I picked this up because of a post in r/tipofmytongue, where the person was looking for this book and I 100% recognized it. I had a vivid memory of thI picked this up because of a post in r/tipofmytongue, where the person was looking for this book and I 100% recognized it. I had a vivid memory of the cabin floor covered with old leaves. Apparently, it was dead insects, but I was pretty close. I have no memory of the rest of the book and I question whether I actually read it, or just the first couple of chapters.
But also, the rest of the book is very strange for young adults, and maybe it just didn't stick with me. Obviously, I'm an adult now, and no longer the target audience, but do kids really want to read about someone basically wasting a year of their life? It was such a strange choice!
The trip down memory lane was fun even if it was only one scene from the entire book. The rest of it I found to be rather tedious....more
I read this in middle school book club and a post on Reddit made me remember it. After a quick Google search for "ya gymnastics aliens" it came right I read this in middle school book club and a post on Reddit made me remember it. After a quick Google search for "ya gymnastics aliens" it came right up, crossing my fingers it was the right book. There was one very specific scene that I remember vividly for whatever reason - and for once, I actually remembered it exactly right!
It's a terrible title and the book was just okay. The ending especially left me unsatisfied. What I would give for a recording of the book club where we discussed it. What opinions did 11-year-old Kaila hold?
Note that this is the nineties version of YA, so some seriously screwed-up shit happens. And obviously, I am no longer the target audience, but it certainly stuck with me when I was a kid....more
I liked the first one well enough, mostly because I love the movie. This one didn't do it for me. Of course, I'm nearly 40Donald Trump shows up TWICE.
I liked the first one well enough, mostly because I love the movie. This one didn't do it for me. Of course, I'm nearly 40 - I'm not exactly the intended audience here....more
I was obsessed with this movie after I saw it, at exactly the right age, with my best friend. I was a sophomore in high school and thought Robert SchwI was obsessed with this movie after I saw it, at exactly the right age, with my best friend. I was a sophomore in high school and thought Robert Schwartzman was the cutest thing I had ever laid eyes upon. I wish I had read this book back then, I think I would have loved it. It was still sweet and funny but also racist and sexist. It is wild how far we have come in 20 years - this would never fly today.
She constantly bemoans her lack of breasts (she is 14, remember) and they stage a protest against the Asian deli across the street because the Asian deli is...racist? Against...white people?
Big yikes.
Still, I enjoyed the moment when she finally stood up for herself against Bad Boy and went with Good Boy. I also liked when she made friends with the Lonely Rich Girl. Her writing was of course too clever for a 14 year old (even I didn't get all of her references) but it made it fun to read as an adult.
I stumbled across this in a Reddit book recommendation thread where the poster was looking for "comfort books like Anne of Green Gables." Being a hugeI stumbled across this in a Reddit book recommendation thread where the poster was looking for "comfort books like Anne of Green Gables." Being a huge Anne fan, I thought I'd try a few of them.
Much like Anne of Green Gables, this is meant for young/adolescent girls, so I'm the wrong demographic for it. I think I would have loved it had I read it at that age. As it stands, I found it had some charms, but was full of some wish fulfillment that I found uncomfortable. By the end of the book, our hard working girl is beautiful (without trying), wise beyond her years, intelligent, absurdly capable, and let us not forget her high charisma which wins over absolutely everyone she meets.
I did not realize this was the second book in a series so there are some character names mentioned that we are supposed to know who they are and I did not. But it was easy enough to follow along without that.
It was told in an odd way - the chapters with Elnora herself as the narrator are few. Mostly her story is told through the eyes of the people around her, which made the exceeding charm and beauty all the more annoying as people fawn over her in their thoughts.
I enjoyed its old-timeyness but I don't think I will rush to recommend this to anyone....more
Lots of glowing reviews for this but I absolutely hated it.
There is a second world they get to that is inhabited by sentient(ish) cars and helicoptersLots of glowing reviews for this but I absolutely hated it.
There is a second world they get to that is inhabited by sentient(ish) cars and helicopters. They make friends with a Lotus. It was not magical to me. Reminded me of the evil world in A Wrinkle of Time. I hated that book intensely too.
