paperbackportals's reviews
697 reviews

emotional hopeful reflective slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

This story is so different from Vermette’s previous novels, but it highlights her poetic prose and captivating character development. Highly recommend.

What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella

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emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

4.5

Review: What Does it Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella’s books, since I discovered them in university, have been an auto read for me. The heroines feel real. They bumbled through life with humorous and positive thoughts despite often dealing with very real issues — burnout, family drama, grief, and others.

Kinsella’s What Does it Feel Like? is different than her previous, but with just as much heart. The topic, cancer, is explored with an autobiographical feel —she admits that it is in the postscript— which takes the reader on the life-changing journey with the protagonist, Eve. However, much like Kinsella’s other novels, hope, positivity, community, and love shine through the dark moments of confusion and memory snippets. This short novel draws you in from the very start and is written with an insight and depth that allows the reader to, even in a small way, walk alongside Eve’s experience.

A truly beautiful rendering of Kinsella’s experience with her open and welcoming prose. Thank you to Random House Canada and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Stranger Skies by Pascale Lacelle

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adventurous mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Review: Stranger Skies by Pascale Lacelle

Stranger Skies is a stunning sequel full of twists and high stakes adventure. I have tried to write this review for so long and my words have come up short of how much I loved it. I immersed myself back into the world and luxuriated in every minute I got to spend with Baz, Emory, and the others.

This series is a unique play on dark academia and a school of magic. I thoroughly enjoyed the first and was anxiously awaiting the second, and it did not disappoint! If anything, I may love the sequel even more due to the beautiful writing and growing cast of characters. The portal aspect of the stories also continues to take the reader on twists and turns, and scintillating adventures.

I don’t want to give anything away, so all I can say is that if you haven’t read this series, please do! It is the perfect chilly weekend read with delightful characters and a magical world created with depth and detail.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage by David A Robertson

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adventurous hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

Excellent middle grade novel that addresses themes of community, self-confidence, and prejudice. Robertson has made such a great story that doubles as a teaching tool for how to identify and address unconscious bias and misused Indigenous terms.

The Rez Doctor by Gitz Crazyboy

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emotional inspiring slow-paced

3.0

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

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challenging lighthearted medium-paced