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FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated Picture Us In The Light in Books
May 23, 2018
A Book of the Heart
While many novelists refer to their latest works as “the book of my heart,” in the case of young adult author Kelly Loy Gilbert’s finely crafted, humanistic new effort Picture Us In the Light, that description is entirely justified.
Sensitively penned within the immediately convincing first person point-of-view of our main character, high school senior and aspiring artist Danny Cheng, the author pulls us into Picture’s picturesque world within the very first chapter.
After stumbling upon a mysterious box of his father's and going through it with gusto, Danny begins to wonder just how much his loving but secretive parents have been keeping from him.
Unable to come of age until he can come to terms with unexplained gaps and tragedies in his past, he enlists the help of his two best friends - only to discover that he can’t examine the lives of those closest to him without doing the same himself.
Balancing wry observations and deft characterizations with heavy subject matter, Loy Gilbert foreshadows big twists to come as we move further into the novel. And although it begins with a steady climb, Picture slows down just long enough to ensure that we feel as connected to the characters as they are to each other.
Now sure she’s got you, the author returns to full speed - moving like a bullet train from roughly the hundred page mark all the way through to its bittersweet but very satisfying final chapter.
Written during the tumultuous 2016 election and revised afterward, Loy Gilbert is right on YouTube when she acknowledges the vital role that stories play in this post election world where “facts don't matter,” due to fiction’s empathetic ability to introduce us to people, places, and plights we might not encounter otherwise.
Filled with so much internal and external dramatic mystery that in less gifted hands, Picture could’ve easily resulted in a messy collision of conflicts, although there are a few revelations about both the plot and our protagonist that we’re able to deduce long before he does, the author wraps things up artfully.
Dropping hints and red herrings into sentences and passages so gorgeous that I found myself making multiple notes throughout, Kelly Loy Gilbert never once lets us feel as though she’s taking a shortcut on her way to the book’s resolution.
Relatively new to twenty-first century post-Harry Potter young adult fiction, if I had not received this stunning Picture through the Bookish First raffle, I would’ve completely missed what’s since become one of the best novels I’ve read so far this year.
To put it another way, it’s a book of the heart indeed.
Sensitively penned within the immediately convincing first person point-of-view of our main character, high school senior and aspiring artist Danny Cheng, the author pulls us into Picture’s picturesque world within the very first chapter.
After stumbling upon a mysterious box of his father's and going through it with gusto, Danny begins to wonder just how much his loving but secretive parents have been keeping from him.
Unable to come of age until he can come to terms with unexplained gaps and tragedies in his past, he enlists the help of his two best friends - only to discover that he can’t examine the lives of those closest to him without doing the same himself.
Balancing wry observations and deft characterizations with heavy subject matter, Loy Gilbert foreshadows big twists to come as we move further into the novel. And although it begins with a steady climb, Picture slows down just long enough to ensure that we feel as connected to the characters as they are to each other.
Now sure she’s got you, the author returns to full speed - moving like a bullet train from roughly the hundred page mark all the way through to its bittersweet but very satisfying final chapter.
Written during the tumultuous 2016 election and revised afterward, Loy Gilbert is right on YouTube when she acknowledges the vital role that stories play in this post election world where “facts don't matter,” due to fiction’s empathetic ability to introduce us to people, places, and plights we might not encounter otherwise.
Filled with so much internal and external dramatic mystery that in less gifted hands, Picture could’ve easily resulted in a messy collision of conflicts, although there are a few revelations about both the plot and our protagonist that we’re able to deduce long before he does, the author wraps things up artfully.
Dropping hints and red herrings into sentences and passages so gorgeous that I found myself making multiple notes throughout, Kelly Loy Gilbert never once lets us feel as though she’s taking a shortcut on her way to the book’s resolution.
Relatively new to twenty-first century post-Harry Potter young adult fiction, if I had not received this stunning Picture through the Bookish First raffle, I would’ve completely missed what’s since become one of the best novels I’ve read so far this year.
To put it another way, it’s a book of the heart indeed.
Imagistory: Schools Edition - A Storytelling App
Education and Book
App
"This app is an educators dream come true" - BestAppsforKids.com Review (4.9 Stars) * "This app is...
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated All Is Bright: A Devotional Journey to Color Your Way to Christmas in Books
Jan 2, 2019
I LOVE Christmas! And I LOVE coloring books! What better way to celebrate the season than by coloring a Christmas book? Beginning on December 1 this devotion will carry you through Christmas to New Year's Eve. Each devotion is only one page long and the opposite page is a full picture to color in. The perfect way to relax and express creativity while keeping Christ at the focus of Christmas. Filled with beautiful pictures of angels, nativity scenes, stars, winter, scripture, and patterns. At the end of the book there are Family Activities. Verses and conversation starters and prayer, to discuss Christmas as a family and keep or sights on Jesus in the middle of a busy season. Extra coloring pages are included at the end of the book as well. A beautiful way to bring the story of Christmas into our daily routine. If you enjoy coloring books, this is the perfect one to begin your holidays.
I received a free copy of All is Bright from Tyndale Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I received a free copy of All is Bright from Tyndale Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
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Hitchin' Post and the Tornado Twistin' 4th of July Celebration
9.5
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Merissa (12066 KP) rated Catalyst (Demon Guard #3) in Books
Jan 4, 2021 (Updated Aug 7, 2023)
CATALYST is the third and final book in the Demon Guard series and I really couldn't wait to find out just what would happen with Raith and Nox!
Yet another faction enters the picture, but Raith and Nox are not prepared to take anything at face value these days. They learn the answers to some questions whilst more arise. Ambry regains consciousness, but I'm still not sure she's the one for Raith. Luckily for me, the main arc of this story was Raith and Nox, not the budding romance, so that worked out perfectly for me.
The finale is breathtaking and perfect for the story so far. The epilogue left me with a huge smile on my face. I won't say more as you really should read it for yourself.
Full of action and humour between Raith and Nox, plus some heart-rending moments, this was the perfect ending to the series and highly recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 4, 2021
Yet another faction enters the picture, but Raith and Nox are not prepared to take anything at face value these days. They learn the answers to some questions whilst more arise. Ambry regains consciousness, but I'm still not sure she's the one for Raith. Luckily for me, the main arc of this story was Raith and Nox, not the budding romance, so that worked out perfectly for me.
The finale is breathtaking and perfect for the story so far. The epilogue left me with a huge smile on my face. I won't say more as you really should read it for yourself.
Full of action and humour between Raith and Nox, plus some heart-rending moments, this was the perfect ending to the series and highly recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 4, 2021
Kyera (8 KP) rated Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Sorry, Not Sorry is Naya Rivera's ode to her life. It follows her path from childhood stardom (sort-of) to motherhood with all the trials, tribulations, successes, heartbreak and awkwardness in-between. Her honesty in the book is refreshing and makes me admire her more. She's not perfect and no one is, but she has gone through the good and the bad in her life and come out the other side a stronger person. Naya has very relatable stories and advice for any reader. Her story with Ryan is real and makes you root for them, even if they didn't have a picture perfect start. In her book, she says she set out to write something that was real and I feel that she hit the mark beautifully. She is honest, relatable and inspiring. This is one of the "celebrity" books that I enjoyed reading the most, and would recommend it. It's a quick read, so what are you waiting for?