Reviews by betweentheshelves

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betweentheshelves

Tokyo Ever After

Emiko Jean

4.0

adventurous lighthearted slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thanks to Libro.fm for an advanced copy of the audiobook! Definite has Princess Diaries and What a Girl Wants vibes, filled with Japanese culture. Being Japanese-American, Izumi really struggles with where she fits in, especially after learning her father is the crown prince of Japan. I loved Izumi's friends and the people she interacts with in Japan. And the romance fits in nicely with the rest of the story. Also, this audiobook narrator was amazing and I would definitely listen to other books narrated by her. She did a fantastic job!

Content Warnings

The Immortal Game

Talia Rothschild, A. C. Harvey

3.0

adventurous fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thanks to Swoon Reads and NetGalley for an advanced eARC of this to review! The summary definitely gives me Percy Jackson vibes, which I’m always here for. Been kind of in the mood to read some Greek mythology, and this hit the spot!

If you’re looking for an action packed book to pick up this summer, this will absolutely hit the spot! Right from the beginning, Rothschild and Harvey drop you into the middle of the action, and it doesn’t really let up until the end of the book.

What adds to the pacing is the switch between different characters throughout the book. The constant switching between characters propels you forward, which is great for someone who likes fast pacing. For me, it made it difficult to really connect to any of the main characters in the book. I think there were 5 narrators in all? I just wanted a little more character development from at least one or two of them.

There is also a lot of Greek mythology packed in this book. In fact, some of the stuff they reference I had to brush up on, because I didn’t quite get the references. There’s some elements that I think the authors assume you’ll know, so they don’t necessarily go into as much detail. With the pacing of the plot, some elements get lost and I think this adds to not really connecting to the characters.

All in all, if you’re looking for a fast paced book to read this summer all about Greek mythology, this is for you! Especially if you read for plot more than you read for character.

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Definitely action-packed! Review to come later next week.

Content Warnings

In the Wild Light

Jeff Zentner

5.0

challenging reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Listened to the audiobook now that this book is out in the world and it's just as good the second time around. Plus, the narrator they chose was perfect for Cash!
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Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy of this to review! This is one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I'm happy to say that it lived up to the hype. Like, I already want to read this again if I knew it wasn't going to emotionally devastate me. I'm going to do my best to put my feelings into words!

Jeff Zentner has a way of writing grief that just melts from the page. That's something that connects each book that he's written, all of which I highly recommend. This book is no different. At its core, this is a book about grief; about how we work through it, how we move forward. How we let friends and family help us through it. And how we take hold of opportunities handed to us.

One of the things that Zentner added to this book was poetry. Cash is on a journey learning how poetry and art is important in life (and his teacher is the best. She's one of my favorite characters). The poetry included in the book fits so well with the characters and the story. It feels effortless. Zentner's prose feels like poetry at times, and it really just shines in this book.

And the characters! You'll fall in love with Cash right from the beginning. Delaney, too. The friends they meet at school, Alex and Vi, are also so well-rounded. Their little squad is beautiful and ever teenager deserves a squad like that. Cash might be a little oblivious at times, but you'll be rooting for him throughout the whole book.

Like always, there are nods to Zentner's other books in here, too. I won't spoil them, but I love these little nods. You have all summer to catch up before this book comes out, so do it now!

All in all, this book will put you through an emotional ringer, but it is so worth it. I can't wait to do a quote round up for it when it comes out in August!

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Who gave Jeff Zentner the right to play with our emotions like this? I am truly blown away by this book, I honestly think it's some of his best work. And seriously, be prepared to cry. I mean, why wouldn't you be, it's a Jeff Zentner book. Stay tuned for a full review later this week while I pull together my emotions!

Content Warnings

Haikyu!!, Vol. 10

Haruichi Furudate

5.0

adventurous inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

We get a little conflict in here, but they'll work it out, right?? I have hopes that they will. I enjoy seeing everyone work so hard at the volleyball camp and can't wait to see where they go from there!

Haikyu!!, Vol. 9

Haruichi Furudate

5.0

adventurous funny inspiring slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

We take a bit of a break here from volleyball as some of the team passes their exams which works well for pacing! Still love this little group of characters so much. I really need to watch the anime at some point!

When Stars Are Scattered

Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed

5.0

emotional informative inspiring slow-paced

This is such an important story, and I think it works so well in graphic novel format. Omar's story is one that too many kids can likely relate to, and it's important for others to be able to see it. I don't think there are many kid's graphic novels that cover this topic, but I'm glad that this one does!

Content Warnings

Becoming

Michelle Obama

5.0

hopeful informative inspiring slow-paced

The majority of this book is about Michelle Obama's time in the White House with her husband, and I loved seeing all the things they did to make it more accessible. Her entire story is just so inspiring.

May the Best Man Win

Z.R. Ellor

4.5

emotional tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for sending me an advanced copy of this to review! It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting, but not in a bad way! Just much heavier than I was expected. But there are a lot of great issues discussed in here, and it has a lot of other great things going for it!

Let’s start with the good things! This book has a great cast of diverse characters (even if the main characters aren’t the most likeable, more on that below). I especially liked Sol; they were a great foil to Jeremy and Lukas and often a voice of reason. Ellor also captured the elite high school feel, down to the homecoming competition and the feel of the book. It felt authentic and gave the characters a great backdrop.

Ellor also focused a lot on character growth, and man, did these characters have so much room to grow. Jeremy was very angry for most of the book, internalizing a lot of toxic masculinity traits that are sometimes hard to read. I do think he changed by the end of the book, even if he still has a long way to go. He’s still just a teenager! Lukas is also angry, though not as fiery as Jeremy. They both have hurt feelings that could definitely use therapy, and maybe they’ll get it in the future!

Now, the negatives. One of my main complaints is the pacing. A lot of parts felt dragged out, while the ending felt a bit rushed to me. Especially the reconciliation between Jeremy and Lukas. I specifically wanted that aspect of the plot to be…slower? It’s scrunched into the last quarter of the book and I wanted more of them working out their problems. With each other and their friends.

Also, I absolutely loathed the AP Bio teacher. She deliberately makes tests that students can’t pass and I hate teachers like that. Like, how is any student learning anything? And she was so unwilling to work with Lukas when he said he needed his laptop to take notes. Lukas is autistic, and even though he hadn’t really informed the school, she still should have been willing to work with him. That’s what teachers do.

I’m not sure that I can comment on the authenticity of the representation of Lukas’s autism, so I would seek out own voices reviews for that. But al in all, even if this wasn’t the rom-com I was expecting, this is a strong debut and I can’t wait to read more from ZR Ellor in the future.

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That 100% wasn't what I was expecting based on the cover and the description. There is A LOT to unpack here, so stay tuned for a full review to come next week!

Content Warnings

Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare Vol. 3

Yuhki Kamatani

5.0

emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Again, what's great about this volume is the conversations that are had, particularly about allies that think they have good intentions. It's also about finding your voice and being able to stand up for yourself, your friends, and your community. I think I'm going to need something happy to read after this for sure.

Content Warnings

Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare Vol. 2

Yuhki Kamatani

5.0

emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The emotions are definitely upped in this volume and the relationship between Tasuku and Misora feels so honest and realistic. There's so much to explore in the LGBTQ+ community and these conversations come to life in this book. And the art. So beautiful.

Content Warnings

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