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Dana (24 KP) rated The Book Thief in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I have waited to read this book for a few years now and I am not sure why I did that. This book is phenomenal and gives a different insight into World War 2 that I haven't often seen in literature, especially in young adult literature.
Susan did a beautiful job in making his characters as human as possible. They were all multidimensional and we'll thought out. I truly loved them.
The narrator being who he was have this another deeper level that I very much respected. It became more than just Leisel's story and instead became everyone's story.
Overall, I adored this book and need to pick up another of Zusak's.
Susan did a beautiful job in making his characters as human as possible. They were all multidimensional and we'll thought out. I truly loved them.
The narrator being who he was have this another deeper level that I very much respected. It became more than just Leisel's story and instead became everyone's story.
Overall, I adored this book and need to pick up another of Zusak's.
This was an enjoyable foray into America's past. The book starts by giving us a glimpse into both Alexander Hamilton's childhood and early military career, as well as Elizabeth Schuyler's early home life. The story then continues to follow the pair throughout their romance and marriage, right up to each of their deaths. Fans of Alexander Hamilton, and there seem to be a lot of those at present, should enjoy the story. While not a young adult book, I found that the writing style gave it the feel of one, and made this a fairly quick, easy read.
<i>NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>
<i>NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>
A-van-tastic reads (5 KP) rated Christopher Robin (2018) in Movies
Aug 26, 2018
Childhood come alive
This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year although I wasn't a super fan of Winnie-the-Pooh when I was little I did watch it now and then so I was excited to see a part of my childhood come to life. Although this is a family movie it is definitely not a movie for young kids that's not to say it's inappropriate it just wouldn't hold their attention this movie focuses more on Christopher Robin as an adult then it does Winnie the Pooh that being said I really enjoyed this movie it made me very nostalgic and just got back memories of a happy or easier time.
Milleen (47 KP) rated Her Perfect Life in Books
Nov 14, 2018 (Updated Nov 14, 2018)
If you enjoy psychological drama, add this to your reading list. This happens to be Sam Hepburn's debut in this genre after much success writing young adult thrillers. This is an examination of how far someone would go to create a perfect life. Juliet, a single-mum struggling to pay her bills and earn a living and Gracie, television darling and star of her own 'Cooking with Gracie'. Their paths cross and the women strike up an unlikely friendship, but things are not quite as they seem. This is a gripping narrative that keeps you guessing right up to the last chapter. Hepburn has given the reader plenty to think about, this is a bestseller for good reason.
Imogen SB (4507 KP) created a post in Smashbomb Council
Dec 9, 2019
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Everblue (Mer Tales, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I'm not having much luck with books lately. The last couple of young adult books I've started just haven't managed to grab my attention at all and I've DNF'd them. This one included.
DNF @ 22%
It didn't pull me in and make me want to forget everything else. The characters weren't in my face real and the continual chapter/character changes got a little annoying after a while. The underwater world held no appeal for me while I was more bothered about what was going on with Ashlyn above ground and then I'd read some and kinda lose interest in that but too.
I could really do with a book that's going to pull me in completely.
DNF @ 22%
It didn't pull me in and make me want to forget everything else. The characters weren't in my face real and the continual chapter/character changes got a little annoying after a while. The underwater world held no appeal for me while I was more bothered about what was going on with Ashlyn above ground and then I'd read some and kinda lose interest in that but too.
I could really do with a book that's going to pull me in completely.
Charlotte (184 KP) rated The Book of Gates (Galenor #1) in Books
Sep 20, 2021
A well written, thoroughly enjoyable read. Galenor has everything you'd hope for in a young adult fantasy. Danger, self -discovery, love, coming of age... the list goes on! I was enveloped in a new world that kept me guessing as to what would happen next.
At times tense, deep and shocking and others light-hearted and fun, which creates a great base for character development and relationship building. JudyAnn makes me smile, she takes things in her stride and is open to learning. She's likeable and I feel like I'd definitely pick her as a friend.
A fab weekend read that will transport you to another world!
@Merissa
At times tense, deep and shocking and others light-hearted and fun, which creates a great base for character development and relationship building. JudyAnn makes me smile, she takes things in her stride and is open to learning. She's likeable and I feel like I'd definitely pick her as a friend.
A fab weekend read that will transport you to another world!
@Merissa
Caitlin Ann Cherniak (85 KP) rated Like Vanessa in Books
Nov 28, 2018
From Goodreads: 13-year-old girl from the '80s sees the first black woman win Miss America, which inspires her middle school to throw a pageant to boost moral. What could possibly go wrong?
