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988 reviews by:
ashylibrarian
3.5/5 (audiobook)
CW: Parental death, sexual assault of a minor, overdose on tranquilizers, use of drugs and alcohol
This was a fascinating listen, but to be honest, I really am not sure what it is that kept drawing me into the story. I can't say that the story was phenominal or that the writing was next level, but I could not step way. I listened to the first 75% of the book in one sitting and finished the rest within the next day.
The Queen's Gambit is a story that is full of trauma, drama, love, lust, and chess. Beth's character is intriguing and extremely dynamic throughout the story, and as I got to know more about her, the more invested into the story I became.
I think part of what drew me in was the fact that I was listening to the novel on audiobook. The book can be a bit heavy in chess terminology and theory at times, and I think by listening to it, I was better able to understand and grasp at what was happening in the story.
I also can't look past the woman-taking-over-a-(traditionally) "man's"-game.
SPOILERS
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I was bothered by a few things, however. First was the relationship between Beth and Jolene. From the audiobook, I felt the relationship began negativily. It seemed as though Jolene was taking advantage of Beth because she was young and naive. There was the initial interaction in the line for "vitamins" that made it seem like Jolene was taking a power move over Beth. Maybe this was the way in whcih the audiobook was read, but I did not feel like Jolene was going to be very kind to Beth.
Then there is the bedroom incident that took place in their sleeping quarters. Jolene sneaks over to Beth's bed and seems to presure her into performing sexual acts when she did not seem ready or comfortable with it.
The relationship still seemed to develope into a loving one, where Beth thought of Jolene as a great friend, and unless I missed something, this relationship seemed rather toxic. But...
...I do have to say that I really enjoyed the relationship between Jolene and Beth in the Netflix Original Series. The connection they built seemed to be like a big-sister relationship. The producers did a nice job of making it seem like Jolene was taking Beth under her wing and helping her grow up with what little they had left of their childhoods.
The other issue that bothered me was the tranquilizers. It started with the orphanage giving tranquilizers to the children, which is a problem in and of itself, but I was curious about the impact they would have longterm on Beth. She was taking the pills since she was about eight years old, give or take a few years. That must have some sort of damaging effect on a person. Not to mention the withdrawl symptoms I assume would come with stopping a medication. I feel like there should have been more of a lasting effect on Beth than there seemed to be in so as not to glofiy the taking of the pills.
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SPOILERS ENDED
A day after finshing the audiobook, I watched all seven episodes of the Netflix adatption. Some of the changes made to the cinimatic adaptation were welcomed, and I have to say that I really enjoyed the relationship between Jolene and Beth much more - Jolene seemed like a sister to Beth and was there to support her along the way.
Overall, this was a really interesting listen that I may have never picked up if my family didn't think the series was so well done.
CW: Parental death, sexual assault of a minor, overdose on tranquilizers, use of drugs and alcohol
This was a fascinating listen, but to be honest, I really am not sure what it is that kept drawing me into the story. I can't say that the story was phenominal or that the writing was next level, but I could not step way. I listened to the first 75% of the book in one sitting and finished the rest within the next day.
The Queen's Gambit is a story that is full of trauma, drama, love, lust, and chess. Beth's character is intriguing and extremely dynamic throughout the story, and as I got to know more about her, the more invested into the story I became.
I think part of what drew me in was the fact that I was listening to the novel on audiobook. The book can be a bit heavy in chess terminology and theory at times, and I think by listening to it, I was better able to understand and grasp at what was happening in the story.
I also can't look past the woman-taking-over-a-(traditionally) "man's"-game.
SPOILERS
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*
*
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*
*
I was bothered by a few things, however. First was the relationship between Beth and Jolene. From the audiobook, I felt the relationship began negativily. It seemed as though Jolene was taking advantage of Beth because she was young and naive. There was the initial interaction in the line for "vitamins" that made it seem like Jolene was taking a power move over Beth. Maybe this was the way in whcih the audiobook was read, but I did not feel like Jolene was going to be very kind to Beth.
Then there is the bedroom incident that took place in their sleeping quarters. Jolene sneaks over to Beth's bed and seems to presure her into performing sexual acts when she did not seem ready or comfortable with it.
