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Lee (2222 KP) rated Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) in Movies
May 18, 2019
Much better than I was expecting
I never really 'got' Pokémon. I've never watched it, never read it, never had any interest in it whatsoever. I actually gave the game Pokémon Go a shot, as I was already a big fan of Niantic's previous game, Ingress. But swiping balls randomly at floating animated creatures on the screen? Yeah, not really my idea of fun. So, why then would I go watch a Pokémon movie where, for some strange reason, Deadpool is voicing the lead character, a cute little fluffy Pikachu? Well, in the interests of providing balanced, impartial Smashbomb reviews that's why. And, because my nephew asked me to take him...
I guess one of my concerns before heading in to see Detective Pikachu was how exactly the Pokémon we're going to be portrayed. If this was going to be some kind of Smurfs or Alvin and the Chipmunks style movie, where over-the-top CGI characters are thrust upon the world of over-the-top human characters in some crazy adventure aimed at six year olds, then I wouldn't be very happy. Thankfully, it turned out to be the compete opposite.
21 year old Tim receives news that his father, top detective Harry Goodman, has gone missing following a car accident, and is presumed dead. He travels to his father's place of work - Ryme City, a modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live happily side by side - and joins forces with Harry's Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu. Tim discovers that he can understand what the wise cracking, cute little Pikachu is saying to him and they set about trying to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Harry's suspected death.
I was pretty impressed from the offset just how well this movie is presented. It's set in a world where humans and these strange, wonderful creatures live alongside each other in harmony, yet the Pokémon are never really presented in that wacky manner that I described earlier with other CGI character movies. It's extremely well done and feels both natural and believable. And because the focus of the movie is more on the story, and the mystery to be solved, rather than revelling in the fact that this is a live action Pokémon movie, it made it all the more enjoyable. This felt to me something more alike to 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. And I really liked it!
Better still, I rarely felt as though I needed any prior knowledge of Pokémon in order to appreciate and enjoy it. There's a brief explainer near the beginning regarding the whole trainer/balls/battles concept, which didn't make it any less ridiculous as far as I'm concerned, but that just didn't matter as it wasn't really necessary to the main plot. Having never experienced Pokémon in any other media form, I obviously can't comment on how faithful this is to any of that, but as a family movie I'd say this is a pretty big hit.
I guess one of my concerns before heading in to see Detective Pikachu was how exactly the Pokémon we're going to be portrayed. If this was going to be some kind of Smurfs or Alvin and the Chipmunks style movie, where over-the-top CGI characters are thrust upon the world of over-the-top human characters in some crazy adventure aimed at six year olds, then I wouldn't be very happy. Thankfully, it turned out to be the compete opposite.
21 year old Tim receives news that his father, top detective Harry Goodman, has gone missing following a car accident, and is presumed dead. He travels to his father's place of work - Ryme City, a modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live happily side by side - and joins forces with Harry's Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu. Tim discovers that he can understand what the wise cracking, cute little Pikachu is saying to him and they set about trying to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Harry's suspected death.
I was pretty impressed from the offset just how well this movie is presented. It's set in a world where humans and these strange, wonderful creatures live alongside each other in harmony, yet the Pokémon are never really presented in that wacky manner that I described earlier with other CGI character movies. It's extremely well done and feels both natural and believable. And because the focus of the movie is more on the story, and the mystery to be solved, rather than revelling in the fact that this is a live action Pokémon movie, it made it all the more enjoyable. This felt to me something more alike to 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. And I really liked it!
Better still, I rarely felt as though I needed any prior knowledge of Pokémon in order to appreciate and enjoy it. There's a brief explainer near the beginning regarding the whole trainer/balls/battles concept, which didn't make it any less ridiculous as far as I'm concerned, but that just didn't matter as it wasn't really necessary to the main plot. Having never experienced Pokémon in any other media form, I obviously can't comment on how faithful this is to any of that, but as a family movie I'd say this is a pretty big hit.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Mask of Shadows in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>Review copy provided by SourcebooksFire via Netgalley</b></i>
I don’t think I follow enough people on social media, because I rarely see Mask of Shadows running around in my timeline and it deserves more hype if it hasn’t. I’ve also been reading a lot of “fluffy” reads with very little blood involved.
Mask of Shadows is a complete 180 from that. It is absolutely bloody and there are assassins involved, and sad to say, it is completely up my very dark alley of reading preferences.
My mother should be worried about me. “You’re a good kid compared to most of those I’ve seen out there. You don’t do drugs, don’t party, hang out with good people….”
