*Thank you to both NetGalley and LibraryThing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!*
Actual Rating: 2.5
Hm. I’ve got mixed feelings about th*Thank you to both NetGalley and LibraryThing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!*
Actual Rating: 2.5
Hm. I’ve got mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I absolutely LOVE the premise and the idea of all the characters. On the other hand, actually reading the book was a lot less enjoyable for a number of reasons.
First though, a blurb. Starworld is written in two main perspectives. There’s Sam Jones, who lives an invisible life at school and relies on her one and only friend, Will. Her mom has OCD, and after her parents' divorce, it only got worse—Sam has no idea how she could ever leave home and pursue her dream of studying aerospace engineering. Then, there’s Zoe. Zoe is popular and loved by everyone, but her life isn’t as great as it seems to be. She was abandoned as a baby, her adoptive mother has cancer, and her brother is being sent away to a facility. As Zoe and Sam’s lives collide unexpectedly, they find themselves creating a whole new universe where they can escape from the real world, and they dub it—Starworld.
So, I LOVE the idea of Starworld. I jumped into the story imagining flowing colors and adventures and excited to read outlandish descriptions. Unfortunately, the way Starworld was written in the same way I used to roleplay in Harry Potter forums. Like this: *hugs* *coughs on dust* And by being written this way, Starworld just seemed unremarkable and amateurish; I found myself cringing too often—the texting and writing style was reminiscent of what I typed as a ten-year-old.
Other than that, the plot seemed a little flat. There were some ups and downs, but once again, it felt very childish when they were based on silly misunderstandings.
I also think the characters could have been explored more in general; Will was a character that I already loved. Yet, even as the best friend, he barely got any screen time! Overall, I think more intimate interactions between Sam or Zoe and OTHER characters could have helped this book a lot and given us a clearer picture of how these characters lived in their environment, not just with each other.
Overall, this was still a fun little read, and giving it two stars definitely feels really low, but it was the writing style of Starworld itself (in its texting format) that disappointed me so much I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving it a three....more
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual Rating: 2.5
Alright. Let me start with this. I'm a hu*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual Rating: 2.5
Alright. Let me start with this. I'm a huge fan of some of these tropes: enemies to lovers, identity reveals, and the BEST FRIENDS TO LOVERS storyline.
Playing Her Secret Crush is basically that, but with an extra hint of video games. Katie has been crushing on her best friend Alex for forever. But this year, she's determined to be more confident and more outgoing. Then, Alex asks Katie to help him get a girlfriend, and suddenly - everything becomes that much more confusing.
I really loved the video game subplot, which actually is a much bigger part of the story than the blurb lets you believe. Overall, however, I did think that it was still too predictable. It had a very Disney movie-esque happy ending, and the romantic plotline was also quite unsurprising. I felt like the official blurb, in addition to the sometimes third person omniscient writing style may have revealed too much. Knowing that Alex and Katie already liked each other and were going to end up together lessened a lot of the anticipation and the "slow burn," which is what I usually read these sort of books for. A lot of things that happened in this book were also pretty cliche in general.
I did like the characters, and the author indeed explored the backstories of the two main characters. I still wish that those histories and character developments could have played a larger role, rather than just appearing when it was convenient for the romantic plot.
The writing style was quite good; the book read like many typical YA contemporary romance novels by authors such as Kasie West or Morgan Matson.
Overall, this was a fun read but I did find it a little too predictable to be memorable, and therefore I can't round up my 2.5 star rating....more
*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual Rating: 2
A Love Like This begins in the hospital. Ca*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual Rating: 2
A Love Like This begins in the hospital. Catherine is giving birth to a little girl named Donna; in another room, Vivienne is giving birth to a little boy named William. Despite such similar beginnings, the two children's lives diverge. Donna grew up in a dysfunctional family as she struggled to keep her head above water, while William grew up affluent, yet stifled by his overcontrolling parents. Throughout the years, the two come close to meeting each other, but never do. Still, some things are just meant to be, and Donna and Will are one of them.