The relationship still seemed to develope into a loving one, where Beth thought of Jolene as a great friend, and unless I missed something, this relationship seemed rather toxic. But...
...I do have to say that I really enjoyed the relationship between Jolene and Beth in the Netflix Original Series. The connection they built seemed to be like a big-sister relationship. The producers did a nice job of making it seem like Jolene was taking Beth under her wing and helping her grow up with what little they had left of their childhoods.
The other issue that bothered me was the tranquilizers. It started with the orphanage giving tranquilizers to the children, which is a problem in and of itself, but I was curious about the impact they would have longterm on Beth. She was taking the pills since she was about eight years old, give or take a few years. That must have some sort of damaging effect on a person. Not to mention the withdrawl symptoms I assume would come with stopping a medication. I feel like there should have been more of a lasting effect on Beth than there seemed to be in so as not to glofiy the taking of the pills.
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SPOILERS ENDED
A day after finshing the audiobook, I watched all seven episodes of the Netflix adatption. Some of the changes made to the cinimatic adaptation were welcomed, and I have to say that I really enjoyed the relationship between Jolene and Beth much more - Jolene seemed like a sister to Beth and was there to support her along the way.
Overall, this was a really interesting listen that I may have never picked up if my family didn't think the series was so well done.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4.75/5 (physical book)
CW: Cheating, parent hitting child, arrest
Living in a library? Rare books? Book thefts and mystery? Progressive, feminist movements? Count me in!
I adored this read, and it incorporated basically everything I live for. It took me a bit longer than usual to read because of grad school coursework and my regular two jobs, but The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis is a beautifully constructed story with dual narratives that are taking place about 80 years apart. Our two main characters Laura Lyons and Sadie Donovan are living separate but similar lives, the biggest difference? Laura Lyons was living in 1913/-14 New York/London, and Sadie Donovan was living in 1993 New York.
I was captivated by the blurb on the inside cover and was not disappointed. The characters were complex and developed throughout the entire story, really helping to pull me in within the first few chapters.
I fell in love with basically all of the female characters because they were written as strong, independent, and determined, even those written in the 1913 perspective. Laura's aspirations to become a journalist/writer created a wonderful narrative and the events that followed her decision to try pushed against traditional gender expectations. Her character pushed those limits and explored what was really out in the world for her.
Sadie's dedication to her work and understanding of her family's past was intriguing, and the way in which Davis wrote this made it feel like I was there exploring the history with her.
Call me a nerd, but I was definitely on edge while reading the scenes of the book thefts or the discovery of the missing book. It was something that got my head racing and kept my attention the entire time.
The ending had me fooled, also, though I did have suspicions of the character named as a thief when we were first introduced to them. I enjoyed the way it played out, but it would have been nice to maybe have one more chapter at the end, looking into the future changes that happened after the final event.
SPOILERS AHEAD
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The one part I could have done without was the romance between Sadie and Nick. It added the sub-plotline of interfering with his line of work as a detective, but I just didn't feel like it needed to be there.
On the other hand, I loved the way that Sadie's and Claude's relationship worked. There was the initial romance that turned sour, and, because of this, their relationship at work was clouded. But I thought Davis's choice to rekindle the friendship at the end of the novel with the mutual happiness that the thief had been caught was smart. It felt realistic and made me smile!
I really enjoyed the development and demise of Jack Lyons. His character was kind of secretive but filled with great emotion. I felt like any time he would come up, I could feel the emotions he was feeling and, though I did not always agree with his actions, it was interesting to understand his point of view. I was angered for Laura when he would shoot down her aspirations or make his priorities more important than the families. I cheered when he finished the manuscript and was going to send it to publishers. I fumed when he laid his hands on little Harry. And I was confused and sorrowed (for the family) when he committed suicide. All of this shaped Jack's character into something of an emotional masterpiece, and for that, I am grateful to Davis.
I was not expecting Robin to be the book thief, however, I was suspicious of her character when she was first introduced as the new baby sitter. I was also not expecting one of the board members to be involved, either. This was a nice twist on the story for me.
I do also wish we had received one more chapter that looked at a few months into the future. I was curious about the changes that would be made in the library for security, how the relation with Uncle Harry developed, if at all, and what it was like for Sadie to be named curator permanently.
