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The Princess of Baker Street
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“Always wear your imaginary crown” is Joey Kinkaid’s motto. For years, Joey, assigned male at...
Contemporary LGBTQ+ Young Adult
Louise (64 KP) rated The Weight of Water in Books
Jul 2, 2018
After reading One by Sarah Crossan I wanted delve into more of her works. This is Sarah's debut novel and I really enjoyed it. What makes her books unique is that they are written in verse, so you can either read it like poetry or just as a normal book.
The weight of water follows Kasienka and her mother who are Polish migrants travelling to the UK to find her father who upped and left one day never to return, all they know is that he lives in Coventry. They manage to rent a bed sit with one bed that they have to share and with little money Kasienka's mum takes on a hospital job. Kasienka's mum is determined to find her husband and as Kasi's English is better than hers she is forced to walk streets of Coventry looking for her dad. Not only does she have to contend with her mum, she also started a new school where she doesn't fit in and becomes a target to bullies. The only thing that Kasienka was good at was swimming which she loved and was also pretty good at. It was where she could escape, It was there she met William.
I loved this book, it is so realistic, raw and heart - breaking. In the UK we have thousands of Polish people come to live in the UK sometimes for work and sometimes for unknown reasons but what we forget is how hard and challenging it can be for them to arrive in a country they are not familiar with and the language barrier.You also forget how difficult it must be at school for them - due to Kasi's language barrier the teacher was not aware of how intelligent she was and enrolled her in a younger year. Kasi is 12 and a very intelligent girl who just wants to fit in at school or even better to return to Poland with her Mother and Father. You see the struggles that she has to overcome and her developing and hitting puberty. I really liked the fact that Sarah Crossan didn't shy away and told us Kasi's periods starting and her becoming more body conscious it makes it so much more real and relatable.
The bit that I really liked was when Kasienka realised that she had treated a new girl at her school back in Poland just as she was being by the bullies in her school, she wasn't perfect and she knew it.
This is a brilliant coming of age story that could be classed as middle grade though it has more depth to it as deals with Poverty, bullying, immigration and families
I definitely recommend this book for anyone that wants to read YA,Poetry or contemporary
Overall I rated 4.5 out 5 stars.
The weight of water follows Kasienka and her mother who are Polish migrants travelling to the UK to find her father who upped and left one day never to return, all they know is that he lives in Coventry. They manage to rent a bed sit with one bed that they have to share and with little money Kasienka's mum takes on a hospital job. Kasienka's mum is determined to find her husband and as Kasi's English is better than hers she is forced to walk streets of Coventry looking for her dad. Not only does she have to contend with her mum, she also started a new school where she doesn't fit in and becomes a target to bullies. The only thing that Kasienka was good at was swimming which she loved and was also pretty good at. It was where she could escape, It was there she met William.
I loved this book, it is so realistic, raw and heart - breaking. In the UK we have thousands of Polish people come to live in the UK sometimes for work and sometimes for unknown reasons but what we forget is how hard and challenging it can be for them to arrive in a country they are not familiar with and the language barrier.You also forget how difficult it must be at school for them - due to Kasi's language barrier the teacher was not aware of how intelligent she was and enrolled her in a younger year. Kasi is 12 and a very intelligent girl who just wants to fit in at school or even better to return to Poland with her Mother and Father. You see the struggles that she has to overcome and her developing and hitting puberty. I really liked the fact that Sarah Crossan didn't shy away and told us Kasi's periods starting and her becoming more body conscious it makes it so much more real and relatable.
The bit that I really liked was when Kasienka realised that she had treated a new girl at her school back in Poland just as she was being by the bullies in her school, she wasn't perfect and she knew it.
This is a brilliant coming of age story that could be classed as middle grade though it has more depth to it as deals with Poverty, bullying, immigration and families
I definitely recommend this book for anyone that wants to read YA,Poetry or contemporary
Overall I rated 4.5 out 5 stars.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World in Books
Oct 14, 2019
Ivy Aberdeen is struggling with feeling invisible in her family—her mom is busy with Ivy’s new twin brothers. Things get worse when a tornado destroys their home, displacing the family. In the aftermath, Ivy—an artist—loses a notebook filled her most precious drawings. When they start showing up in her locker with notes attached, Ivy realizes the note-leaver may be on to what Ivy can barely voice herself: she has crushes and dreams about girls. Can Ivy make herself seen and follow her heart?
"How was Ivy supposed to know how to handle all these feelings... all these feelings at all, if everything she saw and read about and heard was all boy-girl, girl-boy?"