I think the premise behind this story was really great, and the slow burn reminds me a bit of Love, Rosie. Unfortunately, the pacing of the book was super fast because it spanned so much time, and therefore the book became messy. It seemed like the story became many separate scenes, instead of having them all build up into one another. The official blurb for this book also states that William and Donna came together because they were hit by a tragedy. However, while reading the book, I felt as though it was one problem after another; I couldn't really pinpoint the climax, which also made the book seem long and drawn out as it tried to tackle too much.
The rushed pace also made the side characters a little weak. One chapter, they would be kind and friendly, but the next chapter the author would suddenly make them bad people or ruin their relationship with the main character just to get the story moving. The side characters became plot devices. I also liked Will and Donna separately, but they turned out to be a case of insta-love, which was especially unrealistic considering how little time they knew each other for.
The writing style was okay. Once again, because of the fast pace, there wasn't much time to really delve into the emotions or thoughts experienced by the characters. It was a little too much "tell, not show." Additionally, some of the dialogue seemed very robotic and unrealistic. Since there were lots of "tragedies" that happened throughout the book, I think it would have been less repetitive if the ways the main characters found out about them were varied. Many times, the main character would hear the news on the phone, or there would be a cry of "Nooooooooo!" (this kind of makes me laugh) and then they would find out what happened. This seemed to happen over and over again, and so this method lost its effectiveness.
In theory, I think this could have been brilliant, but unfortunately, execution was lackluster and the book fell flat for me in the end....more
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual Rating: 3.75
I was immediately drawn to this book bec*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual Rating: 3.75
I was immediately drawn to this book because of the cover. It's simple, yet colorful and aesthetic, and it fits the vibe of the story very well!
The Benefits of Being an Octopus follows Zoey, a seventh grader who doesn't have time to deal with crushes or even homework. She's too busy taking care of her younger siblings while her family barely scrapes by. But one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club, and Zoey can't stop thinking how much easier life would be if she was an octopus with eight arms and the ability camouflage. Surprisingly, joining the debate club helps Zoey see things in a different light and with everything going on at home, at school, and with Zoey's best friend Fuchsia, that's exactly what she needs.
This was quite a quick read and the writing style was very engaging. The narration was authentic and it really sounded like everything was from a seventh grader's perspective. Although I understand that the age factored in, I personally still felt a little frustrated at the simple terms the narrator thought in, even towards the end.
Another frustration factor was regarding character development. It was definitely there, but it didn't quite pick-up until the 70% mark, and waiting for it was quite a task. I think the author captured the binary thinking of younger students very well; in fact, I really loved how I could truly empathize with the main character, even though I may disagree with them. This book really made me look at people beyond their arguments, and it points out that what's frustrating about politics aren't the people on the other side, it's close-mindedness by anyone and often, everyone.
Regarding the rest of the characters, I'm not sure I felt as much love for them as I could have. I think that some of them could have been fleshed out more and I'm not 100% satisfied with how much backstory I got. Fuchsia was a character that could have used more screentime and personality before she became a plot device.
The plot was very interesting overall, though I did feel like it got a little messy. The book bounced between subplots, and I think the resolution tying them together was a little weak, and I'm not sure how satisfied I am.
Overall, I'd still recommend this book to everyone, and I think even adults could learn a lot from this book, which really makes the reader take a step back and look at both sides of every coin....more
Sigh. I've honestly just read too many books that were too similar to be surprised by this kind of plot anymore. About 20% into the book, I had a few Sigh. I've honestly just read too many books that were too similar to be surprised by this kind of plot anymore. About 20% into the book, I had a few predictions about the big plot twist, and I hoped that I was wrong and that I would be surprised. But of course I wasn't, and so while the writing in this book was quite engaging, there's nothing that stands out about this book that makes me feel like I should rate it higher. It was just too predictable....more
This was engaging enough, as in I enjoyed the reading style and the dual perspective, but in terms of plot it was a little meh.
Hanna's perspective wasThis was engaging enough, as in I enjoyed the reading style and the dual perspective, but in terms of plot it was a little meh.