I mean, has she seen the books I enjoy reading? (She would be very concerned.)
I honestly thought of The Hunger Games as an assassin edition while reading, even though the novel is pitched as Sarah J. Maas meets Leigh Bardugo. Our main character, Sal, finds an invitation to become one of the queen’s personal assassins, and sets off to audition in the hopes to get a new life. The auditions are full of trials and are a fight to the death – each of which are varied so there is never a dull moment. I’ve never read Maas, but I personally don’t see any comparisons to Bardugo unless we’re talking world building. The world building is absolutely amazing and stunning, and if I could actually draw some of the descriptions, I would totally do it. (Alas, I am just a graphic design minor.)
Emerald, a vision of steel and green silk, glided through the doorway. She was lithe and muscled, arms bare and flexed, streaked in scars with a pale silver dust twinkling over her skin like stars scattered across the evening sky. She walked past me in a breeze of perfume and peppermint, the apothecary scents clinging to her like the old, black ink of the dead runes scrawled across her. The silk layered and draped over her shoulders matched her high-cheeked, mouthless emerald mask perfectly. Beetle wings stitched into the train of her dress glittered in the light.
That is actually one of my favorite descriptions in the book. It is gorgeous.
Mask of Shadows is the first book I’ve read featuring a gender fluid character. Miller does a really good job of handling Sal’s character well, but the beginning seemed a little rocky, almost as though the author was trying to find the right foothold in the story. But after those rough patches, the story went along smoothly.
2017 was a fantastic reading year for me, and I am extremely happy to say that Mask of Shadows is one of my favorite books for the year. Miller’s debut novel is action packed and fast paced, and it will leave you turning the pages until the very end.
<a href="https://thatbookgal.wordpress.com/2018/03/23/guest-book-review-mask-of-shadows/">This review is originally posted on That Book Gal</a>
I don’t think I follow enough people on social media, because I rarely see Mask of Shadows running around in my timeline and it deserves more hype if it hasn’t. I’ve also been reading a lot of “fluffy” reads with very little blood involved.
Mask of Shadows is a complete 180 from that. It is absolutely bloody and there are assassins involved, and sad to say, it is completely up my very dark alley of reading preferences.
My mother should be worried about me. “You’re a good kid compared to most of those I’ve seen out there. You don’t do drugs, don’t party, hang out with good people….”
I mean, has she seen the books I enjoy reading? (She would be very concerned.)
I honestly thought of The Hunger Games as an assassin edition while reading, even though the novel is pitched as Sarah J. Maas meets Leigh Bardugo. Our main character, Sal, finds an invitation to become one of the queen’s personal assassins, and sets off to audition in the hopes to get a new life. The auditions are full of trials and are a fight to the death – each of which are varied so there is never a dull moment. I’ve never read Maas, but I personally don’t see any comparisons to Bardugo unless we’re talking world building. The world building is absolutely amazing and stunning, and if I could actually draw some of the descriptions, I would totally do it. (Alas, I am just a graphic design minor.)
Emerald, a vision of steel and green silk, glided through the doorway. She was lithe and muscled, arms bare and flexed, streaked in scars with a pale silver dust twinkling over her skin like stars scattered across the evening sky. She walked past me in a breeze of perfume and peppermint, the apothecary scents clinging to her like the old, black ink of the dead runes scrawled across her. The silk layered and draped over her shoulders matched her high-cheeked, mouthless emerald mask perfectly. Beetle wings stitched into the train of her dress glittered in the light.
That is actually one of my favorite descriptions in the book. It is gorgeous.
Mask of Shadows is the first book I’ve read featuring a gender fluid character. Miller does a really good job of handling Sal’s character well, but the beginning seemed a little rocky, almost as though the author was trying to find the right foothold in the story. But after those rough patches, the story went along smoothly.
2017 was a fantastic reading year for me, and I am extremely happy to say that Mask of Shadows is one of my favorite books for the year. Miller’s debut novel is action packed and fast paced, and it will leave you turning the pages until the very end.
<a href="https://thatbookgal.wordpress.com/2018/03/23/guest-book-review-mask-of-shadows/">This review is originally posted on That Book Gal</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated American Panda in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<h2><em><strong>American Panda</strong></em><strong> is one of the books I needed my entire life.</strong></h2>
Gloria Chao's debut novel is about Mei, a Chinese-American teen who has no desire to be the doctor her parents want and a crush on a boy who wouldn't get a parental stamp of approval. Her older brother, Xing, is disowned by the family for falling in love with the wrong person, and a few meetups with him to reconnect makes her question the traditions she grew up with.
