kailey_luminouslibro's reviews
3794 reviews

Alea has grown up in the Outpost, a massive spaceship that crash-landed on a frozen planet generations ago. So much time has passed that Alea's generation has forgotten how to use most of the technology their ancestors had, and much of the spaceship is inaccessible because it's buried underground. Alea believes that her society needs to push themselves to do more than just survive in the frozen wastelands of the planet. She wants to explore and find new innovations so that society can thrive. But people are afraid. Alea's friends are struggling too. Some have given up, seeing no hope in the future. When one of Alea's friends commits suicide, she knows she has to find out the truth about the Outpost.

I loved the sci-fi setting for this graphic novel! It's really interesting to uncover the history of the Outpost and figure out how their ancestors survived.

The artwork is really beautiful and colorful. Every page is fantastic, full of energy and emotion.

I was really intrigued by the mystery that keeps building with more and more questions as Alea discovers that there is a lot she doesn't know about her ancestors and her broken-down spaceship home.

The best part of this book is the complex characters. We get to see them each reacting in different ways to the mystery of the Outpost and to the difficult grief in the aftermath of their friend's suicide. They have to work through some tough situations to find that inner strength to make it through.

I was impressed with the positive way that this book explores some really difficult subjects like suicide and drug addiction. There is the character to commits suicide, and also another character who is contemplating suicide. This group of friends come together to support and encourage each other, and they find hope and comfort. Another character doesn't want to deal with their grief and fear, so they turn to drugs. But they quickly realize what a bad decision that was, and they seek medical help to get clean. I was glad that this book dealt with these subjects in a healthy way.

This would have been a four star book, but there is some profanity, so that took it down a star for me. It annoyed me quite a lot.


Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

Aisling is an orphan with no idea who her parents are. She runs away from the orphanage and meets Ronan, who can't even remember who is he or where he is from. They both seem to have some strange connection to magical energy that they can't explain. The priest from the orphanage is involved with a secret society, and he seems to know something about the strange creatures Aisling has seen.

I liked the artwork in this graphic novel. It has an ethereal quality that reflects the urban magical setting. I liked the characters pretty well. It would be interesting to see them develop through the rest of the series. I especially liked the mystery of the plot. There are a lot of questions in these first chapters. Aisling has no idea that there is magic in the world, but she keeps seeing all these weird things that she can't explain. It's very intriguing!

There is some violence, but not too bad. However, there is some profanity, and that annoyed me quite a bit. I probably won't continue reading the series, because I just don't want to see all that cursing.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

Hercule Poirot's efficient secretary Miss Lemon is upset and distracted, because there have been some strange thefts at the student hostel that her sister runs. Poirot agrees to investigate the petty thefts to help out Miss Lemon's sister, Mrs. Hubbard. At first it seems like random little things that have gone missing, but there are a few items that stand out from the list: a valuable doctor's stethoscope, a diamond ring, a rucksack that was slashed to pieces, and all the lightbulbs in the common rooms. Only Poirot can sift through the clues and find a connection between the missing items. He begins to find out more about the students who board at the hostel, wondering which of them could be thief, or perhaps... a murderer.

I really enjoyed this mystery! Poirot is one of my favorite fictional detectives, and I always love to see the methodical way that he approaches a mystery. In this story, he is assisted by Inspector Sharpe, and they have a deep respect for each other and very similar methods.

It was adorable to see Poirot sort of realizing for the first time that Miss Lemon has a family and a life outside of her work. She's just such an efficient machine at her job that it's difficult to imagine that she's a human person with a life. It's like when kids see their teacher outside of school, and they are astonished that their teacher is a person! Haha!

I had already seen the TV episode of this story with David Suchet as Poirot, so I thought that I remembered the answer to the mystery, but then as I was reading, I started to wonder if maybe I was misremembering. There are so many red herrings and plot twists, that I started to doubt my memory, thinking, "Well, it couldn't be that guy, because he has an alibi, but I thought I remembered that he was involved somehow, but I guess not." That's just how good Christie is at weaving a complex mystery! She really keeps you guessing!

