tabatha_shipley's reviews
1326 reviews

The Sapien Empire by Nathan Ogloff

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slow-paced

3.0

What I Did Like:
+Shindo is a great character. His goals are clear, his challenges are valid, and he’s got a good head on his shoulders. 
+Big themes. I like when a story has big themes buried in it about ruling, equality, power, and trust. This one has lots of themes PACKED in there. 
+Not everything is as it seems. Things change, people change. This is important in a story of this magnitude for it to come out feeling even a little realistic in regards to characters. 

Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of character driven dystopian books about power. 

My Rating: 3 Stars
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

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challenging dark reflective medium-paced

4.0

What I Did Like:
+Important. Mistakes were made with missing this abuse (obviously I’m referring to other adults in Jennette’s life) and we should learn from this. Doctors can refine what questions to ask and how to handle cases like this. We can’t fix what happened to her but we should be trying not to let it happen again. 
+Jennette is refreshing and honest. She’s strong-willed and I’m impressed with her ability to confront what she’s dealt/dealing with and work on it. 
+Some memoirs of famous people fall into the trap of name-dropping or privilege bragging. This one absolutely doesn’t. It’s somehow incredibly down-to-earth and open. 

Who Should Read This One:
-Memoir fans. This one is powerful and raw but watch those content warnings. 

My Rating: 4 Stars
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Bleeding Hart by Conor Metz

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dark medium-paced

3.0

What I Did Like:
+Part 2 ups the ante and gets WAY more intense. Of course, without the intro we wouldn’t have understood part 2 so the timing is perfect! 
+The vampire queen mythology is a fun one to play around with and I liked this modernized take. 
+Action scenes were well written. Easy to visualize what happened and it seemed mostly realistic. I also liked that everyone is not accurate every time. 

Who Should Read This One:
-Vampire fans, specifically those looking for a modern take.

My Rating: 3 Stars
The Last Last-Day-Of-Summer by Lamar Giles

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

What I Did Like:
+Fun addition of fantasy elements into the story early. You don’t get too comfy in what starts as a contemporary style setting before you realize you’re actually in a fantasy! 
+The characters are excellent. These two boys are smart, driven, and yet completely fun! They’re not “typical” main characters and I feel like they’d cause a little “mischief” in school but I adored them! 
+The town itself could spark so many cute stories. The characters all bring something different to the table and the town is obviously set up to be “weird” so it invites all kinds of fun! 

Who Should Read This One:
-Middle grade readers who like adventure, problem solving, and mystery! 

My Rating: 3 Stars
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

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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

2.0

What I Did Like:
+The intrigue does suck you in early. It doesn’t take long before you realize things might not be as they seem, which is a fun feeling in a book like this. 
+Unreliable narrator. As I mentioned in things I didn’t like, you can’t trust this overdramatic narrator who has a tendency to use figurative language that is extreme. However, if you like unreliable narrators … you can’t go wrong with her!
+The stories within the story were fun (and also huge hints at what was happening). 

Who Should Read This One:
-This one has been out for a bit so you’ve probably already had a chance to grab it. However, if you like YA contemporary stories that keep their secrets, have unreliable narrators, and utilize purple prose … you’ll like this one. 

My Rating: 2 Stars
For me the classism really came to a head there with the big reveal in a way that curdled my stomach contents. No spoilers, but it was problematic for me. 
Pageboy by Elliot Page

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slow-paced

3.0

What I Did Like:
+Raw and real. Elliot opens up about everything in his past and is honest about how that felt or what that meant to him. 
+There is a moment where Elliot acknowledges his privilege as it relates to being able to access and afford certain things. That’s refreshing to read. 
+Protecting identities. Elliot makes it a point to avoid giving names of people he interacted with who may be offended or hurt by the stories. I’ve never been a big fan of name and shame memoirs so I appreciated this.

Who Should Read This One:
-Obviously, fans of Elliot Page. The audiobook is narrated by the author so I recommend that version!
-Anyone with questions about gender, sexuality, or the mindset of trans individuals. Elliot is raw and real here, providing a great opportunity for understanding.

My Rating: 3 Stars
RV by J.M. Bloodborne

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dark medium-paced

3.0

What I Did Like:
+Vivid opening scene. Really drags you in and sets the scene well. Also, it’s hitting you pretty quickly with those content warnings so you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into. 
+There is a scene (no spoilers) that introduces new characters. This particular scene also raises the stakes considerably. Before this scene, the story is awful but familiar. This scene catapults it into something new and somehow even more awful. Exactly what you want from a horror story. 
+There are surprises from the story, which helps it to keep a little mystery and surprise the reader a few times. 

Who Should Read This One:
-Horror fans who like dark, grim, and the worst of humanity.

My Rating: 3 Stars
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Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

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slow-paced
  • Strong character development? No

2.0

What I Did Like:
+The action scene is well written. You can easily picture it, you understand what was happening, and you’re on the edge of your seat during it. 
+The finding of the portal and the artifact have potential for future books. If they’re explored more, they could add a depth to this series that is seriously lacking right now. 
+Like the rest of this series, the book moves quickly and is a fast read. 

Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of the series are the only ones still sticking around for these later series books at this point, I’m convinced. 

My Rating: 2 Stars
This one lacks the punch of the previous books and falls back on using random spicy scenes in order to try and keep readers enthralled.
Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

What I Did Like:
+Character growth. Britt-Marie has an amazing arc. Backman is somehow able to take this woman from someone who grates on you to someone you love so gradually that you don’t realize it’s happening. 
+Amazing characters. These characters feel like real people from any small town. They’re relatable and varied. They’re real and honest. I loved every single one of them. 
+The town features almost as a character itself. Not as much as Beartown, another town by the same author, but in a lighter way. It’s clear Borg is personified here, mirrored in its citizens. I loved that! 

Who Should Read This One:
-Backman fans. If you liked A Man Called Ove or My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, you need this one. Britt-Marie is the perfect character to carry this narrative.
-Contemporary fans. If you dig stories about realistic people living real lives, you’ll adore Britt-Marie! 

My Rating: 4 Stars
Emancipation of Robert Sadler, The: The Powerful True Story of a Twentieth-Century Plantation Slave by Robert Sadler, Marie Chapian

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medium-paced

4.0

What I Did Like:
+Raw, real, and powerful. The story is emotional and shocking. 
+Clear about its point without needing to lay it out. You understand this story is about politics, equality, and religion without the author needing to specifically repeat a message. It’s embedded.
+Robert is fascinating. He lived an amazing life and did amazing things. Above all that, he was an amazingly forgiving person. He is the reason this story is memorable.

Who Should Read This One:
-History buffs, memoir fans, or anyone wanting to learn more about post emancipation illegal slavery.

My Rating: 4 Stars