**spoiler alert** Representation: Black and Asian characters Trigger warnings: Racism, bullying, physical assault and injury in the past mentioned, sex**spoiler alert** Representation: Black and Asian characters Trigger warnings: Racism, bullying, physical assault and injury in the past mentioned, sexual harassment Score: Five out of ten.
Timid by Jonathan Todd could’ve been better. But it was disappointing. This one wasn’t it. A person aged 15 might find it hard to enjoy this one. I only heard of this illustrated novel a few days ago but it felt underwhelming when I finished it. I should’ve avoided it because of the low ratings.
It starts with Cecil Hall, a Black American boy, moving from Florida to Boston in 1988 in the opening pages, where he stays for the rest of the narrative. Other than Cecil adjusting to his new life while he draws, as it’s his passion, there isn’t much plot to Todd’s creation. I enjoyed some parts of Timid but not others.
The art was mostly pleasing to look at except for the character design for Cecil, who looks more like a man aged 30 or 40 than a boy aged 12. Cecil’s family encourage him to make friends with Black people only, else people would label him an Oreo, meaning Black on the outside but white on the inside. No one in his family wants him to befriend white people even though his school is a PWI.
Cecil ignores that advice and befriends white people anyway but predictably they are not what they seem as first glance as some scenes depict them as not having the kindest intentions. The pacing, at 260 pages, feels slow with filler content in the form of side plots. Removing those could help. There’s one scene where Ruth touches his hair, but why would she do that?
There were a lot of side characters, with Cecil and Ruth only getting minor character development. Cecil learns to stand up for himself whereas Ruth is more careful with her actions. Making character development stronger, adding new character dynamics and removing side characters could improve Timid.
There was only one Asian character but there wasn't a character dynamic involving her as there were only ones involving Black and white people and not others. The conclusion is okay.
Also, Black isn't capitalised when discussing race on the blurb and author’s note. Perhaps it was to comply with Australian English....more
**spoiler alert** The pile of shame grows. I couldn't finish Solo by Kwame Alexander. Maybe I'll try it again later.**spoiler alert** The pile of shame grows. I couldn't finish Solo by Kwame Alexander. Maybe I'll try it again later....more
**spoiler alert** I'm sorry, but Up for Air by Laurie Morrison is going on my pile of shame. Maybe I'll try it again later.**spoiler alert** I'm sorry, but Up for Air by Laurie Morrison is going on my pile of shame. Maybe I'll try it again later....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Black characters Trigger warnings: Racism, animal death, racial profiling, emesis, child neglect, restrictive dieting**spoiler alert** Representation: Black characters Trigger warnings: Racism, animal death, racial profiling, emesis, child neglect, restrictive dieting, body shaming Score: Five out of ten.
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid is another piece of underwhelming contemporary literary fiction.
My search for an enjoyable piece of literary fiction continues. Kiley Reid's debut, Such a Fun Age, wasn't as delightful to read as I had hoped. I wanted to read more literary fiction, and Such a Fun Age fit the bill. The ratings were high, but when I closed the final page, I thought Reid could've improved her creation.
To put everything into context, it starts with Alix Chamberlain, a white American, tasking Emira Tucker, a Black American, to babysit Alix's daughter, Briar Chamberlain, who is three. All this happened in 2015. Police accuse Emira of kidnapping Briar, most likely because of her race, and thus begins Alix's efforts to address the issue, but she comes off as misguided.
Such a Fun Age is a piece of literary fiction because it discusses themes of racism and privilege, but I wanted a deeper exploration of those themes. I can see how some characters' actions, like Alix and Kelley, are racist and how some characters are privileged, like Briar, and others are underprivileged, like Emira. However, I don't get other parts, like what's the importance of telling me the race of some characters' friends? The dialogue is okay, but the writing style is surprisingly serviceable and lacks purple prose.
The pacing is slow, even though the central storyline lasts 310 pages. I can see characters like Kelley and Alix falling into the antagonist box and Emira falling into the protagonist box, all while Briar is naive. She is oblivious and doesn't realise she has privilege because of her race yet. The perspective is limited, though. If Reid wants to talk about race and privilege, why not talk about other races, like Asians and Hispanics? There's no mention of class either. The conclusion felt like an afterthought, as Alix's development to become less racist is out the window. Reid could've done better.
