Really enjoyed this book, I thought I wrote a review right after I read it but nothing was here so I guess not. This book grabbed me right from the beReally enjoyed this book, I thought I wrote a review right after I read it but nothing was here so I guess not. This book grabbed me right from the beginning with Charlie's relationships with his dad, grumpy Howard up on the hill, and poor, sweet Radar. Then going into the other world and the wonder and danger, a post-apocalyptic fairy tale world. Overall the story was very engaging and Seth Numrich does a fine job narrating the audio book, really capturing the voice of Charlie, and the short parts King narrated were a perfect addition....more
One of my favorite books from childhood. Just read aloud to my kids and was surprised how much of the books was just people and dragons and wizards taOne of my favorite books from childhood. Just read aloud to my kids and was surprised how much of the books was just people and dragons and wizards talking or Cimorene doing chores. It's got a good climax near the end but all the set up is organizing Kazul's library, sending knights away, and hosting a dinner party to talk dragon politics. It wasn't as engaging for the kids as I'd hoped but I still love the book and series and it made me understand why I like to read cozy fantasy as an adult....more
A very fun read aloud to the kids, beautiful story with some adventure and humor and very short chapters. We read it then watched the movie and talkedA very fun read aloud to the kids, beautiful story with some adventure and humor and very short chapters. We read it then watched the movie and talked about the differences. Like the fox in the book bearly says anything but the fox in the movie is a huge character. I loved how the book was so relaxed about the robot accommodating to its surroundings and how much you grow to care for it and the welfare of the island without any big lectures on environmentalism or AI, you just get to know Roz and the beavers and ducks and deer and everyone on the island and in getting to know them, value them and their existence....more
I feel like there's probably a bunch of literary symbolism I didn't pick up on but honestly, I did not care for the main character, Esther. She's supeI feel like there's probably a bunch of literary symbolism I didn't pick up on but honestly, I did not care for the main character, Esther. She's super judgey of everyone else and doesn't do anything herself. Like one of those people that are anti-everything but never put themselves out there to be in favor of something. Anything she does like, it feels like she likes ironically. She also frequently talked negatively about people's appearance such as horse-face and a ton about how fat people are.
Some say this is a feminist novel, which feels like a stretch to me. Just because Esther didn't want to get married and have kids. She didn't end up pursuing a career or anything else either. Some say it's an LGBT novel, there's some lesbian characters but they either kill themselves or are portrayed as desperately lonely, ugly, eccentric old women. Some say it's an book about mental health, because of the depictions of depression, suicide, and mental health care. It did that to some degree but the disjointed jumps made it feel like short stories and I think there's other books that capture feelings of depression better (e.g., My year of rest and relaxation by ottessa moshfegh, jenny lawson's stuff, matt haig's stuff, veronika decides to die by paulo coehlo). This book reminds me a lot of the perks of being a wallflower, which I very much disliked.
I did like the piece after the novel about Plath's life. Maggie Gyllenhaal did a fine job narrating but it was hard not to think of it as her. I would also say that Plath is mostly very poetic, but occasionally racist in her portrayal of blacks, chinese, russian, and mexican characters......more
I found it a bit anticlimactic but I still really enjoy Odd's character. I also really liked Knuckles and Romanovich in this particular volume.I found it a bit anticlimactic but I still really enjoy Odd's character. I also really liked Knuckles and Romanovich in this particular volume....more
In the first book I loved meeting Arthur and the magical kids, the village folks, Arthur and Linus surprised about falling in love. It was cozy and saIn the first book I loved meeting Arthur and the magical kids, the village folks, Arthur and Linus surprised about falling in love. It was cozy and sad and joyful.
In this book, I loved Zoe's becoming her more assertive self. I loved Marblemaw getting the business. I loved learning more about the kids and seeing how they are developing.
