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challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Meg Elison really shows that she has range with the release of Find Layla. This YA contemporary is hard-hitting and impressive. It is raw and heartbreaking, incredibly impactful, and gripping.
The writing blew me away. It's SO well done. The teenage perspective is very well handled and it truly feels like Layla leading the story rather than an adult writer. I sunk right into the pages and it felt like reading a diary. The detail to the senses is both impressive and assaulting. The detail to the squalor of Layla's living conditions was amazing, but so horribly evocative. I got seriously nauseated just imagining it.
Layla is a very well constructed character. She felt real. She is a strong, yet very sympathetic character. She is incredibly resilient and does not give up, despite the ridiculous obstacles she face.
The depictions of Layla's mother were interesting. The story is told by Layla, so the only views we have of the mother are what Layla sees, understands, and wishes to share. This limited narration is super powerful in its own way, drawing the reader even more completely into Layla's frame of view.
Find Layla is a short, but amazing novel. It is a great read for the upper middle grade and YA reading set, exploring the effects of bullying and the ways that circumstances and challenges are often hidden and/or misunderstood by those outside the situation. The book also is terribly relevant for adults, exploring the failures of CPS systems and the ability to allow all children to have a quality of life and a chance to succeed.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The writing blew me away. It's SO well done. The teenage perspective is very well handled and it truly feels like Layla leading the story rather than an adult writer. I sunk right into the pages and it felt like reading a diary. The detail to the senses is both impressive and assaulting. The detail to the squalor of Layla's living conditions was amazing, but so horribly evocative. I got seriously nauseated just imagining it.
Layla is a very well constructed character. She felt real. She is a strong, yet very sympathetic character. She is incredibly resilient and does not give up, despite the ridiculous obstacles she face.
The depictions of Layla's mother were interesting. The story is told by Layla, so the only views we have of the mother are what Layla sees, understands, and wishes to share. This limited narration is super powerful in its own way, drawing the reader even more completely into Layla's frame of view.
Find Layla is a short, but amazing novel. It is a great read for the upper middle grade and YA reading set, exploring the effects of bullying and the ways that circumstances and challenges are often hidden and/or misunderstood by those outside the situation. The book also is terribly relevant for adults, exploring the failures of CPS systems and the ability to allow all children to have a quality of life and a chance to succeed.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am continuously impressed by Kristin Hannah's writing. I have adored everything I've ever read by her and this may be my favorite yet. If you have read and enjoyed The Alice Network then this will be a FANTASTIC read for you.
Hannah's prose is beautiful and incredibly atmospheric. I always feel totally immersed in her stories. This feels like WWII France in every little detail and it's just amazing. There are several different lifestyles and experiences that are explored and it a complete rollercoaster of emotions.
Be prepared. This book pulls NO punches. It is a terribly emotional read and not a pretty story. It faces the worst of war head on and completely gut punched me more than once.
This was amazing, engrossing, and full of historical references in the best of atmospheric ways. I will need to read this again in the future. It's a read that will stick hard in my mind.
Hannah's prose is beautiful and incredibly atmospheric. I always feel totally immersed in her stories. This feels like WWII France in every little detail and it's just amazing. There are several different lifestyles and experiences that are explored and it a complete rollercoaster of emotions.
Be prepared. This book pulls NO punches. It is a terribly emotional read and not a pretty story. It faces the worst of war head on and completely gut punched me more than once.
This was amazing, engrossing, and full of historical references in the best of atmospheric ways. I will need to read this again in the future. It's a read that will stick hard in my mind.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars.
Whoa. This one will stick with you. Do not go into this book unprepared. There is extremely explicit violence in this novel with graphic descriptions of the butchering process as well as cannibalism. This was extremely difficult to read, yet at the same time totally engrossing. I couldn't look away though several scenes made my stomach turn.
The composition of this work is exceptionally well done. The writing is incredibly blunt while still being atmospherically descriptive. The translation seems to be very well done. The world building is well executed and I could fully envision all of the scenes.
I found the novel particularly interesting as I am a part of the meat industry. We raise beef cattle and hogs and this novel explores the slaughterhouse process in detail, really making the reader consider things from a different angle when the animals being processed are humans. It was incredibly interesting to read, sometimes difficult to analogize, and seriously caused me to contemplate the possibilities of humanity. (Let's face it, things are weird in our world right now and who knows what could happen.) While I admit that the slaughtering process is something I have always struggled with, I still left the story feeling okay with how our personal animals are handled. There is a large difference between small farm processing and commercial plants and I think that makes it easier for me to tolerate, knowing that my animals have a good quality of life. I will continue to both raise animals for and eat meat.
