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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated It in Books
May 16, 2018
As seen first on <a href="http://theghastlygrimoire.com/"; target="_new"><i>The Ghastly Grimoire</i></a>.
If you're looking for an absolute tome of horror to read, It by Stephen King definitely fits that bill. I still prefer The Stand over this book, though. Wrought with the horrific trials visited upon children in the town of Derry, Maine, readers learn to love and loathe an extremely wide range of characters. While much of this book is entertaining, there are a few things I simply cannot condone.
There's a few scenes in here that are sexually graphic. This isn't uncommon in the horror market, and normally doesn't bother me. Only, I made the mistake of laughing off one of my ex's remarks regarding pre-pubescent intercourse and circle-jerking. I'm throwing that out there, in case it's something my readers wish to steer clear of. Not only that, but... Let's just say I prefer the movie's approach to Bev not being afraid, to the actual... what happened in the book, and we'll leave it at that. I cannot stomach some of the scenes of this book, not because they are terrifying, but because they are downright wrong, disgusting, and rather unnecessary.
That rant aside, this massive tome tells two stories alongside one another: the past and present battles with Pennywise the Dancing Clown mingle and cross between one another and, perhaps because I was listening to the audiobook (a whopping 45 hour track, if we're rounding), this made it difficult for me to keep the two straight. In fact, I had to rewind now and then to make sure I was hearing things properly (i.e. aforementioned rant). I've said it before, and I'll say it again: alternating time periods in this manner between the same characters in a story is maddeningly distracting for me.
King's character depth will always astound me. He makes even the briefest characters of his books memorable, giving them a backstory that is fully developed. There are several times he managed to goad emotions out of me that I didn't want to feel, and I love that. Ben Hanscom is by far my favorite, perhaps because in many ways, we share similar childhoods. Parents that care, the bullies, the blossoming from pre-pubescent torture - though the entire Loser's Club endured this, I feel Hanscom had it worst. Not counting Eddie's run in with Henry. His heartfelt devotion for Bev is mesmerizing, and I can only hope they had their happy-ending.
Which... is heartbreaking, in its own right. While I have no doubt there are many things about the sewers of Derry that would be horrible to live with for the rest of your life, can you imagine forgetting chunks of your life, of your past? It has to be absolutely disorienting, and readers can feel it in the conclusion of Bill and Audra's future. They'll never know the incident that happened, nor will they remember their childhood friends whom they loved.
On a brighter note, Steven Weber, the narrator for several of King's books, puts on a dazzling performance in It. He's easily carried away now and then, and it's nice to have a reader that is truly invested into the material he's recording. Weber earns a spot right next to Amanda Dolan as one of my all-time favorite narrators and this production is amazing.
Reluctantly, I have compromised with myself to give this a mid-grade rating. I am a tough critic, and this is something that has caused disagreements between myself and other readers, but in the end, there are elements of this book I simply cannot accept, no matter whose hand wrote them.
Fun fact: My fear of clowns began when I was eight years old and witnessed Tim Curry's Pennywise. It ended with Bill Skarsgard's.
If you're looking for an absolute tome of horror to read, It by Stephen King definitely fits that bill. I still prefer The Stand over this book, though. Wrought with the horrific trials visited upon children in the town of Derry, Maine, readers learn to love and loathe an extremely wide range of characters. While much of this book is entertaining, there are a few things I simply cannot condone.
There's a few scenes in here that are sexually graphic. This isn't uncommon in the horror market, and normally doesn't bother me. Only, I made the mistake of laughing off one of my ex's remarks regarding pre-pubescent intercourse and circle-jerking. I'm throwing that out there, in case it's something my readers wish to steer clear of. Not only that, but... Let's just say I prefer the movie's approach to Bev not being afraid, to the actual... what happened in the book, and we'll leave it at that. I cannot stomach some of the scenes of this book, not because they are terrifying, but because they are downright wrong, disgusting, and rather unnecessary.
That rant aside, this massive tome tells two stories alongside one another: the past and present battles with Pennywise the Dancing Clown mingle and cross between one another and, perhaps because I was listening to the audiobook (a whopping 45 hour track, if we're rounding), this made it difficult for me to keep the two straight. In fact, I had to rewind now and then to make sure I was hearing things properly (i.e. aforementioned rant). I've said it before, and I'll say it again: alternating time periods in this manner between the same characters in a story is maddeningly distracting for me.
King's character depth will always astound me. He makes even the briefest characters of his books memorable, giving them a backstory that is fully developed. There are several times he managed to goad emotions out of me that I didn't want to feel, and I love that. Ben Hanscom is by far my favorite, perhaps because in many ways, we share similar childhoods. Parents that care, the bullies, the blossoming from pre-pubescent torture - though the entire Loser's Club endured this, I feel Hanscom had it worst. Not counting Eddie's run in with Henry. His heartfelt devotion for Bev is mesmerizing, and I can only hope they had their happy-ending.
Which... is heartbreaking, in its own right. While I have no doubt there are many things about the sewers of Derry that would be horrible to live with for the rest of your life, can you imagine forgetting chunks of your life, of your past? It has to be absolutely disorienting, and readers can feel it in the conclusion of Bill and Audra's future. They'll never know the incident that happened, nor will they remember their childhood friends whom they loved.
On a brighter note, Steven Weber, the narrator for several of King's books, puts on a dazzling performance in It. He's easily carried away now and then, and it's nice to have a reader that is truly invested into the material he's recording. Weber earns a spot right next to Amanda Dolan as one of my all-time favorite narrators and this production is amazing.