To be fair, I am far above the recommended reading age for this....more
This was close to being 5-stars for me, but the ending left me flat. I loved that Keturah used her skill to save the people of the village. I loved thThis was close to being 5-stars for me, but the ending left me flat. I loved that Keturah used her skill to save the people of the village. I loved that she had fulfilling friendships with other girls. I did not enjoy the extreme focus on getting a relationship - with anyone who was handy, not bothering to fall in love, just needing a husband and needing him now.
I also enjoyed the meditations on death and acceptance thereto. I like it when death isn't scary. Just unknown....more
I loved the first half of this re-telling of The Snow Queen, but once the reindeer showed up it got a little weird. I mean, fairy tales are very weirdI loved the first half of this re-telling of The Snow Queen, but once the reindeer showed up it got a little weird. I mean, fairy tales are very weird! But it was a re-telling so you get to pick and choose your weirdnesses. I loved the raven. He had all the one-liners and was quite funny! I also liked that the relationship between Gerta and Kay isn't the important one....more
I picked this up because it's about to become a miniseries or a movie or something. I did not go into this expecting to hate it this much but it was NI picked this up because it's about to become a miniseries or a movie or something. I did not go into this expecting to hate it this much but it was Not Good. The characters were unsympathetic and the only character we care about is the dog and the dog does not make it to the end of the book.
I will not be reading the rest of the series....more
I have not read Middlegame and I had no idea this book had anything to do with it. I most certainly would have avoided it had I known. I thought it waI have not read Middlegame and I had no idea this book had anything to do with it. I most certainly would have avoided it had I known. I thought it was a stand-alone novella from a debut author with a cover I liked.
I can't tell if there is going to be sequel or not but I won't be reading it. This book was fine I guess? If there was symbolism to be had by way of Middlegame obviously I missed it, having not read that book, and there was not much meat to enjoy on its own. It had elements of The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, only one of which I enjoyed.
For a 200-page novella, it took me way too long to read, because I found the writing style exhausting. I looked for a passage to put down here as an example of how wordy and clever and topsy-turvy it is (I guess to be sly? It reminded me a little of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) but taken alone the point does not get across. By the time I had experienced 10 pages of it I suddenly found myself very tired of reading.
I have only ever read one Seanan McGuire before (Feed) and I loved it, so I'm certainly not giving up on her. Plus, she is incredibly prolific. I'm sure there's something else out there for me to enjoy....more
More like 2.5 stars. I wanted to like it more than I did, as I was a fan of the other Shirley Rousseau Murphy YA series I read. Some random events hapMore like 2.5 stars. I wanted to like it more than I did, as I was a fan of the other Shirley Rousseau Murphy YA series I read. Some random events happen that make no sense and have large implications to the story. One is explained at the end and I still have no idea what the heck happened there.
Overall it was well written, but there are writing conventions that get under my skin and this used one of them: when the characters ask endless questions in their thoughts to show development/movement. Something like, “Why is this happening to me? Could it be because we disrespected the gods? Do the gods even pay attention to us anymore? And what about my mama, what will she do when I leave? Will she even care?” and on and on and I can’t stand it. It was happening every other page and drove me nuts.
There is quite a bit of violence on screen and our intrepid youngsters kill some people. There are allusions to rape but we don’t have to see it, thankfully.
I have not decided yet whether I will go on with the series since this was only so-so....more
I feel bad writing a negative review about a debut novel. I certainly haven’t written a book, so who am I to be judgmental about it? But I’ve read a lI feel bad writing a negative review about a debut novel. I certainly haven’t written a book, so who am I to be judgmental about it? But I’ve read a lot of books, and at least some of those were debut novels, and not every debut novel sucks.
This book was not good.
I was initially intrigued by the premise, but the magic was lost quickly. There is so much angst. There are so many plot holes. The love story is not cute and borders on weirdly abusive and I’m amazed people like that part so much.
Maybe the other books fill in the mythos of the world but I won’t find out.
