MINDY KIM AND THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL was heartbreaking because it deals with grief.
I like that it explored the topic, since grief can be felt by anyMINDY KIM AND THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL was heartbreaking because it deals with grief.
I like that it explored the topic, since grief can be felt by anyone at any age. I appreciated that even though there was a loss, there was also a celebration of life and culture and family.
I also thought it was important that we see Mindy's dad crying and being open about his emotions, it showed a healthy emotional level from both a parent and a man.
I loved seeing how, no matter the distance, family was there for Mindy and her dad and stepmom. This was a power addition to the series!
PROMISE ME SUNSHINE has me on the fence. On the one hand, this book dealt with some important topics that are heavily relatable to anyone who3.5 Stars
PROMISE ME SUNSHINE has me on the fence. On the one hand, this book dealt with some important topics that are heavily relatable to anyone who has lost a loved one way too soon. The messiness of those feelings and the living during the after are a difficult thing to be able to write out and Bastone did a beautiful and powerful job of it in this one.
The emotions were so palpable that I found myself tearing up every so often, imagining that pain that comes on when grief is at its heaviest and it feels like it has nowhere to go. And I loved the way the MC and the love interest worked through these complex emotions. Grief can look different on everyone and Bastone had a great handle on this aspect of her book.
The side characters were also entertaining and there was definitely life in this book, even though it deals with the aftermath of death.
When looking at the important topics, Bastone knocked it out of the park.
BUT.
One of the things I liked better about her last book was how she wrote the main character. I know they are two women in extremely different life moments, but I felt like it went from one extreme to another extreme. While the last MC was mature and ready for what life was throwing at her, this MC gave me manic-pixie dream girl vibes. It could definitely be the grief heightening that effect, but even in the flashbacks (which were a sweet touch, even if I am sometimes wary of books with flashbacks, this one was well done), the MC in this book was just so childish.
The MC is a 28 year old woman, who is very good at connecting with the littles she nannies. But there were moments where she was like a big kid herself and while I usually don't care much about this aspect of a character, her reactions during serious moments made me cringe. And maybe it was that the voice narrator of the audiobook maybe did TOO good of a job giving life to this character. I wonder if I would have recoiled as much had I read this book physically.
With that being said, I did like the slow burn and the eventual spice that happened (and it was just the conclusion of this tension that grew throughout the book).
I think if you want a book with a good handle on grief, you might enjoy this book. I never thought I'd say this, but I think the audiobook narrator did too well in giving life to the character, so maybe try this as a physical read!
THE STARS BENEATH OUR FEET was one of those books that I went into fully blind and without any sort of hype. It has lived on my bookshelf for years anTHE STARS BENEATH OUR FEET was one of those books that I went into fully blind and without any sort of hype. It has lived on my bookshelf for years and I finally picked it up in an attempt to tackle my physical book collection.
There were times where I almost DNFed because I was wary of the MC and how his grief was driving him down a very not-nice road. I find that even though these books are sometimes tough reads, I do appreciate them being middle grade reads because it will hopefully help a young teen who is in need of reading a similar experience in their lives.
But ultimately, I loved the character growth. I liked that the MC takes accountability for his actions and although he ends up making decisions that work better for him, he still has his human moments where his questions what is right and what is wrong. And through it all, we see his best friendship grow and face some pretty heavy obstacles. We also see him making a new and unexpected friend and I really liked how that was approached and that representation.
The messiness of grief is also a big topic in this book, and also the queer representation that wasn't made into a plot line but was just a fact was refreshing.
I thought this book was also a great allegory for following your dreams even when everyone else thinks they know what you need or want. At the age that the MC is, a lot of people think they're the ones with the power to determine what a kid should or shouldn't do with their lives, but I liked that he made his own decisions--even if they were difficult choices in the end.
I think this would be a great read for anyone who loves LEGO, anyone who wants stories that explore grief and how it affects a family, and the difficult decisions made when one lives in a community full of gang violence and at-risk youth.
I'm torn on ALL THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD. On one hand, it had some seriously gorgeous moments (see, favourite quote from the book: Daughters who lookedI'm torn on ALL THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD. On one hand, it had some seriously gorgeous moments (see, favourite quote from the book: Daughters who looked like their mothers' pasts, and fathers who look like their sons' futures." UGH this quote. I am in AWE.) But it also had moments where I seriously questioned why I continued reading.
I had this discussion with a coworker recently (the one who mentioned the book to me, actually) about how it wasn't at all what she was expecting. While I didn't have the same expectations as her, I DID have something else in mind. I didn't expect the essays to be a little heavier on the historical aspect of things and less about the stories of every day security work. All of the people watching could have and should have led to some more exciting or intriguing essays.
What I WILL say, however, is that Bringley explored the difficult journey of grief beautifully. I teared up a few times, especially when he was detailing his brother's last moments before his death. The emotion surrounding Bringley's grief was palpable. I could feel that pain jumping from the page.
