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In this second book, Sophie is sent off to England to spend the summer with her estranged father as he attempts to persuade Sophie to not to have her powers removed. My feelings on Sophie’s dad were complicated. I found him to be a bit of a bulldozer while also knowing Sophie more than she knew him, which he attributed to getting updates from her mom, but that seems off-brand for Mrs. Mercer. However, he was a complicated politician with depth, so
In a somewhat predictable twist, Sophie’s mom was revealed to be a Brannick, the other Prodigum hunting group beside the The Eye of God that raised Archer. I figured the Brannicks would come into play as soon as Archer was revealed to be a member of the Eye, and further allusions in the previous books made it pretty clear they would also be close to Sophie. That being said I loved her SO much more than Sophie’s dad. With the small family feel and a lore attached to the name, the Brannicks as a whole were more fleshed out and realistic.
I continued to be annoyed by the lopsided love triangle and Archer in particular. Specifically, I thought the amount of make out sessions Sophie was able to have cheapened the situation and lowered the stakes. Also, we were told Archer hated the Eye but then he goes to get an army of them when the sitch hits the fan. It’s a major contradiction to everything we've been told about the Eye and it doesn’t land like the plot twist it was supposed to be.
Lastly, I am near furious about how Cal’s narrative ended. It was framed like a happy ending and ~what he REALLY wanted all along ~. Except it was still a sucky ending which makes me mad since he was one of the best characters. He needs a rewrite. I will die on this hill.
I continued to be annoyed by the lopsided love triangle and Archer in particular. Specifically, I thought the amount of make out sessions Sophie was able to have cheapened the situation and lowered the stakes. Also, we were told Archer hated the Eye but then he goes to get an army of them when the sitch hits the fan. It’s a major contradiction to everything we've been told about the Eye and it doesn’t land like the plot twist it was supposed to be.
Lastly, I am near furious about how Cal’s narrative ended. It was framed like a happy ending and ~what he REALLY wanted all along ~. Except it was still a sucky ending which makes me mad since he was one of the best characters. He needs a rewrite. I will die on this hill.
School Spirits takes place a few years after the events in the main series as Sophie’s cousin, Izzy is now 16. The relationship Izzy has with her mom seems to have taken a major hit. This is most likely due to the eldest Brannick daughter disappearing on the job. That backdrop sets up a story where Izzy is pretty independent from her mom.
The romantic element in this book was...scattered. There was interest from a boy named Adam that wasn’t involved with anything supernatural (50/50 on whether I liked that). Then, it seemed to be setting up another love triangle with a boy that really read more like a friend for Izzy. It didn’t quite get there as Adam dropped off as the story progressed, but then there were also hints that Torin - the wizard stuck in her mirror - could also be a romantic partner? It was really all over the place and I would have preferred if that whole angle had been left out.
School Spirits was just as enjoyable to read as the main Hex Hall series, and even had a better plot. There were some edges I would have smoothed over had I been the editor. Still, I loved Hawkins’ writing style. I smell a spin-off series given the still open matter of Finn’s disappearance, but jury’s out on if I’ll make a point to pick up those future novels or wait for them to crop up on their own.
The romantic element in this book was...scattered. There was interest from a boy named Adam that wasn’t involved with anything supernatural (50/50 on whether I liked that). Then, it seemed to be setting up another love triangle with a boy that really read more like a friend for Izzy. It didn’t quite get there as Adam dropped off as the story progressed, but then there were also hints that Torin - the wizard stuck in her mirror - could also be a romantic partner? It was really all over the place and I would have preferred if that whole angle had been left out.
School Spirits was just as enjoyable to read as the main Hex Hall series, and even had a better plot. There were some edges I would have smoothed over had I been the editor. Still, I loved Hawkins’ writing style. I smell a spin-off series given the still open matter of Finn’s disappearance, but jury’s out on if I’ll make a point to pick up those future novels or wait for them to crop up on their own.
I had heard 13 Little Blue Envelopes mentioned over the last few years and was interested in finding out why it was so talked about. After finishing it yesterday, I can’t help but feel a little betrayed. The concept of following letters around Europe was fun and the events that transpired were entertaining (and reminded me of my time in Italy last summer), but the story just felt like it was missing something. I probably would’ve liked this book if I were younger, or maybe if it were a movie instead. Actually, if this was vlog series on YouTube a la The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, I would be so down. Lastly, there’s a sequel that I’ve made the executive decision to not read; 13 LBE was a complete story and the miraculous continuation of it just cheapens the tale.
I didn’t go into this book expecting a lot since it was a storyline that seemed pretty common, but it had gotten made into a movie so there had to be something compelling. It didn’t start off great, with an info dump on Mia’s life/future and the presentation of her family to be so quirky and lovable, I felt almost talked down to since I knew something awful was about to happen. I found the whole book to be overall standard. The ending was fairly predictable and there was a level of depth that I expected, but was never delivered.
Based on the time given to them, the story was as much about her parents as it was about her. Mia’s reflections at her parents’ youth was supposed to highlight her difference from her family, but all it really did was make me want the story to be about them instead because it made Mia TOO boring and 2D. I actively disliked the other significant person in her narrative: Mia’s boyfriend, Adam. He seemed desperate to get to her bedside, but I didn’t get why he thought he was more deserving than her family in the waiting room. I was waiting for some shocking reason to be revealed, but no. He was just her boyfriend. Overall, the way he was described made me feel like he was entitled & inconsiderate.
The story had it’s problems, but the one I found most detrimental to my enjoyment of the story was the actual format of the book. It was split up by time stamps rather than chapters, so there were little natural breaks to give readers a rest. It was hard to put down in the worst way possible.