<h3><strong>I related to Mei so, so much.</strong></h3>
95% of the time growing up and now I feel like I'm alone in my experiences - <em><strong>American Panda</strong></em><strong> reminded me that I'm not alone. At all.</strong> There are other people like me who go through relatively similar experiences! 😭😭😭 (Honestly, I want to cry happy tears the entire time reading.)
And while my experiences aren't the same as Mei, it hit close to my heart with her struggles to choose between fulfilling her parents' dreams and what her heart wants. This is something I continue to struggle with, along with balancing two different cultures.
<h3><strong>Cute, adorable, hilarious.</strong></h3>
On top of relating to virtually every page, paragraph and line in the novel, there's a cute and adorable romance! I loved reading the moments between Darren and Mei.
But while <em>American Panda</em> is all three of those traits, it can also be really heavy and emotional later on as Mei is having an internal struggle with herself, and eventually external with her family members. <strong>If you are expecting a fluffy contemporary read when going into this novel, you will find yourself a little disappointed.</strong>
<h3><strong>But sometimes it wasn't funny.</strong></h3>
There were a few moments in the book where I felt the novel was not funny - most of that occurred near the end. While I understand the approach was meant to be comedic, I felt like it played into the Asian stereotypes a little too much. It also felt like Chao was trying too hard (and maybe that was intentional?) with some of those scenes. At the same time though, most of the stereotypes I feel were handled well by Chao. Again, I'm only one Chinese-American - my experiences compared to another will be different.
<h2><strong>Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed <em>American Panda</em> and how it deals with the struggles of Chinese-American teens growing up.</strong></h2>
While this specifically deals with one Chinese-American experience (and as noted by the author, Mei's experience is taken from many backgrounds and fictionalized), I think a lot of teens will relate to the book in other ways.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/american-panda-by-gloria-chao/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Gloria Chao's debut novel is about Mei, a Chinese-American teen who has no desire to be the doctor her parents want and a crush on a boy who wouldn't get a parental stamp of approval. Her older brother, Xing, is disowned by the family for falling in love with the wrong person, and a few meetups with him to reconnect makes her question the traditions she grew up with.
<h3><strong>I related to Mei so, so much.</strong></h3>
95% of the time growing up and now I feel like I'm alone in my experiences - <em><strong>American Panda</strong></em><strong> reminded me that I'm not alone. At all.</strong> There are other people like me who go through relatively similar experiences! 😭😭😭 (Honestly, I want to cry happy tears the entire time reading.)
And while my experiences aren't the same as Mei, it hit close to my heart with her struggles to choose between fulfilling her parents' dreams and what her heart wants. This is something I continue to struggle with, along with balancing two different cultures.
<h3><strong>Cute, adorable, hilarious.</strong></h3>
On top of relating to virtually every page, paragraph and line in the novel, there's a cute and adorable romance! I loved reading the moments between Darren and Mei.
But while <em>American Panda</em> is all three of those traits, it can also be really heavy and emotional later on as Mei is having an internal struggle with herself, and eventually external with her family members. <strong>If you are expecting a fluffy contemporary read when going into this novel, you will find yourself a little disappointed.</strong>
<h3><strong>But sometimes it wasn't funny.</strong></h3>
There were a few moments in the book where I felt the novel was not funny - most of that occurred near the end. While I understand the approach was meant to be comedic, I felt like it played into the Asian stereotypes a little too much. It also felt like Chao was trying too hard (and maybe that was intentional?) with some of those scenes. At the same time though, most of the stereotypes I feel were handled well by Chao. Again, I'm only one Chinese-American - my experiences compared to another will be different.
<h2><strong>Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed <em>American Panda</em> and how it deals with the struggles of Chinese-American teens growing up.</strong></h2>
While this specifically deals with one Chinese-American experience (and as noted by the author, Mei's experience is taken from many backgrounds and fictionalized), I think a lot of teens will relate to the book in other ways.
<a href="http://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/american-panda-by-gloria-chao/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sheep Frenzy 2
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Have you ever wondered if there’s an alternate universe where animals rule the world. What if…...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Detective Pikachu is the long awaited live action movie of the beloved video game and animated tv show franchise. The video game has sold over 1.31 billion units, so this movie has a very established fan base that is excited for new content, but also critical when new product doesn’t meet their expectations.
Video game movies in general are typically VERY bad. So bad that any time I hear they are making a movie out of a video game I immediately cringe out of reflex. I’ve been permanently scarred by the likes of Tekken, Super Mario Bros and Mortal Kombat. When Tomb Raider is your benchmark for the best of the best you have reason to be afraid when they say that Detective Pikachu is coming to theaters.
