4.5

Okay so this was going good for 5 starts for a bit, but then something happened that really changed the book and what I was loving with the tension and closeness between the two forces was gone. Then, later on, they tried to bring it back with some other characters, but it didn't have the same feel to it. I was feeling the same distance from the story that the characters had from each other and the book went from making me wonder what would happen to kinda knowing deep down who would come out on top because it was just a bit to clear.

Then the ending. Ouf, I don't know how I feel about it still. I mean, I knew it was going to happen and all but somehow I was still kinds hoping something else would happen which honestly made me really conflicted 'cause of the way they story kinda made the villain out as a hero, and a sorta sympathetic one. But good endings are ones that make you think and that was a high of this book.

Also, the art was quite stunning. I liked that the artist was the same throughout because I've read some comics where the artist change and sometimes they drew a character like a different character from the previous chapter and it got confusing as to who was who.

Lastly, the plot, save for what I mentioned above so like the first 2.5/4ths I'd say, were amazing and very well done. This book had me staying up late reading and reading on the bus and every chance I could get. The character development was amazing too, so much more than I normally expect from this type of medium. I'm always wary of comic books and manga and graphic novels because I've always found that they don't have the same entertainment value or the same emersion factor as full-on novels, but this was not the case here.

I would recommend this to anyone looking to get into manga and if it wasn't for that last stretch I really would have given it 5 stars. I just could feel myself losing interest as it was no longer as exciting as it had been and I was quite a ways through this long boo and really needed something of interest to keep me hooked and while I didn't grow bored, I was not as engaged as I had been nor as I could have been.

This was one of those just meh, yet enjoyable reads. The plot wasn't as interesting as it could have been and I didn't really care about the characters all that much. I did enjoy the book though. It's a lot lighter than most WWII historical fiction that I've read and that was nice. I also like how they hinted at the SOE F section as that's my favourite spy group to read about and they are very unknown so you don't see them a lot outside of historical fiction 9an even then there's not a lot). Would totally recommend this book though.

3.5 I wasn't expecting that. While the middle part was quite good, I wanted more from the ending.

Reading this the first time it was ny least favourite. Rereading it in full knowledge of what was to come wasn't very enjoyable but it was nice to refresh my memory, though I was surprised at how much I remember.

It probably has to so with the fact that my favourite book, [b:The Keeping Place|47905|The Keeping Place (The Obernewtyn Chronicles, #4)|Isobelle Carmody|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1194379724s/47905.jpg|3268254], coming right before and my favourite character Dragon taking a side line and not being very present after being the focus.

Originally read this for school a while back and wasn't overly impressed, but recently listened to a performance of it and it's much better when performed. And when I can actually enjoy the book without putting up with all my English teacher's antics.

4.5

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E5cHHwQW5hY

2.75

Can't give this a full three stars because it had a very boring middle that felt like it dragged on forever, and I read this book in a day.

Everything was uber obvious. I knew who the love interest was from the first chapter, it wasn't hard all. I thought this would be an enemy to lovers, however, it was not, it was just a bunch of misunderstandings, which in the context of the book is good because of the love interested in the MC's best friend's ex.

I don't have a lot to say on this. It is much better than On the Fence and the character is more well-rounded people and this doesn't have a bad and sexist message. It does drag and gets repetitive in the middle. Over all a decent book.

I reserve 1 star for books I can't even fathom other people liking and I wouldn't recommend anyone spend their time reading it. At first, this seemed like it jsut wasn't my taste and I could maybe see why other's would like it. I never went into this with high hopes, but the further I got the more I read this the more I wondered if the author ever talked to anyone. It sounds harsh, but this feels like every trope ever written by someone who has never talked to a real person before.

First of all the character was annoying. So annoying. And the reason she isn't girly is that she doesn't have a mom? That's it. Not that she likes it, not that she's trying to figure out who she is, just that she did not have a mom to teach her how to be girly. That's it.

This book plays into gender stereotypes with zero nuance. The main character isn't even caught in between. She goes from being the tomboyish tomboy who is apparently allowed to get off with bitting people Scott-free because she's a tomboy with a brother to a girly girl. It's all either-or and heavily implies that in order for the MC to be fulfilled, she has to not only embrace her feminine side but become feminine. There's no nuance, no maybe I can be both, or even maybe I don't have to wear dresses to be accepted and still get a boyfriend. It's a very bad message.

Now that's the MC, none of the side characters have any nuance either. They're all very gendered stereotypes. the weird shop lady, the girly girl, the overprotective, patronizing brothers who won't let their little sister date, anyone, to the point where she has little delf-confidence about it because they won't let anyone give her any attention (can this just die? Male siblings don't own their female siblings and should not intimidate all her friends). Not to mention there is a line in the book where Charlie thinks that being nice to someone and returning a compliment is "girl-stuff." Being nice is not girl stuff. it should be the bare minimum you expect from people.

As someone who went through phases of nothing but girly stuff and nothing that could be considered girly, I was eventually able to find a balance I liked. I was also between the ages of six and twelve and did not understand nuance yet. Charlie fits in this category. She's sixteen. If this book was about Charlie finding and understanding this nuance it would already be so much better. Or realizing she just does not want to have anything to do with traditional "girly" stuff and that people will still love her if she rejects these. That would have been great too.

Also, was this supposed to be romance? I wouldn't even call this a slow burn, just constant Charlie trying to be a girl. There wasn't any plot at all.

This book also has a lot of issues with how it portrayed mental illness and alcoholism in the character's parents and where the blame was placed. It was very victim-blaming. It's was the wife of the alcoholic's fault that he was allowed to live that way and selfish of the woman with depression to [TW]

Spoiler

commit suicide

. When the MC finally found that out about her mom, she was mad that her mother wasn't there to teach her how to be a girl.

And I'm also just surprised that a girl whose father is in the police force just gets away with almost anything. Her reaction to being told to get a job was laughable. Then when she got one, it's one with a sketchy woman, no contract, and no mention of a minimum wage. I have no idea where this takes place or what the minimum wage there was in 2014 but I'm pretty sure this was below it. Also, who makes you buy clothes from their store to wear to work. Whatever happened to uniforms?

Then there's the modelling gig. they actually just photographed a completely different girl than the one who had signed all the consent forms just because she was filling in for her sick?

There are so many elements in this book that are just infuriating and illogical, completely contrived to make Charlie the perfect "girly girl" in the end.

Finally, I just want to add that Charlie's dad is a pretty bad dad if every time Charlie has a problem her first thought is she can't go to him because he's male. Sure, maybe he didn't nurture Charlie's girly side and Charlie makes it sound like she never had a girly side until she started working, but that doesn't excuse not being able to or willing to try and help her sort stuff out just because she has "girl problems."

There's not a lot of meat in this, its basically a novella. Reminded me of how amazing this world is and I wish I wasn't a bit too old of this series. It has so many amazing elements and places to explore but it's not something I necessarily feel like spending my time reading when I'll get more enjoyment out of other books.

The story was well written and I'm sure someone who's deep into the series would appreciate it. I also like that they made a little print pamphlet because I don't think kids would have access to an eReader to read this electronically.

This was short yet very interesting. I enjoyed all the notes that Harry, Ron, and Hermione wrote in the book. They were a great reference to events in the serise and made me laugh and smile. It is a good idea to read the serise before you read this book. It will Mae some thing clearer and avoid some minor spoilers. I wish muggle textbooks were as interesting as this. I loved how much depth it gave to the windsurfing world for such a small, short book.