Such a powerful read and one that just continues to somewhat haunt me. Oh...and that ending. Wow.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
Whoa. This one will stick with you. Do not go into this book unprepared. There is extremely explicit violence in this novel with graphic descriptions of the butchering process as well as cannibalism. This was extremely difficult to read, yet at the same time totally engrossing. I couldn't look away though several scenes made my stomach turn.
The composition of this work is exceptionally well done. The writing is incredibly blunt while still being atmospherically descriptive. The translation seems to be very well done. The world building is well executed and I could fully envision all of the scenes.
I found the novel particularly interesting as I am a part of the meat industry. We raise beef cattle and hogs and this novel explores the slaughterhouse process in detail, really making the reader consider things from a different angle when the animals being processed are humans. It was incredibly interesting to read, sometimes difficult to analogize, and seriously caused me to contemplate the possibilities of humanity. (Let's face it, things are weird in our world right now and who knows what could happen.) While I admit that the slaughtering process is something I have always struggled with, I still left the story feeling okay with how our personal animals are handled. There is a large difference between small farm processing and commercial plants and I think that makes it easier for me to tolerate, knowing that my animals have a good quality of life. I will continue to both raise animals for and eat meat.
Such a powerful read and one that just continues to somewhat haunt me. Oh...and that ending. Wow.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought this would be a fun read, something a little different from my normal tastes, but instead it totally caught me off guard and sucked me right in. This feisty little pirate adventure story is one of the most fun things I've read this year.
The writing is great and I need to read more of Adrienne Young's work. It is a perfect mix of lyrical and to the point and there is such a great weaving of atmosphere. The setting is a perfect world of pirates, misfits, darkness, and deception. There's something of a <i>Pirates of the Caribbean</i> feel, but then again...I may feel that way because it's my only real exposure to another pirate tale. I DID NOT see myself loving a pirate story, but here we are.
Fable herself is a strong female protagonist with skills, guts, and a desperate longing for a family. She is fantastic and I rooted hard for her. The other characters are somewhat thin, but this is the first book in a series and they did gain some additional depth toward the end of the novel. As it is, they are a colorful bunch and I loved the dynamics.
I SO enjoyed this book. The pace was perfect and I didn't want to put it down for the majority of my read. The ending is killing me and I need the sequel YESTERDAY.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The writing is great and I need to read more of Adrienne Young's work. It is a perfect mix of lyrical and to the point and there is such a great weaving of atmosphere. The setting is a perfect world of pirates, misfits, darkness, and deception. There's something of a <i>Pirates of the Caribbean</i> feel, but then again...I may feel that way because it's my only real exposure to another pirate tale. I DID NOT see myself loving a pirate story, but here we are.
Fable herself is a strong female protagonist with skills, guts, and a desperate longing for a family. She is fantastic and I rooted hard for her. The other characters are somewhat thin, but this is the first book in a series and they did gain some additional depth toward the end of the novel. As it is, they are a colorful bunch and I loved the dynamics.
I SO enjoyed this book. The pace was perfect and I didn't want to put it down for the majority of my read. The ending is killing me and I need the sequel YESTERDAY.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
2.5 stars.
Whelp. This was not how I expected things to go. Billed as Phantom of the Opera meets Moulin Rouge with a little bit of The Night Circus, this had ALL of my attention and I was pegging it for a potential 5-star read. It may have been my most anticipated read for the whole of 2020. That's probably what makes this so stinking painful.
The general overview of the plot was a decent one, as is the premise, but the execution unfortunately fell very flat for me. I am SO SAD that this didn't work for me.
The writing honestly flummoxed me. It was beautiful in spots and then choppy for large segments of time in a way that lacked transitions. There were wordy and unnecessary chunks of narrative that did nothing but drag the pace down, but then there would be moments of spectacular magic and beautiful atmosphere. It felt like two different authors attempting to write the story together without communicating to help blend their approaches. It was disorienting and frustrating. I kept finding GREAT moments in the plot where I was simply mesmerized and fell in love with what was happening. I would starting thinking "okay, it's really going to take off now" and then it would be like a light switched off and I was right back to slogging through the pages.