But fear not! This movie is not perfect but it does entertain!
Detective Pikachu is played by the voice of Ryan Reynolds, which in case you didn’t know Pokemon typically do not talk, so this is unusual right off the bat. Pokemon basically just repeat their name over and over again with different voice inflections in order to convey mood or urgency. It’s not as annoying as it sounds; it’s typically adorable actually. Reynolds does an excellent PG impersonation of Deadpool as Pikachu in a comedic role as detective Pikachu and it works surprisingly well. His comic timing is so perfect and the jokes don’t come off as childish or boorish, it really flows and works perfectly in the movie.
Justice Smith plays the lead character role of Tim Goodman who is trying to solve the murder of his estranged father. Justice Smith is very likable and you root for him to beat the bad guy and get the girl (played by Kathryn Newton), which is all you really need in a summer action movie; you need to want the hero or heroine to win. Justice Smith does a great job and I could see them building a franchise around his character going forward.
The visuals are fantastic! Its great seeing the characters from the video game walking around full size like that on the big screen and they did not just do a few, the movie is crawling with them and I loved that.
The story is fairly standard and does follow a formula but it moves along at a good pace and at 1 hour and 44 minutes long it feels like it’s not too long or too short. There are jokes that only the adults will get, there are game characters that only hardcore fans will recognize, but this movie was made for as wide an audience as a video game movie could be. They were trying to make it accessible to all, and I think they accomplished that.
It’s a big budget buddy cop popcorn movie with a lot of action, some laughs, a very light and fluffy kid friendly side love story and great special effects. There was a plot hole or two but it was forgivable and too entertaining to ruin it. I highly recommend turning off your brain, grabbing some popcorn and just enjoying this movie. Not perfect, but very good and fun!
Video game movies in general are typically VERY bad. So bad that any time I hear they are making a movie out of a video game I immediately cringe out of reflex. I’ve been permanently scarred by the likes of Tekken, Super Mario Bros and Mortal Kombat. When Tomb Raider is your benchmark for the best of the best you have reason to be afraid when they say that Detective Pikachu is coming to theaters.
But fear not! This movie is not perfect but it does entertain!
Detective Pikachu is played by the voice of Ryan Reynolds, which in case you didn’t know Pokemon typically do not talk, so this is unusual right off the bat. Pokemon basically just repeat their name over and over again with different voice inflections in order to convey mood or urgency. It’s not as annoying as it sounds; it’s typically adorable actually. Reynolds does an excellent PG impersonation of Deadpool as Pikachu in a comedic role as detective Pikachu and it works surprisingly well. His comic timing is so perfect and the jokes don’t come off as childish or boorish, it really flows and works perfectly in the movie.
Justice Smith plays the lead character role of Tim Goodman who is trying to solve the murder of his estranged father. Justice Smith is very likable and you root for him to beat the bad guy and get the girl (played by Kathryn Newton), which is all you really need in a summer action movie; you need to want the hero or heroine to win. Justice Smith does a great job and I could see them building a franchise around his character going forward.
The visuals are fantastic! Its great seeing the characters from the video game walking around full size like that on the big screen and they did not just do a few, the movie is crawling with them and I loved that.
The story is fairly standard and does follow a formula but it moves along at a good pace and at 1 hour and 44 minutes long it feels like it’s not too long or too short. There are jokes that only the adults will get, there are game characters that only hardcore fans will recognize, but this movie was made for as wide an audience as a video game movie could be. They were trying to make it accessible to all, and I think they accomplished that.
It’s a big budget buddy cop popcorn movie with a lot of action, some laughs, a very light and fluffy kid friendly side love story and great special effects. There was a plot hole or two but it was forgivable and too entertaining to ruin it. I highly recommend turning off your brain, grabbing some popcorn and just enjoying this movie. Not perfect, but very good and fun!
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Last Changeling (The Last Changeling, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
The worst I thought would happen to The Last Changeling is an exact replica of The Iron Fey, only a much darker version.
Thankfully, that isn't the case.
In actuality, The Last Changeling is a talking book. Chelsea Pitcher's latest work certainly didn't sprout a mouth and start speaking to me. Although it would be really cool to have a talking book. "Morning, Last Changeling! Please summarize what I read three weeks ago. Thank you!"