Sidenote: There has never been a better use for my "Buildings Are People Too" shelf....more
Very close to abandoning this one, but it was for a book club, so I forced myself to finish. It was full of exposition and constantly explained how chVery close to abandoning this one, but it was for a book club, so I forced myself to finish. It was full of exposition and constantly explained how characters were feeling. This resulted in none of the characters feeling real, because their motivations were always predicated on what we were just told they were going to do. The story might have been interesting but wound up being boring since the characters were so flat.
I did like the unpredictable ending.
I really need to learn to check whether a book is young adult before I pick it up.
Edited to add: There appears to be some controversy about calling this book Young Adult, which is why it fooled me. I don't see how it could possibly be considered "adult." If you generally dislike YA like me, I suggest skipping this one....more
I think I’ll let this series lie. It is much more “young adult” than “fantasy,” which is fine, but not for me. There was a lot of writing hugely whichI think I’ll let this series lie. It is much more “young adult” than “fantasy,” which is fine, but not for me. There was a lot of writing hugely which is the best way I can come up with explaining it. I didn’t write down any quotes because I was listening to the audiobook, but Goodreads has some quotes that are good examples:
“And then I am going to rattle the stars”
“Rowan looked into her eyes, into the very core of her.”
“All she knew was that whatever and whoever climbed out of that abyss of despair and grief would not be the same person who had plummeted in.”
“A final shadow lifted from her heart.”
"It is a monster dwelling under my skin. For the past ten years, I have worked every day, every hour, to keep that monster locked up.”
I started gritting my teeth every time this happened. If I had to read about feeling shattered at the bottom of the world one more time I probably would have abandoned the whole thing. Unfortunately, the audiobook narrator exacerbated this. She wasn’t my favorite.
It tried to be badass, conniving, and political, but only succeeded in coming across as immature. It was like watching a PG-13 version of a story that should have been R. Although, there was one death that surprised me – I really thought the heroes would swoop in for the rescue, and they didn’t. So I liked that part....more
Every book in this series is completely different from the others. This one was extraneous, weird, and discomfiting. And kinda gross. I liked the firsEvery book in this series is completely different from the others. This one was extraneous, weird, and discomfiting. And kinda gross. I liked the first book of this series the best and did not enjoy books 2 or 3, so I don't recommend picking it up.
Someone on Goodreads told me to definitely avoid book 4 so I'm taking that advice.
2.5 stars. This was ok. It read a little sophomoric. There was a lot of "all of a sudden..." "just then..." "suddenly..." which comes across as rookie2.5 stars. This was ok. It read a little sophomoric. There was a lot of "all of a sudden..." "just then..." "suddenly..." which comes across as rookie. The main character didn't really develop, she just sprang fully formed into whatever she was supposed to develop into. "I realized I felt this thing," the main character tells us, instead of showing us.
The last third took a weird turn and I didn't like it at all....more
I'm not a fan of main characters getting all broody/possessed/becoming a jerk because the bad guy wants them to be. It's not much fun to read.
I liked I'm not a fan of main characters getting all broody/possessed/becoming a jerk because the bad guy wants them to be. It's not much fun to read.
I liked the first book of this series the best. The talking creatures were very lovable and the otters especially so. Books 2 and 3 didn't have many talking creatures and they suffered for that.
I didn't find this one nearly as charming as the first. Jakkin is involved in politics in this installment, and boy do we know it, as he complains aboI didn't find this one nearly as charming as the first. Jakkin is involved in politics in this installment, and boy do we know it, as he complains about it constantly. Not very much fun to read. I thought the first 1/3 fine and the last 2/3s dragged.
The author made choices at the end about who lives and who dies and I must say, I am surprised. It can be so hard to kill off characters....more
Really liked this YA book. I've been in the mood for dragons lately and this came up as a rec that I had never heard of. Glad I did! The series is harReally liked this YA book. I've been in the mood for dragons lately and this came up as a rec that I had never heard of. Glad I did! The series is hard to find, though. I had to request the sequels from Interlibrary Loan because not a single library in my county has a copy.
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