Reluctantly, I have compromised with myself to give this a mid-grade rating. I am a tough critic, and this is something that has caused disagreements between myself and other readers, but in the end, there are elements of this book I simply cannot accept, no matter whose hand wrote them.
Fun fact: My fear of clowns began when I was eight years old and witnessed Tim Curry's Pennywise. It ended with Bill Skarsgard's.
The Book of Life is the third book in the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness. It is time to finish the war that had begun; only this time our characters find that the amount of people backing them is more than expected. As Diana and Mathew continue trying to take down the existing laws and all they stand for, they gain a huge occasion to celebrate, two new infants, who prove that everything that was once known was wrong and begins to put everyone else into questioning mindsets. With their new information and better understandings about each other and themselves from their previous adventures, Diana and Mathew begin the tedious task of going against century old laws in a very direct way that has their family and friends concerned and willing to fight alongside them, especially when the darkest secret has to be faced once and for all.
Like its predecessors before it, The Book of Life is a well-written book that causes emotions to rise to the surface. Harkness is able to cause the feeling of urgency making the reader want to read faster because it could save a life or change a policy that is in place and needs to be changed. I find this to be surprising and often a bit anxiety ridden because I had grown attached to the characters and hated to feel like danger was around the corner and nothing was going to stop it. And though the book was fast paced and kept me turning pages, I find that I wish a little more time would have been given to some characters in the Congregation. I feel it would have helped the story out a bit, though it would have probably added more pages to the already 500+ page book.
I really enjoyed how the character grew and thought that it did finish the story up with a nice red bow. I could see smaller novels or other adventures the main characters could embark on, but even without it I don’t mind. It was very entertaining. It brought up some major questions into view on survival of creature of all kinds and even answered questions on how vampires, witches and daemons are connected in this storyline. The ideas that The Book of Life present to the reader, helps them appreciate life as it is and really begin to gain some prespective of that of what we question more often than not. Even though it is fiction and these creatures don’t exist, you once again wonder if maybe it could happen. And if it did happen and was happening around us now, would it be like what this delicious story had us to see, or would it be something else.
Though the book kept me thinking and exploring ideas that stemmed off its vision, I find that I am questioning a few smaller details of the characters, even though it had revealed some of those answers, I felt like it could’ve been elaborated on to give the reader a better idea on how the main characters came up with this solution or explanation. Even with the few critiques I have mention, I still rather enjoyed the book and found that only after putting a ton of deep thought into it did I find any issues to begin with.
I would recommend The Book of Life to anyone who has read the first two books in the trilogy. It would create a ton of confusion if you just picked this book up and started reading it without the prior knowledge from the first two books in the All Souls Trilogy. I would rate this book 3 stars out of 4 stars.
Like its predecessors before it, The Book of Life is a well-written book that causes emotions to rise to the surface. Harkness is able to cause the feeling of urgency making the reader want to read faster because it could save a life or change a policy that is in place and needs to be changed. I find this to be surprising and often a bit anxiety ridden because I had grown attached to the characters and hated to feel like danger was around the corner and nothing was going to stop it. And though the book was fast paced and kept me turning pages, I find that I wish a little more time would have been given to some characters in the Congregation. I feel it would have helped the story out a bit, though it would have probably added more pages to the already 500+ page book.
I really enjoyed how the character grew and thought that it did finish the story up with a nice red bow. I could see smaller novels or other adventures the main characters could embark on, but even without it I don’t mind. It was very entertaining. It brought up some major questions into view on survival of creature of all kinds and even answered questions on how vampires, witches and daemons are connected in this storyline. The ideas that The Book of Life present to the reader, helps them appreciate life as it is and really begin to gain some prespective of that of what we question more often than not. Even though it is fiction and these creatures don’t exist, you once again wonder if maybe it could happen. And if it did happen and was happening around us now, would it be like what this delicious story had us to see, or would it be something else.
Though the book kept me thinking and exploring ideas that stemmed off its vision, I find that I am questioning a few smaller details of the characters, even though it had revealed some of those answers, I felt like it could’ve been elaborated on to give the reader a better idea on how the main characters came up with this solution or explanation. Even with the few critiques I have mention, I still rather enjoyed the book and found that only after putting a ton of deep thought into it did I find any issues to begin with.
I would recommend The Book of Life to anyone who has read the first two books in the trilogy. It would create a ton of confusion if you just picked this book up and started reading it without the prior knowledge from the first two books in the All Souls Trilogy. I would rate this book 3 stars out of 4 stars.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Mountain in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I was really looking forward to this book because I’d seen loads of great reviews for it, unfortunately I did not enjoy this for a number of reasons… let me explain.
I want to start off this review on a positive note. I did initially enjoy this book. It was slow to take off and the accident in the Bletterbach was gone in seconds (when it seemed like such an important part of the plot!) but the mystery of the years old Bletterbach killings did grab my interest quite quickly and I was looking forward to knowing what the hell happened. Unfortunately, that’s where the good things I have to say end.
This book was so ridiculously drawn out and slow, it really couldn’t grab my attention for very long. I would read about 30 pages and then put it down because I was so bored by all the tedious, pointless descriptions and scene that weren’t necessary to progress the plot. Most of this novel was conversations between two people, that 90% of the time ended with no further information or revelations to the mystery. Then, the bits that weren’t people talking were extremely long, often times overly scientifics bit of information that I think were meant to be eye-opening and exciting, but instead they often confused me and were extremely boring to read.