While I wished I DNF'ed it various times, something about ALL THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD kept me reading. Maybe it was that underlying sense of grief I could feel from the beginning, or the fact that some of the writing was admittedly beautiful. I just wish it was more engaging. Most of the essays dragged and I'd catch my attention slipping away.
If you like history thrown into your essays and a wonderfully heartbreaking exploration of growth and grief, then I think you'll like this one.
I love Rachel Reid. Her books are so addicting and readable. I have this habit where I pick up multiple books to read at once and sometimes t4.5 Stars
I love Rachel Reid. Her books are so addicting and readable. I have this habit where I pick up multiple books to read at once and sometimes there's one book that stands out and I can't put it down, and of course, Reid's book was the book this time around.
One of my absolute favourite things about this book is that these two MCs reconnect in their forties. We get flashbacks of when they were younger and played professional hockey, but we get so few queer romances with middle-aged characters that this was incredibly refreshing. Also, I liked seeing that they had settled lives that welcomed this not-so-new person back. Seeing them choose the love they thought they had lost over the nearly two decade long silence was so sweet and held a nice dose of hope.
I'm normally iffy about second chance romances because a big part of the romance is overcoming the obstacle that had broken the couple up in the past. The only drawback of this book for me was this and how long it took me to overcome that iffy-ness. The rebuilding of trust, the shared pain of regrets, and the grief-laden anger from one character to the other were hurdles I had to jump over so I could love these two. And I will admit, it didn't take me THAT long, since they were both such special characters.
I loved the pacing of this book. While the story itself, for the majority, spans less than a week, the way Reid wrote it made it feel like it was weeks long (in a good way). These characters communicated, trusted, and eventually, allowed themselves to feel emotions they had been terrified to feel in the past. The levels of emotion were definitely heightened because of the grief they both felt, but this gave so much more depth to the story as well.
I liked that beyond their romance, these characters were essentially given a second chance to find themselves. One had to figure out who he was without his dad's supportive presence, while the other had to figure out who he was outside of his divorce and teenage kids. I also just loved how much of a golden retriever one of the characters was.
Reid also touches on mental health and how stigmatized it is in male-dominated sports. It's not the first time she does this with one of her characters, but she does it so well. We catch glimpses of the past as one of the two characters struggles with his mental health, and see it in the present as he comes to terms with his grief and the resurfacing feelings and trauma he has surrounding his love interest. I also loved that he had such a strong friend group to help him through the more difficult moments in his grieving journey.
And yes, there is spice. It's not the most important aspect of this book, but it's there. The tension between these two characters is tangible and I loved going on this journey with them.
I actually quite enjoyed CANADIAN BOYFRIEND, more than I thought I would. I didn't know what to expect and so I just assumed it would be a smutty rom-I actually quite enjoyed CANADIAN BOYFRIEND, more than I thought I would. I didn't know what to expect and so I just assumed it would be a smutty rom-com of a read, but we all know what they say about people who assume.
First of all, if you're coming into this book for the smut, you're not going to get it. This is a closed-door romance that starts with friendship and ends under the sheets. And while I enjoyed their progression and growth as characters dealing with their own versions of trauma, I do wish we would have gotten steamy scenes to offset the heaviness of the plot. But I know, sex isn't everything.
I loved the father/daughter relationship between the MMC and his daughter. Grief is messy and when you're the surviving parent, it can be even messier. Being a kid who had to grow up with this type of grief, I know that fear of losing that remaining parent, so I empathized a lot with this kid--even if she came off bratty, there was usually a reason behind it.
I did enjoy how Holiday treated that reveal at the end and how emotionally mature the two characters were coming off of it. I liked that it wasn't made into a bigger thing than it was and that it was a perfect example of how the two characters have grown as people.
What I wasn't a big fan of were some of the smaller details--like the constant use of the MMC's full name. That felt weird--kind of the antithesis of the FMC telling the MMC that his fame doesn't matter to her. Every time she used his full name, it was like she was talking about this celebrity she couldn't believe was in her life. It's kind of how we usually use the full name of a celebrity instead of just saying their first name. It kept this weird distance between the MMC and the FMC and I don't know if this was intentional, but it felt a bit off-putting and admittedly very annoying.
But yeah, for the most part, I did really enjoy CANADIAN BOYFRIEND, more than I thought I would!
THE PROBABILITY OF EVERYTHING was so much more than what I was expecting and although my heart feels wounded and my eyes are still feeling that achingTHE PROBABILITY OF EVERYTHING was so much more than what I was expecting and although my heart feels wounded and my eyes are still feeling that aching pressure after a good cry, I'm so grateful I was able to experience it.
Twelve year old me wishes she had this book to read when my world changed so irrevocably, much like the MC of this book.
This heartbreaking novel follows a young scientist-to-be who likes to deal with probabilities in exchange for the anxiety surrounding her world ending. We are faced with a family grieving the end and how everyone handles it differently.
I don't even know what else to say about this book for fear of spoiling it--but know that it is powerful, important, and heart-rending.
THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH perfectly encompasses the tortures of middle school, the changing of the people we once called friends, and the effects of gTHE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH perfectly encompasses the tortures of middle school, the changing of the people we once called friends, and the effects of grief and how a child's mind may twist in ways that might help them comprehend the reality of death.