At first, I wasn't seeing the connection between the title of the book and the story, other than the fact that the hostel is located on Hickory Rd. But the more I thought about it, the more I started to see some themes of childhood nursery rhymes. Hickory Dickory Dock could be a reference to being in the dock, like being on trial. Mrs. Hubbard is nicknamed "Ma" or "Ma Hubbard" by the students under her care, just like the nursery rhyme Old Mother Hubbard. That nursery rhyme also mentions a cupboard, which features at one point in the mystery. There are also a lot of references to various characters' childhoods, wondering if they had a bad childhood which might have caused them to have emotional issues that would make them steal. One character is described as "crying like a child", and another is described as saying "silly childish" things or having a childish attitude. Some of the thefts are referred to as childish pranks. So there is definitely an underlying theme that explains the title; it's just not obvious at first.

Although there are a lot of characters in this book, it's fairly easy to keep track of them all, because they are usually referred to by both their first and last name in the narrative. There is also a helpful Cast of Characters list at the beginning of the book.

It was really interesting to analyze all these different characters and their personalities. They are all young people, full of passion and energy, thrown together in this hostel where they share meals and a common room. Tempers flare. Attractions spring up. Everything they do ends up being dramatic, even if they are just drinking a cup of coffee. And Poirot observes it all, making his own conclusions.

A family group are visiting Jerusalem, and they make the trip to see the ruins of Petra. Their fellow travelers notice that the family seem on edge, nervous, and even afraid. Their mother, Mrs. Boynton, controls every aspect of their lives, and she takes delight in cruelty, torturing them emotionally and mentally for years until they are almost crazed.
When Mrs. Boynton is poisoned at Petra, suspicion falls on each of her children. They are relieved that she is dead. They must have killed her to escape from her brutality. Only Poirot can discover the true killer and sift through the timeline of events that led to Mrs. Boynton's death.

I loved this mystery so much! It's a psychological enigma with many layers. There are the Boynton family themselves with their nervous personalities and years of bitterness. Then there are the fellow travelers who observe the family from the outside, speculating on their slow descent into madness. And there is Poirot, who sees past all the lies into the truth.

I really liked exploring the relationships between the characters. There is a married couple who might split up. There is a young man who falls in love with a stranger on a train. There is a strong bond between brother and sister who are willing to lie to protect each other. The dynamic between these characters keeps changing throughout the story and their relationships develop.

I always love Christie's writing style! The mystery has many red herrings, but the clues are all clearly laid out at the end. And the backdrop of the mystical Petra and the long history of Jerusalem is just perfect to explore these deep themes of life and death and mental anguish and love.

This graphic novel follows Ellie, who is very awkward and clumsy when it comes to sports. Her mother encourages her to try a lot of different sports so that she can make friends with her teammates. However, Ellie only wants to draw and dance. She takes after her artistic father who is a musician. Ellie makes friends with some kids who take ballet classes, and secretly learns a few dance moves, but her mother refuses to pay for ballet lessons, saying all that frou-frou stuff is a waste of time. But Ellie knows that she could be good at dance if only she was given a chance!

I liked this graphic novel a lot! The artwork is colorful on every page, and the expressions of the characters are very dynamic and emotional. It really brings that emotional intensity to the story.

I liked that Ellie is struggling in the beginning, but she finds her balance, both with her friends and with her family. Both she and her mom have to learn to communicate better, and it's good to see how they both grow and learn.

I remember when I was a kid being forced to play sports at youth camp, and all I wanted to do was read and play piano. It was torture, and I was always scared that I would injure my hands and be unable to play piano the same ever again. I related to Elli's struggles quite a lot. I think a lot of artsy kids would too.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

In this book, Kit and Nita are participating in a young wizard student exchange program, taking a vacation to a far-off planet to learn how other wizards and species live on other worlds. And there are three wizards from off-world visiting Earth at Nita's house with Dairine. Although everything seems peaceful, Nita begins to realize that something is wrong with the planet they are visiting. Dairine has trouble with one of the exchange student wizards who is very arrogant, but he is a specialist in a type of magic they will need.

As always, it is utterly impossible to describe the wonder, the grandeur, the sheer enchantment of a book by Diane Duane. There's something so indescribably foreign and deliciously familiar in all her characters. They possess great magical power; they encounter mystic beings; and they get embarrassed when their socks don't match. Those little down-to-earth moments, like drinking a cup of tea and finding your favorite tennis shoes before going off to fight in the planetary wars, are what make her stories so special.