Here are some aspects I noticed about Such a Fun Age: Twitter is still Twitter and not X, but I can understand why. Black is in lowercase in racial contexts, but it's 2015, so capitalisation was inconsistent. Kelley only dates Black women to the point of obsession, and characters consider that racist. Alix looks through Emira's phone to put herself in the shoes of a Black person. That's a questionable decision. Briar started swimming and ballet lessons when she was three. She has privilege. Others don't have these luxuries. How did no one notice this?...more
**spoiler alert** Representation: N/A Trigger warnings: N/A Score: Six out of ten.
It was okay, but it reminded me of other books, so it's not that origi**spoiler alert** Representation: N/A Trigger warnings: N/A Score: Six out of ten.
It was okay, but it reminded me of other books, so it's not that original....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Black and Asian characters Trigger warnings: N/A Score: Five out of ten. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
This one wa**spoiler alert** Representation: Black and Asian characters Trigger warnings: N/A Score: Five out of ten. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
This one wasn't any better.
It's been a few months since I last read from this series, but I picked up another instalment, Teacher's Pet, written by Francine Pascal, adapted by Nicole Andelfinger and illustrated by Claudia Aguirre. That's a lot of authors. I headed in with low expectations, but it felt underwhelming when I closed the final page.
It starts (more like continues) with Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, this time focusing on their ballet class, which turns out to be a dominant theme throughout the novel. Other than that there's not much plot or literary value to this creation. The pacing is enough to keep the plot going, with a length of exactly 200 pages, and the art stayed the same with no improvements or downgrades. The character development from Best Friends seems to have disappeared, as Jessica must develop her character (again) from a sister distancing herself from Elizabeth to a more caring person.
Why is this? I'm unsure. There are only a few pages dedicated to the side characters, like the twins' mother. Adding more pages showing them would've improved the reading experience. The plot here is during a ballet class, there is an upcoming play called Coppélia, and of course both protagonists would do anything to become the lead actor. The author fumbled the diversity since there was only one Asian character and two Black characters (all of whom are girls) in a PWI, and I would've liked to see more, but they are mostly out of the spotlight. It feels tokenistic. It was easier to find women characters than those of other genders. A person in the target audience (meaning younger readers,) wouldn't mind, and perhaps I'm not the type of person who would enjoy Teacher's Pet. The concluding pages are heartwarming as I see one of the sisters perform well in the play.
At this rate, it would take a few more months for the continuation of the series, Choosing Sides, to arrive, which isn't anytime soon, but I'll stop reading this series for now if the quality doesn't increase....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Biracial (half Black and half Latino/a,) Latino/a and Black characters Trigger warnings: Implied PTSD, death of a chi**spoiler alert** Representation: Biracial (half Black and half Latino/a,) Latino/a and Black characters Trigger warnings: Implied PTSD, death of a child and brother in a hurricane in the past, grief and loss depiction, bullying, child abuse, physical assault and injury, chronic and physical illness, near-death experience Score: Eight out of ten. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
This one wasn't perfect. But it was close. The library only had Aniana del Mar Jumps In in eBook form so it was more difficult to get but I got it anyway. The blurb seemed intriguing, so I headed in hoping for an enjoyable read, but when I closed the final page, I found it a lot heavier than expected.
It starts with a flashback involving Aniana 'Ani' del Mar experiencing swimming for the first time when she was six (better late than never) before cutting to part one of the central storyline (there are six parts) with her now being a competitive swimmer, at least for her age (12.) Everything looks ordinary in the opening pages until she says something's wrong with her body, as she feels pain in her joints, but she doesn't know what it is yet.
There's a subplot that soon turns out to be a critical part of the narrative, where Aniana's mother remembers a traumatic event where she lost her brother, Mateo, in a hurricane and she never completely moved on ever since. I get that losing someone is difficult, but the way Aniana's mother tries to cope makes her look like a helicopter parent. Let me get this straight: the protagonist's family is dysfunctional, as her father is barely there and her mother doesn't want her to swim, fearing she may lose Aniana too. Aniana's father takes her away to swim in secret, but that didn't last forever as her mother found out, and now banned swimming. Is it me or does it feel like an antithesis to another novel I've read before? Aniana's mother forced her out of swimming instead of in.
I liked Aniana as a character the most, but her parents aren't role models, and the side characters like Maria Tere and Delilah only appear for a few pages, but I would've liked to see more. The pacing is slow, with the book lasting 400 pages, but I didn't mind, since it was enough to keep the creation going. The writing style is unique and Jasminne Mendez executed it well. Finally! Actual poetry! It took me long enough to find one after reading spaced out prose for a while.