Ali Benjamin does a fantastic job of drawing out the history of her MC and her friend. The way they both changed and how the MC came to choosing to stay silent verbally for the majority of the book. Watching her trying to find reasons for why her friend has died was heartbreaking. I can't imagine being a parent in that situation, where you know you can't help your child comprehend the change in their reality.
Also, middle school is a cruel place for a lot of kids (hi, I was one of its victims) and the levels of evil some of these kids get up to is truly astounding. It broke me a little watching this friendship fall apart and this poor, young MC having to remember the last moment she saw her friend alive.
Sometimes things just happen and this whole book is, ultimately, a great source for children grieving. Life can be messy, confusing, and sometimes heartbreaking. Benjamin's novel is beautiful and this is another one of those middle grade books that I think adults AND kids should be reading.
One of the things I've enjoyed about the few Korman books I've read are the emotional aspects and the life lessons some of these kids gain throughout One of the things I've enjoyed about the few Korman books I've read are the emotional aspects and the life lessons some of these kids gain throughout the story. I also like that even though he's been writing for forever and a day, he still somehow manages to come out with relatively original story ideas.
This one takes place shortly after the initial pandemic burst and deals with a child who is grieving the loss of his mother, who died because of complications due to having covid. This immediately endeared me to him and made my heart hurt for him. I thought of all the little ones in the world who experienced this loss during those tumultuous years (and who may still be experiencing this even now). And when you add to the fact that this grieving boy feels like he's impeding on his adoptive family, you've got a recipe for an all-around heartbreak of a story.
But on the other hand, you have a kid who seemingly has everything, but the gender norms his father is so desperate for him to have. Both of these kids are dealing with their own struggles and while vastly different, they somehow work really well together. I loved seeing them come together as friends and brainstorm how to solve their situation.
I really enjoyed this for what it was. It wasn't something I'd re-read years from now, but it was timely (on the struggles perspective) and fresh--that memory concept was pretty cool. I'd definitely be recommending this to readers who come into the 9-12 section in our store, but I will definitely give them a heads up about some of the sadder aspects of this story.
I have many thoughts about this book. I've read nearly all of Ashley Herring Blake's works and I am a massive fan--especially of her middle grade bookI have many thoughts about this book. I've read nearly all of Ashley Herring Blake's works and I am a massive fan--especially of her middle grade books because of how accessible and relatable these books might be for younger readers trying to find themselves in fiction. While I enjoyed HAZEL BLY and have many thoughts, it's not my favourite book of Blake's.
Before I jump into the review, I want to talk about something I read in some of the older reviews on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ that made me hella uncomfortable. There are some reviewers that really had an issue with the non-binary character in this book and how Blake tells her readers about what it might mean to be NB. I've been thinking about those transphobic comments throughout my time reading this book and getting angrier and angrier. Someone even took a star off for Blake being "too woke" and trying to do a check list of some sort--Ya'll know these books are queer right? Like, Queer with a capital Q. How dare kids who might identify as non-binary potentially see themselves in fictional stories? I'm not going to swear because a kid might read this review, but honestly, some of these reviews were disgusting. This is a child and this book is QUEER.
Moving on.
We know the representation in Blake's novels are always going to be top-notch. These are usually my go-to books when I get a baby LGBTQ+ visiting the bookstore and looking for books that feature non-hetero characters. I loved that this exploration of one's identity is so pure in this and not made into some sort of show or shock and awe plot device. It just is.
My biggest gripe with this book is how the mother treats the MC. I know they are both grieving, but it was heartbreaking watching this kid be in so much pain and in need of the comfort of touch and communication. I actually hunted down reviews to see if I was the only one noticing this (hence why I came across those transphobic reviews) and one person made a comment about being sick of emotionally abusive parents in MG and honestly, yes. It's always been one of my biggest pet peeves with middle grade--how awful parents can be, how apathetic they sometimes are, and how dismissive they are of their child's emotions in comparison to their own feelings/beliefs. They can come off as bullies just because "I'm the parent and you're not".
I'm a person who lost a parent at twelve (like the MC) and I had a mother who helped me grieve while she also grieved. It's doable. Hell, we even see it in how another mother grieves with her own daughter. But while it was infuriating, it was also kind of genius in how Blake was able to show the reader these two comparable situations and the different end-results in having an open communication-led grieving process and one where the surviving parent completely shuts down. It was an interesting and complex exploration of grief and how different it truly looks.
Did I cry a few times? Absolutely. Did I feel the joys of childhood watching the MC slowly open up and potentially even find first love? Of course. There's so much innocence in spending your summers hunting for an elusive mermaid and sharing those secret smiles with your potential crush. It's things like that that make a pre-teen childhood so memorable (or cringey, depending on who you ask.) And for those who think these kids are too young for this--they're twelve and thirteen. You're going to tell me you didn't have a crush when you were twelve?! (Unless you didn't actually have one, then you know, you do you, that's perfectly fine.)