(Should that actually happen, I would probably use it a lot. For the books whose sequels I read years later. *cough* Matched *cough*)
See, one of our main characters, Elora, is a Dark Faery Princess on a quest for the Bright/Seelie Queen. Our other main character is a dude by the name of Taylor who is a soccer player and has great morality, but the guy honestly puts himself down far too much. They meet... at a swing set, and because "Lora" doesn't seem to have a place to go, Taylor offers to let her stay at his house.
Thus begins the talking. And more talking. About faery history, which essentially leads to well... Elora's history (always a great idea for us to know the characters of course, especially the main ones). By the end of the book, you'll know Elora pretty well, and meanwhile... it's pretty much expected Taylor and Elora will fall heads over heels in love from their first meeting. The characters just don't admit it (not that any pair of fictional characters ever do).
Plus, Taylor and I are distant buddies. Quite distant, because it seems as though Pitcher focuses a little too much on Elora and the reader knowing Elora yet neglecting Taylor.
So basically my biggest question is this: Is Elora's quest just talking, trying to acclimate to the mortal world, while trying to figure out the answer to the Bright Queen's riddle which was off the charts wrong? I was sort of expecting adventure. Fireballs! Or... shadowballs in this case...
But I most certainly did not expect talking. Lots and lots of talking.
I guess I'm the reader who prefers the blood and gore. Occasionally, the fluffy, bunny book (NOT like eating bunny tails, as Ella likes to say. Though I suppose that's accurate as well.) is enjoyable.
On the bright side, I do think Elora and Taylor go well together. By the end of the story, Taylor seems much more confident and seems to stand up for himself rather than letting others push him around. And Elora, despite the fact her lack of knowledge of the mortal world is hilarious, makes a great impact to those who would rather be a doormat and not stand up for themselves. I personally think Chelsea Pitcher's latest novel sends a strong message across to readers, even though there's far too much talking than "questing."
----------------------
Advanced copy provided by Flux for review (and the blog tour)
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Original Review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/11/blog-tour-the-last-changeling-by-chelsea-pitcher-arc-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
Thankfully, that isn't the case.
In actuality, The Last Changeling is a talking book. Chelsea Pitcher's latest work certainly didn't sprout a mouth and start speaking to me. Although it would be really cool to have a talking book. "Morning, Last Changeling! Please summarize what I read three weeks ago. Thank you!"
(Should that actually happen, I would probably use it a lot. For the books whose sequels I read years later. *cough* Matched *cough*)
See, one of our main characters, Elora, is a Dark Faery Princess on a quest for the Bright/Seelie Queen. Our other main character is a dude by the name of Taylor who is a soccer player and has great morality, but the guy honestly puts himself down far too much. They meet... at a swing set, and because "Lora" doesn't seem to have a place to go, Taylor offers to let her stay at his house.
Thus begins the talking. And more talking. About faery history, which essentially leads to well... Elora's history (always a great idea for us to know the characters of course, especially the main ones). By the end of the book, you'll know Elora pretty well, and meanwhile... it's pretty much expected Taylor and Elora will fall heads over heels in love from their first meeting. The characters just don't admit it (not that any pair of fictional characters ever do).
Plus, Taylor and I are distant buddies. Quite distant, because it seems as though Pitcher focuses a little too much on Elora and the reader knowing Elora yet neglecting Taylor.
So basically my biggest question is this: Is Elora's quest just talking, trying to acclimate to the mortal world, while trying to figure out the answer to the Bright Queen's riddle which was off the charts wrong? I was sort of expecting adventure. Fireballs! Or... shadowballs in this case...
But I most certainly did not expect talking. Lots and lots of talking.
I guess I'm the reader who prefers the blood and gore. Occasionally, the fluffy, bunny book (NOT like eating bunny tails, as Ella likes to say. Though I suppose that's accurate as well.) is enjoyable.
On the bright side, I do think Elora and Taylor go well together. By the end of the story, Taylor seems much more confident and seems to stand up for himself rather than letting others push him around. And Elora, despite the fact her lack of knowledge of the mortal world is hilarious, makes a great impact to those who would rather be a doormat and not stand up for themselves. I personally think Chelsea Pitcher's latest novel sends a strong message across to readers, even though there's far too much talking than "questing."
----------------------
Advanced copy provided by Flux for review (and the blog tour)
Original Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Original Review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/11/blog-tour-the-last-changeling-by-chelsea-pitcher-arc-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
Care Bears: Care Karts
Games and Entertainment
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We’ve got trouble in Care-a-Lot today, and the Care Bears need your help! The mischievous Beastly...