Did I mention Aniana's family is Christian? The middle four parts feature Aniana trying to cope with the swimming ban, and when a doctor diagnosed her with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA,) all Aniana's mother can do is to pray it away, but advice from a therapist to do physical therapy also helped. The therapist says swimming can reduce the effects of JIA, but Aniana's mother is steadfast, even when she tries out for an elite swim camp, her mother caught her again since the ban still applies (she resorted to physical measures once.) However. The conclusion, part six, felt like an afterthought. It took Aniana's mother to almost lose her son, Matti (to the sea,) for her to change her mind? Really? At least the prohibition is gone now and the finish is heartwarming.
Addendum: Matti started swimming at age four (which isn't too late.) There's no exploration of intersectionality (since Aniana is a young biracial Dominican American girl with a chronic illness.) Why is this?...more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Black, Asian and Latino characters, character with a physical disability Trigger warnings: Sexism Score: Six and a hal**spoiler alert** Representation: Black, Asian and Latino characters, character with a physical disability Trigger warnings: Sexism Score: Six and a half out of ten.
I have reduced expectations from Kayla Miller following my less than stellar reading experience from Break, written by the same author. That being said, I liked act, but it too wasn't as strong as Click. I wanted to read this one to finish off the Click series I read out of order, but when I closed the final page, it was okay.
At least I know what happened to some of the characters. It starts (more like continues) with Olive Branche recounting her life in the 6th grade, including the scenes where she goes on a school trip, only to discover those who can't afford it can't go. Thus, Olive runs for student council, competing against other peers like Trent and Sawyer to try to do something about this issue. Other than that and one other subplot about someone violating the dress code, there wasn't much to Act. Trent and Sawyer's gimmick is to hand out free pudding to every student, which I found unrealistic, but okay. Sure.
I liked the characters, but I couldn't connect or relate to them, which is either a problem on my end because of the age gap or because of the characters and the writing themselves. Based on information I found when I read through a few pages I finally discovered what happened to Bree: she moved back to New Zealand from Camp, where she stayed there ever since. Anyway.
The part about movements that happened (not only ones that happened in America) was fascinating as it inspired Olive to protest against this injustice. I appreciated the art and the pacing is enough to keep Act going because it barely lasts over 200 pages without wasting any, but I can't say anything about the writing style though, as it uses more pictures than words. However, the concluding pages were contrived as initially, Trent and Sawyer looked like they won, but then there was a three way tie where Olive claimed the victory, and the finish proved more abrupt than heartwarming. The bonus content was intriguing, too....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Asian characters Trigger warnings: Anxiety, panic attack Score: Seven out of ten. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
Th**spoiler alert** Representation: Asian characters Trigger warnings: Anxiety, panic attack Score: Seven out of ten. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
This one was surprisingly enjoyable. I haven't heard of Drawing Deena by Hena Khan until a few days ago, when I picked it up from a library shelf, since I had no other choice when the books I wanted were gone. The ratings were high, and when I closed the final page, I liked this work, but it was heavy for its target audience.
It starts with Deena recounting her life, particularly how she feels stressed, but her mother dismissed that, saying her problems are worse than hers, initially sending a message of ignoring mental health, but that soon changes. The book then turns to other, more lighthearted subplots, including one about art where Van Gogh inspires Deena, and another where she modernises her mother's store by making a website. When I think about it, there aren't too many of them, but it feels jarring when juxtaposed against the central storyline of anxiety. I appreciated another character wanting more artists of colour to inspire Deena instead of only white artists in the guise of 'decolonising' her mind, but not literal decolonisation, which I found intriguing. The pacing is enough to keep the creation going without being overwhelming, lasting over 200 pages, and nothing goes to waste, and I enjoyed seeing the diverse cast, given Deena and her family are Pakistani American. I still don't see enough non-American Asian stories, though.
