It's been a long time since I read vol. 7 of Saga and it will probably be a long time untiTrigger warnings: violence, death, murder, abortion, vomit.
It's been a long time since I read vol. 7 of Saga and it will probably be a long time until I read vol. 9 (partly because I've heard Bad Things and partly because the series is on hiatus). But this - which I read cover to cover in about 20 minutes - was pretty stinking great, if difficult to read at times.
The art is stunning, I love the characters, and there were a surprising amount of humour in this, despite the often dark subject matter.
It's been a long time since I read vol. 7 of Saga and it will probably be a long time until I read vol. 9 (partly because I've heard Bad Things and partly because the series is on hiatus). But this - which I read cover to cover in about 20 minutes - was pretty stinking great, if difficult to read at times.
The art is stunning, I love the characters, and there were a surprising amount of humour in this, despite the often dark subject matter....more
Trigger warnings: emotionally abusive and toxic relationship (in the past), cheating (in the past), slut shaming, death of a parent (in the past), canTrigger warnings: emotionally abusive and toxic relationship (in the past), cheating (in the past), slut shaming, death of a parent (in the past), cancer.
3.5 stars.
The romance in this was super freaking cute - a black comic book nerd on the autism spectrum (all of which is Own Voices) falls for her hot beardy Chris Evans-esque next door neighbour, who's a blacksmith. Both of the characters were adorable and I thoroughly enjoyed their story.
I...........didn't love the story of Ruth's past which was pretty stinking uncomfortable at times. I mean, I don't doubt that things like that happen. But it's not exactly the kind of story I want as a side plot in a cute romance book, you know? IDK. It seems like this is a pretty unpopular opinion here, but there was just something about that side of the story that I wasn't comfortable with, even though it's clearly there to juxtapose the stability of Ruth's relationship with Evan.
Still, I loved that in Evan and Ruth's relationship, consent is always present and is an essential part of their relationship. So. There's that! ...more
Trigger warnings: murder, blood, gore, medical procedures, probably other stuff that I've forgotten in the three weeks since I read this whoops.
I wantTrigger warnings: murder, blood, gore, medical procedures, probably other stuff that I've forgotten in the three weeks since I read this whoops.
I wanted to love this, I really did. Because I've really enjoyed Kiersten White's writing in the past and I've always thought that Elizabeth is a vastly underutilised character in the original text.
Uuuuuuuuunfortunately, I didn't love this. I found Elizabeth a very grating character so being in her head for however many hundred pages was...a struggle. I felt like it followed too closely to the original at times and it dragged at others. So ultimately, it was FINE and the last 50-odd pages were utterly gripping. But I was definitely on the struggle bus for the majority of this one. Sigh. ...more
There are a lot of rave reviews for this book, and I do not undTrigger warnings: death, animal death, violence, murder, blood, vomit.
DNF on page 194.
There are a lot of rave reviews for this book, and I do not understand a single solitary one of them. Because this book was indescribably dry and dull. There was, like, one storyline that I gave half a fuck about and the rest of them I found myself skimming through in order to get back to that one.
Maybe if it wasn't the end of the year and I weren't trying to finish goals that I've set for myself, I'd have persevered. But it is and I am and also I just don't care tbh. ...more
Trigger warnings: death, animal death, blood, murder, death of a child, death of a friend.
I honestly can't remember if I read this as a teenager or nTrigger warnings: death, animal death, blood, murder, death of a child, death of a friend.
I honestly can't remember if I read this as a teenager or not. I feel like I must have?? But maybe I just know the details of the story by, like, osmosis... IDK.
Anyway. This is a very compelling story. It's fast paced and totally messed up and truly disturbing at times. I definitely didn't remember the reason why the kids end up on the island, but it makes perfect sense given that this was published in 1954.
I don't know that it's a book I'll be rereading in a hurry, but I'm very glad I read it now. ...more
Okay, this is the cutest freaking thing in the world. Like, seriously. The art is cute. The characters are cute. TTrigger warnings: kidnapping, theft.
