paperbackportals's reviews
697 reviews

A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

A moving series of narrative and informative essays that explore not only Elliott’s life but the effects of racism and colonialism. 
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Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Brendan O’Hea, Judi Dench

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informative slow-paced

5.0

Review: Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench with Brendan O’Hea

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit down with Judi Dench and chat about acting and Shakespeare? Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent is your opportunity. 

Written as transcribed conversations with Brendan O’Hea, Dame Dench dishes on her experience acting in Shakespearean plays. It is a fascinating introspection into the process of and community created in stage acting. I especially loved the reflective chapters on the profession of acting and the impact of Shakespeare.  

If you love Shakespeare, Judi Dench, or reading memoirs about actors, grab a cuppa and get cozy with this book. 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC. This review is my honest opinion. 
The Nine: The True Story of a Band of Women Who Survived the Worst of Nazi Germany by Gwen Strauss

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challenging informative slow-paced

4.0

This is a well-researched account of the experience of nine women who escaped the death march after being imprisoned for working in the French resistance. 
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The Black Crescent by Jane Johnson

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

4.0

Review: The Black Crescent by Jane Johnson

The Black Crescent is a historical fiction set in 1950s Morocco during  Independence. Hamou Abdi, a man marked with the sign of the Djinn, seeks to find his place while navigating the clash between his people and the colonizing French. 

I learned a lot as I read this book about the country as well as the time period. The character, Hamou, was interesting because of his loyalty, responsibility, and consistently upright behaviour. His morality, that occasionally hinges on naiveté, make him a perfect perspective to follow to see the struggles faced and difficult decisions made by someone living under colonial oppression. His story is a bit winding, which can make you wonder at his role as narrator, but his “in-between” nature gives a unique point of view of the turbulent events and intrigues you as to the strange situations he finds himself in. At times the story felt abrupt and I had to resituate myself in the narrative, but these shifts in time or lack of information at points all worked to reinforce Hamou’s innocent nature during the conflict between colonizer and colonized. 

This book is a great read for those who truly love to read historical fiction, as the pacing is slower and the details intricate so that it allows you to travel back in time and experience the mundane as well as the intense and really appreciate the internal conflict of the protagonist. 

This advance copy of The Black Crescent was gifted to me by Simon & Schuster. The opinions are my own. 
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Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I loved this as a physical book, and the audio just adds another fabulous element through the talented narration of Michael Kramer as Hoid. It is a perfect way to reread this delightful story.  
Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson

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adventurous funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was a beautiful story and an intriguing mystery. This is my second Brandon Sanderson novel, and it did not disappoint!
Vicious by V.E. Schwab

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

4.0

This was so very different than anything I’ve read. I liked it and was deeply concerned  in equal measure. If you want to explore a dark side of superhero powers, read this. 
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How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson

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funny lighthearted 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

4.0

Review: How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson 

If you loved the light-hearted romance of Melissa’s precious novels, or authors such as Courtney Walsh, Sophie Kinsella, and Emily Henry, How to Plot a Payback lives up to this same feel with:

❤️Lovable characters
🌴Enemies to lovers
🥰Romantic tension
🫣Hilarious hijinks
🐾Adorable animals, and
😏Nosy neighbors

So if you’re looking for a fun and flirty rom-com, be sure to check out How to Plot a Payback in March 2024. Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own.  
The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
It just wasn’t for me. 
Snowy Serendipity by Melissa Ferguson

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lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

Cute and fun seasonal stories. A quick listen with great narrators.