However, I don't understand why Deena's panic attacks went unnoticed for so long I had to read to the last 50 pages for the resolution. Conversations soon arise with Deena, her mother and the school about her mental illness, but not before a counsellor advises Deena to try out some coping strategies like breathing. Khan also implies people like Deena's mother tend to hide mental health issues, but not every person is the same. Khan thinks families are like this, but she also thinks they can change their stances with the right people. The characters are likable, but even with character development, I couldn't relate to her passion, as I'm not an artist myself, but I can see how people who live with similar conditions can connect. The concluding pages are heartwarming. That's all I can say....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Black and Asian characters, character with dyscalculia Trigger warnings: Bullying Score: Six out of ten. Find this revi**spoiler alert** Representation: Black and Asian characters, character with dyscalculia Trigger warnings: Bullying Score: Six out of ten. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
I wanted to enjoy Figure it Out, Henri Weldon by Tanita S. Davis more than I did, but I can't always get what I want. I only saw this one on a library shelf, and I only heard about it a few days ago. I checked the low ratings and adjusted my expectations, but when I closed the final page, I could've liked it more if only it received some improvements.
It starts with Henrietta Grace 'Henri' Weldon, recounting her life, particularly discussing a significant event, she transitioned from a school for neurodivergent people like her to a typical public school. I don't see how that can't go wrong, but okay. Sure. There was a lot to take in after that, though. Unfortunately, Figure it Out, Henri Weldon, has a lot of issues I'll address, but I'll start with the positive aspects, I liked Henri as a character, and I relate to her in a way because of her neurodivergence. I don't see a neurodivergent POC every day, either, as Henri is a young Black girl with dyscalculia, showing an example of intersectionality.
However, Figure it Out, Henri Weldon, stumbles with subplots, since there's a lot of them to put into a storyline that only lasts slightly above 300 pages. There's so many I'm unsure what the narrative is about. I'd assume it's about Henri trying to cope with a school designed for neurotypicals, but it lost focus. There's one about a sick pet snake, one involving character dynamics with her mother, another about Henri's interactions with another family, the Morgans, one about poetry and one about Henri joining the soccer team. Perhaps concentrating on one plot would improve the reading experience.
If Davis wanted to express all her points in her latest creation, there wasn't enough pages dedicated to every single part of the novel. Adding more pages would help. I only got a brief glimpse of the other side characters, like her sister, mother and other characters, like her tutor, Vinnie, and her peers, like Hayden (an Asian,) but I would appreciate the composition more if Davis dedicated more page time to them. The conclusion was alright as Henri 'figured herself out,' as I see her as a soccer player and a poet, but not a mathematician....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Black, Asian and Latina characters Trigger warnings: Physical assault, child abuse and implied injury, sexual harassm**spoiler alert** Representation: Black, Asian and Latina characters Trigger warnings: Physical assault, child abuse and implied injury, sexual harassment, bullying, sexism Score: Seven out of ten.
For a book targeted at a younger audience this was surprisingly heavy. I can't believe this one isn't YA. Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee circled my recommendations until I saw it on a library shelf and picked it up. I headed in with high expectations, and when I closed the final page, it was enjoyable, yet flawed.
It starts with Mila recounting her life at school when she notices something, the boys, like Callum, sometimes hug her without consent and for a strangely long time, a few seconds too long. Mila doesn't know what this feeling is yet for the first opening pages, but what she does know is this isn't flirting. This is something else, despite her peers calling her reactions immature and over-the-top. Mila drives the central storyline with her character development of realising what sexual harassment is. Why didn't she tell anyone about this? I presume she didn't have the words yet. Or another reason.
I'm glad Dee put in effort by also making her see words are better than actions, which made me like her, despite her flaws. The pacing is enough to keep the plot going, with a length below 300 pages, but I sometimes feel a lot is going on. Mila has a lot of character dynamics with her friends, like Mila and Naomi and people she prefers not to interact, like Callum, and Dee dedicated lots of subplots to them, like the one about her mother attending an exercise program, but it detracts from the narrative.
The writing style is okay, except for one choice: if Mila (and therefore Dee) can say Asian, like in the term Asian American, why can't she say Black or Latina? Like others, Maybe He Just Likes You solely focuses on characters' experiences based on gender, but there's no intersectionality, which felt like a missed opportunity given the cast is diverse. The concluding pages are engaging though, as I get to see the satisfying end of Mila's arc....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Black and Asian characters Trigger warnings: Disappearance of a child Score: Five out of ten. Find this review on The S**spoiler alert** Representation: Black and Asian characters Trigger warnings: Disappearance of a child Score: Five out of ten. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
Unfortunately, Break wasn't as strong as Kayla Miller's other instalments in the Click series, like Click. I wanted to read this one for a while and I only picked it up a few days ago. I glanced at the intriguing blurb and headed in with high expectations considering the high ratings, but when I closed the final page, it was okay.