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SPOILERS OVER
This was a wonderful read with everything I love learning about. I am interested in picking up more of Davis's books in the future, so let me know if you have read any and what you think! Highly recommend picking up this read.
CW: Cheating, parent hitting child, arrest
Living in a library? Rare books? Book thefts and mystery? Progressive, feminist movements? Count me in!
I adored this read, and it incorporated basically everything I live for. It took me a bit longer than usual to read because of grad school coursework and my regular two jobs, but The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis is a beautifully constructed story with dual narratives that are taking place about 80 years apart. Our two main characters Laura Lyons and Sadie Donovan are living separate but similar lives, the biggest difference? Laura Lyons was living in 1913/-14 New York/London, and Sadie Donovan was living in 1993 New York.
I was captivated by the blurb on the inside cover and was not disappointed. The characters were complex and developed throughout the entire story, really helping to pull me in within the first few chapters.
I fell in love with basically all of the female characters because they were written as strong, independent, and determined, even those written in the 1913 perspective. Laura's aspirations to become a journalist/writer created a wonderful narrative and the events that followed her decision to try pushed against traditional gender expectations. Her character pushed those limits and explored what was really out in the world for her.
Sadie's dedication to her work and understanding of her family's past was intriguing, and the way in which Davis wrote this made it feel like I was there exploring the history with her.
Call me a nerd, but I was definitely on edge while reading the scenes of the book thefts or the discovery of the missing book. It was something that got my head racing and kept my attention the entire time.
The ending had me fooled, also, though I did have suspicions of the character named as a thief when we were first introduced to them. I enjoyed the way it played out, but it would have been nice to maybe have one more chapter at the end, looking into the future changes that happened after the final event.
SPOILERS AHEAD
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*
*
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*
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*
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The one part I could have done without was the romance between Sadie and Nick. It added the sub-plotline of interfering with his line of work as a detective, but I just didn't feel like it needed to be there.
On the other hand, I loved the way that Sadie's and Claude's relationship worked. There was the initial romance that turned sour, and, because of this, their relationship at work was clouded. But I thought Davis's choice to rekindle the friendship at the end of the novel with the mutual happiness that the thief had been caught was smart. It felt realistic and made me smile!
I really enjoyed the development and demise of Jack Lyons. His character was kind of secretive but filled with great emotion. I felt like any time he would come up, I could feel the emotions he was feeling and, though I did not always agree with his actions, it was interesting to understand his point of view. I was angered for Laura when he would shoot down her aspirations or make his priorities more important than the families. I cheered when he finished the manuscript and was going to send it to publishers. I fumed when he laid his hands on little Harry. And I was confused and sorrowed (for the family) when he committed suicide. All of this shaped Jack's character into something of an emotional masterpiece, and for that, I am grateful to Davis.
I was not expecting Robin to be the book thief, however, I was suspicious of her character when she was first introduced as the new baby sitter. I was also not expecting one of the board members to be involved, either. This was a nice twist on the story for me.
I do also wish we had received one more chapter that looked at a few months into the future. I was curious about the changes that would be made in the library for security, how the relation with Uncle Harry developed, if at all, and what it was like for Sadie to be named curator permanently.
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SPOILERS OVER
This was a wonderful read with everything I love learning about. I am interested in picking up more of Davis's books in the future, so let me know if you have read any and what you think! Highly recommend picking up this read.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow. This book took my mind by storm and raced through it with love, laughter, trauma, grief, celebration, and disaster. Getting a backstage look at the old Hollywood lives through a (fictional) movie star made this story so compelling and attention-grabbing that I did not want to put it down.
I was hooked from page one as Taylor Jenkins Reid started with two news/blog articles about Evelyn Hugo and her upcoming dress auction. The drama began on page one and continued all the way through page three-hundred-eighty-five.
Character development was a huge part of this story, as well, and Jenkins Reid did not disappoint. Evelyn's character initially comes off as shut-off and elitist, but as Monique digs deeper into her story, Evelyn becomes a character of compassion, grief, loss, success, and love.