The format was poorly crafted and the story was a self-contained ball of ehh, so I did not waste my time picking up the sequel.
Based on the time given to them, the story was as much about her parents as it was about her. Mia’s reflections at her parents’ youth was supposed to highlight her difference from her family, but all it really did was make me want the story to be about them instead because it made Mia TOO boring and 2D. I actively disliked the other significant person in her narrative: Mia’s boyfriend, Adam. He seemed desperate to get to her bedside, but I didn’t get why he thought he was more deserving than her family in the waiting room. I was waiting for some shocking reason to be revealed, but no. He was just her boyfriend. Overall, the way he was described made me feel like he was entitled & inconsiderate.
The story had it’s problems, but the one I found most detrimental to my enjoyment of the story was the actual format of the book. It was split up by time stamps rather than chapters, so there were little natural breaks to give readers a rest. It was hard to put down in the worst way possible.
The format was poorly crafted and the story was a self-contained ball of ehh, so I did not waste my time picking up the sequel.
I enjoyed how Craig was a very matter-of-fact person. He was responsible and logical, even if that logic got taken to the extreme due to his mental illness. As a former super-stressed-high-school-student, how he thought about his assignments and how things seemed to lead to more stressful obligations was something I recognized from my own thoughts. His moment of over analyzation at the house party was also very relatable to me. However, both were taken to a level I’ve never been to and with additions I’ve never experienced, such as Craig’s difficulty keeping food down.
As much as I enjoyed our main kid, Craig, this was really a story driven by the supporting characters. There was this lovely juxtaposition between the other patients and Craig’s classmates. As annoying as they were, my favorite part of the book was the response from Craig’s classmates. These kids understood the sentiment of being super stressed, but they were blind to the difference between “I’m sad” and “I want to die”. To me, it illustrated how dumb neruotypical people sound when trying to empathize with mentally ill folks. Whereas Craig fellow patients felt more grounded, even if they were supposed to be unhinged, and helped Craig reflect better on his own issues than perhaps the medical staff did.
The stoy’s dual timeline was a little confusing, though I’m not sure as much of Craig’s history could have been included had the story been told chronologically. I suppose you could also understand it as trying to reflect Craig’s mental state to the reader, but I’m not entirely convinced of that. This book served as a useful aid in destigmatizing reaching out for help, but also as a handy example of what NOT to do if you’re the friend in this situation. Funny enough to be light hearted and serious enough to be profound, It’s Kind of a Funny Story was kind of a good story.
As much as I enjoyed our main kid, Craig, this was really a story driven by the supporting characters. There was this lovely juxtaposition between the other patients and Craig’s classmates. As annoying as they were, my favorite part of the book was the response from Craig’s classmates. These kids understood the sentiment of being super stressed, but they were blind to the difference between “I’m sad” and “I want to die”. To me, it illustrated how dumb neruotypical people sound when trying to empathize with mentally ill folks. Whereas Craig fellow patients felt more grounded, even if they were supposed to be unhinged, and helped Craig reflect better on his own issues than perhaps the medical staff did.
The stoy’s dual timeline was a little confusing, though I’m not sure as much of Craig’s history could have been included had the story been told chronologically. I suppose you could also understand it as trying to reflect Craig’s mental state to the reader, but I’m not entirely convinced of that. This book served as a useful aid in destigmatizing reaching out for help, but also as a handy example of what NOT to do if you’re the friend in this situation. Funny enough to be light hearted and serious enough to be profound, It’s Kind of a Funny Story was kind of a good story.
Life As We Knew It was my weird quarantine read, where something just a little too close to reality happens. While the disaster in this book is brought on by a celestial rather than a viral event, there were definitely some strong parallels between this 2006 book and today. I don’t think I would as greatly appreciate Miranda’s complicated feelings as much if I had read it before now. At one point I even wrote, “The mourning of what could have been is something I understand better now.” It also made me feel better that at least the moon hasn’t moved and we still have things like sunlight and electricity.
To tell this story in a journal style really allowed the emotions to shine. Miranda’s introspection and relationship with her mom was so central that without the reflective nature of journaling, I don’t think you could accurately capture the highs and lows of their relationship. There were also hints of romance in this book, but it had a natural flow and served a purpose to Miranda’s adjustment to the post-meteor world. It didn’t play a major role, which would have cheapened the story. The one question that didn't get answered for me was why Miranda started journaling to start. It didn't ruin the book, but it would have been nice to know Miranda’s motivations in the beginning vs the end.
Man, was this book stressful. You realize how screwed you would be without modern technology, but also without your neighbors. A lot of the book is spent dealing with the present, but worrying about the future. By contrast, the end is simple and maybe anticlimactic to some, but it comes like a sigh of relief. This book had been on my shelf for a time and it seems I was saving it for just the right moment.
To tell this story in a journal style really allowed the emotions to shine. Miranda’s introspection and relationship with her mom was so central that without the reflective nature of journaling, I don’t think you could accurately capture the highs and lows of their relationship. There were also hints of romance in this book, but it had a natural flow and served a purpose to Miranda’s adjustment to the post-meteor world. It didn’t play a major role, which would have cheapened the story. The one question that didn't get answered for me was why Miranda started journaling to start. It didn't ruin the book, but it would have been nice to know Miranda’s motivations in the beginning vs the end.
Man, was this book stressful. You realize how screwed you would be without modern technology, but also without your neighbors. A lot of the book is spent dealing with the present, but worrying about the future. By contrast, the end is simple and maybe anticlimactic to some, but it comes like a sigh of relief. This book had been on my shelf for a time and it seems I was saving it for just the right moment.