The writing in this one was also a little weird. I always find I have a bit of trouble with translated books – they feel clunky to read – and this one felt just the same. The conversations that were had between people felt forced and unrealistic most of the time and there was no atmosphere whatsoever. When Salinger was down in the Bletterbach before the accident, there was no nail-biting edge of the seat moment, and again, when he was experiencing his panic attacks, these was no tension or feeling of claustrophobia. I was hoping this was going to give me the same creeped out, terrified feelings that The White Road did, but it let me down.
I thought that maybe while I was being put to sleep by the slow moving story, I might enjoy the characters, however I was disappointed by those too. More specifically, by Salinger, our main character. I hated him. I really, really hated him. He didn’t progress as a character after everything he had been through and no matter how many times his wife came to him angry and distraught at what he was doing. Throughout the novel he was just an awful person, always thinking about throwing a punch and being inconsiderate to other people. There really was nothing nice about him. And then the other characters in the story played such small parts that we really didn’t get to know them very well. Even Werner who seemed to play an important part of the story didn’t get much “screen” time.
In the end, I skim read the last 100 pages of this novel! I’m still counting it as a full read because I pushed myself through <b><i>t h r e e h u n d r e d</b></i> tedious pages. The conclusion of the mystery was disappointing to say the least and I’m glad I didn’t attempt to read the rest of the story.
Overall, I really didn’t enjoy this book, apart from maybe the first 50 pages. I wouldn’t recommend this one, I think there are plenty of better similar books out there that you could pick up instead.
<i>Thanks to Bookbridgr and MacLehose Press for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. I’m just sorry I didn’t enjoy it!</i>
I want to start off this review on a positive note. I did initially enjoy this book. It was slow to take off and the accident in the Bletterbach was gone in seconds (when it seemed like such an important part of the plot!) but the mystery of the years old Bletterbach killings did grab my interest quite quickly and I was looking forward to knowing what the hell happened. Unfortunately, that’s where the good things I have to say end.
This book was so ridiculously drawn out and slow, it really couldn’t grab my attention for very long. I would read about 30 pages and then put it down because I was so bored by all the tedious, pointless descriptions and scene that weren’t necessary to progress the plot. Most of this novel was conversations between two people, that 90% of the time ended with no further information or revelations to the mystery. Then, the bits that weren’t people talking were extremely long, often times overly scientifics bit of information that I think were meant to be eye-opening and exciting, but instead they often confused me and were extremely boring to read.
The writing in this one was also a little weird. I always find I have a bit of trouble with translated books – they feel clunky to read – and this one felt just the same. The conversations that were had between people felt forced and unrealistic most of the time and there was no atmosphere whatsoever. When Salinger was down in the Bletterbach before the accident, there was no nail-biting edge of the seat moment, and again, when he was experiencing his panic attacks, these was no tension or feeling of claustrophobia. I was hoping this was going to give me the same creeped out, terrified feelings that The White Road did, but it let me down.
I thought that maybe while I was being put to sleep by the slow moving story, I might enjoy the characters, however I was disappointed by those too. More specifically, by Salinger, our main character. I hated him. I really, really hated him. He didn’t progress as a character after everything he had been through and no matter how many times his wife came to him angry and distraught at what he was doing. Throughout the novel he was just an awful person, always thinking about throwing a punch and being inconsiderate to other people. There really was nothing nice about him. And then the other characters in the story played such small parts that we really didn’t get to know them very well. Even Werner who seemed to play an important part of the story didn’t get much “screen” time.
In the end, I skim read the last 100 pages of this novel! I’m still counting it as a full read because I pushed myself through <b><i>t h r e e h u n d r e d</b></i> tedious pages. The conclusion of the mystery was disappointing to say the least and I’m glad I didn’t attempt to read the rest of the story.
Overall, I really didn’t enjoy this book, apart from maybe the first 50 pages. I wouldn’t recommend this one, I think there are plenty of better similar books out there that you could pick up instead.
<i>Thanks to Bookbridgr and MacLehose Press for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. I’m just sorry I didn’t enjoy it!</i>
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry has been one of the books I'd been looking forward to reading even before it came out. I finally caved in and bought the book off of Amazon. I must say that it was money definitely well spent!!
Echo is a senior in high school who goes from being one of the most popular girls to a social outcast almost overnight. There was something that happened to her to make her become a social pariah. It has something to do with the scars on her arms, but she can't remember what happened. Noah is a stoner bad boy who has a bit of a reputation when it comes to girls. He's been around the block when it comes to girls. However, he didn't bargain for Echo. Can Noah help Echo remember?
I love the title of Pushing the Limits. It is a very suitable title especially when it comes to Noah and Echo. Each character must push their limits in this book.
I'm not really big on the cover. In fact, I really don't like it. To me, it's a rather bland cover. Again, this book takes the easy way out by just featuring a photo of Echo and Noah. I do prefer the US cover to this book, but even that one isn't great. Still, don't judge this book by its cover because otherwise you are missing out!
The author definitely got the pacing right with this story. It is not dull at all, but is, in fact, a very thrilling, fast-paced story. The chapters flow into each other very easily. Not once does the pacing slip with Pushing the Limits.
I enjoyed the dialogue between the characters in this story. Even the internal dialogue was very good. The only thing that really annoyed me was how Noah went on about how hot Echo was, how great her body was, etc. I know he's a teenage guy, but come on, he's supposed to be in love with her. It seemed to me, based on his dialogue, that a lot of the times what he was feeling was more lust than love. I also hate how he called Echo "baby" all the time!!! GGGRRR, a few times here and there was enough, but all the time!?!
