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s_ketchum's reviews
11 reviews
These Ghosts are Family by Maisy Card
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
These Ghosts Are Family went in a direction I never suspected. While I was expecting a story of a man who abandoned one life for another, I ended up finding a network of collective tales that brought all the characters together in an organic fashion that was dark, beautiful, chaotic, & grieving.
I don’t hand out many five stars, but this book was beautifully written and a unique read unlike any I’ve come across.
I don’t hand out many five stars, but this book was beautifully written and a unique read unlike any I’ve come across.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse and Slavery
Minor: Racial slurs
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This was my first Austen, and it fell right in step with my interest in classical works.
Elinor & Marianne Dashwood are my favorite characters. Elinor plays the classic eldest sister role of caring for her families own interests before her own (even while battling her own pains), and Marianne is spirited & unafraid to show emotions (often expecting, if not commanding, her family to follow suit in such feeling).
Under the guise of an ‘Eros’ love story, this book captures the type of ‘Agape’ love that can (sometimes) only be found within our own family. It’s a book I look forward to returning to again.
Elinor & Marianne Dashwood are my favorite characters. Elinor plays the classic eldest sister role of caring for her families own interests before her own (even while battling her own pains), and Marianne is spirited & unafraid to show emotions (often expecting, if not commanding, her family to follow suit in such feeling).
Under the guise of an ‘Eros’ love story, this book captures the type of ‘Agape’ love that can (sometimes) only be found within our own family. It’s a book I look forward to returning to again.
Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
dark
mysterious
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, and Stalking
Mosquitoland by David Arnold
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.5
Mim is a witty, insightful, dramatic (in the best way) 16-year-old who is determined to uncover the truths her family seems to be hiding from her. She does so by embarking on a cross-country trip with nothing but a coffee can of money & a mind full of determination to piece it all together. The cast of characters is colorful & their backstories are full of emotion & life. I had no intention of loving this book as much as I did, but it proved to be a beautiful read that I’ll continue to come back to.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Sexual assault
The Inmate by Freida McFadden
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I’m usually pretty good at guessing the plot-twist, but this book outwitted me over & over again. The epilogue was a unique tie-in, as well. Overall, it was a nice fast-paced read that kept me guessing with each chapter!
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.25
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
adventurous
emotional
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While this book was well-written and you can tell where the author shined as a travel writer…I would not recommend this book to anyone, nor do I plan to read it myself ever again. This coming from someone who is a firm believer in reading stories to sharpen, intimidate, challenge, and evoke a response. Hanya did a beautiful job writing for Harold & Willem. As a parent myself, I resonated so much with Harold’s thoughts, his fears, his careful consideration when making any decision when it came to Jude. I felt the pangs of friendship as Willem did. Being ever so loyal and feeling your soul being suffocated knowing there is only so much you can do to save the person you love so desperately. But her writing for Jude felt irresponsible. He was given no room to see the light. Every time you think his character is going to allow himself to feel even a small glimpse of hope…it’s washed away with a debilitating sickness, a suicide attempt, a death. Hanya seemed to take pleasure in his unspeakable tragedies, and that will never sit right with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Plath is a brilliant & detailed writer. She eases the reader into the certain insanity that descends upon the protagonist. As someone who has struggled with mental health myself, I could relate to the protagonist in her explanation of numb thought. This will be a book I will come back to time & again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt
Minor: Cursing, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was slow-paced to begin with, and a bit bland, but I believe Haig intentionally wrote it that way so we can feel the same hopelessness & void the protagonist was experiencing. Am very pleased that I pressed on and read the entirety of the story. Makes you think of how you’d live life differently if given a second shot. In addition, that it’s never too late to begin again.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt