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booksare42's Reviews (608)
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I want to start this review by saying that I’ve been trying to write it for months. I read this book before it was released, but I’ve been struggling to find the words to talk about it because it’s the book that I didn’t know that I needed in my life.
Never Saw You Coming is a coming-of-age book that features a super cute romance, but it also deals with some heavy topics, like balancing faith and the Church, specifically the Evangelical church.
The first thing that I want to talk about are the two main characters in this book. Meg Hennessey grew up in a very conservative and Christian home, where she was homeschooled, and the Church had a massive influence on her life. When she finds out that her parents kept a giant secret from her, she starts to question everything that she thought she knew, including her faith. She decides to travel to Northern Michigan to meet the family she didn’t know existed and take some time to evaluate everything in her life and decide what happens next. Micah Allen is hurting. His father, who he adored and was a pastor, is in prison for crimes against his congregation. Micah isn’t reading to forgive his father, even though he’s feeling the pressure to do so. He’s also questioning everything he thought he knew and evaluating his life and what happens next. Both of these characters are struggling with their relationship with the Church they grew up in and with God.
Meg and Micah are both memorable characters, and I loved both of them. It’s clear that both of them are hurting, they’re conflicted, and they’re trying to navigate life now that their worlds have been flipped upside down. Meg and Micah are both dealing with similar things, and they’re able to relate to each other, become friends, and eventually become more than friends. I liked how their friendship progressed into a romantic relationship and how they could help each other navigate everything that was going on in their lives.
As far as the religious aspect goes, this is why this book is the book I didn’t know I needed in my life. I grew up Catholic; I went to church basically every Sunday, volunteered with the youth group, and all of that jazz until I went away for university. However, I’ve always had an internal issue reconciling faith and belief in God with the Church as an organization. I’ve often thought that it’s strange that God is supposed to love us, but the Church adds a bunch of terms and conditions to that love. Anyway, I bring this up because this struggle is similar to Meg’s struggle, and I really enjoyed reading about it.
From the last paragraph, it’s clear that this book deals with some heavy topics. It’s critical of the Evangelical church and how you can do everything right and love God with all of your heart, then be shunned for one little sin. It also deals with a Pastor who was found guilty of taking advantage of his congregation and committed several transgressions. Finally, there’s a search and rescue scene in the book that left me on the edge of my seat, and there were moments during it that were a bit tough to get through.
I also liked the side characters in this book. Meg’s friend Vega seems amazing, and I’m hoping to read More Than Maybe soon, which features her as the main character. I also liked Micah’s best friend, whose name I cannot remember for the life of me, but I’d be interested in reading a book where he’s the main character. This book also features a very lovable dog, and I think all books should feature loveable four-legged creatures.
This book isn’t for everyone. There will be many people who pick this up and are totally turned off by the religious aspect, or they just won’t get it. But for that section of the population of people who grew up with the Church playing a role in their lives and they’ve questioned or struggled with faith versus the Church, this book will make you feel less alone. The romance is also super cute, which is an excellent bonus.
I want to start this review by saying that I’ve been trying to write it for months. I read this book before it was released, but I’ve been struggling to find the words to talk about it because it’s the book that I didn’t know that I needed in my life.
Never Saw You Coming is a coming-of-age book that features a super cute romance, but it also deals with some heavy topics, like balancing faith and the Church, specifically the Evangelical church.
The first thing that I want to talk about are the two main characters in this book. Meg Hennessey grew up in a very conservative and Christian home, where she was homeschooled, and the Church had a massive influence on her life. When she finds out that her parents kept a giant secret from her, she starts to question everything that she thought she knew, including her faith. She decides to travel to Northern Michigan to meet the family she didn’t know existed and take some time to evaluate everything in her life and decide what happens next. Micah Allen is hurting. His father, who he adored and was a pastor, is in prison for crimes against his congregation. Micah isn’t reading to forgive his father, even though he’s feeling the pressure to do so. He’s also questioning everything he thought he knew and evaluating his life and what happens next. Both of these characters are struggling with their relationship with the Church they grew up in and with God.
Meg and Micah are both memorable characters, and I loved both of them. It’s clear that both of them are hurting, they’re conflicted, and they’re trying to navigate life now that their worlds have been flipped upside down. Meg and Micah are both dealing with similar things, and they’re able to relate to each other, become friends, and eventually become more than friends. I liked how their friendship progressed into a romantic relationship and how they could help each other navigate everything that was going on in their lives.
As far as the religious aspect goes, this is why this book is the book I didn’t know I needed in my life. I grew up Catholic; I went to church basically every Sunday, volunteered with the youth group, and all of that jazz until I went away for university. However, I’ve always had an internal issue reconciling faith and belief in God with the Church as an organization. I’ve often thought that it’s strange that God is supposed to love us, but the Church adds a bunch of terms and conditions to that love. Anyway, I bring this up because this struggle is similar to Meg’s struggle, and I really enjoyed reading about it.
From the last paragraph, it’s clear that this book deals with some heavy topics. It’s critical of the Evangelical church and how you can do everything right and love God with all of your heart, then be shunned for one little sin. It also deals with a Pastor who was found guilty of taking advantage of his congregation and committed several transgressions. Finally, there’s a search and rescue scene in the book that left me on the edge of my seat, and there were moments during it that were a bit tough to get through.
I also liked the side characters in this book. Meg’s friend Vega seems amazing, and I’m hoping to read More Than Maybe soon, which features her as the main character. I also liked Micah’s best friend, whose name I cannot remember for the life of me, but I’d be interested in reading a book where he’s the main character. This book also features a very lovable dog, and I think all books should feature loveable four-legged creatures.
This book isn’t for everyone. There will be many people who pick this up and are totally turned off by the religious aspect, or they just won’t get it. But for that section of the population of people who grew up with the Church playing a role in their lives and they’ve questioned or struggled with faith versus the Church, this book will make you feel less alone. The romance is also super cute, which is an excellent bonus.
I received an advanced copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. However, due to general life procrastination, I read the finished, hardcover version.
I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book since I finished reading Theft by Finding in 2017. David Sedaris is one of my favourite authors, and I enjoyed reading his diary entries in Theft by Finding and reading about him finding himself and all of his strange observations over the years. A Carnival of Snackery is the next volume of his diaries, and while it was still an enjoyable read, it, unfortunately, fell flat for me.
A Carnival of Snackery is a selection of David Sedaris’ diary entries from 2003 to 2020. By this point, David Sedaris has made a name for himself and has found himself. This collection of diary entries features lots of book tours and world travel, time spent at his various properties, and strange anecdotes and observations that he’s made.
Similar to Theft by Finding, this book was kind of cool because a diary is an interesting way to look back on the past. There were moments that were talked about that I had completely forgotten about, and other moments where I was like, “oh! that!” It’s also neat to read observations written at the time an event was happening.
My favourite diary entries were the ones where he was travelling around the world. As someone who will likely not do very much travelling, I love travelling vicariously through books and other people. I liked hearing about the people he met, the things he observed, and the places he dined while travelling around the world on book tours. I also enjoyed the entries that featured animals, specifically the ones that featured Carol the Fox.
Anyone who has followed David Sedaris knows that he has quite a big ego, and his ego shines through in this book. Some moments were a little bit cringy because he’s a little bit too into himself, but at the same time, these are his diary entries. There are also some jokes and observations in this book that didn’t age very well, and reading them was almost like politely suffering through Thanksgiving dinner while the drunk Uncle keeps making inappropriate comments.
Overall, if you’re a fan of David Sedaris, I recommend picking up this book because it’s David Sedaris, and you know what you’re getting into. However, if you haven’t read David Sedaris before, do not start with this book. Instead, start with one of his collections of essays like Calypso or Me Talk Pretty One Day and see if his sense of humour is something that you can get into first.
I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book since I finished reading Theft by Finding in 2017. David Sedaris is one of my favourite authors, and I enjoyed reading his diary entries in Theft by Finding and reading about him finding himself and all of his strange observations over the years. A Carnival of Snackery is the next volume of his diaries, and while it was still an enjoyable read, it, unfortunately, fell flat for me.
A Carnival of Snackery is a selection of David Sedaris’ diary entries from 2003 to 2020. By this point, David Sedaris has made a name for himself and has found himself. This collection of diary entries features lots of book tours and world travel, time spent at his various properties, and strange anecdotes and observations that he’s made.
Similar to Theft by Finding, this book was kind of cool because a diary is an interesting way to look back on the past. There were moments that were talked about that I had completely forgotten about, and other moments where I was like, “oh! that!” It’s also neat to read observations written at the time an event was happening.
My favourite diary entries were the ones where he was travelling around the world. As someone who will likely not do very much travelling, I love travelling vicariously through books and other people. I liked hearing about the people he met, the things he observed, and the places he dined while travelling around the world on book tours. I also enjoyed the entries that featured animals, specifically the ones that featured Carol the Fox.
Anyone who has followed David Sedaris knows that he has quite a big ego, and his ego shines through in this book. Some moments were a little bit cringy because he’s a little bit too into himself, but at the same time, these are his diary entries. There are also some jokes and observations in this book that didn’t age very well, and reading them was almost like politely suffering through Thanksgiving dinner while the drunk Uncle keeps making inappropriate comments.
Overall, if you’re a fan of David Sedaris, I recommend picking up this book because it’s David Sedaris, and you know what you’re getting into. However, if you haven’t read David Sedaris before, do not start with this book. Instead, start with one of his collections of essays like Calypso or Me Talk Pretty One Day and see if his sense of humour is something that you can get into first.
I read this book last month during the spooky readathon hosted by the TBR Tackle Challenge. It was my second time reading this month, but it was still perfectly spooky for the Halloween weekend.
City of Ghosts is the first book in the Cassidy Blake series, a middle-grade series by Victoria Schwab. This spooky story takes place in Edinburgh and features some memorable characters, spooky ghosts, and an adventure that will keep you on your toes until the very end.
The first thing I want to talk about is the characters. Cassidy Blake is such an iconic and memorable character, and I’m very glad that she is part of a series because I want to go on more adventures with her. Cassidy is curious, brave, and loyal. She’s a bit headstrong and drawn to dangerous situations, but that makes her adventures even more exciting. I also loved how everything fell into place for her when she learned about what she’s supposed to do behind the Veil. The other great thing about Cassidy is that her best friend is a ghost, Jacob. Jacob is a ghost, and he is also a memorable character. He had some moments that made me laugh. I also like that there’s a bit of mystery surrounding Jacob, and I’m hoping to learn more about him as I read through the series.
The next thing I want to talk about is the setting of this book. I really enjoyed exploring Edinburgh with Cassidy. Edinburgh is one of the many places that I’d like to visit someday, and I liked seeing it portrayed on the page. It’s clear that the author put in a lot of research when writing this book because the story transported me to where it was taking place.
I also liked Cassidy’s parents. In general, I like it when middle-grade and YA books feature parents because, realistically, parents exist. Cassidy’s parents are authors, and they write about ghosts. Cassidy’s dad is the grounded one, who focuses on the history and the facts, and her mother is into the supernatural and ghost hunting. Together, they make a great team, and I love reading about them. I also enjoyed that they acted like parents to Cassidy and that there were consequences for Cassidy when she did something that required consequences.
I also liked how spooky this book was. I don’t usually do spooky, but when I do spooky, I opt for middle-grade spooky. This book featured ghosts: friendly ones, harmless ones, and dangerous ones. I liked the idea of travelling between the real world and the ghost world, or behind the Veil. I also liked how spooky and dangerous the world behind the Veil was. I thought the Red Raven was terrifying, and I thought the legend behind her was also terrifying. There were moments in this book that left me scared and worried for Cassidy, and it was the kind of adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat and made me want to keep reading.
Overall, I thought this book was fantastic. I loved the characters, the setting, and the adventure. It was the perfect level of spooky for me, which made it the perfect read for October.
City of Ghosts is the first book in the Cassidy Blake series, a middle-grade series by Victoria Schwab. This spooky story takes place in Edinburgh and features some memorable characters, spooky ghosts, and an adventure that will keep you on your toes until the very end.
The first thing I want to talk about is the characters. Cassidy Blake is such an iconic and memorable character, and I’m very glad that she is part of a series because I want to go on more adventures with her. Cassidy is curious, brave, and loyal. She’s a bit headstrong and drawn to dangerous situations, but that makes her adventures even more exciting. I also loved how everything fell into place for her when she learned about what she’s supposed to do behind the Veil. The other great thing about Cassidy is that her best friend is a ghost, Jacob. Jacob is a ghost, and he is also a memorable character. He had some moments that made me laugh. I also like that there’s a bit of mystery surrounding Jacob, and I’m hoping to learn more about him as I read through the series.
