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The Rose and the Dagger
The Rose and the Dagger
Renee Ahdieh | 2017 | Children
10
8.2 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
I thought this series was going to be longer. Why did it have to end when I just started it?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought I was going to be in a major reading slump for a while after reading ACOMAF, but this book proves that I'm not! Yay!

I liked how the characters developed in this book. (If you can't tell, that is one of the main things I judge on whether I enjoyed the book or not.) Shazi and Khalid are so adorable and will go to the ends of the earth for each other, but not in an overbearing or controlling way. As it says in the book they don't belong to anyone. They belong together. I feel like that is a good way to look at them. They care so deeply for each other, but they are still independent and are able to function without the other (for the most part).

I wanted to see more of Despina in this book. The parts we did get to see her in, though, were awesome! Girl power!

I loved getting to know Irsa, Shazi's sister, because she showcased another side of Shazi that wasn't shown much in the first book. We get to see her interacting with the family she loves so much, and I really appreciate that.

The plot was also super fun. I won't post any spoilers, but it moved along very nicely and it wasn't predictable to me!

I was lucky enough to get to meet Renee Ahdieh at YA'llWest this year, and she is so sweet! She honestly cares about her readers and her writing!!

The only thing I'm bummed about is that my picture I took with her disappeared from my phone, so that's a bummer!

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book series, including the cute short stories, to just about anyone. They have the fairy tale-esque vibe to them while still being very independent and powerful! I am so glad I was convinced to pick up this series!
  
Solar Bones
Solar Bones
Mike McCormack | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
5
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Slightly predictable giant ramble
Let me just begin by saying there isn't a single full stop in the entire book. That's right. And that's not hyperbole. So reading this gave me a slight headache because you don't know when a thought begins or ends. I struggle to see how this was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize this year. It's about a man who literally goes through his life, all the trials and tribulations. Until the end, you can't see the bigger picture in which you understand to a certain extent about why it is a giant rant. It is interesting at times, but the emphasis on engineering was slightly boring. The best pages are right at the end.