The plot use of the seven husbands was really intriguing because it was not like Evelyn was getting married and divorced from each of them all willy-nilly. She strategically thought through each and every marriage to determine the benefits and pitfalls. Evelyn was using the men in her life to advance her own success and happiness, and though it was not always in the most empathetic way, she was a force to be reckoned with.
One of her major flaws as a character was that she did not think through the acting consequences of her actions on the other people in her life. Most notably was the impact her relationships had on Celia. I definitely cheered when Evelyn and Celia began a romantic relationship because I could tell there was some sort of connection there with the first few scenes they were together, but I wish it would have worked out better. I wanted so badly for Evelyn to start thinking about her action's consequences on Celia and making adjustments so their love could last, but I also think that Jenkins Reid did a nice job creating their relationship for the time in which the story was placed.
All in all, this book blew me away and I did not want to put it down. I was worried the hype would ruin the story for me, as most often times it does, but this story deserves all the hype that has come its way. Bravo, Jenkins Reid.
I don't think I clearly or fully articulated all of my thoughts for this review, but I will definitely be rereading this book in the future as it was a favorite of 2020, and I think a new all-time favorite, as well.
I was hooked from page one as Taylor Jenkins Reid started with two news/blog articles about Evelyn Hugo and her upcoming dress auction. The drama began on page one and continued all the way through page three-hundred-eighty-five.
Character development was a huge part of this story, as well, and Jenkins Reid did not disappoint. Evelyn's character initially comes off as shut-off and elitist, but as Monique digs deeper into her story, Evelyn becomes a character of compassion, grief, loss, success, and love.
One of her major flaws as a character was that she did not think through the acting consequences of her actions on the other people in her life. Most notably was the impact her relationships had on Celia. I definitely cheered when Evelyn and Celia began a romantic relationship because I could tell there was some sort of connection there with the first few scenes they were together, but I wish it would have worked out better. I wanted so badly for Evelyn to start thinking about her action's consequences on Celia and making adjustments so their love could last, but I also think that Jenkins Reid did a nice job creating their relationship for the time in which the story was placed.
All in all, this book blew me away and I did not want to put it down. I was worried the hype would ruin the story for me, as most often times it does, but this story deserves all the hype that has come its way. Bravo, Jenkins Reid.
I don't think I clearly or fully articulated all of my thoughts for this review, but I will definitely be rereading this book in the future as it was a favorite of 2020, and I think a new all-time favorite, as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief
2.5/5 (audiobook)
I was honestly rather hesitant about picking up this book because, after my reread of The Hunger Games series, I was not a fan. But I kind of wanted to see what the hype/controversy was all about and form my own opinions on it.
This book started off pretty strong for me. I enjoyed the quick-paced plot that told the story of one of young adult's most hated villains. I also really liked the premise of this book because I enjoy learning backstories about characters I have strong feelings about but have limited information about within novels. President Snow always seem to get my blood boiling.
It was engaging to learn more about the Capital, the Snow family, Panem, the games, and District 12. However the plot really died for me in the last quarter or so of the novel. The ending did pick up and had a pretty intense finish, but I did find myself losing interest after the games were over.
I do like how Suzanne Collins created this novel not to highlight the villain and make the readers feel sympathetic for him but to instead show how he worked through the corruption, the horror, and the injustice in order to create the horrible the Hunger Games and Capital that we know today.
Lucy Gray's character was a charmer. I was a little hesitant about her when she was initially picked during the reaping, but my feelings quickly changed. Her energetic, optimistic character created something to root for within this novel. It was kind of predictable that she was going to win the 10th Hunger Games, but there were still some surprises about the way she won. Lucy Gray brought joy, hope, and color to this story.
As a final thought, I really enjoyed all the references and answers to the series, especially the parts that I knew I had questions about, like the hanging tree song, the mockingjays, the development of The Hunger Games, and how President Snow came to be with his blood and roses.
Over all, this is probably my second favorite book in The Hunger Games family, but I still can't say that I really enjoyed the series. I love the idea and world that Collins built with this series, and I really do wish that I liked it more, but I can't seem to look past all of the issues I had within the trilogy.
I was honestly rather hesitant about picking up this book because, after my reread of The Hunger Games series, I was not a fan. But I kind of wanted to see what the hype/controversy was all about and form my own opinions on it.