There's always a current of awareness running under her stories that glances out through little things, showing the dark and brightness in every human heart with a startling clarity. I love the way that each wizard responds to and experiences the magical powers they harness, and there is a reflection of struggle and understanding inside themselves. It makes the magic system so deep and wide and omnipresent in each aspect of the story, because of its complexity and actuality.
(I'm trying so hard to explain the particular enchantment of this magical setting, but I'm failing miserably. It won't make sense unless you've read the magic yourself.)

As always, I adore Nita and Kit's friendship! They are so comfortable together, and there is such a depth of understanding between them. Every scene with them is so carefully and beautifully written. In this book, they are adjusting to a new planet and a new culture that is very different from their own, but they find that all life has basic commonalities no matter where they are.

The plot in this one kept me reading and wondering and enjoying every page! All the aliens are so imaginative and different. One is basically a sentient tree, and he is appalled that people on Earth actually eat plants. Another one has a lot of legs and can eat almost anything. He eats metal and wood and glass, anything at all, so Dairine has to make sure to tell him not to eat the plates at dinner. It's really funny!

I love that this author always deals with heavy subjects - sacrifice, and honor, and the meaning of truth- but there's also much light-hearted fun in her books.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series! 

Begonia is searching for her lost cow, when she meets a strange man riding an ostrich. There are rumors that the emperor has gone missing with an ostrich from the royal zoo. The strange man refuses to tell anyone his name, so Begonia assumes that he is a traveler like herself. She meets a boy named Key, and they travel together, trying to return the cow home. However, the cow and ostrich have their own ideas, and lead them all into many adventures.

The writing is well done, the plot is wild and hilarious, and the world building is a strange mixture of cultures. The story is very silly and funny, but not quite my style of humor. But I did find it, enjoyable and fun to read!

Begonia is a very responsible character, so it was interesting to see her forced out of her comfort zone, thrown into wild situations where she has to expand her own limited perspective.
I also liked the character of Key, who is whimsical and happy go lucky in any circumstances.

I loved this edited version of Anne of Green Gables! It is simplified for younger readers, but still captures all the charm of the original. It's still all the same dialogue and basic story, but it has just been shortened and condensed.

The illustrations are so beautiful! I'm going to display the book facing outward on a shelf so that I can enjoy looking at the pretty cover. Every page is beautifully illustrated with lovely depictions of Anne and her friends, the pretty house at Greed Gables, and the old schoolhouse, the Lake of Shining Waters, and the White Way of Delight. All those iconic scenes are brought to life in the artwork. My favorite is when Anne breaks her slate over Gilbert's head!

Such a beautiful edition, and perfect for readers who aren't quite to the reading level to read the original yet.

 Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone. 

This book answers a lot of questions about the sky, and stars, and clouds. We learn why the sky looks blue as sunlight refracts when it hits particles in the atmosphere. We learn how clouds form and the different types of clouds. There are sections about solar and lunar eclipses, rainbows, mirages, stars, planets, the phases of the moon, and thunder and lightning. My favorite part was about the northern lights.

I like that this book has a lot of little activities you can do to watch the skies. You can keep a diary record of the types of clouds you spot. There is even a quiz that you can use to test your knowledge after you have read the book! There are instructions to make your own solar eclipse viewer, or create your own rainbow with water and a flashlight. You can invent your own star constellation and map it out for your friends. You can use the stars as a compass to find your way. There are instructions to "make your own lightning" with static electricity!

I love the colorful art style and the design of the pages! It's really fun to read with small snippets of information that are easy to understand.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

This book gives random facts about science, the earth, the universe, animals, trees, and the ocean. We can learn about astronauts, weird plants, and new technology. The illustrations and photos are eye-catching and colorful. Each factoid is short; just one sentence that tantalizes your brain to learn more! The factoids are arranged so that each fact leads into the next with one small thing in common.

However, I have to wonder just how much of this book is true, and how much is just guess-work and theories. The book does not always make it clear which factoids are theories and which are backed up by empirical data. It makes me wonder how far the reader can really trust the information when it is not presented clearly. There is a page that says that the universe is billions of years old. It is worded as if that statement is a fact, but it's really just a theory. One theory among many other theories regarding the origins of the universe. So what other things in this book are being worded as statements, presented as facts, but they aren't?
It seems like every science book that I read these days has this same problem. Stick to the facts, people! Or word the sentence so that it is clear what is theory and what is fact. You would think that scientists would care about being clear and truthful.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.