I think some of these characters need therapy and it's definitely mentioned (TW: for a suicide attempt). One of the beautiful (and heartbreaking) things about Blake's writing is that she doesn't shy away from the tougher topics that are sometimes seen as taboo by parents. Listen, I work at a bookstore, I have seen all kinds of censoring from parents. But there are a few parents who want their children to read those stories that explore the scarier realities of what it means to be human. And then, you also have those parents who have kids who would heavily benefit from books like this because they might be able to relate to the characters' journey. This is why I will always jump into a Blake novel, feet first.
So, while this wasn't my favourite book of hers, it was definitely one of the more complicated ones. While we get the seemingly summer-filled magic of a mermaid who looks a little too much like the MC, we also get the heavy undertow of emotions unexplored and words unsaid. It's gorgeous, raw, and thought-provoking. I think it's important for kids to read these books, but also adults so they can get a bit of a glimpse into a child's mind.
FIELD OF SCREAMS was another satisfying middle grade horror novel that featured a lot of the things I love in horror: The jump scares, the spooky momeFIELD OF SCREAMS was another satisfying middle grade horror novel that featured a lot of the things I love in horror: The jump scares, the spooky moments, the new friends that help you solve the horror mystery, and the depth of emotion and exploration of character that well-written horror features.
Parris' novel introduces a main character who is not only experiencing a sense of loss because she doesn't get to spend her summer with her best friend, but she's also still processing her grief over the loss of her father. We see this in her hesitancy in letting her mother potentially date a new man and start a new life. As the MC grows around this topic, we also see her exploring a ghostly mystery that appeared to have also consumed her father when he was a child. I thought this was such a sweet and haunting way of dealing with one's grief. I really enjoyed that aspect of how even though the MC feels alone, she has the memory of her father and this mystery to help overcome her anger and disappointment.
I normally dislike how parents condescend to their kids in books like this because it feels like the adult author is inserting themselves into the story as a parent themself. It frustrates me because its an insertion of logic and meanness that so many older parents seem to hold against their children's experiences and imaginations. I think that Parris did a good job with this topic because it all leads up to an explanation as to why the parent was so dismissive and even angry with her child, the MC.
Overall, I thought this was one and nicely spooky. The setting was really well done and the characters added life to the story. This felt very much like a great summer read for the young reader who wants a spooky summer story with heart. There's the pivotal middle grade crush, the mean girl who is experiencing her own form of grief, and parents who seem to just not get it.
I recommend this for readers who love horror--but especially for any young reader who is also experiencing a harder emotional time in their life.
MONSTRILIO is one of those books that by the end you know you enjoyed it, but you're also questioning why. I knew it was going to be something unsettlMONSTRILIO is one of those books that by the end you know you enjoyed it, but you're also questioning why. I knew it was going to be something unsettling from the very beginning when the grieving mother pulls out her deceased son's lung from his body. That whole scene set the mood and I didn't know what to expect moving forward.
At its core, this is a book about grief and the power of growing and moving forward with that grief. It was done in such a unique way that it might take a moment to realize the grief aspect, but it's weaved so well into the story that by the end, you might realize that Monstrilio is the embodiment of that grief. He is that walking, talking sense of loss that so many people wish didn't haunt them every day of their life.
The story was told from multiple perspectives in chunks of time. The last perspective was from M and it was so incredibly interesting to see how he viewed the world, especially knowing how he came to be and watching him grow into himself. It was also interesting to see how his parents viewed him after so many years and knowing the truth of his existence.
The conclusion felt like the perfect circle-closing moment. Everything came together into a powerful moment that I didn't know I was hoping for until it happened. I was not expecting to feel so many different emotions while reading this book. It was definitely a horror story, but it felt almost like the sweet side of horror (if we ignore all of the blood).
The story was intriguing and sad af, but it wasn't at all what I was expecting--especially coming from Christopher PiI feel catfished with this book.
The story was intriguing and sad af, but it wasn't at all what I was expecting--especially coming from Christopher Pike (a person who rivalled R.L. Stine's Fear Street world back in the day.) I also blame myself for foolishly going off the trailer to the show that aired a year or two ago.
There is definitely a bit of a mystery as the characters start to die, but I found this to be more of a story about life and the hope that lives within some of us when said life is threatened by an illness we can't control or stop.
THE MIDNIGHT CLUB is a book about grief, love in the face of death, and the power of stories. I think marketing this as horror does this story a disservice because it could alienate readers who want stories like this one.
It wasn't perfect, but man did it pull at the heartstrings. Even more than a month later, thinking about this book and the stories we're told makes me want to cry.
I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to read a book that explores grief, the fear of death, and the acceptance that sometimes life cuts us off mid-sentence. Don't go in expecting a horror novel.
I heard about this one a bit ago and was excited to read it because of all of the positive reviews. I was always worried because we all know what happI heard about this one a bit ago and was excited to read it because of all of the positive reviews. I was always worried because we all know what happens when we go into a book with expectations.
I'm happy to say that I can understand why this book has so much hype behind it. It's a great exploration of family and the complexities of grief. It was interesting to see how everyone dealt with the grief they were all feeling as yet another summer started and one family member was missing.
