tabatha_shipley's reviews
1326 reviews

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom

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4.0

This story personifies music and brings him in as the narrator for this story about Frankie Presto's life. Musicians will enjoy Music as a narrator and the way situations are described in tempos. Fans of music will enjoy the stories of the other famous musicians Frankie meets along the way. And, of course, because it's Albom you can expect an inspirational story that will move you. Great story, great characters, and recommended.

Note for Parents/Teachers: There are instances of violence in Frankie's life but they are handled well and wouldn't keep me from giving the book to a child who's willing to tackle the length. Definitely a great teaching tool (whole or in part) with kiddos who are studying music.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

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5.0

This amazing book written for young adults is narrated by Death himself. It is a masterpiece of storytelling that I highly recommend. The story follows Liesel, who (like many of us) has her entire life changed by a book. Everyone has a story to tell and this is the story I didn't know I needed from Nazi Germany.

Note for Parents/Teachers: This one has some challenging words, although it was written for young adults. This would be a good one to read with your child because of the new words that may come up. There is also a great book to spark conversations about hatred, death, government, and restrictions/rules.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

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3.0

What I Loved:
-The “rise up” message for the “lower” class
-The power dynamic between our main character and our antagonist
-The general untrustworthy nature of a large group of people was actually really cool. This book paints a whole lot of people in a bad light, which somehow felt real.

Who Should Read This One:
-YA fantasy fans who like created worlds
-People looking for book studies about power dynamics or oppressed groups of people
I See Life Through Rosé-Colored Glasses by Lisa Scottoline, Francesca Serritella

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4.0

What I Loved:
-The stories are laugh-out-loud funny and relatable. They make me feel better about my own stupid mistakes.
-The book reads like Lisa and Francesca are sitting with me telling me stories.

Who Should Read This One:
-Mothers and daughters
-People who want to laugh at real life
-Women who want stories by women, for women, about women

For full review visit https://youtu.be/C1BWsbGxyes
The Dance by Christopher Pike

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3.0

What I Loved:
-Overall good thriller. Didn’t see the ending coming from the start.
-Cute side romance plot.

Who Should Read It:
-If you, like me, once loved Christopher Pike, try rereading it like I did! Let me know if you think it held up.

For Full Review (including what I didn’t love): https://youtu.be/IzCkEKLIK9s (0:01:27)
The Graduation by Christopher Pike

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3.0

What I Loved:
-Overall good thriller. Didn’t see the ending coming from the start.
-Cute side romance plot.

Who Should Read It:
-If you, like me, once loved Christopher Pike, try rereading it like I did! Let me know if you think it held up.

For Full Review (including what I didn’t love): https://youtu.be/IzCkEKLIK9s (0:01:27)
A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

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5.0

Spark of Light

What I Loved:
-The varied stories (10 viewpoints)
-The timely and important moral questions/lessons raised with this story
-The obvious research behind the storyline

Who Should Read It:
-With respect to the current abortion debate in our country, everyone.

For Full Review (including what I didn’t love): https://youtu.be/xQdgLH6C_X0 15:08