I think I would have really enjoyed it quite a bit more had it been shorter. Had the pace been faster and the magical bits sprinkled closer together, it may have kept my attention more. As it was, it was something like taking a walk headed for a surprise destination, but then you just end up walking around the block a bunch of times and wind up at the neighbor's house.
Don't get me wrong, it did have good parts and there was some promise here and there in both the writing and the plot, but I just could not connect with it. I loved the magical bits and the circus bits and wanted more of that. Instead, the romance was weak and wishy-washy, the misogyny was just plain annoying, and too much time was spent futzing about town instead of getting to the action. I'm sure there is an audience out there for it, but it doesn't contain me.
2.5 stars.
Whelp. This was not how I expected things to go. Billed as Phantom of the Opera meets Moulin Rouge with a little bit of The Night Circus, this had ALL of my attention and I was pegging it for a potential 5-star read. It may have been my most anticipated read for the whole of 2020. That's probably what makes this so stinking painful.
The general overview of the plot was a decent one, as is the premise, but the execution unfortunately fell very flat for me. I am SO SAD that this didn't work for me.
The writing honestly flummoxed me. It was beautiful in spots and then choppy for large segments of time in a way that lacked transitions. There were wordy and unnecessary chunks of narrative that did nothing but drag the pace down, but then there would be moments of spectacular magic and beautiful atmosphere. It felt like two different authors attempting to write the story together without communicating to help blend their approaches. It was disorienting and frustrating. I kept finding GREAT moments in the plot where I was simply mesmerized and fell in love with what was happening. I would starting thinking "okay, it's really going to take off now" and then it would be like a light switched off and I was right back to slogging through the pages.
I think I would have really enjoyed it quite a bit more had it been shorter. Had the pace been faster and the magical bits sprinkled closer together, it may have kept my attention more. As it was, it was something like taking a walk headed for a surprise destination, but then you just end up walking around the block a bunch of times and wind up at the neighbor's house.
Don't get me wrong, it did have good parts and there was some promise here and there in both the writing and the plot, but I just could not connect with it. I loved the magical bits and the circus bits and wanted more of that. Instead, the romance was weak and wishy-washy, the misogyny was just plain annoying, and too much time was spent futzing about town instead of getting to the action. I'm sure there is an audience out there for it, but it doesn't contain me.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just really love me a YA dystopian. I had taken my sweet time getting to this one and I'm mildly kicking myself for it. (I consider it a somewhat good thing because it's nice to still have some of the original dystopian wave at my disposal for fresh reading.
Uglies is a quick teen dystopian that moves with a good pace and has a lot happening once it gets going. I found it quite fun to read. The premise is fantastic and is perfect for current culture, particularly for the intended audience.
The writing style is just right to create a page-turner. It's simple to follow, but special in its word choice. The voice of the narrator is interesting and entertaining, managing to keep the narrative funny while still dealing with a fairly dangerous/serious situation. I had a good time with this one and will be continuing on with the series soon.
Uglies is a quick teen dystopian that moves with a good pace and has a lot happening once it gets going. I found it quite fun to read. The premise is fantastic and is perfect for current culture, particularly for the intended audience.
The writing style is just right to create a page-turner. It's simple to follow, but special in its word choice. The voice of the narrator is interesting and entertaining, managing to keep the narrative funny while still dealing with a fairly dangerous/serious situation. I had a good time with this one and will be continuing on with the series soon.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
This is an incredibly hard book to read, simply from an emotional standpoint. It's a short piece, but an amazingly powerful one that should be read by everyone. The writing is blunt and does not shy away from the uncomfortable, presenting a picture of concentration camp life that is harrowing and will put the reader at the same time both disgusted by and amazed by the human spirit. It is a reminder to be vigilant, to not be complacent, and to be watchful of the world around you.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I LOVED the majority of this book. I'm a sucker for gothic style writing and the creep factor was strong in this one, both from the setting and the characters. The story unfolds in a slow and strange way that I found interesting and I loved the little infusions of folk lore, history, and science. The writing was very good, save a tendency toward a few repetitious word and phrase choices.
The characters are well-written, vibrant and, for the most part, highly disturbing. I liked that...though Virgil was his own special kind of ick factor.
I will admit that I didn't really click with the opening pages, but things got good for me once Noemi arrived at High Place. Beyond this, the bulk of the story was fun and unnerving in a good balance. I never quite had a full handle on what was happening, but I liked what was revealed along the way. It's a peeling onion type of story and I appreciated how well that was organized through the narrative.
Like the beginning, I was less impressed with the ending, which was a serious bummer. I thought it was really going to end on a bang (and there is some good movement in the plot towards the end that I thought was great), but the wrap up made it feel like the intensity just unraveled in the end. I was torn in my rating because of the ending. The majority of the read was a 4.5 star for me, but that darned ending did pull things more toward 4 star territory.
The characters are well-written, vibrant and, for the most part, highly disturbing. I liked that...though Virgil was his own special kind of ick factor.
I will admit that I didn't really click with the opening pages, but things got good for me once Noemi arrived at High Place. Beyond this, the bulk of the story was fun and unnerving in a good balance. I never quite had a full handle on what was happening, but I liked what was revealed along the way. It's a peeling onion type of story and I appreciated how well that was organized through the narrative.
Like the beginning, I was less impressed with the ending, which was a serious bummer. I thought it was really going to end on a bang (and there is some good movement in the plot towards the end that I thought was great), but the wrap up made it feel like the intensity just unraveled in the end. I was torn in my rating because of the ending. The majority of the read was a 4.5 star for me, but that darned ending did pull things more toward 4 star territory.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual assault
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The Last of the Moon Girls is an interesting blend of the genres of magical realism and suspense. I didn't really know what I was in for, but this turned out to be a good, quick read with a light magical feel. The writing is something like a blend of Sarah Addison Allen and Alice Hoffman, creating an atmosphere full of cozy small town vibes and magic while also introducing a darker feel and an ostracizing community. The characters are colorful and the tension created by the suspense arc is just enough to move the story well without feeling oppressive. The narrative was mildly tropey and predictable, but in a way that might make it the perfect beach read. There were a few things that I thought fell in place to easily, but overall I enjoyed where the story took me. I would have loved more of the magical element in the story as well as additional backstory of the matriarchy itself, but I think that's always the case for me in magical realism stories to some degree. I had myself a good time with this read.
The Last of the Moon Girls is an interesting blend of the genres of magical realism and suspense. I didn't really know what I was in for, but this turned out to be a good, quick read with a light magical feel. The writing is something like a blend of Sarah Addison Allen and Alice Hoffman, creating an atmosphere full of cozy small town vibes and magic while also introducing a darker feel and an ostracizing community. The characters are colorful and the tension created by the suspense arc is just enough to move the story well without feeling oppressive. The narrative was mildly tropey and predictable, but in a way that might make it the perfect beach read. There were a few things that I thought fell in place to easily, but overall I enjoyed where the story took me. I would have loved more of the magical element in the story as well as additional backstory of the matriarchy itself, but I think that's always the case for me in magical realism stories to some degree. I had myself a good time with this read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence
Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review *
Driftwood is something magical and different. It is an interesting compilation of short stories that link together in the story of Last, a mysterious immortal being and guide to Driftwood. Driftwood is a place where worlds literally collide as they disintegrate and eventually disappear into the land's center, known as the Crush.
This book was incredibly atmospheric and built with an amazing amount of imagination. The writing flowed easily and pulled me through the book with continuous wonder and curiosity. There are several unique worlds and species introduced within this tapestry of a land, delivered in such a tantalizing way as to leave me both captivated and wanting more.
The was so much at work here in such a small space that it was at times almost overwhelming, but I still found myself just mesmerized. There is no solid indication of additional planned works in this universe, but this book felt like both a standalone and a primer for a sweeping epic. This feeling of being on the precipice of something larger is bolstered by the ending, which left substantial room for continuation.
I am terribly intrigued and fascinated and really hope to see more of this land and its characters.
Driftwood is something magical and different. It is an interesting compilation of short stories that link together in the story of Last, a mysterious immortal being and guide to Driftwood. Driftwood is a place where worlds literally collide as they disintegrate and eventually disappear into the land's center, known as the Crush.
This book was incredibly atmospheric and built with an amazing amount of imagination. The writing flowed easily and pulled me through the book with continuous wonder and curiosity. There are several unique worlds and species introduced within this tapestry of a land, delivered in such a tantalizing way as to leave me both captivated and wanting more.
The was so much at work here in such a small space that it was at times almost overwhelming, but I still found myself just mesmerized. There is no solid indication of additional planned works in this universe, but this book felt like both a standalone and a primer for a sweeping epic. This feeling of being on the precipice of something larger is bolstered by the ending, which left substantial room for continuation.
I am terribly intrigued and fascinated and really hope to see more of this land and its characters.