Hanna's perspective was more annoying than creepy at times.
The plot is a little of the same thing over and over again (but slowly escalating), and honestly I'm always really annoyed at the "Nobody believes me" trope—how hard is it to get security cameras or wear a body cam?
I also felt like I wouldn't exactly call this a psychological thriller; the dual perspective meant that the reader knew exactly what both characters were thinking at all times, and I felt as though I was waiting for a plot twist that never came....more
This was a light-hearted funny read, easy to read in one go! I did enjoy the cartoons and doodles as well. There were some stories that I was kind of This was a light-hearted funny read, easy to read in one go! I did enjoy the cartoons and doodles as well. There were some stories that I was kind of meh about, and there is some fat/slut-shaming, but I do understand that these are public submissions and it was interesting to see these different stories from different perspectives. Overall it was still quite a nice read and it's perfect for when you're in the mood for an easy humorous book....more
*Thank you to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual Rating: 3
The very first thing that caught my eye about this book wa*Thank you to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual Rating: 3
The very first thing that caught my eye about this book was the cover. It has that chilling vibe that fits well-enough with the Alaskan setting of the story.
There is a little town in Alaska named Lost Creek, where nothing ever changes. Corey lived there with her best friend Kyra for years, until Corey moved away, leaving Kyra all alone in a community that has never accepted her. But they promised to wait for each other. The time has finally come for Corey to visit, but days before, Kyra unexpectedly dies. Corey still returns to Lost, desperately trying to figure out what happened, but the townspeople are saying the oddest things. It was meant to be. It was her time to go. So be it.
I was definitely quite invested in the story from the beginning, and I really loved the beautiful writing, which was quite haunting. I'm personally a fan of unconventional writing styles that may not always fit the "correct English rules," and the author manipulated the writing to fit the mood of the story well. There are sections, however, where the writing style looks a bit like the transcript of a play or something of that sort, and I definitely noticed myself becoming less engaged during these parts.
The plot was very interesting from the jump, and I enjoyed reading Corey's return to Lost, but as the book wore on, the plot became a bit repetitive and slow. The cycle was that Corey would ask a Lost resident about Kyra; they would say something that would upset Corey, and the cycle would repeat all over again.
Therefore, although I quite liked learning about the characters, and the story itself was definitely very character-centric around Corey and Kyra, I wasn't the huge fan of how the plot played out. The ending felt like a combination of anticlimactic and out of the blue, especially considering how long the build-up was.
Overall, I would still say that I loved the setting and the vibe of the book overall, but the plot only gets a "meh" from me....more
*Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual Rating: 2
The cover for this book is SO BEAUTIFUL, but the blurb for th*Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Actual Rating: 2
The cover for this book is SO BEAUTIFUL, but the blurb for this is a bit misleading. The synopsis for The Last Girl on Earth speaks of an Earth in which all humans have been wiped out. The planet has been taken over by Abdoloreans, beings who have special abilities. The story centers on Li, and shockingly, she is the last girl on earth. She grew up in hiding, blending in with her fellow aliens. But at a point, Li will come of age. And it is time to take the tests that will decide her future. Everything becomes a little more complicated when Li meets Ryn, and for the first time, she has someone to live for.
It's true that the genre is science fiction, and the author did create a world that was original, but it wasn't fully explored and the plot focused solely on the romance, making the book seem a little more like one of those teen chick-lit dramas. There was some of the world-building aspect of the book that contributed to Li's future, and it reminded me a bit of the competition in Nyxia, except I kept waiting for the action-adventure to start, but it never did. Instead, it was brought up near the ending, but I wished it had played a much larger part in the story.
The characters were okay; I felt like the romantic relationship definitely moved super fast, since it was the focus of the book. Personally, I never really felt a deep connection with anyone, and I think Li's feeling of loneliness of being the only human left in the world could have been further developed, perhaps turning into determination or courage that could be intertwined with a more action-driven adventure. Some of the side characters also made decisions and said things that were simply frustrating to read, and I felt like in this world they could have focused on things that were more important than stereotypical teenage romantic drama.
