alltheradreads's Reviews (1.9k)

i complained about being behind on my reading goal and my bud @readalongwithnat was like “read graphic novels!!!” and i remembered @mikaelaandherbooks talking about this one, so i grabbed it from my shelf! it was beautifully illustrated, telling a sweet story of friends who grow up, grow apart, and find their way back to each other. i’m not an expert on graphic novels, nor have i read very many, but this one didn’t blow me away sadly. cute and sweet, but nothing stunning.

THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD.

i think it was @hayley.e.morgan who posted about this one and put it on my radar, but it took me a bit to get to it! villodas built on principles i’ve learned from folks like john mark comer and aaron niequist, adding new layers for me when it comes to how to live a life that is rooted in things of Christ. it’s meaningful and helpful without being trite or patronizing, it felt fresh and relevant without trying too hard, and i especially loved his thoughts on pursuing diversity in churches, fighting for justice, and keeping the Sabbath.

thanks to @booksparks for this one! flew through it since getting home yesterday (pun intended!) and wow it’s not for the faint of heart. it’s a story of love and loss centered around 9/11, so triggers abound, and it’s mostly pretty raw and heartbreaking and weighty to read. i don’t know if i ever would have felt “ready” to read a book about 9/11 like this, but at the same time, i’m glad to have read this as i feel much more empathy toward those who lost loved ones in such a horrifically tragic way. the author told this story with honesty and heart, which i appreciated. but oof— a heavy one!

the family, as the title states, was v unhappy and v toxic and unhealthy and messed up, and i just don’t love a family drama where every character is miserable and unlikable

thank you to @bibliolifestyle + @williammorrowbooks for sending me this one that i finally am getting around to reviewing… i loved this book SO MUCH.

books about books are just a delight and this one was flawlessly done. the characters? nuanced and loveable and endearing. the layered storylines? impeccable. the realness around mental health, loss, grief, family, suicide, and love? stunning.

i bought every single book on the reading list from this book (several are already faves!) and just want every book lover to read this one and fall in love with these sweet characters like i did.

also the ending got me good.

needed a good read and this was IT. i was hooked and intrigued and stressed the heck out while reading it, i literally didn’t put it down until i finished it! it really is a mix of gossip girl and get out, with a secret society that is racist AF and targets a private school’s only two Black students through secret texts and awful bullying. it’s a wild ride!

if you like @bobgoff (of Love Does fame) or @morganharpernichols or love scrolling pinterest for inspiring quotes or feel a desire to explore deep in your bones or you dream of big and beautiful things in this wild, wonderful world, you will love this book. taylor describes herself as a wildflower and a travelin’ lady, and her presence on the internet (and in the world) feels like a bright light and a breath of fresh air. truly, she’s a gem and this book featuring her words from the window seat (aka little love notes taped to airplane windows) and the stories behind them is lovely.

(if i had read this in my early 20s, i would have been truly OBSESSED. it did feel a little simplistic/young to me at times, but it’s perf for a younger audience.)

did i read this just because it was short and i could fit it in before the month ended? maybe.

but it’s poignant and compelling for the middle grade/younger readers, in the same way that Anne Frank’s diary was for me as a kid, telling the story of a girl in a world far more corrupted and unsafe and terrifying than any kid should ever experience. (this one is set in the dominican republic and is based on the author’s own life!)

also… did anyone else go through a major world war two reading phase as a kid? i read SO MUCH about the holocaust and survivors and that time period, which seems bizarre looking back??? but also i’m grateful for the awareness and empathy those stories instilled in me at a young age ❤️‍