I think the concept of the game the family played before the wedding was genius and I wish I had a big enough family to play it. I also loved how it was the perfect opportunity for the MC to both connect with the memory of her sister and with a part of herself she never thought she would experience (especially coming off a toxic and long relationship.)
Speaking of which, I loved the love interest. He had some pretty cool moments and was the perfect balm for the MC.
I think this is a great summer read, especially since we're now starting to get into the summer vibes. Great for those who are going away to meet up with family, or those who are staying behind to chill by the pool, beach, or their garden.
I have so many thoughts on this book. And maybe I over-empathize with main characters, but I have a few gripes with both the way this was written, butI have so many thoughts on this book. And maybe I over-empathize with main characters, but I have a few gripes with both the way this was written, but also with some of the reviews I've seen.
WHO I WAS WITH HER is a heavy, heartbreaking, and emotionally-draining book. It deals with a teenage girl who is grieving, in silence and alone, the death of her secret girlfriend. She is GRIEVING. Like one of the characters says near the end of the book: "I feel like i should be [okay], but I'm not. Or I feel like I am, but I shouldn't be. Grief is...Grief is weird".
I think in the process of writing about this character, some readers forget that she is, in fact, in the middle of a chaotic emotional moment. Add in the fact that she's lost when it comes to what she wants in life, has lived with trauma from an alcoholic mother and a father with expectations from her that she feels obligated to fulfill--it all makes for a very emotionally drained character who is prone to making questionable decisions.
Is she selfish? Sometimes when someone needs to decide what they want out of their life, some choices may seem that way. This MC was so lost in such a dark place, that when a light comes to her, it's okay for her to be selfish and reach for it. She spends so much of the book worrying about what others think, that I think it's okay for her to finally do what SHE wants.
One of my biggest gripes with this book is how the issue of "coming out" is treated. I hate, hate, hate that she was pressured so much. I hate that she is being called selfish and a coward for it. People come out when they want to, when they feel safe, or whenever feels right. Queer people don't owe shit to others who give them ultimatums or pressure them by calling them cowards. As someone who didn't come out until adulthood because, and I remember this clearly, I was one of those who thought that if I hid it deep enough, I would forget it and I could be "normal". Coming out can feel so daunting, even if it sometimes feels like a blanket suffocating you because you can't be yourself with the people you love, that you sometimes wonder if you could be in the closet with those very people for the rest of your life. This is why I understood the MC and her fears. Having people pressure the TEENAGE MC in this book by calling her a coward and essentially, manipulating her, was not it and I worry about what message this sends to teen readers living in the closet.
I do like that this issue was addressed near the end of the book and that the MC takes ownership of what she wants and that she finally learns that she is the one to choose when to come out. But the majority of the book is this dark cloud of pressure that left me with such a bad taste in my mouth.
I liked the bisexual representation and that the term was actually used. I liked the commentary on racism and bigotry and how it's so important for it to be pointed out and challenged. I liked the MC's arc of growth as a character. Her best friend was truly a gift and I liked her journey as well.
I feel that when adults read books about closeted queer teenagers dealing with trauma, they forget that they are reading about children. She was grieving and latched on to a person who could finally grieve alongside her in a way that was relatable to her. She was bombarded with others' expectations. She was called a coward and told that it was her fault why her girlfriend never told the world about her before she died. Some of the things her girlfriend's brother says to her, though from a place of grief as well, were really, really traumatizing. This whole book was just a lot.
But all of that to say that the ending, for the most part, had some great cathartic moments. This wasn't a perfect read, far from it, but it also had some narratives that required an intense level of critical reading. And for fuck's sake, this wasn't a romance novel. This was a book about grieving a love and finding a way to survive that grief.
I already had some heavy thoughts about this book, then I read the reviews and I just. Sigh.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng is a small book that packs a big punch. Set during a time Review first appeared on my blog:
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng is a small book that packs a big punch. Set during a time where mixed families were frowned upon, Ng’s novel explores the complexities of wanting to fit in and the stresses that can lead to a person’s destruction. Also, the importance of mental health and a parent’s inability to accept that their child might have been silently struggling weighs heavy on this story. Trigger warning for abuse and suicide.
Lydia, the favourite daughter of a Chinese American family, is missing. No one knows where she is and no one knows why she’s gone. What her family also doesn’t know is that she is dead. When her body is found, her death sets off a chain of events that could either strengthen her family, or destroy it. What absolutely does happen is that every member is suddenly aware of their roles in Lydia’s life, and seeing the truth of their actions isn’t always the easiest thing to accept.
One of the most important topics (and potentially the one I relate to the most) is that of the mixed family theme. We see a common thread of feeling inadequate or feeling like an outsider in this book as James, Lydia’s father, recalls his childhood and teen years as the son of two Chinese immigrants. It is in his narrative that we find the misguided theme of what it means to be truly American, or as James often thinks, what it means to be like everybody else.
