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graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Bloodthirsty in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Just when I thought I didn't have any more patience for Young Adult fiction, along comes this book. A book so funny, so sweet, so true that it has made me give the genre another chance. The main character, Finbar Frame, is absolutely endearing in all his geekiness and attempts at being cool by becoming a vampire. The plot is simple and it's no surprise where the story goes or how it ends, but it is Finbar himself that makes the book a delight to read. <u><b>Bloodthirsty</b></u> is a very short and easy read that was most enjoyable.
Becs (244 KP) rated A Wrinkle in Time in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Genre: Fiction, literary classic, children’s, young adult, science fiction.
Audience: children – young adult.
Reading level: middle school.
Interests: science fiction, fantasy, mythical creatures
Style: Fantasy Sci-Fi
Point of view: Third Person with a mix of first person.
Difficulty reading: Not at all! As easy as eating a piece of cake.
Promise: Ground-breaking science fiction.
Quality: Like a banana split with extra sprinkles and a cherry on top on a hot day. 🙂
Insights: I absolutely kick myself in the a** for the not reading this sooner. I think everybody should read it, no matter how old you are. And I didn’t know it was part of a 5 book series until today! SAY WHATTTT!!!??? I’m definitely purchasing the complete series brand new (the copy I have is my mother’s and it’s old and ragedy).
Ah-Ha Moment: THE ENTIRE BOOK. No joke. Like I wasn’t expecting the main character to be a girl, let alone so young and to have such an ordinary family. You don’t see that typically!
Favorite Quotes: “Like and equal are not the same thing at all.” – This is great, especially with our history as human beings. We need to be seen as equals not just ‘like’.
“Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You’re given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself.” – Be true to yourself, for there is nobody like you in the entire universe.
“Experiment is the mother of knowledge.” – You can’t just go into life expecting to know everything and how it’s all going to end. You have to experiment because then you gain the knowledge that others may have not known.
Aesthetics: My old first edition copy has a really neat cover, it’s what drew me in originally. I loved the take on the story and how in my mind, I can actually imagine the different characters and their surroundings. It’s a weird yet interesting book.
“People are more than just the way they look.”
Audience: children – young adult.
Reading level: middle school.
Interests: science fiction, fantasy, mythical creatures
Style: Fantasy Sci-Fi
Point of view: Third Person with a mix of first person.
Difficulty reading: Not at all! As easy as eating a piece of cake.
Promise: Ground-breaking science fiction.
Quality: Like a banana split with extra sprinkles and a cherry on top on a hot day. 🙂
Insights: I absolutely kick myself in the a** for the not reading this sooner. I think everybody should read it, no matter how old you are. And I didn’t know it was part of a 5 book series until today! SAY WHATTTT!!!??? I’m definitely purchasing the complete series brand new (the copy I have is my mother’s and it’s old and ragedy).
Ah-Ha Moment: THE ENTIRE BOOK. No joke. Like I wasn’t expecting the main character to be a girl, let alone so young and to have such an ordinary family. You don’t see that typically!
Favorite Quotes: “Like and equal are not the same thing at all.” – This is great, especially with our history as human beings. We need to be seen as equals not just ‘like’.
“Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You’re given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself.” – Be true to yourself, for there is nobody like you in the entire universe.
“Experiment is the mother of knowledge.” – You can’t just go into life expecting to know everything and how it’s all going to end. You have to experiment because then you gain the knowledge that others may have not known.
Aesthetics: My old first edition copy has a really neat cover, it’s what drew me in originally. I loved the take on the story and how in my mind, I can actually imagine the different characters and their surroundings. It’s a weird yet interesting book.
“People are more than just the way they look.”
Booksnthreads (19 KP) rated What Would She Do? 25 True Stories of Trailblazing Rebel Women in Books
Jun 4, 2018
My classroom library is somewhat lacking when it comes to non-fiction. I often have a difficult time finding non-fiction that is engaging for a middle school audience.
While I think that this will interest my students, as an adult reader, it's a bit lacking in depth.
