allyjshand's reviews
208 reviews

The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

A classic Holmes mystery with, like most of books of the time, outdated language.

The God Child by Nana Oforiatta Ayim

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challenging reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.25

I feel harsh scoring this so low as this book covers vital issues and themes. It has some really raw and vulnerable moments. Unfortunately, it was hard to delve deep into these topics as I genuinely was confused about the plot and ongoing narrative. I often read a passage then reread it, still unable to grasp what was happening. It took me far too long to even pick up the main character’s name. I’ve read other reviews that feel similarly, which reassured me that I was not the only one to struggle with this! However, it was because of the topics raised that I continued trying and I am glad I read (and finally finished!) this one.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two by John Tiffany, J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Impulse bought theatre tickets so I wanted to know what I was letting myself in for. I had no idea what to expect with the plot line, but I was pleasantly surprised and loved seeing where the characters ended up. I particularly enjoyed the characterisations of Ron, Scorpius and Draco. Overall, a good and enjoyable read (and watch) although nothing groundbreaking.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

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adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.25

I made the mistake of watching the film first which grossly oversimplified the book. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the second half / final third of the book largely differed from the film, and I really enjoyed the ending.

That being said the book could have easier been much shorter if less time was dedicated to relationships between minor side characters and to Tris’ grief. Overall an enjoyable YA read.

Content Warnings

Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

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emotional reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

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

3.5

A heartwarming addition to the series. I felt that these stories were more developed compared to those in the previous book, although I found the writing style a little hard to engage with at times.

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

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mysterious reflective tense medium-paced