Normally, I would say everything.
This book, nothing went wrong. In fact, Tami Charles did everything right.
You get an interesting main character. You have her going through real problems. You have this story take a look at a real problem with young black girls when it comes to what level of black skin is beautiful. You have major plot twists at every turn (And I don't take that sentence lightly.) And I actually don't hate the parental character this time (Because seriously, a lot of them try to make these characters awful for no reason at all). And you have the main character drop their walls to tell their vulnerable story to the audience.
In short, I love this book. One of the best middle grade and young adult novels I have ever read.
Normally, I would say everything.
This book, nothing went wrong. In fact, Tami Charles did everything right.
You get an interesting main character. You have her going through real problems. You have this story take a look at a real problem with young black girls when it comes to what level of black skin is beautiful. You have major plot twists at every turn (And I don't take that sentence lightly.) And I actually don't hate the parental character this time (Because seriously, a lot of them try to make these characters awful for no reason at all). And you have the main character drop their walls to tell their vulnerable story to the audience.
In short, I love this book. One of the best middle grade and young adult novels I have ever read.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Break of Dark in Books
Aug 2, 2019
I must have been 12 or 13 when I first read this, and back then part of the fun came from the sense that these actually felt like adult stories, for all the book is advertised as being basically YA fiction: quite apart from the substantial quantities of profanity and sex, many the characters aren't typical YA identification figures: middle-aged seaside policemen, earnest young vicars, suburban couples, and so on. These are still hugely readable and satisfying stories even now many decades later.
But what are they about? Well, there are two stories of ghosts (a haunted Wellington bomber during the second world war, and a rather stranger tale of an unwitting medium), two of very atypical alien visitations (a cautionary tale of a young hitch-hiker, and a blackly comic one concerning a spate of peculiar crimes in a small resort town), and one of an inner-city vicar who stumbles onto something very creepy in the crypt of his church. All of them are engagingly and skilfully written, and immaculately paced. Good reads for all ages.
But what are they about? Well, there are two stories of ghosts (a haunted Wellington bomber during the second world war, and a rather stranger tale of an unwitting medium), two of very atypical alien visitations (a cautionary tale of a young hitch-hiker, and a blackly comic one concerning a spate of peculiar crimes in a small resort town), and one of an inner-city vicar who stumbles onto something very creepy in the crypt of his church. All of them are engagingly and skilfully written, and immaculately paced. Good reads for all ages.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Like Water in Books
Dec 17, 2018
I'm always interested in queer young adult books, and this one especially caught my eye with its mention of "performing mermaids." Because y'all know I love my mermaid books! So Savannah isn't a real mermaid, she just plays one at a water park. But it was enough to make me pick up the book, and it's a good book. Young adult books about discovering your identity are always needed, and this book is about Savannah realizing she's bisexual.
Much of the angst in this book comes from Savannah not knowing if she has the same disease her father does, and she's not sure if she wants to know. Altogether, in this book we have chronic illness, hispanic teens, bisexual, lesbian, and genderqueer teens, small-town angst....there's really a LOT of demographics covered in this book.
I like Savannah, but I don't like her love interest, Leigh, very much. Leigh does NOT have her shit together, and between drinking and doing drugs, all while underage, she poses a very real threat to Savannah's well-being.
I'm a little nonplussed by the ending of the book. It leaves a few questions unanswered, but not in a cliff-hanger-y way. It's more of a possibilities-left-open kind of way. Which makes sense for a "first love" romance. It's not necessarily a "true love" story. It reminds me of John Green novels in that way.
So - it's a great book for representation, but don't expect a tidy, wrapped-up ending. You won't find that here.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Much of the angst in this book comes from Savannah not knowing if she has the same disease her father does, and she's not sure if she wants to know. Altogether, in this book we have chronic illness, hispanic teens, bisexual, lesbian, and genderqueer teens, small-town angst....there's really a LOT of demographics covered in this book.
I like Savannah, but I don't like her love interest, Leigh, very much. Leigh does NOT have her shit together, and between drinking and doing drugs, all while underage, she poses a very real threat to Savannah's well-being.
I'm a little nonplussed by the ending of the book. It leaves a few questions unanswered, but not in a cliff-hanger-y way. It's more of a possibilities-left-open kind of way. Which makes sense for a "first love" romance. It's not necessarily a "true love" story. It reminds me of John Green novels in that way.
So - it's a great book for representation, but don't expect a tidy, wrapped-up ending. You won't find that here.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com