suzharold's reviews
310 reviews

What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Not my favorite of the series. Dragged a bit. I prefer the books of the series that don’t focus on the secret society and this one was almost entirely that. 

Projekt 1065: A Novel of World War II by Alan Gratz

adventurous tense 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

3.25

It’s a good page turner. I got hung up on the impossibility of an Irish diplomat’s son attending public school and joining the Hitler Youth. Gratz also goes a bit didactic and simplistic at times, which also annoyed me. But I finished the book so it wasn’t awful. 

Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March

informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

Pacing is painfully slow and about halfway through I started actively hoping the budding romance would fail. But it did paint a picture of 1892 Bombay and its complex political and social structures. The mystery parts were good - could’ve but out all the bits where he moons over Diana. 

Johnny, the Sea, and Me by Melba Escobar

adventurous funny hopeful sad 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

4.75

From Colombia, set in the Caribbean. Sweet and funny with magical realism. 

Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory by Ben Macintyre

adventurous informative medium-paced

4.0

Well read. Got a bit lost in the lists of names at times but overall really well researched and written. Found it via Adam Gitlitz’s Max books 

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

hopeful inspiring reflective 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

I loved the first half of the book then started to find it a bit cloying and slow. Listened on audio - I don’t know if a different reader for Cameron would have made his character less irritating? And I think plenty of other would enjoy the reader - it just wore on me after a few hours. I wanted him to grow up sooner than he does!

John the Skeleton by Triinu Laan

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

A perfect, sweet book - I love it so much I ordered a copy for myself. It’s tender and funny and unexpected. 

A Sleepless Night by Micaela Chirif

funny lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

Delightful import from Argentina! Art well matched to absurdist, exaggerated story. 

Twenty-Four Seconds From Now by Jason Reynolds
Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.

Excellent writing and interesting story concept and construction, just not the book for me right now. 

Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

A fun romp of a sequel. We get glimpses of the assassins’ early career mixed in with their current unofficial job.