So yes, this brings me on to the characters. I thought the characters felt very real. They were definitely well thought out. My favourite character was Beth. I loved her sarcasm, and sarcastic characters just seem to win me over all the time! The character of Echo was well planned. She came across as a confused teenager who just wants answers which, I believe, is what the author was trying to portray. Echo is a character who is very easy to relate with and very easy to like. Noah is also a well developed character, but I just found him annoying as stated in the previous paragraph. He came across as way too much of a horn dog for my liking.
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry is definitely a well executed and emotional story. The plot is amazing, and the characters feel real. I felt that there was at least one character featured in the story that everyone could relate to.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that this is one of those books that everyone should read before they die!
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry gets a 4.5 out of 5 from me.
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry has been one of the books I'd been looking forward to reading even before it came out. I finally caved in and bought the book off of Amazon. I must say that it was money definitely well spent!!
Echo is a senior in high school who goes from being one of the most popular girls to a social outcast almost overnight. There was something that happened to her to make her become a social pariah. It has something to do with the scars on her arms, but she can't remember what happened. Noah is a stoner bad boy who has a bit of a reputation when it comes to girls. He's been around the block when it comes to girls. However, he didn't bargain for Echo. Can Noah help Echo remember?
I love the title of Pushing the Limits. It is a very suitable title especially when it comes to Noah and Echo. Each character must push their limits in this book.
I'm not really big on the cover. In fact, I really don't like it. To me, it's a rather bland cover. Again, this book takes the easy way out by just featuring a photo of Echo and Noah. I do prefer the US cover to this book, but even that one isn't great. Still, don't judge this book by its cover because otherwise you are missing out!
The author definitely got the pacing right with this story. It is not dull at all, but is, in fact, a very thrilling, fast-paced story. The chapters flow into each other very easily. Not once does the pacing slip with Pushing the Limits.
I enjoyed the dialogue between the characters in this story. Even the internal dialogue was very good. The only thing that really annoyed me was how Noah went on about how hot Echo was, how great her body was, etc. I know he's a teenage guy, but come on, he's supposed to be in love with her. It seemed to me, based on his dialogue, that a lot of the times what he was feeling was more lust than love. I also hate how he called Echo "baby" all the time!!! GGGRRR, a few times here and there was enough, but all the time!?!
So yes, this brings me on to the characters. I thought the characters felt very real. They were definitely well thought out. My favourite character was Beth. I loved her sarcasm, and sarcastic characters just seem to win me over all the time! The character of Echo was well planned. She came across as a confused teenager who just wants answers which, I believe, is what the author was trying to portray. Echo is a character who is very easy to relate with and very easy to like. Noah is also a well developed character, but I just found him annoying as stated in the previous paragraph. He came across as way too much of a horn dog for my liking.
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry is definitely a well executed and emotional story. The plot is amazing, and the characters feel real. I felt that there was at least one character featured in the story that everyone could relate to.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that this is one of those books that everyone should read before they die!
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry gets a 4.5 out of 5 from me.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Summer of New Beginnings (Magnolia Grove #1) in Books
Oct 21, 2018
Very Realistic Characters (3 more)
Well Written Plot
True Life Events
A Feel Good Story
All the Feels!
I had heard of the author Bette Lee Crosby before, and I had been meaning to read her books. Many people had actually recommended her books to me. After a Facebook live party, I finally decided to read her women's fiction novel The Summer of New Beginnings. I'm glad I did because it was so good!
The pacing moved at a very relaxing, consistent style. Not once did I grow bored wishing the pacing, nor did I find myself too lost because it was too fast. The pacing was just perfect.
I enjoyed the plot and world building of The Summer of New Beginnings very much. It felt very true to life and very believable. I won't rehash the book synopsis because it describes what happens so beautifully. I loved watching the sisters grow and seeing how they dealt with the hardships the life threw at them. Although this book is mostly focuses on Meghan, the younger sister, The Summer of New Beginnings gives us glimpses into how older sister Tracey is dealing with her problems (and boy, does she have a big one in the form of Dominic) as well as the girls' mother Lila having to deal with her husband's death and looking after her girls. Miss Crosby had me hanging on every word she had written in this book. The way she writes is magical! I was instantly transported to the world of Magnolia Grove every time I would start reading The Summer of New Beginnings.
Every single character in The Summer of New Beginnings, whether they were minor or major, felt like a very real person. I would even dare to say that characters in this book felt more alive than any other book I have read! I loved every character in The Summer of New Beginnings, except for Dominic, but only because he was a jerk, not due to how he was written! Meghan was definitely my favorite. I loved her caring attitude and how she always made sure everyone was taken care of. She was so loving and selfless. I also loved Sox. He sounded so adorable and sweet. I wanted to just snuggle with him myself. I loved reading about Tracey finally taking some responsibility although it's a shame she had to put up with what she did. Lila was such a lovely mother doting on her girls no matter how old they were or what they had done wrong. Tom was such a nice guy. It was hard to find fault with him, and I never did! Gabriel had overcome something major, and it was nice to see him give back to his community to help out. Lucas was so sweet. I fell in love with that little boy right away. It probably helps that I have a little boy of my own too, ha! As I've said before, all of the characters in The Summer of New Beginnings were fantastic!
