Genre: Realistic Fiction

Review: The Kingmaker – Kennedy Ryan

Review: The Kingmaker – Kennedy Ryan

The Kingmaker is a masterpiece of a novel! There is a social issue that is important, there is romance, and there is some very strong characters you should all want to meet. I don’t even know where to start with my review for The Kingmaker. Lennix is one of the most amazing female characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading. She is strong, she fights for what she believes is right, she is smart, she is humble, self confident. And she’s also such a great friend, she includes people and yeah, she’s my kind of heroine for sure! Maxim is a fantastic character as well. He has principles, and he keeps them – even when in some ways […]

Posted 29 October, 2019 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 16 Comments
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Review: Be the Girl – K.A. Tucker

Review: Be the Girl – K.A. Tucker

I knew Be the Girl would break my heart! Bullying is such an ugly word. And now – with all kinds of social media, those who are bullied must feel like it never stops. Be the Girl is such an important story! And I have to say, Tucker managed to tell it with so much tenderness and tact, it was beautiful  – even when it was ugly! Aria moved across Canada with her mother to live with her great-uncle. And it was clear from the beginning of the story that there was trouble in her past. Big trouble. Coupled with a father who had a second family – and who left Aria and her mother behind without a backwards glance. […]

Posted 15 January, 2019 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 12 Comments
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Berk Reviews ~ Holding Up the Universe ~ Jennifer Niven

Berk Reviews ~ Holding Up the Universe ~ Jennifer Niven

  The following review of Holding Up the Universe is courtesy of my younger daughter, Berk. Back when I was blogging solo I occasionally put my kids, who are all avid readers, to work 😉 by having them write reviews. This review is one I had leftover and since Berk really enjoyed Holding Up the Universe I thought I’d share her thoughts with you.   What I Liked: The characters were well developed with strong backgrounds. The story conveyed a more realistic version of high school. The way Niven dealt with anxiety was well done and much needed in teen literature.   What I Liked Less: The love element between Libby and Jack seemed forced and I didn’t feel like it […]

Posted 27 November, 2018 by Brandee @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 8 Comments
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New Release Review ~ Someone I Used to Know ~ Patty Blount #2018NewRelease

New Release Review ~ Someone I Used to Know ~ Patty Blount #2018NewRelease

  Every once in awhile a young adult book comes along that is so profound I want to shout from the rooftop about its greatness. Someone I Used to Know is such a book. Revolving around rape culture in America, it depicts the impact of rape on the victim, the victim’s family, and the community. Blount did this in a way that was relevant, meaningful, and packed an emotional punch. Ashley, a high school freshman at the time, was raped. By a senior football player. In an effort to score points in a “game” the players historically participated in during homecoming week. Following the rape, the football program was cancelled. Now, two years later, it’s been re-instituted with a new […]

Posted 24 September, 2018 by Brandee @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 24 Comments
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Review: A Thousand Perfect Notes – C.G. Drews

Review: A Thousand Perfect Notes – C.G. Drews

A Thousand Perfect Notes is such a dark tale, where, at the beginning, there seems to be no hope. Then August enters Beck’s life and shows him that there is more. And wanting more can be dangerous… Story: While there is definitely a lot of darkness in A Thousand Perfect Notes – especially for Beck – there is also music, love, tenderness, and a tiny slice of hope. Because of health problems, Beck’s mother had to stop playing the piano. And so, she put all of her own hopes and dreams on her son. She fled the continent and installed her little family of tree – plus an extravagant piano – at the opposite side of the world. Because Beck’s […]

Posted 15 May, 2018 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 28 Comments
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Review: The Heart Between Us – Lindsay Harrel

Review: The Heart Between Us – Lindsay Harrel

The Heart Between Us is a beautiful, beautiful story! Two sisters… lost in their own feelings, in their own fears. Story: The Heart Between Us is a very realistic story, even if not all of us go through a heart transplant, it was easy to identify with both Megan and Crystal. The beginning of their lives was very easy-going, up until the point when Megan was diagnosed with a heart condition. Going from begin best friends, twin sisters who did everything together, they started to grow apart. The growing apart is natural, it seems, as Megan spent her time in hospitals. Because their mom was always hovering, Crystal felt as if she was all alone. At the time of the […]

Posted 6 March, 2018 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 8 Comments
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Review: Now That You Mention It – Kristan Higgins

Review: Now That You Mention It – Kristan Higgins

Now That You Mention It is an incredibly well done story of homecoming, forgiveness, starting over and staying true to oneself. Story: Now That You Mention It will stay with me for a while, of that I’m sure! Nora was a character who really appealed to me. There was incredible character growth, and I enjoyed seeing the changes she made in her life to make it better. As Nora learned more about her past, it also helped her deal with the present in a better way. As soon as she could, Nora escaped from Scupper Island and all the cruel people from her school. She also felt unsafe, and was ecstatic to leave it all behind. Not really thinking about […]

Posted 12 December, 2017 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 6 Comments
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Review: Half Past – Victoria Helen Stone

Review: Half Past – Victoria Helen Stone

Half Past is a story of resilience and hope, of finding oneself during a midlife crisis, and coming out on the other side ever stronger. Story: Hannah was able to carry Half Past on her own, even if she needed other people in her quest for the truth, she was self-sufficient, and stronger than she thought. I felt like someone hit me at the very beginning of the story, because even if her mother was suffering from dementia, what she said to Hannah has to have hurt. A lot. And then, when her two older sisters arrived, they weren’t exactly understanding of her predicament. After Hannah found out her mother wasn’t her biological mother, even if her name was on […]

Posted 31 October, 2017 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 12 Comments
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Review: In the Midst of Winter – Isabel Allende

Review: In the Midst of Winter – Isabel Allende

In the Midst of Winter is a beautiful, melancholy tale, in which Allende intricately, yet seamlessly weaves three different pasts into a common present. Story: Not only does In the Midst of Winter span over several decades, it also includes four different countries. Allende’s lyrical writing brings the character to life, and with all their intricacies and flaws, they became very real to me. As usual, Allende doesn’t shy away from political turmoil, and with bright colours, she paints a vivid picture of the characters’ lives.  From the countryside in Guatemala, to Rio de Janeiro, via Santiago and to Brooklyn. The cold, stark feeling of reality that was strong during the story never kept the hope at bay. Especially when […]

Posted 11 October, 2017 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 7 Comments
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Review: The Dirty Book Club – Lisi Harrison

Review: The Dirty Book Club – Lisi Harrison

The Dirty Book Club is all about female friendships and empowerment, and how books may be the way to both! Story: M.J. thought she had it all, but living her life not fully knowing what she wanted didn’t make her happy The Dirty Book Club changed all that. At first, she had some awkward interactions with some of the women her own age, but she felt like people in LA were so very different from the New Yorkers she was used to. The Dirty Book Club followed both M.J. and her new friends and Gloria and her friends. Quite a bit of the story happened in the past, when Gloria and her friends were younger. They were rather open-minded, and […]

Posted 3 October, 2017 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Reviews / 5 Comments
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