James’s story is perhaps the most troubling to me and, at times, the saddest. His ideology and fears have made up so much of his life that they sometimes verge on being abusive. There is a particularly awful scene where someone refers to one of his children by a derogatory name and his own child is chastised for not being able to fit in because of how he looks/behaves. James is surely an unlikable character, but he is also a product of his environment. We also have to remember that he is grieving and also realizing the error of his assumptions.
Marilyn, Lydia’s mother, is another character who is trying to escape and redefine herself in a world that is constantly trying to do it for her. Much like her husband, she has this idea of how she should be viewed, but unlike her husband, she is struggling to not be like everyone else. Her character is nearly as unlikable as her husband because she is also trying to push her ideals on her child, Lydia.
Both parents are flawed and have internal struggles about their identities and this bleeds into their children, who are the potential victims of this book.
Lydia’s siblings are also an interesting set of characters because while one is constantly trying to be noticed, the other is content with being an ignored observer. I found that Hannah, the youngest, was the perfect personification of Marilyn’s lost dreams–she exists, but almost like a ghost in the home.
Lydia is the greatest mystery of all, especially when you consider that the present moments in this book (a good chunk of the narrative is set in various parts of the family’s history) surround her death and the aftershocks of her death.
This book is complex and thought-provoking in a way that makes you put it down for a minute and think, “Damn.� It is both beautiful and sometimes desperately ugly because of the desires that have scarred the relationships of the characters.
One of the reasons why I’m not rating this book a five-star read is because there is cheating, and because there were moments where I wished more was said or explained. But mainly it was because the story, at times, felt lacking in certain aspects. Perhaps the representation of a troubled family was too realistic for me and I found it a bit of a tough swallow. Ignorance is bliss and all that jazz, right?
The part that I enjoyed the most, however, was how the open-ended ending allows for readers to come to their on conclusions, and perhaps feel an inkling of that despair that Lydia felt in her last moments. What will come of these characters� actions and sudden clarity? What will be the aftershock of having to move on?
Everything I Never Told You was more than I anticipated. I’m not the biggest fan of literary fiction, but every once in a while I find one that completely hooks me. Ng’s novel had me asking questions about family and how we portray ourselves to the world, and the expectations that our parents place on us–some expectations having dire consequences.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy family dramas, books that don’t sugar-coat the darker realities of looking “different� from the people around you, and the drawbacks of misguided expectations.
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ___
When I received a copy of Review first appeared on my blog:
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ___
When I received a copy of The Bookworm Crush by Lisa Brown Roberts in the mail, I was really excited because it looked so stinking cute. The cover is in the same style as so many recent romance releases, which immediately caught my eye--even though it threw me a little off because this is a Young Adult contemporary romance.
Amy is a bookworm who, while having a big voice in the blogging and reviewing community, has a hard time overcoming her social anxiety to express her opinions beyond a computer screen. When the competition of a lifetime appears, Amy must overcome her nerves in order to win a chance to meet her favourite author. But it won’t be easy and the only person she can really ask for help is local surfing pro, Toff--who also happens to be her longtime secret crush. When he agrees to help her, a lot of cuteness and flirting ensues.
While yes, the cute and flirty moments are a lot of fun, I love that Roberts took this story a bit further by adding so much depth to her characters--even side characters. Toff isn’t just a pretty boy who seemingly gets every girl he wants, he’s a character that is dealing with his own anxieties stemming from his mother’s death when he was young. The evolution of him as a character and how his actions and fears all start to make more sense as more is revealed was really well done. By doing so, Roberts also made him a more complex love interest than just someone that the main character has put on a pedestal for us to love and adore. He’s not perfect and I personally love someone who isn’t because it makes them more real.
Roberts does the same with Amy by giving her a well-rounded life rather than just one where her main focus is Toff. She has her friendships, her quirky family (especially her brother), and like I mentioned before, her social anxiety that makes her so incredibly relatable. How many of us escape into books to avoid the world, or our fears? How many of us have a voice that begs to be heard, but we’re too scared to make it louder than a whisper? The moment she finally does use her voice is so satisfying because we’ve seen her struggling to better herself and we can’t help but feel proud of her for her growth.
The two characters worked off each other really well and unlike many other contemporary romances, there weren’t many unnecessary misunderstandings that served only to move the plot forward. The characters were logical and grew in the ways that they needed to. They had realistic hurdles they had to overcome and Roberts wrote it all very well.
Is this an award winning novel? No, but it was fun and had a lot of depth to it.
One more thing I want to mention is Amy’s love of Romance Lit. I am so happy that this is a topic in this book and that in speaking about Romance, the characters point out some popular arguments against the genre and some really good defenses. Amy proved that a storyline can change a person’s life, no matter the genre. You have to look past the cliches and bad rep and make your own opinion.
If it wasn’t clear, I really enjoyed this book. I was in a weird place with my reading for a long time and I enjoyed having the feeling where I absolutely needed to sit down and read again. I always appreciate any book that does this for me, especially after a long reading slump.
This is also my first true review in a while. So, thanks Lisa Brown Roberts for writing something I really wanted to review!