The Summer of New Beginnings is a pretty clean read. Nothing was too graphic or drawn out. Trigger warnings include kissing (not steamy), mild swearing (only a couple of minor swear words that I noticed), drinking (only a glass of wine here and there and Dominic being drunk a few times), and the death of Meghan's father in the beginning of the book.
Overall, The Summer of New Beginnings is just a feel good read. It's just super sweet, and the whole book is written beautifully. I would definitely recommend The Summer of New Beginnings by Bette Lee Crosby to everyone aged 15+. I know it is considered Women's Fiction, but I think a lot of men who read would like this one too.
The pacing moved at a very relaxing, consistent style. Not once did I grow bored wishing the pacing, nor did I find myself too lost because it was too fast. The pacing was just perfect.
I enjoyed the plot and world building of The Summer of New Beginnings very much. It felt very true to life and very believable. I won't rehash the book synopsis because it describes what happens so beautifully. I loved watching the sisters grow and seeing how they dealt with the hardships the life threw at them. Although this book is mostly focuses on Meghan, the younger sister, The Summer of New Beginnings gives us glimpses into how older sister Tracey is dealing with her problems (and boy, does she have a big one in the form of Dominic) as well as the girls' mother Lila having to deal with her husband's death and looking after her girls. Miss Crosby had me hanging on every word she had written in this book. The way she writes is magical! I was instantly transported to the world of Magnolia Grove every time I would start reading The Summer of New Beginnings.
Every single character in The Summer of New Beginnings, whether they were minor or major, felt like a very real person. I would even dare to say that characters in this book felt more alive than any other book I have read! I loved every character in The Summer of New Beginnings, except for Dominic, but only because he was a jerk, not due to how he was written! Meghan was definitely my favorite. I loved her caring attitude and how she always made sure everyone was taken care of. She was so loving and selfless. I also loved Sox. He sounded so adorable and sweet. I wanted to just snuggle with him myself. I loved reading about Tracey finally taking some responsibility although it's a shame she had to put up with what she did. Lila was such a lovely mother doting on her girls no matter how old they were or what they had done wrong. Tom was such a nice guy. It was hard to find fault with him, and I never did! Gabriel had overcome something major, and it was nice to see him give back to his community to help out. Lucas was so sweet. I fell in love with that little boy right away. It probably helps that I have a little boy of my own too, ha! As I've said before, all of the characters in The Summer of New Beginnings were fantastic!
The Summer of New Beginnings is a pretty clean read. Nothing was too graphic or drawn out. Trigger warnings include kissing (not steamy), mild swearing (only a couple of minor swear words that I noticed), drinking (only a glass of wine here and there and Dominic being drunk a few times), and the death of Meghan's father in the beginning of the book.
Overall, The Summer of New Beginnings is just a feel good read. It's just super sweet, and the whole book is written beautifully. I would definitely recommend The Summer of New Beginnings by Bette Lee Crosby to everyone aged 15+. I know it is considered Women's Fiction, but I think a lot of men who read would like this one too.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James in Books
Jun 21, 2019
Sunny St. James is twelve and getting a new heart. She was diagnosed at the age of ten with cardiomyopathy: a failing heart. That was two years ago. Sunny’s been through a lot in her short life. Her dad passed away in an accident right after she was born. When she was four, her mom, Lena, couldn’t take care of her anymore, so she gave her to her best friend, Kate. Kate and Sunny moved to Juniper Island, where Kate runs Cherry Picked Books. And recently, Sunny’s best friendship with Margot ended. But she’s getting a heart transplant, and everything is going to change now. Sunny even has a new life plan, which includes finding a new best friend and kissing some boys. So when she meets Quinn, a new girl, on the beach, it seems like all the pieces of her plan are coming together. But Quinn makes Sunny question some things—including whether she wants to kiss boys at all.
“I’m going to die today. Definitely for a few minutes and maybe forever. Kate keeps telling me no way, nohow is it going to be forever, but she isn’t the one who’s about to have her most important internal organ switched out like a new swimsuit at the start of the summer.”
Oh this book, this book. Ashley Herring Blake did it again. She is just such a wonderful, wonderful writer. I simply fell head over heels for Sunny, who stole my heart from the first pages of this beautiful book. She is strong, vulnerable, and a darling character who came to life through Blake’s lovely writing. She goes through so much in her life—and in the chapters of this book—and yet there’s so much hope and laughter. I cannot even describe it. The book opens with Sunny’s transplant and then we move on from there, as she works to implement her three-step plan:
“Step One: Do awesome amazing things I could never do before. Step Two: Find a new best friend. Step Three: Find a boy and kiss him.”
To Sunny’s twelve-year-old reasoning, it all makes perfect sense. She has a new heart, so it’s a perfect time to be a new person. In fact, with the new heart, there’s no reason to feel the things she felt before, which might have included some desires to kiss girls. When she meets Quinn on the beach—Quinn and her mom are in town for the summer, as Quinn’s mom is a nature photographer—they become fast friends. It seems like they will be on a quest to kiss boys together. But things quickly go awry (seriously – there are some hilarious comedic scenes as the two attempt to kiss some boys). This book does such an amazing job at capturing the loneliness of young gay kids. I so wish there books like this around when I was a teen. Sunny is so sweet, so real, and so raw as she works through her confusion about liking girls. This is such a wonderful and needed book for middle schoolers (and everyone)—for queer kids as they try to figure out things like Sunny and for the allies who need to support them. I wish everyone could read it. Not only does Sunny struggle with her feelings about liking girls and boys, but she must deal with the return of her long-lost mother, Lena. In another book, these two storylines might feel crowded, but Blake handles them deftly.
