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Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Coraline in Books

Jul 15, 2019  
Coraline
Coraline
Neil Gaiman, Chris Riddell | 2013 | Children
8
8.4 (41 Ratings)
Book Rating
Spooky Kids Book
I listened to the audio book narrated by Gaiman himself, which I think helped enhance the experience as he does a great job. Despite really being a children's story I was still able to enjoy this and have little doubt if I’d come across it as a child it would of been a favourite, up there the my Dahl books.

It’s a spooky story about the young girl Coraline, she’s a likeable character with plenty of sass. When she discovers a door to a secret world where she has another Mother and Father who seem more loving and attentive then her own, it seems like a good place to spend some time despite their odd black button eyes. Coraline is rapidly pulled into a game of high stakes with her other Mother.

The sinister nature of the button eyed creatures was rather ruined for me because I had previously seen a bit of a Simpsons Halloween episode based on this. I did keep having flashes of Marge with button eyes which spoiled the atmosphere. The spooky rats singing on the audio version did send chills through me and along with Gaiman’s narration I would recommend the audio version.
  
WOW! This book. Was kinda an eye opener for me. I honestly did not know what to expect when I picked up this book to read. Growing up I was kind of a late bloomer regarding reading. Therefore, I never (and I mean never) read any YA fiction I would only read what was required of me for school assignments. I took a chance on reading this book because I thought the description sounded good (I have been trying to pick books solely based on descriptions). It did not disappoint me. Hannah Currie did a marvelously good job conveying many different characteristics of who we are as Sons and Daughters of the King. Princess (Lady) Mackenna is a very well-developed character, who displays strength when things don’t go as expected. All the while she is still silently searching for the answers her heart seeks. She does end up finding hope when she least expects it. Personally, I can relate to this story very easily (Not that I am royalty) but, I have always struggled with finding my place in this world and how God can use me. I think Hannah Currie did a great job covering this aspect in the story. Prince Thoraben (Ben) was also a great character. Though he was not the main character of the story, we do get lots of insight into his character, which I liked.
With some very interesting twists in this book that I wasn’t expecting, a dash of a very sweet romance (I absolutely loved that part), great characters and plot development I give this book a 5 out of 5 star rating. It was so good I literally could not put it down, and I can’t wait to read more books by Hannah Currie and I highly suggest picking this book up to read.
  
Charlie Goes to School (Adventures with Charlie #1)
Charlie Goes to School (Adventures with Charlie #1)
Charles Schoen | 2014 | Children, Education
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Charlie Goes to School is a story based on a true story. It is about a little boy that has some special needs. The book focuses on what Charlie can rather than what he can not do. This is a good book for children and parents alike. An to show that being different is okay. They may look and do things a bit differently.

This book goes through the adventures that Charlie does to go to school. It shows and tells us how he goes about his day at school. It shows the help and friends he does have at school and in town. Some of his favorite things he likes to do and classes. The pictures are done well.

I love reading about different children and learning what they can do with their abilities, whether they are physical or mental. This book can teach children and parents that having someone with special needs can teach and inspire others how they do things.

This little boy is an inspiration and a charmer, just being himself, and his family accepts him for being him. If you love him and do what is best for him, that is all that matters. Charlie seems like he been happy and is learning to do some adventures of his own. This series is called “Adventures with Charlie” Charlie Goes to School. Charlie seems to join the fun of trying new things. What fun will you do on a school bus and at school?
  
The Postmistress
The Postmistress
Sarah Blake | 2010 | History & Politics
2
3.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Genre: Fiction
Rating: DNF


(No Summary.)

The thing about reading is that you need to pick up the book, and be wrapped up in it. It needs to flow well. It must be readable. It must be understandable. Words create sentences and sentences create paragraphs, etc.

When I started reading The Postmistress, I felt like I’d jumped into the middle of a book, in the middle of a series, with no idea who was who or what was happening or even who the narrator was. The sentences didn’t make any sense. It was like reading sentences backwards. Have you ever tried that? Do it. Ok now that you’ve tried it, you know how I felt. It felt like a bunch of jumbled words.

The style was strange, there was weird punctuation that made what little clear sentences there were choppy and difficult to read. I kept reading the same phrase over and over and eventually giving up.

The point of view isn’t first person, nor is it third. And whatever person it was, it kept switching mid-chapter so I couldn't keep up. The dialogue felt out of place, like people from that time period shouldn’t be speaking like that (Or maybe I’m just not educated on WWII culture, which is more likely than not. I’ll give the author the benefit of the doubt).

And by page 15 I still had no clue who was who or what was going on. I felt no desire to continue reading, and trying to decipher the paragraphs felt like a chore.

And honestly, reading should not be a chore. I won’t finish a book if I could be reading better things.

I’m sorry to be so negative, I hate writing negative reviews. But I could not read this book. I couldn’t tell you what the plot was or what the characters were like if I tried.

As always, please remember that this is my personal opinion. Never decide to read or not to read a book based on one person’s views.

This was the second stop for Katrina’s Borrow My ARC Tour at Bloody Bad. Check the other tour stops here for other reviews, or see Amazon.com reviews.