sfbookgirl's reviews
412 reviews

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

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

5.0

Another one to add to my all-time favorites! My goodness, this book is beautiful, inside and out. Written in verse, Acevedo’s newest release is about two 16-year-old girls, one living in the Dominican Republic, and the other in New York City. They discover that their father has died in a plane accident and yet, they do not know about each other.
 
Alternating back and forth between the perspectives of both girls, we learn about the contrasting lives that they lead. While it’s easy to speed through it, I decided to read the book relatively slowly so I could appreciate the beautiful prose. Acevedo’s reasoning for writing this story about flight 587 broke my heart as well and her personal connection to the event made the book all the more memorable. I have also heard great things about the audiobook. I’ll have to check it out the next time I do a reread. Acevedo’s books have always managed to pull at my heartstrings…there’s no denying that she’s got talent.
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Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

If you’ve watched The Mandalorian or the Star Wars Clone Wars series, you know who Ahsoka is. She one of the most epic female Jedis in the galaxy that unfortunately gets no screen time in the movies. But, she does play a key role in the Clone Wars and helps the Mandalorian discover Baby Yoda’s name. 💚 She is also getting her own show in the coming years..! This book takes place sometime after the Clone Wars in which Ahsoka must navigate the galaxy on her own. 
 
This book is perfect for both young and mature readers who desire some further context about life after the Clone Wars and Ahsoka's white lightsabers…😱  I wouldn’t say this is the book to start out with if you are new to the world of Star Wars but if you are already a big fan of Ahsoka, this is a book you don’t want to miss. And, the audiobook is narrated by Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka. It’s definitely worth a listen! 
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While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

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adventurous dark informative mysterious
  • 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 highly-anticipated thriller is (almost) here! I am so grateful to have gotten my hands on an early copy of Stacey Abrams’s new novel. The political thriller takes place in Washington D.C. in which young law clerk Avery Keene is tasked with solving a series of clues left for her after legendary Justice, and swing vote, Howard Wynn is found in a coma. This novel pairs perfectly with The Queen’s Gambit Netflix series (or book) as Avery’s tasks often involve finding clues through chess moves. And while I don’t have much knowledge of chess, I was into it because I had recently watched the show.
 
Any political thriller written by Abrams is bound to be detailed and accurate. Some of the political jargon definitely went over my head, but I enjoyed finding and solving clues alongside Avery. Additionally, the storyline is easy to follow and the ending is satisfying. It’s amazing to think that Abrams wrote the first draft for the novel a decade ago, as the characters and conflicts are incredibly timely. 
 
Thank you Doubleday and NetGalley for an advanced e-copy! 
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Catalyst by Sarah Beth Durst

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adventurous funny inspiring fast-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

I love cats. This book has a cat. I love this book. This middle-grade story (although I think it’s better for children grades 4-6), is about Zoe and her continuously growing kitten Pipsqueak. Just three days after Zoe finds the kitten in her garage, Pipsqueak is already the size of a chonky cat! What will Zoe do? And how will she hide this from her parents? 
 
The author, Sarah Best Durst, is clearly familiar with all of the hilarious quirks that a common house cat possesses. I couldn’t help but cuddle up with my cat while reading this book too. The story is a perfect introduction to the realm of fantasy and is excellent for cat lovers of all ages.
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin

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adventurous emotional funny informative 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? It's complicated

4.0

This is my first book by N.K. Jemisin and I can’t wait to add more of her books to my shelf. The City We Became is magical, hilarious, and a big love letter to New York City. In present-day NYC, each of the five boroughs is represented by an avatar, a real person. Together, they must come together to fight against a white, evil serpent creature threatening to tear their city apart. 