Did I mention the edition I read is a special Australian English edition?
It starts (more like continues) with Olive thinking of plans of what to do during the spring break when she and her brother, Simon, have to go to New Zealand for one week to visit her father who recently moved there. Once there, Olive met some side characters that happened to be there when she arrived, like Bree (this is the second time I've heard of this name) and Natasha, but that begs a few questions. What are they doing here in New Zealand? I thought they were Americans. Have they always been there or did they briefly move to America in previous books like Camp and Clash before moving back? I'm unsure. These minor characters only use a few pages worth of time, with Olive, her brother and father taking most of it. The pacing is enough to keep the storyline going, but I can't say Break has a writing style as it is an illustrated novel, but I can say I appreciated the art.
What I didn't appreciate though, is Olive. Initially, Olive preferred to interact with her friends over her family, going so far as to shout at them, which I found irritating, but she eventually develops her character and grows closer to her family. None of the other characters, like Simon, Bree and Natasha are easy to connect or relate with as their traits do not go beyond the fact they have platonic relationships with Olive. If Break is the final instalment, then the series did not go out well, but if there are future creations in the works, maybe I can like the series more, but for now, I can't recommend Break in its present state. The concluding pages are heartwarming as Olive and Simon return to America where their mother lives, but you can go read any other story instead of this one....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Implied Brown character Trigger warnings: N/A Score: Six out of ten.
Turn the Tide by Elaine Dimopoulos could've been m**spoiler alert** Representation: Implied Brown character Trigger warnings: N/A Score: Six out of ten.
Turn the Tide by Elaine Dimopoulos could've been much better. I wanted to read this one, but it was hard to get it as no library had it physically, so I resorted to getting an eBook edition instead. I glanced at the intriguing blurb, and the high ratings yet mixed reviews painted a picture of uncertain expectations, and when I closed the final page, it was okay.
It starts with Demetra 'Mimi' Laskaris, a Greek American, having to move from Massachusetts to Wilford Island in Florida since her parents thought that might improve their business, but that's beside the point. The central point is Mimi sees plastic pollution, and inspired by people like Greta Thunberg, decides to do something about it. Her idea is to get a law passed in Wilford Island to ban plastic and promote better options like using paper bags by getting people to sign a petition, if only she can get past a preemption law, meaning bans are banned (fortunately, she does.)
I liked the theme of climate change and the message advocating for more community action, but if there's one aspect that irritates me the most, it's the sledgehammers, and unfortunately, Dimopoulos used a sledgehammer to shove her ideas into my head, and even though banning plastic is a start, the unsubtlety and preachy tone frustrated me when I read Turn the Tide. I get it. Plastic harms the environment. Why would you repeat that, though? I'm not done yet though, as there are other problems that need addressing, first, the writing style, writing Turn the Tide all in verse is an uncommon choice, and it takes authors who write genuine poetry and not spaced out prose for this to work, but Dimopoulos fell into the trap of the second category. There are few poetic devices. I liked the characters, but Mimi has no other traits other than being an activist, even if it takes over her studies. Writing Mimi so her schoolwork and protesting share equal importance would've been a better decision. The pacing is slow too, with a length of over 300 pages, but at least the climax was engaging, with a protest against plastic and other scenes with Mimi being a step closer to achieving her goal....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Biracial (half Latina and half white,) Latino/a characters and a character with autism Trigger warnings: Death and mu**spoiler alert** Representation: Biracial (half Latina and half white,) Latino/a characters and a character with autism Trigger warnings: Death and murder of relatives and a disappearance of a child in the past, grief and loss depiction, physical injury Score: Seven out of ten. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
Shine On, Luz Véliz by Rebecca Balcárcel is everything In The Key of Code isn't. Surprisingly, this is only the second book I've read featuring a young protagonist who programs, and this one circled my recommendations until I saw it on a library display shelf and picked it up. When I closed the final page, it was enjoyable.
