A review by sgsimily
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

4.0

This is a book for readers and lovers of books. I am both and I actually usually hate these types of books, where you might get the impression that the author is name-dropping to appear well-read and it gets old quick. However, here it was done in a way that conveyed a real affection for books (and the characters within them), as opposed to the desire to seem intelligent. I wrote down a few of the books and authors mentioned because now I want to read them. A few classics are spoiled, as mentioned in other reviews, however since they are classics and plots are generally known, I don't see that as an issue. And the point of classics is not entirely the ending, it's also the journey of the story. Very much not the same as spoiling the end to a mystery novel.
I have been reading a lot of dystopian novels, and ones with a lot of twists and darkness, so this was a welcome reprieve. It is charming, uplifting, and lighthearted. If you aren't in the mood for that, don't try it. I think the characters are nicely developed - Sara, Tom, Amy Harris, and Caroline in particular. Some of the other 'townies' might be underdeveloped, but I didn't feel like that made the story lacking. To me, this was a book about a place - the setting was the main character. I enjoyed that thoroughly.