The writing style was really good though. I actually really enjoyed the writing, especially at the beginning of the book. I do think that simply if the book had been longer and the focus had been more on the "last girl on the earth" part instead of the "falling in love" part, this could have been really great. The book is a little short, and the ending makes me wonder if there is a sequel that can actually explore the world more....more
*Thanks to NetGalley for the free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
DNF @ 41%
I really, really tried. And I hate not finishing books. But this j*Thanks to NetGalley for the free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*
DNF @ 41%
I really, really tried. And I hate not finishing books. But this just really not my thing. It has such an interesting premise, a mix of crime mystery and time travel sci-fi. Unfortunately, I was completely lost the entire time I was reading. I was confused by all the characters and the perspective, and the pace was just really sluggish. There was also a lot of terminology that was a little lost on me, and overall I felt like I was reading the words, but nothing was quite sticking. The writing style is quite unique; there are lots of run-on sentences or fragments, and while I do understand that it's stylistic, it makes the book a little harder to read....more
*Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review!*
Actual Rating: 1.5
Trigger Warning: Mental Illness, Cutting
This was definitely*Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review!*
Actual Rating: 1.5
Trigger Warning: Mental Illness, Cutting
This was definitely not what I expected from the blurb. The synopsis for the The Museum of Us follows Sadie, who is living the good life with her boyfriend Henry and her best friend Lucie. When Sadie gets into a car crash, she is sent to the hospital as she cries out for George. George, her hero, her prince, her secret. One other thing - George isn't real.
I had no idea that this story was about mental illness when I started reading it. And honestly The Museum of Us surprised me, because I could relate so much to Sadie. I too have created worlds and adventures in my mind, imagined myself as a tragic hero in order to escape from the harsh realities of the world. I too often lose myself in daydreams, and yes, I start talking to myself aloud, gesturing, and walking about. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME.
That was about it when it came to relating to Sadie. To be honest, I couldn't really connect with her trains of thought of actions, and sometimes it was even a little irritating. I felt like I lacked understanding about Lucie and Henry as well, and even George. The only character that was truly fleshed out was Sadie, and everyone there was simply "there."
The writing style was not exactly my cup of tea either. I personally am a fan of figurative language and visual imagery, but the writing style was a little more straightforward and simple. The chapters bounce back and forth between times and between reality and imagination, so it can get a little confusing, but the chapter titles do help, not to mention that they're Harry Potter references!...more
*Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review*
Actual Rating: 2.5
This was not exactly what I had expected, but it was an inte*Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review*
Actual Rating: 2.5
This was not exactly what I had expected, but it was an interesting read anyways! Little Big Love is written in three changing perspectives - Zac, a young boy who is overweight and searching for his father; Juliet, Zac's mother; and Mick, Zac's grandfather who is hiding a few secrets of his own. That one night, years ago, everything changed, and the family only agrees on one thing: Don't tell Zac. But as he grows up, he becomes determined to discover the other half of his family.
There were definitely a lot of things going on in this book, and while I understand that realistically a family could deal with multiple issues at once, I feel like it made the book a little messy because there seemed to be multiple plots going on at once. The book covered alcohol addiction, bullying, obesity, binge-eating, grief, and of course, family; the two big ones were Zac being bullied for being overweight, and him finding out the truth about his father. I feel as though one of these plots should have been treated with more significance with the other, but because they were both often mentioned and were never really intertwined, I felt almost as if I was reading two different stories.
The characters were okay; Zac's narration is definitely in the tone of a child, and it almost made me wonder if this book would be more suited towards a middle-grade reader. I did like the more adult tone of Juliet and Mick's perspectives, but their voices weren't nearly as interesting as Zac's. The author definitely succeeded in making the styles align with the intended narrator.
I didn't really love the characters too much, and while I understand that everyone was dealing with different issues, and that grief is such a powerful emotion, I didn't feel as connected to them as I could have. Instead, I was frustrated and sometimes, downright annoyed with just how extremely self-centered many of the characters could be.