Did I mention this one got me out of a streak of okay or disappointing books? It starts with Luz Véliz having to stop playing soccer for a while after she injured her knee in the opening pages. She has to find something new to do after that, so she takes on programming (or coding as she calls it) for the first time. I liked many aspects, so I'm unsure where to start, but I'll try, first, I liked the theme of redefining yourself and the message that people can change. I enjoyed reading the characters, especially Luz, since Balcárcel put in the extra effort by developing her character. I appreciated that and the support networks she has. Shine On, Luz Véliz has a subplot where Luz discovers she has a half sister, Solana, adding intrigue and another layer of development, but I would've liked to see more of the side character with autism briefly mentioned for a few pages.
The pacing was engaging enough, with a length of less than 300 pages without being too overwhelming. Unlike In the Key of Code, this novel took time familiarising me with the two ways of programming used, one language on an old Apple computer and another called Scratch (I've heard of that before.) It feels realistic since there is no unfamiliar programming languages or ones that would be too complex to understand for a person aged similarly to Luz, like Java. On the contrary, there are some Spanish phrases. I don't understand Spanish, but adding a glossary would've helped and the conclusion involving a programming competition was worth the wait as I get to see Luz doing what she is most passionate about. Wow....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Asian characters Trigger warnings: Physical injury in the past, blood depiction, self-harm, anxiety, near-death exper**spoiler alert** Representation: Asian characters Trigger warnings: Physical injury in the past, blood depiction, self-harm, anxiety, near-death experience Score: Six and a half out of ten. Find this review on The StoryGraph. It looks like I finally got around to reading this one. Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca was a novel-in-verse I hadn't heard of, but it was a recommendation. It was difficult to get this one as no library had it physically, so I got an eBook edition instead. I glanced at the intriguing blurb, but when I closed the final page, the book wasn't what I expected.
It starts with a prologue where I see Maya and Chaya, before it cuts to the story after a few pages. The plot describes Maya as down-to-earth while Chaya is more extroverted, and the POV switches between them each chapter. Mirror to Mirror is surprisingly heavy for a narrative targeted at a younger audience, especially in the first half spanning 200 pages, where Maya does self-harm (and gets away with it,) all in the guise of achieving perfection. Maya has anxiety, but at no point in Mirror to Mirror does she receive any mental health support, which concerned me, and sent a message that it's acceptable to ignore mental illnesses.
The beginning started off well, but the last 150 pages dampened the mood with a jarring juxtaposition, as Maya had had enough, so she switched classes with Chaya, even when they attend the same summer camp. The characters were likable, but hard to connect or relate with, and the multiple first POVs got confusing--I almost couldn't tell which was which. Perhaps the 3rd POV would've worked better, but the Indian American representation was an appreciated touch. The pacing is slow, too. Did the work need that part when it detracted from the central storyline? I felt LaRocca wrote that as an afterthought, and a copy of The Parent Trap, but without the parents. The climax is dramatic, yet predictable, as I knew the plan would fall apart in the end. It did, as the twins' parents discovered they swapped and lived each other's lives for the entire time. Maya's anxiety is magically gone as well, which I didn't find satisfying.
I expected a deep exploration of mental health, but this was not it. The poetry was okay, but it was more spaced-out prose than real poetry. Adding poetic devices would improve Mirror to Mirror....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: N/A Trigger warnings: Divorce, pregnancy, childbirth, stillbirth, animal attack and implied physical injury and anima**spoiler alert** Representation: N/A Trigger warnings: Divorce, pregnancy, childbirth, stillbirth, animal attack and implied physical injury and animal death Score: Five out of ten. I own this book. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
Sorry, two stars is too much. One star will do. I've removed a star.
What They Told Me was my least favourite book from Hayley Lawrence by far. I had to buy it since no library had it, and wanted to love this one until I saw the low ratings and realised I've read a novel like this before. I glanced at the blurb, which didn't look that original. When I closed the final page, What They Told Me needed improvement. Skin Deep and The Other Side of Tomorrow were better than this.
It starts with Elliot living in a place called Crooked River with her family in the opening pages, that is until her parents divorce and soon plan to separate, much to Elliot's dismay. What They Told Me started well but after the first few pages it quickly deteriorates. The characters are only the beginning of the issues I saw in Lawrence's latest work, as they were hard to connect or relate with at first, especially Elliot, who I found hard to like. Her dialogue was irritating and she thought it was selfish for her parents to divorce, even though it isn't. Lawrence tried to make Elliot grow on me, and it eventually worked, but Elliot's earlier lines left a sour taste in my mouth. I suppose the author wrote Elliot that way to make it more realistic, but I prefer likable characters. I like that it's character driven (even though it's not literary fiction. It's YA.)