This book started off pretty strong for me. I enjoyed the quick-paced plot that told the story of one of young adult's most hated villains. I also really liked the premise of this book because I enjoy learning backstories about characters I have strong feelings about but have limited information about within novels. President Snow always seem to get my blood boiling.
It was engaging to learn more about the Capital, the Snow family, Panem, the games, and District 12. However the plot really died for me in the last quarter or so of the novel. The ending did pick up and had a pretty intense finish, but I did find myself losing interest after the games were over.
I do like how Suzanne Collins created this novel not to highlight the villain and make the readers feel sympathetic for him but to instead show how he worked through the corruption, the horror, and the injustice in order to create the horrible the Hunger Games and Capital that we know today.
Lucy Gray's character was a charmer. I was a little hesitant about her when she was initially picked during the reaping, but my feelings quickly changed. Her energetic, optimistic character created something to root for within this novel. It was kind of predictable that she was going to win the 10th Hunger Games, but there were still some surprises about the way she won. Lucy Gray brought joy, hope, and color to this story.
As a final thought, I really enjoyed all the references and answers to the series, especially the parts that I knew I had questions about, like the hanging tree song, the mockingjays, the development of The Hunger Games, and how President Snow came to be with his blood and roses.
Over all, this is probably my second favorite book in The Hunger Games family, but I still can't say that I really enjoyed the series. I love the idea and world that Collins built with this series, and I really do wish that I liked it more, but I can't seem to look past all of the issues I had within the trilogy.
2.5/5 (physical book)
I do not have a lot to say about this book. It was cute, but it was more anything special in my opinion. I am not 100% sure why, but I did not like the character name of Stripey Tiger. The one thing I did like was the shiny bits of the illustrations and the cutouts in the pages. They gave the students a chance to participate with sensory aspects.
I do not have a lot to say about this book. It was cute, but it was more anything special in my opinion. I am not 100% sure why, but I did not like the character name of Stripey Tiger. The one thing I did like was the shiny bits of the illustrations and the cutouts in the pages. They gave the students a chance to participate with sensory aspects.
4/5 (physical book)
This book was pretty different than what is normally thought of for a Dr. Seuss book, but I really enjoyed the message it put out for readers. Dr. Seuss created a children's book that allows kids to talk about emotions and their days in terms of colors, providing a platform that is known and comfortable for them. I would definitely recommend this one!
This book was pretty different than what is normally thought of for a Dr. Seuss book, but I really enjoyed the message it put out for readers. Dr. Seuss created a children's book that allows kids to talk about emotions and their days in terms of colors, providing a platform that is known and comfortable for them. I would definitely recommend this one!
Hidden: A Child's Story of the Holocaust
Greg Salsedo, Marc Lizano, Alexis Siegel, Loïc Dauvillier
4.5/5 (physical book)
Hidden. The story of a young girl during the Holocaust.
Hidden tells the story of Dounia, a young Jewish girl living in France during the 1930s. The story begins with normal life for Dounia - school, friends, family dinners. This is all quickly changed when the police come and take her parents away to a concentration camp and Dounia is forced to hide until someone comes to get her.
This graphic novel is gripping and real. With the illustrations to go with the text, the story gets a whole new life, filled with maximum emotion.
I am not normally a graphic novel reader, but I finished this book in about 45 minutes, gripped into the story of a young girl looking and hoping to find her parents.
Hidden is a conversation starter for this extremely difficult topic when working with young readers, and I think this story can help build empty reading skills.
I will be recommending this graphic novel in the future, for sure.
Hidden. The story of a young girl during the Holocaust.
Hidden tells the story of Dounia, a young Jewish girl living in France during the 1930s. The story begins with normal life for Dounia - school, friends, family dinners. This is all quickly changed when the police come and take her parents away to a concentration camp and Dounia is forced to hide until someone comes to get her.
This graphic novel is gripping and real. With the illustrations to go with the text, the story gets a whole new life, filled with maximum emotion.
I am not normally a graphic novel reader, but I finished this book in about 45 minutes, gripped into the story of a young girl looking and hoping to find her parents.
Hidden is a conversation starter for this extremely difficult topic when working with young readers, and I think this story can help build empty reading skills.
I will be recommending this graphic novel in the future, for sure.