Okay, this is the cutest freaking thing in the world. Like, seriously. The art is cute. The characters are cute. The story was cute. The hints at a romance are cute. It's like Nancy Drew with a biracial queer protagonist and I am very much here for it.
I'm definitely going to have to get my hands on the next volume very soon because I really need more of this world and these characters in my life. ...more
A comic artist talked about this book at a professional development event I went to during November and it soundedTrigger warnings: nothing
3.5 stars.
A comic artist talked about this book at a professional development event I went to during November and it sounded like a really good way to get English teachers on board with supporting kids reading comic books because based on what the artist said, this book breaks comics down into their parts and tells you how to read them.
And, like, that's KIND OF what it does? But it does it more from the perspective of an artist who's going to be creating comics, talking about how you convey time passing or complex emotions or any number of other things in ART rather than discussing it from the perspective of a reader. Still, the discussion of the differences in comics and methods of storytelling between the US, Europe and Japan was definitely interesting and something I hadn't thought about before.
Add in the fact that it was quite academic and dry in terms of the writing and this was definitely an INTERESTING read, but for me it wasn't a particularly ENGAGING read. And honestly? I think the Media Studies staff at work will find this much more useful than the English staff... ...more
Trigger warnings: death, murder, PTSD as a result of war, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, gun violence, animal death, vomit, (view spoiler)[cheating, cheatTrigger warnings: death, murder, PTSD as a result of war, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, gun violence, animal death, vomit, (view spoiler)[cheating, cheating resulting in pregnancy, stalking (hide spoiler)]
3.75 stars.
This was SO CLOSE to sticking the landing and being a fantastic thriller. And then it just veeeeeeeeeery slightly failed right at the end and I was left somewhat disappointed.
I loved the setting for this one - you can't go wrong when a group of people are snowed in for New Year's at a remote Scottish (very bougie) hunting lodge! I loved the jumps between before and after the body is discovered. I loved not knowing who the victim was. All of it was a great way to ramp up the tension. But then the ending happened and it just..........it wasn't what I wanted it to be and womp.
But, like, up until that point, this was a very very solid thriller and I was thoroughly enjoying it, so don't take my curmudgeonly word for it! ...more
This was fun but I also have a lot of questions about, like, WHY fencing is such a huge freaking dealTrigger warnings: nothing that springs to mind??
This was fun but I also have a lot of questions about, like, WHY fencing is such a huge freaking deal at these particular schools that they have fencing scholarships. It also felt very much like introduction - it's 100-odd pages and essentially nothing happens other than that we're introduced to the characters. And given that I don't have the subsequent volumes to hand, I'm just going to have to stew until I can order them for work next year. SIGH. ...more
Trigger warnings: disenfranchisement of Indigenous populations, racism, homophobia.
I've been meaning to read this book since it came out and I'm so gTrigger warnings: disenfranchisement of Indigenous populations, racism, homophobia.
I've been meaning to read this book since it came out and I'm so glad I finally did. It's FASCINATING from start to finish. I don't know that I'd ever really appreciated the benefits of preferential voting, compulsory enrolment, compulsory voting or the Australian Electoral Commission until I read this book. Thank fuck for each and every one of them, I say. It's created a society in which people are politically aware and engaged, where voting is easy (senate ballot papers aside), and where we have faith in our electoral system.
And I had no idea that so many parts of what we take for granted today have been in place for almost a hundred years.
In short, this book was fabulous and I'm very glad I read it. ...more
I was a little hesitant going into this one because while I loved When Dimple Met Rishi, I was far less of a fTrigger warnings: fat shaming, cheating.
I was a little hesitant going into this one because while I loved When Dimple Met Rishi, I was far less of a fan of From Twinkle, With Love. Thankfully, this was more like the former than the latter. Sweetie is a delightful character, and I loved that the story features a fat protagonist who's not only happy in her body but who's an athlete. Ashish is as fabulous as he was in WDMR, and I loved getting his perspective and seeing him grow and change as a character.