And it’s such a lovely story at its heart—because, truly, it’s a book about hearts and those you love and who love you. I defy you to read this book and not fall in love with Sunny St. James. She is a character who will stick with you long after you read the last page. Blake has created yet another lasting story through her magical words. I highly recommend this book. 4.5+ stars.
“I’m going to die today. Definitely for a few minutes and maybe forever. Kate keeps telling me no way, nohow is it going to be forever, but she isn’t the one who’s about to have her most important internal organ switched out like a new swimsuit at the start of the summer.”
Oh this book, this book. Ashley Herring Blake did it again. She is just such a wonderful, wonderful writer. I simply fell head over heels for Sunny, who stole my heart from the first pages of this beautiful book. She is strong, vulnerable, and a darling character who came to life through Blake’s lovely writing. She goes through so much in her life—and in the chapters of this book—and yet there’s so much hope and laughter. I cannot even describe it. The book opens with Sunny’s transplant and then we move on from there, as she works to implement her three-step plan:
“Step One: Do awesome amazing things I could never do before. Step Two: Find a new best friend. Step Three: Find a boy and kiss him.”
To Sunny’s twelve-year-old reasoning, it all makes perfect sense. She has a new heart, so it’s a perfect time to be a new person. In fact, with the new heart, there’s no reason to feel the things she felt before, which might have included some desires to kiss girls. When she meets Quinn on the beach—Quinn and her mom are in town for the summer, as Quinn’s mom is a nature photographer—they become fast friends. It seems like they will be on a quest to kiss boys together. But things quickly go awry (seriously – there are some hilarious comedic scenes as the two attempt to kiss some boys). This book does such an amazing job at capturing the loneliness of young gay kids. I so wish there books like this around when I was a teen. Sunny is so sweet, so real, and so raw as she works through her confusion about liking girls. This is such a wonderful and needed book for middle schoolers (and everyone)—for queer kids as they try to figure out things like Sunny and for the allies who need to support them. I wish everyone could read it. Not only does Sunny struggle with her feelings about liking girls and boys, but she must deal with the return of her long-lost mother, Lena. In another book, these two storylines might feel crowded, but Blake handles them deftly.
And it’s such a lovely story at its heart—because, truly, it’s a book about hearts and those you love and who love you. I defy you to read this book and not fall in love with Sunny St. James. She is a character who will stick with you long after you read the last page. Blake has created yet another lasting story through her magical words. I highly recommend this book. 4.5+ stars.
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Breaking Glass in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review will be up on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a> in September).
If you've been following my blog/reviews, you will know that I love anything to do with beyond the grave! Ghosts are a sure fire way to make me pick up a book and read it instantly! Luckily, this book was a really interesting read and helped me keep my faith in those type of books.
The title is definitely an interesting one. It made me thing of a type of mystery book, which this is somewhat. Also, after reading the blurb, I thought maybe this would be about the main character having a break down.
I'm on the fence about the cover. On the one hand, I love the different images on the cover. They give me a sort of creepy feel. On the other hand, I wish the cover would've been an image from the book or gave us more insight to the book.
I love how the author draws you into Jeremy's world quite easily. I felt as if everything that was happening to Jeremy was happening to me. I could visualize the world quite easily. The only thing that kind of made me have a "hmm" moment was when The Book of the Dead disappears from Jeremy's room, but it just kind of turns up again in another chapter without any explanation. That's a totally minor thing, and all the other loose ends of the story are all tied up by the ending. The world building is just amazing!
Before I picked up this book, I felt as if it would start out slow at first and then pick up speed. How wrong I was! From the very first sentence, the pacing is spot on. Not once did I become bored with this book. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. I was hanging on every word, even at the ending! (And don't worry, there isn't any sort of cliff hanger ending. I just didn't want it to end).
I very much enjoyed the plot. I felt this was more of a whodunnit type plot. Jeremy is convinced someone murdered Susannah, so he's trying to solve the mystery as soon as possible all while feeling like he is being haunted by Susannah's ghost. There is some romantic elements, but it's not the main focus. Oh, and I loved the twists involving Susannah! There's even one about Ryan that I figured out with all the context clues before his secret was revealed.
The characters were written superbly! Jeremy Glass feels like an average angry teenager. Now when I say angry, I don't mean angsty or emo or immature. He's been through a lot including watching his mother die and dealing with his injury. Now he's convinced his best friend is missing. Jeremy's got a lot on his plate, and if I were him, I'd be angry too. I loved his sarcasm and wit even if it was to mask how he was feeling most of the time. We don't really get to see much of Susannah's character except when Jeremy believes he is seeing her ghost and what he finds out about her personality. The girl obviously had problems, but for a character whose presence is more ethereal, the author does a fantastic job of making her come alive (no pun intended). I would've loved to know more about Marisa especially her back story such as where she came from and why she moved to the United States. The book says she's an immigrant, but I would've just liked to know a bit more. I liked the character of Ryan. At first, I thought he was a bit of an idiot and really selfish, but as the story progresses, I came to see that Ryan had his reasons for acting the way he did. I really enjoyed Trudy's back story!
There is a lot of swearing in this book, but I don't believe it's over the top. Teenagers swear, and it's a part of life. The swearing in this book makes it more believable. I understand why a lot of young adult writers don't include swearing, but for this book, the swearing worked. Overall, the dialogue is easy to understand and very believable. There were some times where I felt that Jeremy was older then 17, but after all that he'd been through, I figured it was down to all he'd been through.
