mlsweeten's reviews
169 reviews

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

I'm not sure what to say about this.  It's well written and the author is great with words but there's enough abuse of a minor that I felt yucky reading much of it.  I think the second half is much easier to get through, but you have to read the ick for it to all make sense.  It's about lost love and acting on those regrets.  Many of the adults in this book are quite damaged and consumed with dealing with their own problems that they are inattentive parents, creating even more problems.  Read with caution.

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

While celebrating their nana’s 80th birthday on her little island called Seaglass, one by one each of the Darker family members turns up dead. Obviously inspired by Agatha Christie’s book And Then Their Were None, I think it borrowed a bit too heavily so it’s not very original. However, there are some surprises in this deranged family and I enjoyed reading it. 

Elevation by Stephen King

hopeful mysterious 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

This is a short, fast read and an odd story but intriguing. I wasn’t sure how it would end but I had an idea and was right. I had hoped for a different ending though. There are a few political jabs but unless you’re staunchly against gay marriage for some reason, there’s nothing to be too bothered about. It’s really just about acceptance of others who might live a bit differently than you. Not a bad thing to do. 

Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

3.75

A story of haves and have-nots. While the book is based on the life of Andrew Carnegie, a wealthy and ruthless businessman turned philanthropist, this is about his fictional maid, Clara Kelly. Clara takes on the identity of another immigrant to serve in the Carnegie household so she can help her impoverished family in Ireland. On a personal note, I’ve found there are still a few Carnegie libraries in my state that I wouldn’t mind visiting. 

Hidden in Plain Sight by Jeffrey Archer

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

This book is about a family of four sisters, their parents, and children and their broken bonds. I liked the comparisons to Little Women, although it was repetitive.  I couldn’t like Rose or Julia because they lacked compassion and wanted everyone to live according to their plans. William had an emotional breakdown but he was never abusive to Julia and yet she treated him so badly. Sylvie was my favorite character. 

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

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

4.0

A humorous book about the haves and have-nots and marrying into a family different from your own. This wealthy family was not evil but they were certainly spoiled and short sighted. I felt bad for Sasha most of the time. Many of the problems this family had could be found in any family, not just one with lots of money. They were all flawed but did their best to keep up appearances. 

Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge by Lizzie Pook

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover

emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

4.5

This is the first Colleen Hoover book I’ve ever read and I was curious to see what the hype was all about. This was a very emotional book about forgiveness and how one careless decision can change your life forever, and the lives of people you love. I wanted to keep reading to the end and had a hard time putting this down.