I genuinely don’t know what we did to deserve Ashley Herring Blake, but we are lucky. She’s become one of my favorite authors. This unique middle grade novel (Ivy is 12) is yet another beautifully written book from Blake that tells a story so many kids need to hear.
And Ivy. Oh Ivy. I loved this kid. She goes through so much, and we see her present tough, real feelings. She’s artistic, resilient, and witty. And, oh yeah, she likes girls. It’s just the best sort of representation in the world, you know? I wish this was on the shelves and being read in every middle school.
This book is lovely, real, and tells an invaluable story. It’s so funny and sweet, and I honestly would recommend it for everyone.
"How was Ivy supposed to know how to handle all these feelings... all these feelings at all, if everything she saw and read about and heard was all boy-girl, girl-boy?"
I genuinely don’t know what we did to deserve Ashley Herring Blake, but we are lucky. She’s become one of my favorite authors. This unique middle grade novel (Ivy is 12) is yet another beautifully written book from Blake that tells a story so many kids need to hear.
And Ivy. Oh Ivy. I loved this kid. She goes through so much, and we see her present tough, real feelings. She’s artistic, resilient, and witty. And, oh yeah, she likes girls. It’s just the best sort of representation in the world, you know? I wish this was on the shelves and being read in every middle school.
This book is lovely, real, and tells an invaluable story. It’s so funny and sweet, and I honestly would recommend it for everyone.
Ali A (78 KP) rated We Go High: How 30 Women of Color Achieved Greatness Against All Odds in Books
Jul 28, 2022
Trigger Warnings: Racism, colorism, misogyny, sexism, violence, transphobia, homophobia, gun violence, mentions of drug and alcohol addiction, sexual assault, sexual violence, bullying, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, religious bigotry *
*The author has marked biographies at the beginning of the novel with * to indicate profiles that detail trigger experiences
From activists to sporting icons, bakers to scientists, journalists to actresses’, We Go High tells the stories of 30 influential women of color who have strived to overcome challenges in their lives. Paired together with stunningly beautiful portraits from Natasha Cunningham, Nicole Ellis celebrates these women of color’s achievements as well as their personal beliefs, attitudes, and determination that drives them to be remarkable.
I loved all the different types of women and their stories that were given in mini biographies - there were a lot of details given in the short amount of pages. This works great because this book is aimed for a younger audience (middle grade/young adult) that opens the door for more research to dive into.
I have known about 90% of the women mentioned in this book, but there were a handful of them I didn’t know. Such as Dr. Kissmekia Corbett, or Kizzy Corbett, who was a leading viral immunologist to help create the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Or Sônia Guajajara, a Brazilian Indigenous activist, environmentalist, and politician.
Overall, I feel like this is an amazing book about amazing women of color for those of all ages to enjoy, though especially those in middle or high school as a stepping stone to further research and knowledge.
*The author has marked biographies at the beginning of the novel with * to indicate profiles that detail trigger experiences
From activists to sporting icons, bakers to scientists, journalists to actresses’, We Go High tells the stories of 30 influential women of color who have strived to overcome challenges in their lives. Paired together with stunningly beautiful portraits from Natasha Cunningham, Nicole Ellis celebrates these women of color’s achievements as well as their personal beliefs, attitudes, and determination that drives them to be remarkable.
I loved all the different types of women and their stories that were given in mini biographies - there were a lot of details given in the short amount of pages. This works great because this book is aimed for a younger audience (middle grade/young adult) that opens the door for more research to dive into.
I have known about 90% of the women mentioned in this book, but there were a handful of them I didn’t know. Such as Dr. Kissmekia Corbett, or Kizzy Corbett, who was a leading viral immunologist to help create the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Or Sônia Guajajara, a Brazilian Indigenous activist, environmentalist, and politician.
Overall, I feel like this is an amazing book about amazing women of color for those of all ages to enjoy, though especially those in middle or high school as a stepping stone to further research and knowledge.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Trying to Float: Coming of Age in the Chelsea Hotel in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Written about a young girl by a young girl, <i>Trying To Float</i> is the amusing, witty story of Nicolaia Rips’ life thus far. About to graduate from LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts in New York City, Nicolaia talks the reader through her life from birth, through preschool and elementary school, before coming to rest at the end of her middle school experiences.
As the strap line <i>Coming of Age in the Chelsea Hotel</i> indicates, Nicolaia has lived in the Chelsea Hotel in New York for her entire life. Her unconventional father and travel obsessed mother decided to settle there after the birth of their only child, resulting in an unusual upbringing surrounded by avant-garde writers, artists and musicians, as well as the plethora of drug addicts, alcoholics and eccentrics.