The next thing I want to talk about is the setting of this book. I really enjoyed exploring Edinburgh with Cassidy. Edinburgh is one of the many places that I’d like to visit someday, and I liked seeing it portrayed on the page. It’s clear that the author put in a lot of research when writing this book because the story transported me to where it was taking place.
I also liked Cassidy’s parents. In general, I like it when middle-grade and YA books feature parents because, realistically, parents exist. Cassidy’s parents are authors, and they write about ghosts. Cassidy’s dad is the grounded one, who focuses on the history and the facts, and her mother is into the supernatural and ghost hunting. Together, they make a great team, and I love reading about them. I also enjoyed that they acted like parents to Cassidy and that there were consequences for Cassidy when she did something that required consequences.
I also liked how spooky this book was. I don’t usually do spooky, but when I do spooky, I opt for middle-grade spooky. This book featured ghosts: friendly ones, harmless ones, and dangerous ones. I liked the idea of travelling between the real world and the ghost world, or behind the Veil. I also liked how spooky and dangerous the world behind the Veil was. I thought the Red Raven was terrifying, and I thought the legend behind her was also terrifying. There were moments in this book that left me scared and worried for Cassidy, and it was the kind of adventure that kept me on the edge of my seat and made me want to keep reading.
Overall, I thought this book was fantastic. I loved the characters, the setting, and the adventure. It was the perfect level of spooky for me, which made it the perfect read for October.
I picked up this book earlier this year as part of the Middle-Grade Marvels book club on Twitter. If you’re a fan of middle-grade books, I highly recommend checking this book club out because the members are lovely, and they read some excellent books.
Malamander is the first book in the Legends of Eerie-on-Sea series, and I think it is fantastic. In this book, we meet some very memorable characters, some into contact with some sinister people, explore a town full of history and secrets, and see a mystery unfold that keeps you guessing until the very end.
The first thing I want to talk about is the two main characters, Herbert Lemon and Violet Parma. Herbie is the Lost-and-Founder at the Grand Nautilus Hotel, and he takes his job very seriously. He’s awkward, but also brave and loyal, and the kind of character that you can invest in. Herbie and Violet come together when Violet shows up in his Lost-and-Found to ask him for help looking for something she’s lost. Violet Parma is the kind of character that keeps you guessing, in a good way. She’s spontaneous and adventurous, and she’s on a mission to find out what happened to her parents. Together, they make a good team, and you want them to succeed on their mission.
The next thing that I want to talk about is the town of Eerie-on-Sea. Eerie-on-Sea is a strange little town on the sea. In the summer, it’s full of tourists and life, but it’s a completely different place in the winter, and eerie is only one word you could use to describe it. The town is the home of a number of legends, including the legend of the Malamander, a sea creature with some terrifying legends surrounding it. It’s also a town full of a unique cast of characters that play an important role in the story as Herbie and Violet go on their adventure.
I love the mystery in this book and all the twists and turns that the story takes while Herbie and Violet try to solve it. I like the use of the legend of the Malamander and trying to figure out what’s real and what is legend. I also enjoyed that it was the kind of mystery and story that made you wonder who you could trust until the very end. The villains in this book are quite scary, and some moments leave you on the edge of your seat, hoping that the main characters will be okay.
The final thing that I want to mention is that this book features a talking cat, which is an amazing feature that more books need.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series and adventure back to Eerie-on-Sea.
Malamander is the first book in the Legends of Eerie-on-Sea series, and I think it is fantastic. In this book, we meet some very memorable characters, some into contact with some sinister people, explore a town full of history and secrets, and see a mystery unfold that keeps you guessing until the very end.
The first thing I want to talk about is the two main characters, Herbert Lemon and Violet Parma. Herbie is the Lost-and-Founder at the Grand Nautilus Hotel, and he takes his job very seriously. He’s awkward, but also brave and loyal, and the kind of character that you can invest in. Herbie and Violet come together when Violet shows up in his Lost-and-Found to ask him for help looking for something she’s lost. Violet Parma is the kind of character that keeps you guessing, in a good way. She’s spontaneous and adventurous, and she’s on a mission to find out what happened to her parents. Together, they make a good team, and you want them to succeed on their mission.