The pacing is slow for a narrative under 400 pages, but removing filler pages could quicken it and improve the reading experience. The plot is easy enough to follow, and I liked the theme of divorce and the message about not being able to control everything, but this is the third story I read about this topic. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I'm tired of reading pieces of fiction on the same subject. The other people, like Elliot's friend, Drake, were mostly in the background, and I wanted to see more of them, but the author didn't dedicate enough page time for them. The flow can get disjointed sometimes with non-linear flashbacks, but What They Told Me could work fine without them. Making the progression more linear would help me enjoy it more. The climax is bittersweet as Elliot realises she can keep some aspects of her life before the divorce, but not all, as her mother moves to a new house, leaving Elliot and her father behind....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: N/A Trigger warnings: Divorce, explosion, death of a person in the past mentioned, bullying Score: Six and a half out **spoiler alert** Representation: N/A Trigger warnings: Divorce, explosion, death of a person in the past mentioned, bullying Score: Six and a half out of ten. I own this book. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
What a unique book. I've never read one like this before. I didn't hear of My Brilliant Plan to Fix Everything by Ben Davis, and assuming no library had it, I had to buy it for myself. I glanced at the blurb, which made it seem intriguing. I read it a few days after my purchase and when I closed the final page, it was flawed, but enjoyable.
It starts with Alex, living with his presumably divorced parents, when he comes up with a plan in the opening pages to turn everything around. Alex's master plan is to return his father to his previous, happier state before he had to work as a post officer and all he has to do is to convince his father not to work for four weeks as long as he finishes the novel he started writing, adding a story within a story, and Alex will work for him. I don't know how that would work, but his father blindly accepts the deal. The overarching message here is you can't go back to the past and you must move on, though that doesn't appear until the closing pages, but the execution is heavy-handed. Davis could've made the moral more subtle to improve the reading experience. The pacing is enough to keep the narrative going, but the writing style is more tell than show. There isn't a lot of detail.
I liked Alex as a character but it was difficult to relate to a desperate boy who would do anything to make his father happy again. Alex's plan leads him on an adventure in the middle of nowhere alone, until he meets another character, Willow, but she was mostly in the background, like other minor characters like Alex's sister, Indie. It felt disjointed to switch from one story to another since one of them was more realistic and the other was more rooted in science fiction. Perhaps having dedicated chapters to each story would've improved My Brilliant Plan to Fix Everything. The conclusion is bittersweet as Alex's father finally publishes his novel, and Alex realises his parents will stay divorced and he must move on....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Autistic characters Trigger warnings: Bullying, ableism Score: Seven out of ten. I own this book. Find this review on T**spoiler alert** Representation: Autistic characters Trigger warnings: Bullying, ableism Score: Seven out of ten. I own this book. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
I wanted to read this since I enjoyed the previous instalment, Do You Know Me, written by the same authors, so I headed in with high expectations once I bought it. I glanced at the blurb, which made it seem intriguing, and I started to read it not long after. When I closed the final page, the book was enjoyable.
It starts (more like continues) with Tally entering Year Eight (the British version of eighth grade) with most of her friends in the opening pages. I noted that Tally uses the term autistic, and not person with autism, so I'll go with that from there. Surprisingly, Layla leaves Tally behind to move to Florida, much to Tally's dismay, and she already said her life is harder than other neurotypicals because she's autistic, which also applies to Year Eight.
The situation looks fine at first but it quickly deteriorates as Tally finds it hard to adapt and adjust to secondary school as an autistic person, and also deal with ableism and bullying. Unfortunately, everything fell apart from there as Tally felt secondary school was too much so her parents sent her to an alternative school where she can learn without the pressures specific to being neurodivergent in a mostly neurotypical society. I liked the plot since it didn't get too convoluted with unneeded subplots and it's distinct enough that it isn't repetitive. I liked the characters, too, and at last, I could connect and relate to them, and I also predicted Tally would bounce back when everything feels overwhelming, and I was right. The pacing is enough to keep the narrative going, and the writing style is basic, but accessible (I think that's intentional, though.) I haven't read Can You See Me and Ways to Be Me, but I'll get those when I can....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Asian characters Trigger warnings: Imprisonment and incarceration of a child, death of a brother and murder of anothe**spoiler alert** Representation: Asian characters Trigger warnings: Imprisonment and incarceration of a child, death of a brother and murder of another person mentioned, gun violence, sexism, racism, racist slur, religious persecution, sexual harassment Score: Five out of ten. I own this book. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
Okay. That's it. The Truth About Peacock Blue by Rosanne Hawke is an example of brownface. I can't give that book three stars nor can I support her because of that. Two is enough for now.