Although Nicolaia’s lifestyle caused her to be the worldliest wise of five year olds, she was completely alien to the knowledge of friendships, hard work and the generally accepted behaviour of children. This resulted in numerous, often awkward, situations throughout her schooling which, although must have been soul destroying at the time, Nicolaia writes in a highly amusing tone.
<i>Trying to Float</i> reminded me of a television programme aired on the BBC last year: <i>The Kennedys</i> – a story of the daughter of highly peculiar and embarrassing parents, who was constantly surrounded by a mass of oddball characters. I could not help but see similarities even though there is absolutely no correlation between the two stories.
While Nicolaia has based this book on a journal she kept during her childhood, there are many scenes that have been warped by exaggeration and imagination to add comedic effect. Due to this, her original writing has been worked over so much in order for it to flow like a story, that it is more fiction than biographical.
It is not completely clear who the target audience is. Naturally a story about a child’s experiences at school would relate more to young adults, however the coarse language used by the inhabitants of the hotel make it more appropriate for adults. Whatever your age and background, you are likely to relate to something in this gem of a book. Nicolaia makes light of her experiences, but deep down it is a very heart-wrenching story.
Written about a young girl by a young girl, <i>Trying To Float</i> is the amusing, witty story of Nicolaia Rips’ life thus far. About to graduate from LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts in New York City, Nicolaia talks the reader through her life from birth, through preschool and elementary school, before coming to rest at the end of her middle school experiences.
As the strap line <i>Coming of Age in the Chelsea Hotel</i> indicates, Nicolaia has lived in the Chelsea Hotel in New York for her entire life. Her unconventional father and travel obsessed mother decided to settle there after the birth of their only child, resulting in an unusual upbringing surrounded by avant-garde writers, artists and musicians, as well as the plethora of drug addicts, alcoholics and eccentrics.
Although Nicolaia’s lifestyle caused her to be the worldliest wise of five year olds, she was completely alien to the knowledge of friendships, hard work and the generally accepted behaviour of children. This resulted in numerous, often awkward, situations throughout her schooling which, although must have been soul destroying at the time, Nicolaia writes in a highly amusing tone.
<i>Trying to Float</i> reminded me of a television programme aired on the BBC last year: <i>The Kennedys</i> – a story of the daughter of highly peculiar and embarrassing parents, who was constantly surrounded by a mass of oddball characters. I could not help but see similarities even though there is absolutely no correlation between the two stories.
While Nicolaia has based this book on a journal she kept during her childhood, there are many scenes that have been warped by exaggeration and imagination to add comedic effect. Due to this, her original writing has been worked over so much in order for it to flow like a story, that it is more fiction than biographical.
It is not completely clear who the target audience is. Naturally a story about a child’s experiences at school would relate more to young adults, however the coarse language used by the inhabitants of the hotel make it more appropriate for adults. Whatever your age and background, you are likely to relate to something in this gem of a book. Nicolaia makes light of her experiences, but deep down it is a very heart-wrenching story.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Core Fulcrum in Books
Apr 6, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
The Core Fulcrum by Prashanti Talluri has multiple details that made me think it was largely inspired by Harry Potter. The school has rooms that move daily which were a big reminder of Harry Potter but there were multiple little things as well.
Snowball and Goldie are two kittens that have just started the fifth grade. Like the school's humans are used to there are classes that everyone has to take an optional class. It is one of these optional classes that Snowball, Goldie, and some of their friends choose that sends them on an amazing and scary adventure. They all choose to take part in the class called “Curiosity Kills the Cat”, but so does their class bully Hisky.
In this class, after passing a test they learn of the Core Fulcrum. They learn that the Core Fulcrum is a powerful artifact that is responsible for all the cat’s extraordinary abilities. The problem is that the Core Fulcrum is missing and that could cause major issues for all cats unless it is found soon. Their solution is to enlist the help of kittens in school to join the dangerous search for this all-important item. Can they find it before it it's too late and the rats figure out how to use it?
I like how it acknowledges how cats essentially got their independence from humans (although I can’t help but wonder what happened to the people). It was also interesting how the casts and rats have created separate kingdoms from each other and even seem to war with each other to some extent. Honestly things like the snakes that bite their tails to function as seat belts just seemed a bit farfetched, along with busses that seem to be living animals at the same time (or maybe just created to mimic animal abilities, I am not sure). Then there was how the cats were in harnesses to practice for their version of the Olympics yet they were going through tunnels without getting tangled and finishing in around fifteen seconds seemed unrealistic even for cats.
