msrichardsreads89's Reviews (2.64k)

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners

Joanna Ho

5.0

hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Loveable characters: Yes

Beautiful, charming, and well-written.

Not Your All-American Girl

Madelyn Rosenberg, Wendy Wan-Long Shang

5.0

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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: Complicated

Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly

Peanut Goes for the Gold

Jonathan Van Ness, Gillian Reid

4.0

hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

I absolutely adore JVN, and I absolutely adored this book. Peanut is so cute, and I love that this reflects JVN's humor and positive outlook.

We Dream of Space

Erin Entrada Kelly

4.0

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This was such a touching, impactful middle grade read. It covers the loss of the Challenger and how the tragedy impacts three siblings. The author weaves the themes of family, tragedy, and friendship seamlessly.

La Bastarda

Trifonia Melibea Obono

3.0

dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This was informative with a pretty good exploration of different themes and issues. However, this left me wanting more. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if the author had made the book longer and expanded the world and character arcs.

Front Desk

Kelly Yang

4.0

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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: Complicated

I loved reading this book so much. It covers serious issues, including poverty, racism, and immigration, in a way that is appropriate for any age. The character relationships were well done, and I loved spending time with our protagonists.