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Looking for Alaska in Books
Jan 25, 2018
I just finished reading Looking for Alaska, making it the fifth John Green book I've read, after Will Grayson, Will Grayson, Let It Snow, The Fault In Our Stars, and An Abundance of Katherines. I enjoyed Looking for Alaska immensely, just like I did the other three. (My favorite being Let It Snow, which he wrote with two other authors as a set of three related short stories.) I haven't made a habit out of reading young adult fiction, but for John Green I'll definitely make an exception. I should also pick up some of Maureen Johnson's books; her contribution to Let It Snow was excellent.
I have a confession to make before I go any further: I am a Nerdfighter. I was introduced to John and Hank Green about two years ago by one of my best friends, by way of Crash Course. Since then I've (almost!) caught up on their Vlogbrother videos, watched most of the Crash Course videos (sorry Hank, I'm just not into chemistry) and started watching Sci Show. John and Hank are both extremely educated, well spoken, and yet extremely entertaining and fun to watch. Watching the vlogbrothers episodes where John talks about writing the books (as he's writing them!) is what finally made me go pick up his books to read. And he's GOOD.
In Looking for Alaska, Miles Halter goes away to boarding school at Culver Creek, his father's alma mater. He's in search of his "great perhaps," his meaning for life. (The phrase comes from Francois Rabelais' last words "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." Miles doesn't want to wait until he dies to go in search of his.) Culver Creek really marks a turning point in Miles' life - from a friendless outcast in his old school to one of the closest friends of Alaska Young. Alaska is a bit of a bad girl (sneaking cigarettes and alcohol into school constantly and pulling ingenious pranks) but also an enigma. The entire school body loves her, but even to her closest friends she doesn't reveal much about herself.
The book is divided into "before" and "after" and it wasn't until within a few pages till the end of the "before" section that I realized what the event was. "After" deals with the characters of the book coming to terms with their life-altering event.
In The Fault In Our Stars, John Green dealt with the lead up to a life-altering event that the characters knew was coming - a long, drawn-out sort of grief. Looking For Alaska deals with the fallout of an event no one knew was coming, and while the emotions are just as deep, they feel sharper somehow for being so unexpected.
I definitely recommend this book, and all of John Green's books. He's a very talented writer, and isn't afraid to put "adult" themes into his "young adult" books. As if sex and alcohol and death and deep meaning-of-life questions aren't things every teenager deals with? I like that he doesn't pull his emotional punches. His books may be "young adult" but they're not fluffy or "easy to read." Easy in terms of grammar and flow perhaps, but not in content. I teared up reading parts of Looking For Alaska, and outright sobbed for a good portion of The Fault In Our Stars. (Which is now a movie!)
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com (review originally written 4 years ago.)
I have a confession to make before I go any further: I am a Nerdfighter. I was introduced to John and Hank Green about two years ago by one of my best friends, by way of Crash Course. Since then I've (almost!) caught up on their Vlogbrother videos, watched most of the Crash Course videos (sorry Hank, I'm just not into chemistry) and started watching Sci Show. John and Hank are both extremely educated, well spoken, and yet extremely entertaining and fun to watch. Watching the vlogbrothers episodes where John talks about writing the books (as he's writing them!) is what finally made me go pick up his books to read. And he's GOOD.
In Looking for Alaska, Miles Halter goes away to boarding school at Culver Creek, his father's alma mater. He's in search of his "great perhaps," his meaning for life. (The phrase comes from Francois Rabelais' last words "I go to seek a Great Perhaps." Miles doesn't want to wait until he dies to go in search of his.) Culver Creek really marks a turning point in Miles' life - from a friendless outcast in his old school to one of the closest friends of Alaska Young. Alaska is a bit of a bad girl (sneaking cigarettes and alcohol into school constantly and pulling ingenious pranks) but also an enigma. The entire school body loves her, but even to her closest friends she doesn't reveal much about herself.
The book is divided into "before" and "after" and it wasn't until within a few pages till the end of the "before" section that I realized what the event was. "After" deals with the characters of the book coming to terms with their life-altering event.
In The Fault In Our Stars, John Green dealt with the lead up to a life-altering event that the characters knew was coming - a long, drawn-out sort of grief. Looking For Alaska deals with the fallout of an event no one knew was coming, and while the emotions are just as deep, they feel sharper somehow for being so unexpected.
I definitely recommend this book, and all of John Green's books. He's a very talented writer, and isn't afraid to put "adult" themes into his "young adult" books. As if sex and alcohol and death and deep meaning-of-life questions aren't things every teenager deals with? I like that he doesn't pull his emotional punches. His books may be "young adult" but they're not fluffy or "easy to read." Easy in terms of grammar and flow perhaps, but not in content. I teared up reading parts of Looking For Alaska, and outright sobbed for a good portion of The Fault In Our Stars. (Which is now a movie!)