This is a children's book all the way. I don’t think may people past middle school would be all that interested in it or find it very enjoyable. It may even be questionable for some middle school readers. It all depends on how well a reader can accept the strangeness of this book. I rate this book 2 out of 4. This is because the base story is good but the details just felt awkward. I just don’t think anyone but younger readers are going to be into it. I could be wrong though.
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Snowball and Goldie are two kittens that have just started the fifth grade. Like the school's humans are used to there are classes that everyone has to take an optional class. It is one of these optional classes that Snowball, Goldie, and some of their friends choose that sends them on an amazing and scary adventure. They all choose to take part in the class called “Curiosity Kills the Cat”, but so does their class bully Hisky.
In this class, after passing a test they learn of the Core Fulcrum. They learn that the Core Fulcrum is a powerful artifact that is responsible for all the cat’s extraordinary abilities. The problem is that the Core Fulcrum is missing and that could cause major issues for all cats unless it is found soon. Their solution is to enlist the help of kittens in school to join the dangerous search for this all-important item. Can they find it before it it's too late and the rats figure out how to use it?
I like how it acknowledges how cats essentially got their independence from humans (although I can’t help but wonder what happened to the people). It was also interesting how the casts and rats have created separate kingdoms from each other and even seem to war with each other to some extent. Honestly things like the snakes that bite their tails to function as seat belts just seemed a bit farfetched, along with busses that seem to be living animals at the same time (or maybe just created to mimic animal abilities, I am not sure). Then there was how the cats were in harnesses to practice for their version of the Olympics yet they were going through tunnels without getting tangled and finishing in around fifteen seconds seemed unrealistic even for cats.
This is a children's book all the way. I don’t think may people past middle school would be all that interested in it or find it very enjoyable. It may even be questionable for some middle school readers. It all depends on how well a reader can accept the strangeness of this book. I rate this book 2 out of 4. This is because the base story is good but the details just felt awkward. I just don’t think anyone but younger readers are going to be into it. I could be wrong though.
https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews/
https://smashbomb.com/nightreader
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/
Kyera (8 KP) rated Rise of the Isle of the Lost (Descendants #3) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Rise of the Isle of the Lost is the third book in the Descendants series, a collection of books about the kids of the most infamous Disney villains. It is based on the Disney Channel Original Movie by the same name and Rise occurs just before the events of the second movie. It follows the villain kids Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos in Auradon, as well as Uma and her pirate crew on the Isle of the Lost.
The book is a middle school reading level, so it is very simply written. I wasn't particularly impressed with the story or the writing, although the book was enjoyable enough. I chose to read it because I am a fan of Disney and found the premise to be intriguing. The execution was underwhelming, but I feel that younger readers would really enjoy this book. It is perfect for those in grades five to seven. I would recommend it to those that are fans of the movie and suggest that you read it before seeing the second movie, as that is where it falls chronologically.
The book is a middle school reading level, so it is very simply written. I wasn't particularly impressed with the story or the writing, although the book was enjoyable enough. I chose to read it because I am a fan of Disney and found the premise to be intriguing. The execution was underwhelming, but I feel that younger readers would really enjoy this book. It is perfect for those in grades five to seven. I would recommend it to those that are fans of the movie and suggest that you read it before seeing the second movie, as that is where it falls chronologically.
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated The Mysterious Music Box (The Decoders #4) in Books
Mar 30, 2020
The mysterious Music box is a well-hidden game of lost and find. Though it not all easy to find the music box. There seems to be a reason for two other people trying to find this music box that belongs to a friend from school.
Though why would someone want to break in and take a music box that has nothing in it. There seem to be quite a bit of people wanting Rosa music box. Could there be something inside the box that can solve a mystery of some treasures that came from world war II Germany?
There seem to be two other people that are trying to find this music box. What could be so special about it? If you enjoy riddles and puzzles, then this book and series are for you. If you are looking for a good series or book for your children of middle-grade schoolers this is it. These books are good for them and they will learn a little bit as they read.
Though why would someone want to break in and take a music box that has nothing in it. There seem to be quite a bit of people wanting Rosa music box. Could there be something inside the box that can solve a mystery of some treasures that came from world war II Germany?
There seem to be two other people that are trying to find this music box. What could be so special about it? If you enjoy riddles and puzzles, then this book and series are for you. If you are looking for a good series or book for your children of middle-grade schoolers this is it. These books are good for them and they will learn a little bit as they read.