Overall, Breaking Glass is one of the most intriguing books that I've read. It's one of those books that makes you ponder whether or not the main character is going crazy or is he actually experiencing everything around him.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ (due to language and themes) who like trying to solve mysteries and are looking for a book to wake up their brain.
I'd give Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz a 4.75 out of 5.
If you've been following my blog/reviews, you will know that I love anything to do with beyond the grave! Ghosts are a sure fire way to make me pick up a book and read it instantly! Luckily, this book was a really interesting read and helped me keep my faith in those type of books.
The title is definitely an interesting one. It made me thing of a type of mystery book, which this is somewhat. Also, after reading the blurb, I thought maybe this would be about the main character having a break down.
I'm on the fence about the cover. On the one hand, I love the different images on the cover. They give me a sort of creepy feel. On the other hand, I wish the cover would've been an image from the book or gave us more insight to the book.
I love how the author draws you into Jeremy's world quite easily. I felt as if everything that was happening to Jeremy was happening to me. I could visualize the world quite easily. The only thing that kind of made me have a "hmm" moment was when The Book of the Dead disappears from Jeremy's room, but it just kind of turns up again in another chapter without any explanation. That's a totally minor thing, and all the other loose ends of the story are all tied up by the ending. The world building is just amazing!
Before I picked up this book, I felt as if it would start out slow at first and then pick up speed. How wrong I was! From the very first sentence, the pacing is spot on. Not once did I become bored with this book. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. I was hanging on every word, even at the ending! (And don't worry, there isn't any sort of cliff hanger ending. I just didn't want it to end).
I very much enjoyed the plot. I felt this was more of a whodunnit type plot. Jeremy is convinced someone murdered Susannah, so he's trying to solve the mystery as soon as possible all while feeling like he is being haunted by Susannah's ghost. There is some romantic elements, but it's not the main focus. Oh, and I loved the twists involving Susannah! There's even one about Ryan that I figured out with all the context clues before his secret was revealed.
The characters were written superbly! Jeremy Glass feels like an average angry teenager. Now when I say angry, I don't mean angsty or emo or immature. He's been through a lot including watching his mother die and dealing with his injury. Now he's convinced his best friend is missing. Jeremy's got a lot on his plate, and if I were him, I'd be angry too. I loved his sarcasm and wit even if it was to mask how he was feeling most of the time. We don't really get to see much of Susannah's character except when Jeremy believes he is seeing her ghost and what he finds out about her personality. The girl obviously had problems, but for a character whose presence is more ethereal, the author does a fantastic job of making her come alive (no pun intended). I would've loved to know more about Marisa especially her back story such as where she came from and why she moved to the United States. The book says she's an immigrant, but I would've just liked to know a bit more. I liked the character of Ryan. At first, I thought he was a bit of an idiot and really selfish, but as the story progresses, I came to see that Ryan had his reasons for acting the way he did. I really enjoyed Trudy's back story!
There is a lot of swearing in this book, but I don't believe it's over the top. Teenagers swear, and it's a part of life. The swearing in this book makes it more believable. I understand why a lot of young adult writers don't include swearing, but for this book, the swearing worked. Overall, the dialogue is easy to understand and very believable. There were some times where I felt that Jeremy was older then 17, but after all that he'd been through, I figured it was down to all he'd been through.
Overall, Breaking Glass is one of the most intriguing books that I've read. It's one of those books that makes you ponder whether or not the main character is going crazy or is he actually experiencing everything around him.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ (due to language and themes) who like trying to solve mysteries and are looking for a book to wake up their brain.
I'd give Breaking Glass by Lisa Amowitz a 4.75 out of 5.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Monster High (Monster High, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I am twenty years old and I loved this book more than I think an intelligent college student should. There were just way to many things that kept me from not turning the pages and walking away. In fact, I have only one negative thing to say about this book.
This is a book meant strictly for pleasure reading for fantasy and novels alike. While it kept true to the high school novel feel, it also had enough fantasy to make it that much more interesting than just high school girls worrying about losing their boy toys. It was similar to any other young adult novel I have read except for the one factor making it completely different: it revolves around the descendents of monsters. If it wasnt for that, I probably would have hated this book. I have always loved everything to do with fantast monsters and creatures. The fact that Mattel created a doll series about it was cute, but the book made it enjoyable for an audience older than seven years of age.
Quite honestly, I am tired of all the criticism of this book. It is meant to be a light-hearted, moral teaching novel meant for young adults, therefore, it is meant to relatable by teens. All the slang that the students use is how the real world is, people. I am sorry if you dont understand their lingo, but its how kids are, especially high schoolers. They invent words that they think are cool and some tend to catch on. Melodys family is from Beverly Hills. Why wouldnt they have designer clothes? Frankie was born 15 days ago. What else would she wear but what magazines and the media tell her to, which just happens to be designer clothing. As for the celebrity names dropped, this is not in the leagues of Lewis or Tolkien. Few people will read this in 50 years when the current generation doesnt know who Lady Gaga or Justin Beiber is. This was meant for the generation here and now.
This is not a deep novel people. There is no great mission by amazing warriors meant to save the world. The romance is just that: cute teen romance. No sex and no deep involved feeling that are too complicated. If this novel was not grown up for you, then you probably shouldnt be picking up books from the young adult section. Try some Lukyanenko novels and then talk to me. Thanks.