I went through a phase a few years ago where I read a few of Buxbaum's works because they were the type of YA contemporary that had me hooked. While HI went through a phase a few years ago where I read a few of Buxbaum's works because they were the type of YA contemporary that had me hooked. While HOPE & OTHER PUNCHLINES had a lot of those things, I think I read this too far after I purchased it. There were certain things in here that made me give this book side eye, but it's fine. Everything is fine.
One of the things that this book definitely had going for it was the very unique approach to 9/11. And let be super clear here: when I read this, I had no idea it was about 9/11, so starting it on that same date 23 years later was not planned.
I think one of the questions a lot of people ask themselves is: Where were you when 9/11 happened? I remember I was in grade 6, hearing about it happening. I remember seeing all of the parents picking us up in a panic, thinking that Canadian schools would be next (which like...why?) and I remember my dad being very worried. And then I remember writing letters to...who? I don't know, but it's very clear in my mind that we wrote letters.
Anyway, I digress. This was such a unique take on the topic. I never even thought about what life must have been like for survivors so many years after the tragedy. Which seems callous, but I was twelve and it has become one of those things in our history that is a fact. But we're sadly at the point where we don't even do a moment of silence anymore. The human consciousness is...sometimes depressing like that.
Man, I am going off base a lot.
The romance in this book was...questionable. The connections between the two characters starts as blackmail, which was very off-putting and icky. Despite that beginning, I liked the characters and parents.
The MMC trying to find out what happened to his dad was honestly heartbreaking. I can't even imagine having that "what if" as such a big part of your identity. I think that was one of my favourite sad moments of this book--him trying to figure out this mystery, while also navigating the complicated relationships around him.
The FMC is one of those characters that had the best intentions, but made not so great choices. I did like that she was empathetic and still carved out her identity despite what the world expected of her.
If you're thinking of reading this, keep in mind that it does explore topics about loss, family, 9/11 and its after effects--such as the health side-effects so many people experienced years later.
Review first appeared on my blog as part of my Music Mondays feature
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Peter Review first appeared on my blog as part of my Music Mondays feature
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Peter Bognanni and I have an emotional past. Mind you, the author himself doesn’t know that. When his novel Things I’m Seeing Without You was first out in ARC format, I was fortunate enough to receive a copy via the publisher. It just so happened that when I was nearly halfway through, my family suffered a tragic loss. If any of you have read TISWY, then you know how sensitive the topic of that book is (if you haven’t, I recommend it with caution because of the aforementioned sensitive topic). Ever since that summer, Bognanni has held a special place in my heart. The title of his prior work is also an inspiration for a future tattoo that I want to get because it just speaks so well to those who’ve lost someone.
With that long disclaimer-ish paragraph out of the way, let me say that This Book is Not Yet Rated is both very different from Bognanni’s prior work and still just as emotionally touching for me. Through witty and personable writing, Bognanni’s newest title will resonate with anyone who loves film, or has had a love for something that has greatly defined them growing up.
Ethan is the manager at the old movie theatre, The Green Street Cinema, that used to feature films for his dad’s college students. Nicknamed Wendy by the lost boys who work alongside him, Ethan has been using the theatre as an escape from his grief after losing his dad three years before. He’s also conveniently avoiding the pressures of growing up. But when a new face pops up with the threat of shutting down the theatre, Ethan must question what the theatre really means to him and his crew. As if these pressures weren’t enough, Ethan’s old friend and crush return to his life after she’s suffered a breakdown of her own. Will Ethan be able to save his sanctuary and will his friendship ever recover from the past?
For the most part, I enjoyed Ethan’s story and growth. I liked how his progress follows the obvious route that contemporary books usually take, but then gets derailed because life isn’t that simple. Bognanni shows us that anything important to us is worth the hard work. Simple solutions aren’t the answer and nothing in life is linear–despite how much we want to emulate film.
And that’s one of the interesting things I noticed in this book: the parallels shown between film and life. In order to escape from the difficulties and unpredictable nature of life, Ethan submerges himself into the intricate world of film where most stories have storylines that follow patterns, or eventually lead to a climax of some sort–something controlled by a director and editor. Up until the theatre is threatened, Ethan has been living a predictable life. This “shake-up� is where the story deviates from being film-like. Or, to play devil’s advocate, it could even be argued that Ethan’s life becomes more film-like because of the abrupt changes he’s experiencing.
This book being titled This Book Is Not Yet Rated is perfect because of all of the connections to film. The book itself is like a love story for film and its effect on people. I loved that at the beginning of every title Ethan explains various filmmaking terms that his dad must have taught him. His experience with movies makes the reader want to have a paper and pen ready to write down all of the recommendations.
Raina, Ethan’s old best friend, is in film as well and knows all about the importance of film in life. Though she at times falls into the unfortunate trope of being a manic pixie dream girl (something that affected my overall rating for this book), Raina is the character who helps Ethan see that it’s okay to dare to want more. She pushes him to stand outside of his comfort zone, while also trying to figure her life out. While her conclusion in the story was a tad convenient (and a little under-developed), I did like the effect she had on Ethan.