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com (review originally written 4 years ago.)
Louise (64 KP) rated A Quiet Kind of Thunder in Books
Jul 2, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion*
I have been anticipating this book for months and couldn’t wait to read it. I read Beautiful Broken Things last year and really enjoyed Sara Barnard’s style of writing and how she captures teenage relationships/friendship perfectly. This book is exceptional and has blown Beautiful Broken Things out of the water.
Steffi has a condition called selective mutism, crippling shyness and anxiety, this has been her life since she can remember. Unable to find the words to communicate to people at school or in public has left her somewhat lonely especially as her best friend has left to attend a different college.
Rhys is the new guy starting at Windham sixth form, Rhys is deaf, as Steffi knows British Sign Language (BSL) they are introduced and Steffi is to be his guide for the time being until he gets to know his way around.
Being thrusted into Rhys’ world, Steffi finds another way of communicating and starts to embrace her problems head on and starts to realise she has so many possibilities out there….one of them being LOVE!
There was just so many aspects of this book that I loved for example; this is the best interpretation of anxiety I have read about in YA fiction. There is a part in the book where you get to witness Steffi’s thought process when she is anxious and it was spot on and I could really empathise with her. I also appreciated the fact that Sara Barnard didn’t use the popular trope of ‘anxiety being cured because of a boy’.
‘I don’t want a boy to be the reason I get better, what would that say about me if it is?’
I was so glad that this young girl despite her anxiety and mutism was really level-headed and wanted the change to be her doing. The topic of medication comes up several times and not once was it put in a negative light. I think anyone that suffers with anxiety will find this book relatable and show non sufferers just how much anxiety takes over your life.
The relationships in this book are freaking awesome, the family relationship was great,I loved the dynamics of the family and the different roles in which they played. The friendship between Steffi and Tem was really relatable, with them sharing gossip and worries about boys. There were so many emotional moments in this book, that had me turning the pages wanting more. The relationship between Steffi and Rhys was brilliant and cute and all things fluffy and the development is fantastic.
This book is so diverse, what with mental health, POC and disability, it was so beautifully written and had a perfect blend of them all that nothing was overshadowed.
This book is really easy read and uses different formats such as IM’s and text messages between Steffi, Rhys and Tem. There are also some lists which makes it much more fun to read.
This is a wonderful coming of age story with tons of diversity and a realistic portrayal of mental health and relationships.
I rated this 4.5/5 stars
I have been anticipating this book for months and couldn’t wait to read it. I read Beautiful Broken Things last year and really enjoyed Sara Barnard’s style of writing and how she captures teenage relationships/friendship perfectly. This book is exceptional and has blown Beautiful Broken Things out of the water.
Steffi has a condition called selective mutism, crippling shyness and anxiety, this has been her life since she can remember. Unable to find the words to communicate to people at school or in public has left her somewhat lonely especially as her best friend has left to attend a different college.
Rhys is the new guy starting at Windham sixth form, Rhys is deaf, as Steffi knows British Sign Language (BSL) they are introduced and Steffi is to be his guide for the time being until he gets to know his way around.
Being thrusted into Rhys’ world, Steffi finds another way of communicating and starts to embrace her problems head on and starts to realise she has so many possibilities out there….one of them being LOVE!
There was just so many aspects of this book that I loved for example; this is the best interpretation of anxiety I have read about in YA fiction. There is a part in the book where you get to witness Steffi’s thought process when she is anxious and it was spot on and I could really empathise with her. I also appreciated the fact that Sara Barnard didn’t use the popular trope of ‘anxiety being cured because of a boy’.
‘I don’t want a boy to be the reason I get better, what would that say about me if it is?’
I was so glad that this young girl despite her anxiety and mutism was really level-headed and wanted the change to be her doing. The topic of medication comes up several times and not once was it put in a negative light. I think anyone that suffers with anxiety will find this book relatable and show non sufferers just how much anxiety takes over your life.
The relationships in this book are freaking awesome, the family relationship was great,I loved the dynamics of the family and the different roles in which they played. The friendship between Steffi and Tem was really relatable, with them sharing gossip and worries about boys. There were so many emotional moments in this book, that had me turning the pages wanting more. The relationship between Steffi and Rhys was brilliant and cute and all things fluffy and the development is fantastic.
This book is so diverse, what with mental health, POC and disability, it was so beautifully written and had a perfect blend of them all that nothing was overshadowed.