I like the bite-sized chunks of information and the bold illustrations of each woman profiled in the book. The biographical information is just the right amount for this age group.
What I really objected to was the attempt to provide life advice from each woman. After each biography, the author imagines a modern real life question readers might have and then attempts to answer that question as the woman who was just profiled might. The whole thing feels incredibly contrived and, at times, not even loosely connected to the woman who was just profiled. I think I actually cringed with some of them because of how cliche and didactic they are.
While I think that this will interest my students, as an adult reader, it's a bit lacking in depth.
I like the bite-sized chunks of information and the bold illustrations of each woman profiled in the book. The biographical information is just the right amount for this age group.
What I really objected to was the attempt to provide life advice from each woman. After each biography, the author imagines a modern real life question readers might have and then attempts to answer that question as the woman who was just profiled might. The whole thing feels incredibly contrived and, at times, not even loosely connected to the woman who was just profiled. I think I actually cringed with some of them because of how cliche and didactic they are.
Andrew Furlong (14 KP) rated Teen Titans - Season 5 in TV
Oct 15, 2017
Lovable characters you can instantly connect with (2 more)
Mature and compelling, but still appropriate for kids, storytelling
Great mix of comedy, action, and dramatic moments
Not just a kids show
A Show I used to obsess over as a kid that holds up very well as an adult. The characters are some of my favorites in all of fiction and it provides a great mix of zany comedy and surprisingly heartfelt moments. The first three seasons are the best imo but 4 and 5 are great too. It's a real shame nothing like this is being made now. Recommended for fans of superheros and/or cartoons in general.
MoMoBookDiary (20 KP) rated Good Me, Bad Me in Books
Oct 1, 2018
I found this novel to be very disturbing – but isn’t that the point of psychological thrillers?
The author has told a very interesting, yet chilling, tale which I found difficult to read at times but was so hooked that I had to keep reading – and read it in a day.
I did struggle with the author’s style of writing at the beginning. It seemed more young adult fiction than psychological but once I got over the tone I did enjoy the book, although did find it predictable.
Thanks to Ali Land, Penguin UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this new and exciting novel for 2017.
The author has told a very interesting, yet chilling, tale which I found difficult to read at times but was so hooked that I had to keep reading – and read it in a day.
I did struggle with the author’s style of writing at the beginning. It seemed more young adult fiction than psychological but once I got over the tone I did enjoy the book, although did find it predictable.
Thanks to Ali Land, Penguin UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this new and exciting novel for 2017.
Alice (117 KP) rated The Museum of Extraordinary Things in Books
Mar 3, 2021
i think this book and me just met at the wrong time because when I finally got I to this I did really enjoy it however it took me a FRICKING long time to get into it. I was in a YA rut and this was the first non YA book that I read in a LONG time and I just don't think I was ready for the world of adult fiction again but this book honestly was so well written and such an uplifting story it just didn't agree with me right now but I would like to give it another chance but for now it's a no
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Cleopatra's Moon in Books
Feb 15, 2019
<i>Cleopatra's Moon</i> tells the childhood story of Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Marc Antony (Marcus Antonius) and the most famous Cleopatra (VII) in history. The story covers her life from ages six to sixteen, from her parents' fall from power to the capture of Cleopatra Selene and her brothers to their lives living in Rome.
Catered to the young adult market, <i>Cleopatra's Moon</i> has a lot to offer older readers as well. While there may not be as much meat on the bones as many adult historical fiction novels have, the history is plentiful and smoothly incorporated into the story. Aside from a few, minor instances, not much Cleopatra Selene said or did stood out as odd and the history seemed sound (though I am far from an expert). The author's writing style is easy to read, has a nice flow, and the descriptions are well-done; I could easily picture the surroundings, so the scenes came alive for me. She doesn't shy away from suggestive scenes, making the story feel more realistic, though nothing is described explicitly either. The author is up front about what is and is not fact in the six-page section at the end of book entitled "The Facts Within the Fiction," which gives the reader more information about the people mentioned within the book. If anyone goes into this book expecting more love story than historical fiction, they will be sadly disappointed. Any love story takes a back seat to Cleopatra Selene's struggle with both herself and her circumstances in life.