The story is crazy, weird, and a bit confusing at times. I definitely recommend this book to more well-versed sci-fi and fantasy readers as it takes some patience to understand the world that Jemisin has built. Nevertheless, I had so much fun reading this book, and I think I would have really, REALLY enjoyed it if I was a New Yorker. (New York friends: Please read this book). Jemisin tackles many important issues like gentrification and racism with a modern sci-fi twist that will keep you simultaneously nodding *YES* and laughing your face off. Also, make sure to brush up on your knowledge of H. P. Lovecraft before delving into this one. Your efforts will be rewarded.

P.S. Hi Ms. Jemisin, can you write one about San Francisco next? 
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The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans

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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? It's complicated

4.0

In high school, one of my English class assignments was to write a series of personal, short stories. I didn’t love the assignment, but one element of the task that I did enjoy was reading one of my classmate’s drafts during class time allocated for peer review. The Office of Historical Corrections reminds me of my old classmate’s writing in so many ways in that it’s compact, beautiful, and always ends with a gut-punching line. This book brought me back to that time in high school when I quickly learned that phenomenal writing is a gift.

Composed of six short stories and one novella, The Office of Historical Corrections is one you don’t want to skip. Danielle Evans is an incredibly talented writer whose short stories blew me away. Some of my favorites were “Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain,” “Alcatraz,” and “Anything Could Disappear.” The last section of Evan’s book, her novella, almost felt too long, but overall I found this book to be a masterpiece.
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Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

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

1.0

I am a big advocate for putting books down if they aren’t enjoyable. Why suffer through something just to say that you finished it? I put down Firefly Lane for this reason. The book, now a popular Netflix series, is about two girls named Kate and Tully and their friendship over the span of three decades. Kate and Tully seem incredibly one-dimensional and I wish that both were given more well-rounded characteristics. Kate is your stereotypical quiet, hanging out on the sidelines type of girl, and Tully is the ambitious and outgoing one. 
 
That said, I do enjoy plot-based stories more than character-driven ones, so that may be why I didn’t like Firefly Lane. While I didn’t love this one by Kristin Hannah, I really enjoyed The Nightingale. It’s definitely one of my favorite WWII historical fiction books. I can’t say I will watch the Netflix adaptation of Firefly Lane, but I won’t discount her other books just because I didn’t like this one.
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I just finished the final book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy and I LOVED it! This trilogy has been an absolute privilege to read and I really enjoyed immersing myself in the world of Ravka. I read Ruin and Rising in two days flat - that’s how much fun I had reading this book. 
 
What really brings this book together are the characters and the ways in which they interact with each other. Some characters that I found especially remarkable in this series include Nikolai (truly a hoot and I fell more in love with him in this book especially), the Darkling (despite being categorized as the villain, he also has a lot of grey areas that make it so difficult to truly despise him), and Genya (a character that has gone through incredible hardship yet is so resilient and fierce). Overall, a great ending to the Shadow and Bone trilogy. I can’t wait for the TV series!
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The second installment of the Shadow and Bone series was a whirlwind and I loved it. This is also your friendly reminder to read the books before April when the Netflix series premieres! For such a big book, there isn’t much action in this one, but I am anticipating that tons of action will be present in the final book of the trilogy. 
 
I won’t give away the synopsis as it will definitely spoil the first book, but Siege and Storm continues to follow a young woman named Alina who finds that she possesses magical powers. There are a few new characters introduced as well and while these new characters are super fun, my favorite is still Alina.
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This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith

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dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

This story is about two strangers, Tallie and Emmett, and how their lives collide over the course of a weekend. I really enjoyed certain elements of the book (mental health awareness, racism, the relationship between the two main characters, and the alternating perspectives) but where the book falls short for me is the dialogue and the pacing. Despite this, the story is touching and beautifully articulates the power of relationships. 
 
The book begins with Tallie, driving on a bridge in Kentucky, when by happenstance, notices Emmett dangling over the edge, about to end his life. What follows is a weekend of relationship building and how these two strangers learn how to heal from past traumas together. Heartbreaking, this narrative showcases human vulnerability and the need for comfort.
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