Moving on. The books two main female characters are Melody and Frankie Stein. The description is a bit misleading, however. Frankie and Melody actually dont even really talk to each until the end. Before tragedy strikes, bringing them together, the two are lost in their own little worlds, hardly even concerned with each other. Both girls are focused on making it a new community and high school, while dealing with major crushes and vicious students. Each makes their own friends. Ones are psychotic back-stabbers that need to have cell phone service banned and barred. The others are true and stand behind her even if they dont agree with her.
The characters were adorable, crazy, funny, and had so much well character. It was easy to tell one from another and I absolutely loved reading about them interacting with each other. Most of the novel had me either laughing, or setting the book aside until I could get over my empathetic embarrassment. I found myself sympathizing with all the characters points of view even though none of them know the whole picture like the reader does. Not to mention, sharing Frankies frustration. I was with her 100% even though I kept telling myself her parents way was the safest. How could you not feel frustrated when everyone was telling her to have pride in what she was and the forcing who to hide what she was? Hypocritical much? I thought so.
Now to the only negative thing I have to say about this book: I wanted to continuously shut Melody down. I found it down right annoying that she thought she knew how Jackson (Dr. Jekylls grandson) and Frankie (Frankensteins granddaughter) felt about being outcasts just because she had a nose she considered ugly. Are you kidding me? Really? I thought this was a poor attempt by Harrison to give Melody and Frankie some common ground. Being made fun of because of your nose is nowhere near the devastation of being hunted down because your grandfather was a chemical addict or a stitched together living doll. Oh, I am sure that it was tragic enough for Melody, but how dare she say she understood what it was like. Melody was never in mortal danger for her difference, so please, honey, get off your self-righteous horse.
The main reason I loved this book so much was because it was so distracting. It was such a light and fluffy book about the simplicity that is high school life. It was refreshing from all these novels nowadays where the protagonist is the only person capable of saving the world, their loved, blah blah blah, while the protagonist is some immensely powerful being. Note to writers: that scenario is getting old real quick.
This is a book meant strictly for pleasure reading for fantasy and novels alike. While it kept true to the high school novel feel, it also had enough fantasy to make it that much more interesting than just high school girls worrying about losing their boy toys. It was similar to any other young adult novel I have read except for the one factor making it completely different: it revolves around the descendents of monsters. If it wasnt for that, I probably would have hated this book. I have always loved everything to do with fantast monsters and creatures. The fact that Mattel created a doll series about it was cute, but the book made it enjoyable for an audience older than seven years of age.
Quite honestly, I am tired of all the criticism of this book. It is meant to be a light-hearted, moral teaching novel meant for young adults, therefore, it is meant to relatable by teens. All the slang that the students use is how the real world is, people. I am sorry if you dont understand their lingo, but its how kids are, especially high schoolers. They invent words that they think are cool and some tend to catch on. Melodys family is from Beverly Hills. Why wouldnt they have designer clothes? Frankie was born 15 days ago. What else would she wear but what magazines and the media tell her to, which just happens to be designer clothing. As for the celebrity names dropped, this is not in the leagues of Lewis or Tolkien. Few people will read this in 50 years when the current generation doesnt know who Lady Gaga or Justin Beiber is. This was meant for the generation here and now.
This is not a deep novel people. There is no great mission by amazing warriors meant to save the world. The romance is just that: cute teen romance. No sex and no deep involved feeling that are too complicated. If this novel was not grown up for you, then you probably shouldnt be picking up books from the young adult section. Try some Lukyanenko novels and then talk to me. Thanks.
Moving on. The books two main female characters are Melody and Frankie Stein. The description is a bit misleading, however. Frankie and Melody actually dont even really talk to each until the end. Before tragedy strikes, bringing them together, the two are lost in their own little worlds, hardly even concerned with each other. Both girls are focused on making it a new community and high school, while dealing with major crushes and vicious students. Each makes their own friends. Ones are psychotic back-stabbers that need to have cell phone service banned and barred. The others are true and stand behind her even if they dont agree with her.
The characters were adorable, crazy, funny, and had so much well character. It was easy to tell one from another and I absolutely loved reading about them interacting with each other. Most of the novel had me either laughing, or setting the book aside until I could get over my empathetic embarrassment. I found myself sympathizing with all the characters points of view even though none of them know the whole picture like the reader does. Not to mention, sharing Frankies frustration. I was with her 100% even though I kept telling myself her parents way was the safest. How could you not feel frustrated when everyone was telling her to have pride in what she was and the forcing who to hide what she was? Hypocritical much? I thought so.
Now to the only negative thing I have to say about this book: I wanted to continuously shut Melody down. I found it down right annoying that she thought she knew how Jackson (Dr. Jekylls grandson) and Frankie (Frankensteins granddaughter) felt about being outcasts just because she had a nose she considered ugly. Are you kidding me? Really? I thought this was a poor attempt by Harrison to give Melody and Frankie some common ground. Being made fun of because of your nose is nowhere near the devastation of being hunted down because your grandfather was a chemical addict or a stitched together living doll. Oh, I am sure that it was tragic enough for Melody, but how dare she say she understood what it was like. Melody was never in mortal danger for her difference, so please, honey, get off your self-righteous horse.
The main reason I loved this book so much was because it was so distracting. It was such a light and fluffy book about the simplicity that is high school life. It was refreshing from all these novels nowadays where the protagonist is the only person capable of saving the world, their loved, blah blah blah, while the protagonist is some immensely powerful being. Note to writers: that scenario is getting old real quick.