There were many moments in Sweetie's relationship with her mother that hit me right in the feels in a way I wasn't entirely expecting, but even that was done in such a way that there was a resolution that felt authentic and not forced.
So yeah. I sped through this and it made me squee. ...more
Trigger warnings: kidnapping, murder, mentions of torture, death of a parent (in the past), emotional breakdown, grief.
3.5 stars. I think???
So here'Trigger warnings: kidnapping, murder, mentions of torture, death of a parent (in the past), emotional breakdown, grief.
3.5 stars. I think???
So here's the thing: I loved the concept of this world. I liked the characters. I definitely didn't expect that there was going to be a kidnapping/torture/murder mystery element to the story. I liked the writing. And I can definitely see myself continuing with the series.
But.
There was something about it that was just a little bit TOO insta-love for me and as a result I was kind of meh about the romance. Still, I flew through it, so...there's that. ...more
Trigger warnings: death, grief, mental health, death of a parent (in the past), (view spoiler)[suicide, murder, cheating (hide spoiler)].
I am 100% herTrigger warnings: death, grief, mental health, death of a parent (in the past), (view spoiler)[suicide, murder, cheating (hide spoiler)].
I am 100% here for more novels set in small town Australia, especially when they're not straight up contemporaries. I also thoroughly enjoyed that this had a 14 year old protagonist rather than the typical 17 year old protagonists that YA is riddled with of late.
Anyway. I really really liked this. I liked the characters. I liked the setting. I liked the writing and the pacing. I liked the very low-key romance, which is super age appropriate given how old the protagonist is. And I liked the mystery side of things. This isn't a particularly long book but it packed a solid punch and I'd strongly recommend it. ...more
Trigger warnings: slut shaming, drug addiction, parent with drug problems, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, shitty parenting, toxic friendships.
I don't quiTrigger warnings: slut shaming, drug addiction, parent with drug problems, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, shitty parenting, toxic friendships.
I don't quite know why I keep reading Kody Keplinger's books, to be perfectly honest. I mean, there's nothing WRONG with them, but there's also something about them that, for me, is incredibly generic and forgettable. *shrug*
I was hoping this one would be somewhat better in that the protagonist's blindness is Own Voices. And, like, it was FINE?? But it wasn't the most exciting of stories, to be honest. It's essentially a story about two teenage girls - one legally blind and one considered the town bike purely because of her surname - who decide to leave town in the middle of night. It's the story of how they came to be friends and the story of the adventure they go on together.
Like I said, it was fine. But I suspect it will very quickly prove to be forgettable. ...more
Trigger warnings: death ,murder, blood, homophobia, racial slurs, gun violence.
I've been meaning to read this book for LITERALLY years now because itTrigger warnings: death ,murder, blood, homophobia, racial slurs, gun violence.
I've been meaning to read this book for LITERALLY years now because it's constantly referred to as a true crime classic. Really, though, it feels more like the story of Savannah and that a murder just so happened to take place while Berendt was there. The true crime side of things doesn't happen until nearly half way through the book, and the bulk of the second half focuses on the court cases rather than the crime itself.
So really, it's not that there was anything wrong with the book as that the book wasn't what I was expecting and therefore it was something of a disappointment. That aside, I honestly found this very slow going a lot of the time. There were chapters that I loved and chapters that I just wanted to be over. So I think ultimately, this is a Me Thing and not a Book Thing. But my feelings can be summed up as "womp". ...more
Trigger warnings: gambling addiction, death of a parent (in the past), murder, animal death, probably some other stuff that I've forgotten in the pastTrigger warnings: gambling addiction, death of a parent (in the past), murder, animal death, probably some other stuff that I've forgotten in the past 10 days tbh.
3.5 stars.