Overall, this was a very typical child-finds-parent story, but with a whole lot more dysfunction thrown in. Lots of people definitely enjoyed this, so ya'll can still give it a try, but it wasn't for me....more
*Thank you to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!*
Actual Rating: 4
YES I CRIED. Now that we have that out of the way...
In *Thank you to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!*
Actual Rating: 4
YES I CRIED. Now that we have that out of the way...
In Search Of Us was a poignant intergenerational story following two characters. There's Marilyn, living in LA in the late 1990s and counting down the days until she can escape to college; she feels trapped in the world her mother has built for her, a world of acting and modeling jobs that barely earn enough to feed two people. But then she runs into James, the boy downstairs, and suddenly her escape is right there.
Years later, there's Angie, and being biracial is hard especially when you've never met your father. And her mother, Marilyn has always been almost enough - until Angie finds out that her father didn't in a car crash and her brother wasn't in that car that night. So Angie seeks out, back to Los Angeles, to find who she is and why her mother kept the truth from her.
I loved this. To be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of Love Letters to the Dead, but I enjoyed the writing style, and I actually went into this book not even knowing it was by the same author. This time, the author maintained the same great writing style, but the plot and characters and everything were also right on the money.
For me, Marilyn and James were my favorite plotline. And while I do enjoy the story of a character searching for their family history, Angie's storyline was just okay for me, and I felt like they were just a little less engaging and heartwarming. Still though, I loved it for the anecdotes about being biracial, and several of those scenes shook me to my very core.
One thing that I loved about this book is that race was such a big thing - but it wasn't everything. Each character had their own aspirations, fears, and personality traits that made them so immersive and real, that played around with the chemistry they had with one another, and sometimes you forgot race at all and then had to be reminded that it was not something that should be forgotten.
Overall, though, I'd definitely recommend this to any readers of realistic contemporary fiction, especially those who enjoyed Between the World and Me or this author's previous book, Love Letters to the Dead. And whether or not you see the ending coming, won't make it hurt any less....more
*Thanks to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!*
Actual Rating: 4
Wow. This was absolutely crazy. For some reason, all the pa*Thanks to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!*
Actual Rating: 4
Wow. This was absolutely crazy. For some reason, all the parties and materialism reminded me a bit of the vibe you get from The Great Gatsby, but the actual plot was definitely completely different. It was thrilling, for sure; Social Creature gives you the kind of heart-stopping anxiety that you feel when you just know something is about to go horribly wrong.
Louise Wilson has absolutely nothing. But she's a good girl, and she works as an SAT tutor just to get enough money to scrape by. When she runs into Lavinia, a privileged and preppy socialite, her life spirals into one of parties, drinking, and drama. And now Louise is only sure of one thing - she needs Lavinia. And she needs Lavinia to need her.
The writing style was great. The book was narrated in a way that really messed with my psychological perspective, and I realized that I had failed to see some obvious twists until it was far too late. Social Creature was poetic (More Poetry!!!) and fearless, and I absolutely loved it.
The plot definitely took a while to get going, but I personally liked the build-up. The thing about the plot was this: You knew it was going to go wrong, but you just didn't know how, and it was definitely different from what I had expected. I did feel like the ending was a little rushed and messy, and while I understand that things had already gone awry, I wish the book had maintained the same sort of suspenseful anticipation that it had started out with, because it seemed to let up a bit at the end and I'm not sure I got everything I had hoped for.
I've seen some reviews mention that the characters are unlikeable and that it turned them off the book. I don't disagree - there was nobody I was really rooting for, but nevertheless I felt myself as drawn to the book for the pure purpose of needing to know.
Overall, I'd still definitely recommend this to anyone looking for one of those lowkey psychological thrillers; Social Creature isn't exactly brutal and flashy, but it'll mess with you all the same....more
*Thank you to LibraryThing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!*
This book was definitely more suited towards middle graders, but like the*Thank you to LibraryThing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!*
This book was definitely more suited towards middle graders, but like the first book, I found that I still really enjoyed it.