This book is really easy read and uses different formats such as IM’s and text messages between Steffi, Rhys and Tem. There are also some lists which makes it much more fun to read.
This is a wonderful coming of age story with tons of diversity and a realistic portrayal of mental health and relationships.
I rated this 4.5/5 stars
Louise (64 KP) rated Anna and the French Kiss in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I was pretty late on this band wagon, so late that I almost missed it. I found the delights of booktube this year!( I have been hiding under a rock!) and whenever some one mentioned a book to re read or one that gets you out of slumps etcetera etcetera, This was the one that popped up most of the time or Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.
I really loved this book, I probably could have read it in one sitting but the fact I had to go to work the next morning made me put it down (I was late for work). I was reading this well into the night as I was unable to put it down, I needed to read more and find out what happened without having a break, to say I was fully invested was an understatement.
Anna is enrolled to go to a College/school in Paris for Americans, she totally doesn't want to be there, but because her dad is a high regarded author in the book world, he wants his daughter to reap the benefits or in Anna's terms... to show off. Being in a foreign country is daunting when there are no familiar people around you and the fact that you have no understanding of the language - Luckily Anna befriends a group of people very quickly, they take her under their wing and help Anna with her French and her way around the city. Among the group is Etienne St Clair, one of the hottest guys at the school - there is an instant mutual attraction, however there is a problem.....HIS GIRLFRIEND!
Anna is a great female protagonist, she starts off naive, shy and comes across as a bit whiney but the great thing as the story goes on you see her develop and act more grown up. I felt sorry for her being forced to school in Paris where she is all alone, when all she wants to do is be at home in Atlanta with her Mum, Seany (brother), Bridgette(best friend) and Toph (Potential love interest).
Etienne St Clair! Well what can I say? He was a complicated character he had so much emotional baggage. He is the heart-throb of the school, everyone wants to be hanging off his arm and there is a lot of bitchiness towards Anna as people notice their closeness. He has this certain aura about him, he has amazing hair, teeth, skin, dresses like a Parisian and not too tall (for some reason this was mentioned a lot) He has a British accent but lives in America and his father is french! He is swoon worthy in short, he blushes, he gets anxious and he isn't a complete douche-bag. He is mature for his age. However his family life is complicated, he's got a girlfriend but he wants Anna.
This book is cute, sweet , fluffy and all the adjectives. The fact that it is set in the City of Love also makes it more romantic. I totally recommend this book if you are a fan of Romance and YA. It is definitely a book you can reread, the writing is so easy to follow and a fast read.
I will be continuing with the trilogy.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars
I really loved this book, I probably could have read it in one sitting but the fact I had to go to work the next morning made me put it down (I was late for work). I was reading this well into the night as I was unable to put it down, I needed to read more and find out what happened without having a break, to say I was fully invested was an understatement.
Anna is enrolled to go to a College/school in Paris for Americans, she totally doesn't want to be there, but because her dad is a high regarded author in the book world, he wants his daughter to reap the benefits or in Anna's terms... to show off. Being in a foreign country is daunting when there are no familiar people around you and the fact that you have no understanding of the language - Luckily Anna befriends a group of people very quickly, they take her under their wing and help Anna with her French and her way around the city. Among the group is Etienne St Clair, one of the hottest guys at the school - there is an instant mutual attraction, however there is a problem.....HIS GIRLFRIEND!
Anna is a great female protagonist, she starts off naive, shy and comes across as a bit whiney but the great thing as the story goes on you see her develop and act more grown up. I felt sorry for her being forced to school in Paris where she is all alone, when all she wants to do is be at home in Atlanta with her Mum, Seany (brother), Bridgette(best friend) and Toph (Potential love interest).
Etienne St Clair! Well what can I say? He was a complicated character he had so much emotional baggage. He is the heart-throb of the school, everyone wants to be hanging off his arm and there is a lot of bitchiness towards Anna as people notice their closeness. He has this certain aura about him, he has amazing hair, teeth, skin, dresses like a Parisian and not too tall (for some reason this was mentioned a lot) He has a British accent but lives in America and his father is french! He is swoon worthy in short, he blushes, he gets anxious and he isn't a complete douche-bag. He is mature for his age. However his family life is complicated, he's got a girlfriend but he wants Anna.
This book is cute, sweet , fluffy and all the adjectives. The fact that it is set in the City of Love also makes it more romantic. I totally recommend this book if you are a fan of Romance and YA. It is definitely a book you can reread, the writing is so easy to follow and a fast read.
I will be continuing with the trilogy.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars