kailey_luminouslibro's Reviews (3.79k)

This book contains interesting information about wolverines, their habitat, their hunting areas, and their young. There are two to three paragraphs of information in each section, giving tidbits of information like how the wolverines survive by scavenging behind other predators or sometimes hunting for themselves. There is even a section about how Inuit tribes will use wolverine fur to line their clothing and make warm mittens.

I love the warm artwork in this book! It really makes it enjoyable to read and see these wild animals illustrated in their wilderness home. It immediately captured my attention!

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.

 Stabby the unicorn ends up stabbing everyone in the eye, and he gets jaded and dark and depressed. He can't keep a job. He accidentally burst his birthday balloons with his horn. He is full of angst and anxiety. And it's hilarious!

I have to admit, this book did make me laugh. But there were many parts that I couldn't enjoy because of the profanity and and vulgarity and general disgustingness. I'm not sure why this is marketed as "teen and adult humor". It's definitely adult humor. I would never give this to a teen to read.

The artwork is a weird mixture of different styles on different pages. Some of it I really enjoyed, but some of it was too dark and violent for me. There's a lot of blood and eyeballs.

I feel like this book could have been really hilarious and fun, but it took the profanity and violence a little too far, ruining my enjoyment of the book. It's a shame, because it really is clever and funny.

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. 

Three kittens (Tasha, Boris, and Bianca) live with their family in the basement of a museum, where the night guard keeps them to scare away the rats. The kittens are intrigued when a stray cat brings in a black kitten, Peter, to live in the museum. Tasha, Boris, and Bianca are not sure they want to welcome Peter. He is so different, and no one knows where he is from. Peter will have to prove his worth if he wants to become a museum kitten.

This is such an adorable book! The kittens are so cute, and I love the little adventures they have. The plot is simple, but interesting. The writing style is perfect for this age group, and even enjoyable for an adult to read.

I love the world-building of the museum and the family of cats. The old grandfather cat presides over the museum, and the caring mother cat herds the kittens into some semblance of order.

The best thing about this book was the sibling relationships between Bianca, Tasha, and Boris. They squabble and tease each other. They make mistakes, and are not always kind or wise. But they learn and grow and try to do better. When Peter is thrown into the middle of their sibling rivalry, it really mixes things up!

The illustrations are beautiful, and really bring the story to life. Seeing the artwork of the kittens makes me want to give them a cuddle!

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.

Octavia has lived all her life within the walls of her city, the last refuge for humanity in a world that has been destroyed by war and plague. The only living things outside the walls were monsters. There was no human life left anywhere except in Octavia's city.... or so she believed. Octavia meets a mysterious girl who claims to be from another city. Together they could destroy everything the town believes and bring healing to a society drowning in lies.

I loved this book so much! The adventure, the magic, the world building, the character growth; this book has it all! I got emotionally attached to the characters very quickly, and it was so wonderful to see how Octavia grows and heals and changes as the story progresses. There are so many big revelations and plot twists as Octavia learns just how deep the lies really go. Every time she discovers something new in her world, the reader discovers it along with her.

I loved the writing style. It pulled me into the story and captured my heart. The pacing is wonderful and really keeps you reading through the night.

There are a couple of sad and dark scenes in the plot. There are few people who die or are murdered, and there is talk of blood, but it's not too graphic or scary. It's just right for a middle grade book, and it is not disturbing or upsetting. I liked that those things give weight and gravitas to the story, raising the stakes for our heroes so their actions really having meaning.

I also liked that there is a map of the city at the beginning so you can really visualize everything that is happening. I only wish there was a map of the lands outside the walls, but I guess a map like that would give away too many spoilers as Octavia begins to explore outside her city.

This is such an exciting book! Now I want to read more books from this author!

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 tells how and why the seven wonders of the world were built and by whom. Temples, pyramids, tombs, gardens, and a lighthouse; these incredible constructions stood for hundreds of years to astonish and amaze. But today we know very little about them. Archeologists and historians try to piece together the facts from ancient history to understand how such massive statues and temples were built.

I loved this cool book! It's like diving into history. Each page has little snippets of information that are easy to read. I love the design of the pages, and the beautiful artwork. I found it really interesting to learn that many of the workers were not actually slaves, but respected stonemasons and artisans.

It's really neat to learn about the rulers and how they got the money to pay for these huge construction projects. Every culture is so different and unique. Their religious fervor, or political power, or love for their queen drove them to pour their efforts and fortunes into a big temple or statue or garden.

The writing and the art really capture your attention, and every page is so colorful and attractive!

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.

After her father dies, Cress and her family move to a basement apartment in an oak tree. Her mother struggles to pay the rent, and Cress is annoyed by the snooping neighbors. The landlord is a grumpy owl, and a large family of squirrels make a great deal of noise. But they all join together when danger is near.

This story is interesting and there is some action. Cress gets lost and has some adventures. She meets some crazy characters in the woods. As we get to know the neighbors more, Cress realizes that they all have more depth than she first imagined. She begins to feel more affection for her crazy neighbors and she even makes some friends.

However, the general mood of the book is not happy or adventurous or fun. Cress is sad and grieving for her father most of the time. This book is full of despair. At one point, Cress just gives up and shuts down. Cress does find some healing in the end, and she finds a little hope, but the overall mood of the book left me feeling depressed.

It got on my nerves that Cress fights with her mother so much. The plot is a little disjointed, and the world-building is not really explained. Some of the animals wear clothes, and some don't. Cress's mother has a business weaving cloth, but it's never really explained where she sells her products or how that economy works, or even whether or not the animals have money or just exchange goods.

