My son liked this, but he lost interest as the story went on. I think it had a lot of potential, but it just didn't hit for me. I also have some issues with some story details...reminiscent of books I would have read as a kid in the early 90s. 

This was fantastic. Cleverly written, cleverly plotted, clever characters. Just plain clever. I laughed several times, I was delighted by the wordplay, and I appreciate the themes revolving around family, identity, destiny, and choices. There were also wonderful illustrations that added to the story. 

While there were a few parts that seemed a bit...frantic?...it made sense to me, as the family reunion would have been just that. 

And did I mention the wordplay? 

This is one of those books that everyone should probably read. This was informative, data rich, and really illustrates the impacts poverty has on both those who are impoverished and those who are not.

It's been a long time since I cried because a book ended, but here we are. This was incredible.

This is one of those books where not much happens but in the best way possible. The story is technically being told by a woman reflecting on her senior year of college and the impact it has had on her entire life, although it is only through occasional comments that that is the case (until the end of the book, anyways). The writing is exquisite - this does not read as a debut novel. The author thoughtfully handles topics of consent, sexuality, domestic violence, divorce, death/grief, wealth, and more, while navigating a coming-of-age story complicated by subplots. 

A great middle grades mystery with clever nods towards Agatha Christie (as well as her famous detective Hercule Poirot). The main character, Aggie Morton, is smart, persistent, and bold. This is the type of book I wish I had been able to read in middle school.

This book was engaging and had an interesting premise. I went in thinking it was more murder mystery, but I found it was more an exploration of grief, loss, and guilt. 

I had no idea what this was about when I started it. What I found was a beautifully written story about a woman in her 40s trying to start a new path in her life. O Beautiful masterfully explores issues of race, environmentalism, family, class, beauty, what it means to be American, and more, while also having an engaging plot. 

My one issue was that this book didn't seem totally finished. Maybe that was the point - that things aren't always resolved in our lives. However, I wanted to know several things, including

how her article turned out, what ended up happening to her professor/ex after the allegations were made, did anything get resolved with her sister, etc.

. 

Short, informative, great illustrations. I would have liked a bit more information throughout, but overall a great add to my middle school classroom library.

Informative about trauma and its impact on the body, but at times repetitive. Clearly written by an expert in the field as it regularly read like a textbook. That being said, it was interesting to read about a psychiatrist whose first response is not to medicate but rather to help traumatized people to truly work towards healing in a variety of ways. It does lean heavily into PTSD, but does discuss other types of trauma.