The next thing that I want to talk about is the town of Eerie-on-Sea. Eerie-on-Sea is a strange little town on the sea. In the summer, it’s full of tourists and life, but it’s a completely different place in the winter, and eerie is only one word you could use to describe it. The town is the home of a number of legends, including the legend of the Malamander, a sea creature with some terrifying legends surrounding it. It’s also a town full of a unique cast of characters that play an important role in the story as Herbie and Violet go on their adventure.
I love the mystery in this book and all the twists and turns that the story takes while Herbie and Violet try to solve it. I like the use of the legend of the Malamander and trying to figure out what’s real and what is legend. I also enjoyed that it was the kind of mystery and story that made you wonder who you could trust until the very end. The villains in this book are quite scary, and some moments leave you on the edge of your seat, hoping that the main characters will be okay.
The final thing that I want to mention is that this book features a talking cat, which is an amazing feature that more books need.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series and adventure back to Eerie-on-Sea.
Thank you to The Write Reads for organizing and inviting me to participate in this blog tour. Thank you, Harper Collins and Net Galley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fireborn is a middle-grade fantasy book, full of amazing characters, animal companions, magical creatures, and epic adventure that you need to add to your TBR right away.
My favourite part of this book was the main character, Twelve. Twelve is the kind of character that you can’t help but fall in love with. As soon as you meet her, you know she’s going to go on an adventure, both the kind that brings her from point A to point B, and the kind that makes her grow as a person. She’s the kind of character who is stubborn, not afraid to say the first thing that comes to her mind, brave, and talented. If these characteristics aren’t enough to make you fall in love with her, she also has a squirrel companion named Widge, who is super cute!
Another thing that I liked about this book was all of the dangerous creatures that were introduced. While Twelve is on her quest, she and her travelling companions encounter a lot of frightening beasts. I found a lot of these creatures to be quite terrifying while also being pretty cool, which is always a great thing for a fantasy novel.
I also enjoyed the quest that Twelve and her travelling companions went on. It was a quest that I could get behind, and I was rooting for them to be successful while they travelled. There were moments during their quest that had me on the edge of my seat, and these moments made the book incredibly difficult to put down.
I loved all of the twists and turns in this book. It might be because I was quite tired while reading, but I didn’t see most of the twists coming. These surprise twists and turns made the book incredibly enjoyable to read.
The last thing I want to mention is the character development. Twelve goes through a lot in this book, and at the end, she comes out as a better person. Five, Six, and Seven also go through some development, and I enjoyed watching the characters grow as the story went on.
If you’re looking for a new middle grade series to fall in love with, you need to add this to your TBR right away.
Fireborn is a middle-grade fantasy book, full of amazing characters, animal companions, magical creatures, and epic adventure that you need to add to your TBR right away.
My favourite part of this book was the main character, Twelve. Twelve is the kind of character that you can’t help but fall in love with. As soon as you meet her, you know she’s going to go on an adventure, both the kind that brings her from point A to point B, and the kind that makes her grow as a person. She’s the kind of character who is stubborn, not afraid to say the first thing that comes to her mind, brave, and talented. If these characteristics aren’t enough to make you fall in love with her, she also has a squirrel companion named Widge, who is super cute!
Another thing that I liked about this book was all of the dangerous creatures that were introduced. While Twelve is on her quest, she and her travelling companions encounter a lot of frightening beasts. I found a lot of these creatures to be quite terrifying while also being pretty cool, which is always a great thing for a fantasy novel.
I also enjoyed the quest that Twelve and her travelling companions went on. It was a quest that I could get behind, and I was rooting for them to be successful while they travelled. There were moments during their quest that had me on the edge of my seat, and these moments made the book incredibly difficult to put down.
I loved all of the twists and turns in this book. It might be because I was quite tired while reading, but I didn’t see most of the twists coming. These surprise twists and turns made the book incredibly enjoyable to read.
The last thing I want to mention is the character development. Twelve goes through a lot in this book, and at the end, she comes out as a better person. Five, Six, and Seven also go through some development, and I enjoyed watching the characters grow as the story went on.
If you’re looking for a new middle grade series to fall in love with, you need to add this to your TBR right away.