If I had one quibble with the book, it was the children's and Cleopatra Selene's voices. The children sounded a bit too mature at times, including Cleopatra Selene when young. Although in her case, it was more her voice didn't change much throughout the ten years the book covered and it was too familiar. I've come across other young adult protagonists that sounded very similar to her, both historical and contemporary, so I was hoping hers would be a bit more distinctive from the rest. Still, it's a very small thing and I did like Cleo Selene; she wasn't passive, but she wasn't aggressive either, she fell somewhere in between the two, which worked well for the book.
After all has been said, <i>Cleopatra's Moon</i> does what any (good) historical fiction novel should aspire to, it made me want to know more about the time, people, and places.
Catered to the young adult market, <i>Cleopatra's Moon</i> has a lot to offer older readers as well. While there may not be as much meat on the bones as many adult historical fiction novels have, the history is plentiful and smoothly incorporated into the story. Aside from a few, minor instances, not much Cleopatra Selene said or did stood out as odd and the history seemed sound (though I am far from an expert). The author's writing style is easy to read, has a nice flow, and the descriptions are well-done; I could easily picture the surroundings, so the scenes came alive for me. She doesn't shy away from suggestive scenes, making the story feel more realistic, though nothing is described explicitly either. The author is up front about what is and is not fact in the six-page section at the end of book entitled "The Facts Within the Fiction," which gives the reader more information about the people mentioned within the book. If anyone goes into this book expecting more love story than historical fiction, they will be sadly disappointed. Any love story takes a back seat to Cleopatra Selene's struggle with both herself and her circumstances in life.
If I had one quibble with the book, it was the children's and Cleopatra Selene's voices. The children sounded a bit too mature at times, including Cleopatra Selene when young. Although in her case, it was more her voice didn't change much throughout the ten years the book covered and it was too familiar. I've come across other young adult protagonists that sounded very similar to her, both historical and contemporary, so I was hoping hers would be a bit more distinctive from the rest. Still, it's a very small thing and I did like Cleo Selene; she wasn't passive, but she wasn't aggressive either, she fell somewhere in between the two, which worked well for the book.
After all has been said, <i>Cleopatra's Moon</i> does what any (good) historical fiction novel should aspire to, it made me want to know more about the time, people, and places.
Imogen SB (4507 KP) created a post in Smashbomb Council
Dec 9, 2019
Josh Palmer (2 KP) rated After The Cure in Books
Jan 4, 2018
A new twist and an old genre.
So, I got this book on google play for 25 cents I think it was. One of their sales. I didn't know what to expect from a book that was about the aftermath of the zombie outbreak but in the end I was surprised.
The characters are ones that I generally cared about and that made the book that much better. The story moved along nicely while not seeming to sacrifice content.
The worst part about this book is that to me it seemed caught between young adult and normal fiction. Not that it hurt but some points just didn't feel up to the task of being a grown up story.
The characters are ones that I generally cared about and that made the book that much better. The story moved along nicely while not seeming to sacrifice content.
The worst part about this book is that to me it seemed caught between young adult and normal fiction. Not that it hurt but some points just didn't feel up to the task of being a grown up story.
Dominique Marie (7 KP) rated The Hunger Games in Books
Nov 28, 2018
So, here is what I thought. This was a very entertaining story. I think that the romance was too contrived. It is a young adult fiction, so I sort of expect that, but it doesn't mean that I should expect that. Collins could have done a better job on that. Also, I was hoping for a bit more development in certain areas, and a more "in your face" to the Capitol ending, but there are two more books, so I'm sure that will come later. The writing could have been more polished as well. Other than that, I really enjoyed it. It has themes of redemption, loyalty, and forgiveness, and being set in a culture of death, I think that this book is very relevant to today's society.