make it a five star read (but at least it got there!) The author's note and the epilogue actually sealed the deal for me. 

Topics/Themes:

• Motherhood
• Black History
• Pregnancy 
• Racism
• Classism 

I'd Recommend To:

• Book Clubs
• Historical fiction readers, especially those interest in Black and/or women's history
• Audiobook listeners (the narration is fantastic!)

Quotes:
"I hope the man she [Georgia Mae] worked for wouldn't touch her again, but I also knew that hope had never gotten any of us very far. " p.324

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racism, Rape, Pregnancy, and Classism

Minor: Body shaming

Pardalita by Joana Estrela

funny hopeful inspiring fast-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? No

3.0

This book came across my desk when it was added to our Teen graphic novel collection recently. It caught my eye because it was translated and had f/f LGBTQ+ representation in it.

Positives:

• a very sweet and charming story with funny bits that had me smiling and chuckling to myself (like the Titanic commentary)
• enjoyable to read in the moment

Negatives:

• not an especially memorable or impactful story

Themes/Topics

• LGBTQ+ (f-f representation)
• high school romance
• set in school
• divorced parents
• friendship
• Identity/Self-Acceptance

I'd Recommend To:

• contemporary YA graphic novel readers who want to explore translated books or books from around the world (set in Portugal)

Quotes:
“[Irregular verbs] - You’re not supposed to understand them. You just have to learn them by heart. “

“You’re an irregular verb. One to learn by heart.” 

The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

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

2.5

I loved Angie Thomas' YA books The Hate You Give and On The Come Up. Unfortunately, this middle grade fantasy missed the mark for me. I understand I'm not the target audience. But as someone who reads middle grade & YA to recommend them to young readers, I wasn't very engaged in this one. In my opinion, I think there are better written middle grade fantasies out there. This won't be a top one that I recommend, especially not to Canadian readers. It felt very American in terms of the social commentary that Angie Thomas was weaving in to the story.

Positives: 

• The audiobook narration is excellent. It is performed well. 
• Angie Thomas made a strong effort to weave current events for the Black community as well as the stories of important figures in Black History into her storyline. 
• The characters felt realistic and authentic. 

Negatives:

• The flow of the author's writing was not smooth. There were passages that felt disjointed. There was a lot more telling the reader about plot points than showing the reader. 
• I felt confused at the beginning of the book. I found the world building parts hard to follow and understand. I was not engaged from the very start. 

Themes/Topics:

• Black Lives Matter social commentary
• Black History
• Friendship
• Sibling Relationships
• Parent-Child Relationships
• Identity

I'd Recommend To:

• Readers looking for #ownvoices fantasy
• Fantasy readers who are wanting a new series to start
• Readers interested in BLM social commentary

The Sporty One: My Life as a Spice Girl by Melanie Chisholm

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

4.5

This was a great audiobook to listen to as a childhood Spice Girls fan. I remember how much my friends and I were into them - pretending to be them during recess, performing airbands of their songs at school assemblies, collecting trading cards, dolls, and photos. It was a fandom for sure! 

I learned so much about Mel C and the Spice Girls and her experiences before, during, and after this era of her life. Mel C shared so openly about her struggles with an eating disorder, depression and mental health. I am so glad she decided to speak candidly and share her story. 

My only criticism is that the book felt long and slow at times. It really dragged out, but in a positive way, it gave me so much detailed information as a reader (and listener). I highly recommend the audiobook. I can't wait to dive into Mel B's (Scary Spice) memoir soon!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Mental illness