Okay, look. I'm going to be perfectly honest here: I finished this book ten days ago and I've already forgotten almost everything that happens in it. I know that there's a duke who wants to get all the shares in a stallion. And there's a plus sized heroine. And there was some typical Tessa Dare humour and some typical Tessa Dare delightful side characters who will clearly be the leads in subsequent books. And that's basically it.
But apparently when I read it ten days ago, I liked it 3.5 stars worth of liking it, so do with that information what you will. ...more
Trigger warnings: death of a grandparent (in the past), grief, bullying, hospitalisation of a sibling.
Well this was generally delightful. I haven't reTrigger warnings: death of a grandparent (in the past), grief, bullying, hospitalisation of a sibling.
Well this was generally delightful. I haven't read nearly enough middle grade this year, and this one was definitely a solid addition to my middle grade reading for 2019. Hayley's obsessed with movies and desperately wants to make movies when she grows up. So when her parents use money from her grandmother's will to buy Hayley a video camera, she decides to spend the rest of her summer holidays making the horror movie she's always dreamed of.
This was a lot of fun, and I had a blast reading it. The characters were fabulous, I loved how present Hayley's family was, and there was a surprising amount of diversity among the characters for a middle grade book. There was also a healthy dose of Feels in here that I didn't anticipate, and I loved that it features a mixture of old and new movies.
Also, Jennifer and her orange obsession was delightful from start to finish. ...more
Trigger warnings: extreme secondhand embarrassment, betrayal of trust I guess???
3.5 stars.
The premise of this book was pretty fun - extremely shelteTrigger warnings: extreme secondhand embarrassment, betrayal of trust I guess???
3.5 stars.
The premise of this book was pretty fun - extremely sheltered kindergarten teacher who hates her job loses her job, takes job as an admin assistant for a company that turns out to record audiobooks of erotica, and drunkenly decides to start a podcast where she reads parts of the erotica to help her come out of her shell and maybe one day talk to her super hot neighbour.
And while I definitely found this fun (and funny a lot of the time), there was something so extremely cringeworthy about the level of secondhand embarrassment I experienced for Heidi throughout the course of this book that it hindered my enjoyment of the story.
I also found it a liiiiittle odd that while Heidi reads some extremely graphic scenes on her podcast, the actual romance scenes in the book were pretty chaste for the most part. But whatever. This was fun, but I suspect highly forgettable. ...more
Trigger warnings: Holocaust, violence, concentration camps, death of a parent, death of a friend, death of a family member, war, executions, genocide.Trigger warnings: Holocaust, violence, concentration camps, death of a parent, death of a friend, death of a family member, war, executions, genocide.
This is an absolutely fascinating and largely true story. But at the same time, I wanted it to be longer. This book is only 260 pages and yet it covers Yanek's childhood in Poland, the outbreak of war, his family hiding on the roof of their apartment building, and then his experiences in TEN different concentration camps. And while I was hooked to the page throughout, I found myself wanting...more. I know it's written for middle grade/younger YA audiences and so it glosses over a lot of the details. But I still felt like it didn't QUITE do justice to Yanek's incredible survival.
I also would have loved to know more about Yanek's life after the war because the end of the book indicates that it continued to be utterly fascinating.
All of that being said, this was a very fast-paced and compelling story of a Jewish teenager struggling to survive in WWII, and I'm glad I read it (if in part so that I can try and find a biography of Yanek to find out more details of his life)....more
I strongly suggest that you go into this book knowing literally nothing but thTrigger warnings: death, violence, colonisation, genocide, child abuse.
I strongly suggest that you go into this book knowing literally nothing but the title and the fact that it's EXCELLENT. Coleman's writing is spectacular and it's an incredible story from start to finish. It's a tense and atmospheric story and I strongly recommend that every Australian read it.
(view spoiler)[I knew going in that it was set in the future and that there were aliens, but my GOD Coleman does an incredible job of making the whole thing feel like it's set in the 1800s... (hide spoiler)] ...more
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