This book gave me so much joy and pain.

A character in Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five says "Everything you need to know about life is in [this book:]."

I am very young, but I think he is right.

I read this in high school. I read the first chapter/intro, and got REALLY EXCITED.

Then I read the rest of the book.

I admit that I am not a fan of the Bronte sisters, yet these books have stood the test of time. They also helped pave the way for other writing women. For that I am thankful for their work, even though it's not the type I'd seek out.

Possibly one of the most real and creepy books written. I didn't appreciate this book at the time I read it, but I appreciate it a lot more now.

Let the wild rumpus start.

Another book missing from my childhood (though my mom urged me to read it!).

The characters are all relatable and have stood the test of time, and Charlotte can make girls everywhere tolerate spiders. White understands the way children think, their longings/desires, and the way "their" world works.

Jacob is an average student living an average life, with an extraordinary grandpa who tells him stories about his peculiar childhood. Amidst Jacob's growing disillusionment into his late elementary and teen years, the sudden death of his grandpa sends him on an unusual journey looking for answers about his grandfather's past, which will ultimately affect his own future.

SPOILERS:
Riggs has an excellent first novel. The juxtaposition of photos and prose is well done. The characters are mostly consistent, and I loved how slowly Jacob's skeptical character slowly gives over to the reality that was in front of him. Jacob's embracing his new life in the "time loops" parallels with his grandfather's exiting the time loop so well, and we find their strengths are similar, even though they are executed differently - while Abe sought fighting the monsters physically in his "time", we see Jacob, yes, taking on a physical fight, but he becomes more of a nurturing fighter (if that makes sense). I also appreciated the time constraints and "rules" Riggs had for crossing "worlds", and I love that he crosses back and forth. This is something I'm struggling with in my own writing (my own characters need to cross back and forth) and I really like his execution.

Oh, if this is helpful–this book comes across as creepy/scary, but it's not really creepy at all. I'm easily scared, and my recommendation would be to not look at too many of the pictures before reading the text that goes before them. There's much less of a creepiness factor if you experience them in the order Riggs has laid out.

I'd definitely recommend this to any YA enthusiasts. I haven't seen the movie yet, and I'm interested to see what they'll do - will they make it more creepy/scary, or stick more to the book? We'll see!