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sindri_inn_arsaeli's reviews
1120 reviews
Where the Lost Ones Go by Akemi Dawn Bowman
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This was good, but also could have been a lot better.
The plot does fit the blurb: young teen dealing with grief looks for ghosts to try to find her grandma or at least get a message to her. But it was sloooow going to actually meet the ghosts. I also found especially the early chapters weirdly dated in writing style, despite the fact that this is a current release.
I was invested in Elliot helping the ghosts move on, and I wanted to see her succeed. But it definitely felt as though some of the characters were left half finished so that the story could exclusively worry about the ghosts once they finally arrived on the scene. Elliot's parents, especially her mother, felt like a characature of a person rather than a real character. Her motives were blunt, poorly supported, and a stretch to explain at points. And I wish that the character of Mrs. Delveaux had been utilized a lot better: there was beautiful set up to see a blossoming friendship with another grandmother, one who felt forgotten by her own family, where she and Elliot could fill the roles they both lost, and then not a lot of attention was really given to that. (It also really bothered me that they treated her name as both her maiden name and her married name... Maybe there was a different name that I missed by listening rather than reading, but that kinda drove me nuts!)
The plot does fit the blurb: young teen dealing with grief looks for ghosts to try to find her grandma or at least get a message to her. But it was sloooow going to actually meet the ghosts. I also found especially the early chapters weirdly dated in writing style, despite the fact that this is a current release.
I was invested in Elliot helping the ghosts move on, and I wanted to see her succeed. But it definitely felt as though some of the characters were left half finished so that the story could exclusively worry about the ghosts once they finally arrived on the scene. Elliot's parents, especially her mother, felt like a characature of a person rather than a real character. Her motives were blunt, poorly supported, and a stretch to explain at points. And I wish that the character of Mrs. Delveaux had been utilized a lot better: there was beautiful set up to see a blossoming friendship with another grandmother, one who felt forgotten by her own family, where she and Elliot could fill the roles they both lost, and then not a lot of attention was really given to that. (It also really bothered me that they treated her name as both her maiden name and her married name... Maybe there was a different name that I missed by listening rather than reading, but that kinda drove me nuts!)
Swing Around the Sun by Barbara Juster Esbensen, Janice Lee Porter
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Beautiful, short, simple collection of nature poetry and illustration. The artists each did an excellent job capturing the aesthetic feel of their season, and I loved the poems. A fantastic example of a collection that doesn't have to be long to be great!
Bright Wings: An Illustrated Anthology of Poems About Birds by Billy Collins
emotional
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.0
A lovely and well built little collection. Picked up at a library discard sale, and while I can see why it was discarded, (not new, not a stand out classic, specific reader appeal only,) I'm quite glad I picked it up!
The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center by Rhaina Cohen
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 30%.
I did really want to enjoy this book. But it is mostly anecdotal, which on reflection does make sense for a book of this length, but it just got dull. I wasn't invested in people based on itty bitty snippets of their lives, and the premise of the book, the depth of friendship and level of commitment, could have been summed up in about one chapter. I was interested in the history of cultural norms surrounding different views of friendship, but the modern anecdotes drown out any historical or cultural commentary. I read about a quarter and then skimmed a good amount more, but decided I didn't want to skim that much of a book.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was recommended to me and so moved up my To Be Read list. I'm so very glad it did! The story was charming, and dealt with it's subjects with such gentleness that it was just a cozy and sweet read. The themes were very serious. The story is at it's core about prejudice and racism and how the children who are already harmed by this are often failed by systems meant to care for them. But I was relieved that the style of writing made it clear that this story would not be about the worst possible outcomes, it was going to show the light that can be found in dark places.
I will say I wish I had read it instead of listened. The reader used many (I felt oddly chosen) accents but not a single British one for a story that felt so British in setting. Some of the accents were actively off-putting, which was devastating as one of them was the adorable Chauncey. And I honestly abhorred the way he pronounced "ga-zay-bo".
I will say I wish I had read it instead of listened. The reader used many (I felt oddly chosen) accents but not a single British one for a story that felt so British in setting. Some of the accents were actively off-putting, which was devastating as one of them was the adorable Chauncey. And I honestly abhorred the way he pronounced "ga-zay-bo".
Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future by Gloria Dickie
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.25
Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.
I knew this wasn't going to match my usual fare, but I wanted to give it a shot as a main source for the fictional Da Vinci Code. But regardless of whether you give credence to the conspiracy of it or not, the writing got denser, less organized, and more badly edited the further in I got. I didn't think there was a translation barrier to overcome, but the sentence structure made me think so at times, and the leaps and bounds through history don't even try to link together for the entire first half of the book. Not worth my time.
Glitter Everywhere!: Where it Came From, Where It's Found & Where It's Going by Chris Barton
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
I fall into the camp that is not a fan of glitter. Sparkles are lovely, I love a good sparkly thing, but keep that static electric glitter away from me. This book was definitely still for me! It claims to be for glitter loves and haters alike, and it follows through on that promise.
This is a fun, fast, and still decently detailed mini history of glitter. I absolutely learned a thing or two. A quick read for adults, a fun history for young readers, I found it accessible and very enjoyable.
This is a fun, fast, and still decently detailed mini history of glitter. I absolutely learned a thing or two. A quick read for adults, a fun history for young readers, I found it accessible and very enjoyable.