Well that was a book that could've been better, but I liked where it was going. The Truth About Peacock Blue was a book from a familiar author, Rosanne Hawke, since I've read and enjoyed her other work, Zenna Dare. I headed in with high expectations, but when I closed the final page, it was worse than disappointing.
It starts with the first person I see, Aster, having to go a boarding school, with negative reactions from one of her teachers and her peers, but she tries her best to do well in the opening pages. Everything changes when the police arrest Aster for breaking a blasphemy law and put her in prison, and that is where she stays for the rest of the story, all while her cousin, Maryam, living in Australia, creates a petition to try to free Aster. I liked that Hawke tried to tell a story about the sexism Pakistanis face, but I've already read about this topic before, so it's not too surprising.
Did I mention Aster's username is Peacock Blue to avoid discovery? The pacing is only one of the many issues, as it's slow, even though it's below 300 pages because of filler, which Hawke could've removed for a better reading experience. Like another novel, Yellowface, The Truth About Peacock Blue heavily relies on social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, wait--Twitter is now X, and also mentions CD players and Skype. It's outdated now. I liked the characters and could root for them, but if Hawke wrote them better, they would've been more relatable, too. I like the easy to follow plot, since other subplots don't detract from it, because there aren't any. It only focuses on Maryam trying to free Aster from prison, but I didn't like the conclusion, since it was too open, and there's nothing satisfying about that. Perhaps writing a finish where Aster is free from prison would've been a better choice.
Worst of all is the cultural appropriation since the author doesn't match Aster's attributes. A Pakistani author would've done a better job, and please read Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed for a better fictional creation on this subject.
Addendum: This book supports To Kill a Mockingbird. Really? To advocate for white saviourism is a blunder....more
**spoiler alert** Representation: Biracial (half Black and half white) and Black characters Trigger warnings: Forced marriage, death from an animal att**spoiler alert** Representation: Biracial (half Black and half white) and Black characters Trigger warnings: Forced marriage, death from an animal attack (snake) and a partner in the past, sexism Score: Five out of ten. I own this book. Find this review on The StoryGraph.
Okay. That's it. The Butterfly Heart by Paula Leyden is an example of blackface. I can't give that book three stars nor can I support her because of that. One is enough for now.
This book was awful. What was this? A library gave away some novels and The Butterfly Heart was one of them, so I picked it up and glanced at the vague blurb, which made it seem intriguing, and there was a note saying Amnesty endorsed it. However, when I closed the final page, it underwhelmed me. Scratch that. The Butterfly Heart was worse than underwhelming.
It starts with the first two people I see, Bul-Boo and Madillo, both biracial, living in Zambia, concerned over their friend Winifred and feel something is going on. They call upon this magic snake person, Ifwafwa, to help them, introducing an element of magical realism into the narrative, but calling it a fantasy is a massive stretch since The Butterfly Heart has mostly realistic roots. I liked the setting since there's only one work of fiction I know set in Zambia, but I had issues with everything else. The characters lack depth so it was hard to connect or relate to them. Adding more depth could've solved that problem.
I liked where the author was going with The Butterfly Heart, a story about forced marriage and women's rights violations, but the execution could've been better in many ways. First, why is there a magical snake person to solve Winifred's predicament when community action could've led to the same result? There is no exploration of the intersectionality between race and class, instead it sent a message about people mistreating women and stopped there when it could go further. The writing style is disjointed sometimes when it switched to first person protagonist to third person omniscient POV, but sticking to one POV would've been an improvement.
The pacing is slow even though it's 200 pages, but removing filler would've increased engagement, and the tone is so preachy I thought Paula Leyden used a sledgehammer to get her point across. Don't treat the reader like they need force-feeding, instead let them figure it out. The worst aspect of The Butterfly Heart is the cultural appropriation, which made me only give The Butterfly Heart five out of ten. A Black author would've done a better job. The conclusion is dramatic as the snake person kills the antagonist and finishes everything. I can't believe Amnesty endorsed this one. I'm so disappointed....more
Loading...
