sfbookgirl's reviews
412 reviews

The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

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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

3.0

Forgive me; I read this book almost two months ago and don’t remember a lot of it except for the fact that it was about ballet students in France who have a lot of friend group drama. The Ballerinas is categorized as a thriller, but it is anything but. There is some mystery as to why the main character, Delphine, gave up her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a very different life in St. Petersburg, but there is little build-up or suspense that kept me wanting to know what Delphine did and what caused her to move to Russia. 
 
While it was not much of a thriller, I enjoyed The Ballerinas for its interpretation of the intense atmosphere found in the ballet world in Paris and in Russia. The drama between Delphine and her friends keeps the story moving forward, but overall, I found the novel to be just OK.
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Craigslist Confessional: A Collection of Secrets from Anonymous Strangers by Helena Dea Bala

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challenging dark emotional informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.5

 I really enjoyed this one. Craiglist Confessional is perfect for fans of The Moth as it is composed of short, real stories of people’s lives. The author, Helena Dea Bala, sent out a request for stories from people using Craigslist. After receiving an incredible number of responses, and having numerous emotional conversations, Bala eventually quit her day job to do Craigslist Confessional full-time. 
 
Bala includes both uplifting and heavy stories that showcase what makes us human. These stories may also provide readers with the comfort that we all have issues and challenges that make us imperfect.  
After each one, I couldn’t help but share what I just read with the person in my closest proximity. 
Many of these stories are also available on her website (www.craigslistconfessional.com) if you’re interested in just reading a few. Craiglist Confessional is composed of 40 individual stories - so it’s best to read this one slowly. 
Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

4.0

I loved The Ex Talk so much and was so excited to get my hands on a copy of Weather Girl, Rachel Lynn Soloman's newest book! In this weather-filled saga, the main character Ari Abrams, a meteorologist for her local news station in Seattle, is frustrated with the loud and aggressive banter between her boss and her boss’s ex-husband in the office. One drunken evening at the TV station’s holiday party, Ari and sportscaster Russell Barringer impulsively decide to team up to nudge their bosses back together. But in the process, Ari and Russell develop a romance of their own. 
 
Weather Girl is deeply personal for Rachel Lynn Solomon as the story grapples with the mental illness of depression. I found this topic to be executed beautifully and Solomon expresses through her characters that depression isn't easy, nor does it require an end-goal of abandoning therapy or medication…a common stigma associated with mental illness. I loved the Jewish rep of course, but I wish that Ari wasn’t so quick to doubt herself and those around her; I enjoy reading about characters who aren’t quick to put themselves down. That said, the romance was spicy and oh-so-cute. I can’t wait to read what Solomon writes next!
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The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

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

3.0

Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Into the Wild by Erin Hunter

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

4.0

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

2.5

A thriller that takes place in a library? Count me in! The Woman in the Library starts off strong with a captivating plot and enjoyable characters. When four individuals sit down at a table at the Boston Public Library, a terrified scream is heard amongst the stacks. While the library’s patrons wait for the all-clear, these four individuals pass the time and develop a friendship of sorts. It just so happens that one of these individuals is a murderer. 
 
There is an additional story-in-story plot which is interesting, but a bit confusing to follow at first. This “story” involves one of the four individuals who chooses to write a book about what happened in the library. In addition to the story-in-a-story plot, a mysterious early reader/fan of the narrator's work named Leo sends feedback in the form of letters that are downright alarming in the best way. These letters definitely kept me turning pages, but the rest of the novel fell a bit flat for me. The main character is naive and the dialogue is a bit cringy. Some elements of the story did not seem believable. There are so many moving parts that I had a difficult time keeping track of what was in the story-in-story and what was real, and I selfishly wish, as a library worker, that more of the novel took place in the Boston Public Library. While unfortunately, the format for The Woman in the Library did not work for me, other readers may enjoy it for its unique plot.
 
For warning: the storyline mentions the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

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dark tense slow-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

2.0

I am sorry to say that I did not enjoy this one. I was confused for the majority of the novel and didn’t care for most of the characters or the plotline. The concept of the novel seems interesting, centering around Jane Shoringfield, a young woman who decides that the best path forward is to marry Doctor Augustine Lawrence. But Jane quickly learns that part of their marriage agreement is to never step foot inside of Dr. Augustine Lawrence’s manor on the outskirts of town. 
 
Filled with magic, spooky scenes, and gore, The Death of Jane Lawrence seems enticing but unfortunately falls flat. Despite this, the main character Jane is given a great set of characteristics that showcase her independence and determination. The rest of the novel takes readers through a maze of clues and eerie scenes that appear to have no end, for readers are left wandering in circles. I suggest skipping this one.
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The Perfect Find by Tia Williams

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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

4.0

I absolutely loved Tia William’s most recent novel, Seven Days in June and I knew that I had to pick up the novels on her backlist too. If you’ve read The Idea of You, you will be familiar with The Perfect Find’s synopsis. After forty-year-old Jenna Jones hits rock bottom, she begs for a job from her arch-nemesis, Darcy Vale. What Jenna doesn’t expect is to start developing feelings for Darcy’s twenty-two-year-old son. 
 
The Perfect Find is fabulously juicy and consists of quite a bit of fashion lingo that was fun to read. William’s writing is unbeatable and extra fun, though The Perfect Find doesn’t pack the same punches as Seven Days in June. Despite this, The Perfect Find is steamy, a joy to read, and is great if you are craving something a bit lighter.
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A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw

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

3.0

A History of Wild Places is definitely a spooky book, but some elements of the novel didn’t work for me. I love Shea Ernshaw’s writing style - it’s haunting, beautiful, and enigmatic. The book starts off with a long-ish introduction about Travis Wren, a man with an unusual talent for locating missing people by coming into contact with an individual’s personal item. His most recent case is Maggie St. James, a children’s author who went missing five years ago. Because of his talent of finding mission people, Travis is able to locate Maggie, but he soon disappears as well. 
 
Two years later, a man who lives in a secluded community finds Travis’s truck and is eager to unravel the mystery of where Travis went. A History of Wild Places will keep you on the edge of your seat…wanting to know more…with little reward at the end. 
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