Overall, I just found it weird and depressing. I was looking for something more lighthearted.

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 charming collection of short stories includes elements from fairy tales, from Victorian England, and even from WWII. The settings are just as varied, sometimes in England, sometimes in a fairy land, sometimes in Italy or Ireland. There are magical giants, kings, and dragons, and sometimes just a donkey, a parlormaid, or a plain peach tree. The fantastical and the ordinary are blended so beautifully in each story.

I love the enchanting writing style. Each story draws you into a spectacular world of ladies and knights, or raggedy children on the street, or a sad little girl who has been sent to the country during the London Blitz. No matter the setting or the characters, the writing makes each one feel immediate and significant, while also entertaining you with funny little dialogue or magical tricks.

There's just something so graceful and sweet about all these stories! Each one is a treasure. Each one left me thinking and pondering about it.

Long after I had put in my bookmark and set the book aside, I carried these stories with me through the day. I dreamed about them at night. The writing is just that powerful and memorable!

Thomas and Emily are the children of a knight and lady. They live in a castle, take archery lessons, and learn courtly manners and knightly conduct. They meet Meg, a scribe, who used to know their mother when she was a child. Meg tells them stories about the dragon who used to live in the castle and how their mother became involved in a terrifying adventure. But is Meg telling the truth? Or is she just weaving a tall tale?

I love the story-inside-a-story structure of this book! As Meg gradually tells the children the story of the dragon, Thomas and Emily are pondering how to reconcile Meg with her old friend, their mother. There are adventures and exciting plot twists in both stories, and everything from the past affects the present. As we are introduced to characters in Meg's story of the past, we learn more about them in the present with Thomas and Emily. The whole story structure is brilliant!

The writing is so witty and hilarious! Every page is full of snappy dialogue and little jokes. But there are also some heart-felt moments and some serious scenes.

The little details in the setting make the world-building special and draw you into the story. It's sort of a mixture of modern and fairy tale elements. There are dragons and pixies and trolls and elves. The humans live in a castle with a moat and a drawbridge, but they also play tennis and go to college. It's such a charming magical setting!

I loved the funny connection between Meg and the children. She's kind of grumpy, but they feed her snacks and she agrees to tell them a story. Meg is such an interesting and mysterious character. You never quite know what weird thing she will do next! I really enjoyed getting to know all the various characters. They are all sort of awkward and wild, and it's such a madcap group of knights and scribes and artists.

The illustrations are so cute! I love the art style and the character designs. Every two or three pages there is an illustration that bring the story to life, and somehow makes the story even more funny! I especially liked the details in the border along some of the illustrations. I figured out that the artwork that shows something happening in Meg's story of the past has a border of leaves or fruit or some kind of flower, and illustrations showing the "present" don't have a border. What a cool detail! I loved that each chapter starts with an "illuminated" letter. It gives it that old-timey feeling!


I enjoyed this book so much! It's exactly the type of comical fantasy that I wanted.

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 covers topics such as emotional resilience, relationships, self-esteem, health, managing your time, and reaching your goals. It gives practical advice for navigating common pitfalls of life and being successful and happy in whatever you choose to do.

There are chapters entitled "Who am I?" all about your own principles and habits; "My tools" including advice on critical thinking and budgeting; "My feeling and I" about handling emotions and learning from failure; "Socializing" all about listening, being honest, and public speaking; "Relationships" including how to make friends, work in a team, and understand your parents; "My body and I" all about diet and exercise, how drugs affect the body, and how gadgets will suck away your time and ruin your attention span. And that is only a few of the topics covered in this book!

I love the attractive design of this book! Every page has brightly colored graphics and artwork, and the text is broken up into small paragraphs that are easy to read. It really grabs your attention.

My only issue with this book is that there is no mention of spiritually or morality, without which there can be no happiness or fulfillment in life. It felt like there were pieces missing from the philosophy of living that is presented here.
The book has good common-sense advice, and some great ideas about implementing positive thoughts and good habits in your life. But I personally believe that those ideas will not work if you ignore the fact that you have a soul, from which your personality and principles will all stem.
It is still an excellent book to read though, and has some great ideas!

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.

Sai pretends to be from a wealthy family in order to get an apprenticeship with a mapmaker. She hides that her father is a criminal, and uses her skills as a forger to help the mapmaker copy maps and documents. When the mapmaker goes on a sea voyage to explore new regions of the world, Sai is eager to leave her past behind and start a new life. There are tales of dragons and dangerous seas in the South, but the riches and rewards could be immense.

I loved this story! It's so exciting as they travel further and further from Sai's home, and the people on board the ship begin to divide into groups with very different goals. Both the adventure and the emotional journey have a lot of tension and suspense. There are so many great twists in the plot!

In the beginning of the book, we aren't quite sure if dragons are real in this world, or if they are just a legend. Some people Sai meets believe in dragons, but no one has ever seen one except old sailors who were probably hallucinating. It's such a mystery! Will there be dragons in the Southern seas? Or is it all just a silly fable?

Sai has such amazing character development. By the end of the story, she is making completely different decisions than at the beginning. She develops close relationships with people she trusts, and she begins to realize what is truly important and worth fighting for in life. I love her complex personality!

I loved the thoughtful writing style! It's concise and powerful, showing the reader the emotional struggles that are boiling under the surface of every scene.

There are many deep themes in this book. In the beginning, Sai's world seems pretty simple, but as she learns more about the history of her country, Sai realizes that there are far-reaching consequences for every action. She learns about trust, shame and guilt, loyalty, betrayal, and the value of truth.

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.