notsamwilson's reviews
61 reviews

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

I could not be happier that I decided to make an effort to read diversely. Books like these have shown me just how much I don’t know about how black individuals are treated. And I’d like to think that things have gotten better since the Civil Rights movement. In some ways they have. But I think it won’t be for many generations that the hate will stop. The main characters show just how much strength and perseverance black individuals must have to survive a world still filled with hate. I will continue to read diversely and continue to learn about the struggles of people of color. Ace of Spades is a story that will stick with me for a long time.

Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

I was happy to return to this world but unsure how the story would go. It followed a different group of characters that all had their own struggles throughout the book. Somehow though they all came together cohesively as a loyal family that would do anything for each other. There was good character development. There were both tears of grief and tears of happiness. The way this author made me want to throw the book through the last two chapters. These are the kind of books that stick with you for a little while.

Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.0

The world of Tiankawi is diverse, colorful, and easy to picture. I enjoyed the multiple points of view. They helped me see more of the world and better understand the struggles of the characters. The ones that could be seen as ‘villains’ were hard to dislike. I understood why they were doing what they were doing. Though I did have a bad feeling about one of them in particular, which proved to be sort of correct. I enjoyed both the political and natural world aspects of this book. It really showed the struggles between different groups of people and of those trying to protect the land. It showed what could happen in situations where the land is too damaged and that’s the one part of the book that made me sad. I’m happy to see there’s a book two coming to this series and I looked forward to reading it.

Foxglove by Adalyn Grace

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

I don’t know why I struggled getting through this, because I loved it. Maybe it was the slow pace and the fact it felt like a small part of a grand story. Cuz when you’re trying to beat something akin to a deity, surely there’s a grand story involved. I loved Signa’s determination to protect her family and how happy she was settling into her own home. I can’t wait to see how the next installment plays out and the revelations the characters will discover.

Rhuger's Pearl by Carlotta Hughes

adventurous emotional sad tense 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

3.5

I was not expecting the character’s of her first book to show up in this one. But it was a pleasant surprise. From hearing about the author’s own story, it makes it very clear that she put a lot of herself into this book. And it was so pleasant to see because I related to some of the things the main character came to realize. I did cry at the beginning, but there were also a lot of laughs. I’m not usually one to continue a monster romance series, but I intend to continue this one to see how much more this author grows in her craft. She’s definitely going places.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

adventurous mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

I don’t know why I waited so long to finish this book. I started in July and finished in December. Taking that long to listen to it, because I did audio with libro.fm, is the only reason this didn’t get five stars. This book did much to remind me why I love reading so much. There were twists I wasn’t expecting, and humor that eased tense parts. However, it also served to remind me just how much the remnants of slavery and prejudice against women are, and will forever be, engrained in the fabric of The United States and its people. I truly hope I continue to find more books like this to keep changing the way I view history. These stories are so important.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.

The change from singular point of view, in  the first two books, to dual point of view, in the last, kept pulling me out of the story. It was hard to stay focused trying to get invested in two different characters views.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

challenging reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

More action in this book meant I was more engrossed in the story. The characters showed more personality and a little growth. However, I still can’t make sense of the main characters relationship. I don’t think they’ll end up being good for each other. They both have trust issues and almost underestimate each other in a way. And yes, Triss is still incredibly quick to make decisions, which does not go well for her most of the time. But she’s trying to live through horrible things; what can I really expect? The ending was a bit of cliff hanger, and I’m ready for the final installment.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I’ve apparently found a post apocalyptic, revolution kind of line. Which makes sense. I tried reading this book as a teenager and got most of the way through it. But today I finally did finish it. It was a simple read with uncomplicated language and linear story that was easy to follow. Very much a book that’s more for older teens. I do plan on finishing the series, but using the books as a buffer between heavier material.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I took a few weeks to read this out of fear it would hurt. I wasn’t wrong. This book made me cry several times. It’s a heart breaking story about the suffering that the Syrian people have had to go through. I couldn’t help but think about the people of Palestine while going on a journey through this book. It really put things into perspective for me.