The other characters are like the perfect seasoning for an enjoyable storyline. They add flavour to a story that could have easily been boring or a little too formulaic. I loved that each had their own quirk that made up the feeling of a dysfunctional family. Their hijinks and commentary were some of my favourite moments in this book. Ethan on his own was at times depressing, so adding in these dynamic characters was a great touch. I do wish we’d have known a little more about them, but I’m happy we got to meet them regardless.
The emotional aspect of this book that really hit me was the dad’s death. While we don’t actively get to meet him because this takes place three years after his passing, he is like an honorary character hidden in every page of the book. His presence is what drives Ethan to do better and it’s what made me connect to Ethan in the first place. I almost teared up when Ethan finally explains how he died and the little quirks they had together, because it was like reading about me and my dad.
My negatives about this book would probably be the portrayal of Raina, the at-times one dimensional side characters, and the sometimes slowly paced writing. There were moments where I became stuck on a specific chapter and I felt drawn to other books.
Despite the things I wasn’t a big fan of, I did really enjoy this book. I strongly recommend it for anyone who loves film and a story about how film can help us grow and understand the world. Also, it’s a read I’d recommend for anyone who’s ever had to grieve a loss because Bognanni always touches on the unspoken things that grieving people often experience, and how our lives are affected by the death of a loved one.
Review first appeared as part of my Music Mondays Feature on my blog
I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
This week’s Review first appeared as part of my Music Mondays Feature on my blog
I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
This week’s feature is a book that I almost gave up on. I read the first couple of chapters and I was worried about where the story would take me, so I was 80% sold on DNFing That Night by Amy Giles. However, I caved and broke one of my reading rules: I looked at the synopsis and the rating on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. While I admit that sometimes this decision can backfire, reading the synopsis helped ease my worries and the rating (while not always accurate) was another push towards reading Giles’s newest book.
I’m so happy I didn’t give up on That Night.
That Night not only handles the tricky subject of grief, but the even more dark and timely topic of grief following a mass shooting. Jessica and Lucas, the split narrators of this Young Adult novel, both are grieving the losses of their brothers. But while Lucas has found a potential outlet and has an extremely overprotective mother as a result of the shooting, Jessica is left on her own. She loses both her best friend and brother and is left to deal with her depressed mother. When the two meet, they realize that they can help each other survive their grief and their friendship quickly evolves into something that gives hope and light to their dark stories.
When I finally let myself fall for these characters, I couldn’t get enough of them. Jess’s story was tragic and I kept hoping for something better for her. I wanted her mother to see that Jess was still there. I wanted her to try for her daughter and seeing her physically being unable to overcome her grief was so heart breaking. The complicated story of Jess and her mother added an all too realistic touch to the story because it’s not uncommon for a parent to be swallowed by their grief. Jess herself made a comment in the book that reflected on how difficult it was for her to lose a brother, but that the pain of losing a son must have been even more unimaginable.
Lucas, on the other hand, has the exact opposite problem from Jess. While he suffers from the idea that he was the wrong brother to live, his parents are the perfect example of when caring crosses a line. From hiding car keys, to smothering behaviour, Lucas’s mother is another realistic example of how a parent might overcompensate when they lose a child. But while Lucas acknowledges that he is at times frustrated with his mom’s actions, he’s also pretty calm about it.
Rather than having similar grieving experiences, Giles explores the complexities of loss. With these two characters, we’re given glimpses into two different but realistic forms of grief.
Grief is handled very delicately in this book, but at the same time, it’s dealt with heavy doses of reality. There are no dramatizations, there are no fights that leave the parents wounded enough for the child to feel guilty over their lashing out, and there are no over-the-top decisions being made. One of the big reasons for why Giles handles this topic so well is because of her comprehensive understanding of communication and its importance.
Communication is, in my honest opinion, something that is usually lacking in a lot of books that explore heavier topics. Where Giles succeeds in her new book is that she has her characters communicate. If there is a misunderstanding, it is quickly cleared up. One person’s confusion and suffering isn’t a quiet thing and it isn’t a plot device. Whether it’s between Lucas and Jess, or Lucas and his parents, or the pair and their friends–there is communication. The story has a goal for its readers and it is not the act of miscommunication.
Another notable thing that Giles does with That Night is how true she remains to the main topic of the novel. In seeking a way to make the story “refreshing� or “memorable�, sometimes an author writes a narrative that’s a little dramatic (or a lot dramatic) and at times, the topic of grief is set to the side for the better selling genre: romance. Giles does not do this with That Night. Sure, there’s romance but it’s not the main topic, it’s a side event to show us how the characters are growing and how they’re recovering.
That being said, going back to the issue of communication, I have to say I’m impressed. There were so many opportunities for Lucas and Jess to fight big time over certain situations. But because they had this connection and honesty between the two of them, they both spoke openly about what they were struggling with (even if it took longer for one of them to open up more). Reading about their love and relationship was refreshing and I’m grateful to have experienced it.
That Night deals with a heavy subject matter, but the characters� growth, the lessons learned, and the masterful storytelling makes Giles’s novel a worthwhile read that I recommend to everyone who wants to be touched by a good story.
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