andydrew2's reviews
204 reviews

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

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mysterious medium-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

1.0

Oh I didn't like this. I feel like I got duped, but maybe it was just me. I have a habit of picking up a book from an end cap and reading the flap. If it seems interesting, I'll grab it. This one was interesting! Woman makes a Faustian bargain, which backfires, and no one remembers her. Until one day someone does. I figured there would be many moments of her in the French Revolution, WW2, or something. Nope. She keeps meeting her devil until they start screwing each other. But she'll get back at him one day. Blech.
The Anxious Generation: How The Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

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informative reflective fast-paced

2.5

I'm not completely on board with this. I do agree that the emergence of smartphones has had an effect on kids, but I'm definitely not going to jump on the bandwagon of "this one thing is the problem and we haven't realized it". 
As an educator, we need to empower students to think and make judgements. I don't think completely cutting off smartphones accomplishes anything. It seems to push away from being information and media literate. 
Making smartphones a scapegoat for our many problems is not the way to go. The moral panic and "but think of the children" is repackaged for 2024 here. 
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

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adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

This was good, but I'm not sure it's the 5 star read that others do. Which is ok. I haven't read David Copperfield, so I didn't know anything about the story, but I still found it predictable. And I did not like the ending. But, that's on me. Still worth a read and enjoyable. 
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin): A Memoir by Sly Stone

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informative fast-paced

2.0

I really wanted to like this. I like Sly's music for sure, but a rambling former drug addict can also be a rambling writer. The first part was ok, but it never really did it for me. 
Christine by Stephen King

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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? It's complicated

5.0

This was really great. Is Christine underrated? I think so. Many people reference the movie, but this book was better. Kept me hooked the entire time. King made Christine a character and I think that's why it's so good. 
Different Seasons by Stephen King

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

5.0

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

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dark emotional mysterious tense 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

5.0

Re-reading this for the first time since college, and yup, I still love it. I guess I can understand a bit why it is labeled by many as a gothic romance, but really it's so much more. I would recommend this to anyone. 
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

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dark emotional mysterious medium-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

I honestly didn't really like it. I appreciate Jackson and her writing, but this didn't do it for me. 
Cujo: A Novel by Stephen King

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emotional tense 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? No

4.0

Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0