Molly was a very likable heroine, and I really loved seeing her character development throughout these two books, from a quiet yet curious girl to someone who was strong, brave, and able to take on the weight of the world if it was the right thing to do.
The world that Shane Arbuthnott created is definitely one that is very original and imaginative; I really loved learning about how the worlds were connected, but I would have loved it if there was even more visual imagery so that I could imagine what every little detail was like in my head.
The plot was great as well; it did follow a little bit of the generic "revolution" storyline, but there was one thing in Terra Nova that strongly stood out to me. The way the book talked about grief and survivor's guilt was something I had never seen before, and I was taken aback by its heart-wrenching depth. I definitely have to give the author props for that, and it leads me to point out that this book may be meant for ages 10 and up, but it has lessons that could touch the hearts of everybody....more
I read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and honestly it was the most boring and disappointing book ever - and I've read some that areDamn. This was amazing.
I read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and honestly it was the most boring and disappointing book ever - and I've read some that are similar and I never found a book that accurately described what it was like to be a fangirl. This book gets pretty darn close.
I'm not going to sit back and pretend that the main characters were without fault - in fact, everyone was downright annoying and horrible at times. But I don't know, I kind of liked that at the end, everyone made up for it - and that even though they may have done some bad things, the most important part was that they all learned from it.
Another problem I had while reading Fangirl was that I didn't care about the fandom in the story at all. I didn't care about the ship. But I did when I read this book. The author really brought SmokeHeart to life, and I could see myself shipping them, writing fanfiction about them, crying over clips of them as well.
I'd definitely recommend this book for any YA reader, and it's got a delightful dash of LGBTQIA+ and diversity that I was super glad to see....more
*Thank you to LibraryThing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
I actually did enjoy reading this book quite a bit, but I enjoyed the fami*Thank you to LibraryThing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
I actually did enjoy reading this book quite a bit, but I enjoyed the family aspect much more than the romance part, which felt a little weird to me. I know it's supposed to be a main part of the book, but I felt like it was a little rushed - as in she went from being nostalgic to being completely "in love" with him the next.
I did really like the development of the relationship between Jules and her mother, and I liked the friendship subplot as well, though honestly, I didn't like Leila at all. She kept saying she wasn't judging by oh my god. SHE WAS, and it annoyed the crap out of me....more
I was really interested in this story when I first read the blurb, and when I got it I definitely jumped right in! Unfortunately I sort of lost intereI was really interested in this story when I first read the blurb, and when I got it I definitely jumped right in! Unfortunately I sort of lost interest in the middle, as the pace definitely slowed down a lot. But I ended up really liking the ending too, and I loved that the story was more than just about a paralyzed veteran. The style was super cool as well - the fact that it was written like it was a true story really messed with my head in the best way....more
Damn. This book was terrifying. And it really made me rethink my username (psychopathycathy) - I've changed it, by the way.
What was thrilling wasn't rDamn. This book was terrifying. And it really made me rethink my username (psychopathycathy) - I've changed it, by the way.
What was thrilling wasn't really the plot of the story itself, but more so trying to find out what had happened in the past already. I definitely got chills several times.
I did feel like the writing was good at times, but subpar at others, and because the timeline was telling both the story of the past and the story of the present, sometimes I got a little lost and couldn't tell which one it was....more
The premise is certainly interesting - Wen, Andrew, and Eric are a normal family on vacation in a little cabin, but everything goes terribly wrong wheThe premise is certainly interesting - Wen, Andrew, and Eric are a normal family on vacation in a little cabin, but everything goes terribly wrong when they are invaded by a group of people claiming that the end of the world is near.
Unfortunately, the book ended up falling a bit flat to me. The pacing was really slow, and I'm not entirely sure what the climax was. There also didn't seem to really be that many important developments, and I think the plot drowned in a lot of unnecessary dialogue and narration.
I think this premise would have worked a lot better as a short story or novella - it would have sped up the pace and the reading journey might've been a little less of a slog....more