But this book didn't have the same coziness, it was fighting for rights and trauma and government control. It left itself open for a 3rd book to further develop fighting the government plot line. Which is fine but not quite the same feel as the first book. The ending was also so perfect and happy for our protagonists, usually in a 2nd book in a trilogy the good guys are scrambling and that builds to working toward the climax in the 3rd book, but everything working out so well almost felt like there was no real danger, which lessens it all....more
A very long read/listen. I did the audiobook for this one. I found it captivating, it was very long but I kept thinking about it. It's basically aboutA very long read/listen. I did the audiobook for this one. I found it captivating, it was very long but I kept thinking about it. It's basically about time travel to the 1300s. Future Oxford has time travel capabilities and this was a first venture that far back in time. The book vacilates between Kivrin in the 1300s and Mr. Dunworthy in future Oxford. The 1300s stuff is like a slice of life kind of story. Pandemic sickness overtakes both timelines and it was especially interesting reading the future Oxford pandemic stuff after having experienced the covid pandemic. The characters are all so interesting and many are very likable or very not likeable, both of which say a lot of the quality of the storytelling. It's not particularly funny but it's not too heavily dramatic either, I did find her next book in this series, To Say Nothing of the Dog, to be much more humorous.
I also read a lot of the St. Mary's time traveling series by Jodi Taylor and can certainly see she takes a great deal of inspiration from such a master of the craft as Connie Willis....more
Really enjoyed this one. Themes around beauty, as a societal pressure and around self-esteem, is wonderful and really gives a fantastic message as parReally enjoyed this one. Themes around beauty, as a societal pressure and around self-esteem, is wonderful and really gives a fantastic message as part of the story instead of being preachy. Elements of folklore sprinkled throughout makes this story especially interesting. All the characters experience personal growth without taking away from the main story....more
I loved the illustrations and the writing is like poetry. This book is like a modern day legend, harkening back to times of oral storytelling.
The stoI loved the illustrations and the writing is like poetry. This book is like a modern day legend, harkening back to times of oral storytelling.
The story is engaging, little kids defending childhood, both as a literal space and a social construct.
With that said, I don't know who this book is for. The wording certainly reads like a book for teens/adults and the story as a reference to Beowolf is only picked up on by adults, but this story pulls toward younger readers with all the specific plot elements. I think this would be a fun read aloud but just to read it alone, silently, it felt long, like a joke that kept going past it's peak....more
A fantastic YA graphic novel about a good big brother getting his baby sister's sock from the dark and scary basement. The main character is kind and A fantastic YA graphic novel about a good big brother getting his baby sister's sock from the dark and scary basement. The main character is kind and brave, the creatures he meets along the way are creative and interesting, and the adventurous quest is captivating, its both a mystery and fantasy with some supernatural elements. Really enjoyable. A quick read....more
This book reminded me a bit of "Dealing with Dragons" by Patricia Wrede- both had a main character who was a princess and didn't care for the princessThis book reminded me a bit of "Dealing with Dragons" by Patricia Wrede- both had a main character who was a princess and didn't care for the princess world and who goes on an adventure involving some magical folks like a witch and typical chores like cleaning. Another similarity is that there is a male character who is prophecied to be of a great service to a king. Both books also have very little romance, which is refreshing. A big difference is Cimorene in DwD is very smart and the main character, Marra, in this book is... not. She is 30 but always struck me as much younger because of her naivety. And I think that's a big part of my dislike of the book. The dust witch, Agnes, Fenris, bone dog, and the brown chicken were all great side characters, each unique and memorable. The abuse of Marra's sisters really drives home the importance of the group's task. And I enjoyed the magic bits like the goblin market, dealing with the lady with the puppet, and the crypts....more
Lovely world building, I found the main character annoying at times but enjoyed the overall story and pretty much all the other characters. I listenedLovely world building, I found the main character annoying at times but enjoyed the overall story and pretty much all the other characters. I listened to the audio book and it was a solid job by Terri Hatcher from the old superman and lois show....more
G.H. Fretwell on his book tour. He is a very unemotional, unassuming man who doesn't appear very observant. At first it's kind of slice of life then bG.H. Fretwell on his book tour. He is a very unemotional, unassuming man who doesn't appear very observant. At first it's kind of slice of life then becomes increasingly about odd murder misunderstandings involving him. But this is called The Book Tour not G.H. and the bookstore suitcase murders. So there really isn't a resolution and the book cycles around the never-ending book tour.
It reminds me a lot of Jim's Journals in the art style and personality of G.H....more
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