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loganshouldreadmore's Reviews (489)
For my full review, please visit loganashleyleduc.com
I wasn't sure what to expect upon reading the description of this selection, however from the very first sentence I was hooked. This story is an awesome combination of grief, mystery, magic and suspense.
I was constantly intrigued by what was going to happen next, from the story's connection to Abraham Lincoln's assassination to Tyler and what happened in his life that brought it to its end, this was a story that captured me and made me want to keep reading.
The main reason I loved this selection so much was first and foremost, it was about loss. Megan's brother died and no one had the answers as to how. His family, in turn, dealt with grieving him in an array of ways which allows readers to truly understand just how unique the process is. There's no right or wrong way to grieve someone and I think that this story makes a point of emphasizing that.
I ended up selecting this as our April YA selection for Once Upon a Book Club, because I ended up loving it so much.
This is definitely a book that should have gotten more promotion than it did - a new favorite.
I wasn't sure what to expect upon reading the description of this selection, however from the very first sentence I was hooked. This story is an awesome combination of grief, mystery, magic and suspense.
I was constantly intrigued by what was going to happen next, from the story's connection to Abraham Lincoln's assassination to Tyler and what happened in his life that brought it to its end, this was a story that captured me and made me want to keep reading.
The main reason I loved this selection so much was first and foremost, it was about loss. Megan's brother died and no one had the answers as to how. His family, in turn, dealt with grieving him in an array of ways which allows readers to truly understand just how unique the process is. There's no right or wrong way to grieve someone and I think that this story makes a point of emphasizing that.
I ended up selecting this as our April YA selection for Once Upon a Book Club, because I ended up loving it so much.
This is definitely a book that should have gotten more promotion than it did - a new favorite.
My full review can be found at: www.loganashleyleduc.com
I am such a fan of historical fiction so naturally I was eager to dive into this title selected by Once Upon a Book Club for their August 2016 box.
I wasn't sure what to expect, and honestly the beginning was a bit slow. The storyline prior to Anita admitting to her secret was honestly quite tough to read, but once it was made apparent that she would have to work incredibly hard to hide it, it really picked up.
This was a powerful story that really resonated with me and I'm so pleased that I finally had the opportunity to read and enjoy it.
I am such a fan of historical fiction so naturally I was eager to dive into this title selected by Once Upon a Book Club for their August 2016 box.
I wasn't sure what to expect, and honestly the beginning was a bit slow. The storyline prior to Anita admitting to her secret was honestly quite tough to read, but once it was made apparent that she would have to work incredibly hard to hide it, it really picked up.
This was a powerful story that really resonated with me and I'm so pleased that I finally had the opportunity to read and enjoy it.
My full review can be found at www.loganashleyleduc.com
I was sent a finished copy from the wonderful people over at Sky Pony Press.
The moment I saw a Hamilton/National Treasure crossover, I knew I was going to fall in love with the idea of this book. And I did. But unfortunately the way the idea was presented truly missed the mark.
The idea of the ancestors of American traitors being targeted by the ancestors of American heroes was an absolutely stellar idea and I was so excited to give this book a go but after reading a few chapters I was truly disappointed in the writing.
Though a dark plot, the writing style felt as though it was written for tweens or a middle grade reading level. As this book is being marketed for YA readers, I definitely don’t think it’s something that would appeal to many teens. I found spelling errors and sentences that didn’t flow well, which I have to blame the editor for missing these, but the overall writing style was what truly disappointed me.
I wanted to love this book, I truly did. The idea was genius and it is such a shame that the writing didn’t live up to the idea. The characters weren’t well-rounded, the scenes were choppy and didn’t flow into each other and unfortunately, it was something I had to force myself to finish.
I’m not sure why this book was only ~230 pages (not counting the Author’s Note or reference pages), but I feel if it was as fleshed out as it should have been – adding description and creating the emotional attachments readers love to feel with the characters, it would have easily been a 300 page read and would have flowed exponentially better than what it does right now.
I’m so saddened that this is the final copy that will be sold in stores, and wish that it had the opportunity for another round (or two) of edits. Though the idea is a powerful and unique one, this writing was the downfall of this title.
I was sent a finished copy from the wonderful people over at Sky Pony Press.
The moment I saw a Hamilton/National Treasure crossover, I knew I was going to fall in love with the idea of this book. And I did. But unfortunately the way the idea was presented truly missed the mark.
The idea of the ancestors of American traitors being targeted by the ancestors of American heroes was an absolutely stellar idea and I was so excited to give this book a go but after reading a few chapters I was truly disappointed in the writing.
Though a dark plot, the writing style felt as though it was written for tweens or a middle grade reading level. As this book is being marketed for YA readers, I definitely don’t think it’s something that would appeal to many teens. I found spelling errors and sentences that didn’t flow well, which I have to blame the editor for missing these, but the overall writing style was what truly disappointed me.
I wanted to love this book, I truly did. The idea was genius and it is such a shame that the writing didn’t live up to the idea. The characters weren’t well-rounded, the scenes were choppy and didn’t flow into each other and unfortunately, it was something I had to force myself to finish.
I’m not sure why this book was only ~230 pages (not counting the Author’s Note or reference pages), but I feel if it was as fleshed out as it should have been – adding description and creating the emotional attachments readers love to feel with the characters, it would have easily been a 300 page read and would have flowed exponentially better than what it does right now.
I’m so saddened that this is the final copy that will be sold in stores, and wish that it had the opportunity for another round (or two) of edits. Though the idea is a powerful and unique one, this writing was the downfall of this title.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened this book on my kindle for the first time. I was really looking forward to reading a fantasy (as I haven't in the last weeks), but I was immediately intrigued by the world that Jocelyn had allowed herself to get caught up in.
Jocelyn is a typical seventeen-year-old who experiences immense guilt on a daily basis for the situation her family has been thrust into. She takes this burden on her own shoulders and begins to fight for her mothers' health by getting involved with the Faerie Queen and striking up a deal (pretty bold for a seventeen year old).
As I read, I was impressed with Jocelyn's growth, but often annoyed at how independent she felt she had to be in all the situations that were presented to her. I understand this was part of her character and she didn't want anyone else affected by her actions, however the constant wave of support she received from those around her should have implied she was not facing any of this alone.
Reading the summary of this book (which was all I did), I was not aware this was a diverse read but upon reading it, I definitely felt that the relationships were authentic and it didn't take away from the story at all. This was a really empowering book for lesbian relationships and I was really happy to see such diversity in a fantasy novel.
As far as the other characters go, I almost felt more connected with them than I did with Jocelyn. I felt as though she allowed her weaknesses to show quite often, but almost as often she was incredibly strong (no spoilers, there was a moment where she produced an entire plan at a moments notice that she should have had no knowledge how - at least not to the level she dictated). I still felt she was a stranger at the end of it, but perhaps that's because we were able to see all the other characters in their own worlds (Rina at school, Anna at home, Mr. Hob at the bookshop, etc), whereas Jocelyn was never able to be herself the entire book. She was always trying to be something to somebody and never had a moment to breathe. So I can see why - I just wanted a few moments with Jocelyn to learn more about her.
The descriptions throughout the story were absolutely stunning and I was so impressed with the dialogue as well - authentic with hardly any awkward phrases, even some jokes thrown in that made me crack a smile. I was truly pleasantly surprised by the character interactions and how lifelike it made them appear.
I'll be honest, I'm not big on fairys (or faeries) and I never have been but this is the best 'faerie'tale I've ever read. This was full of action and love and family but more than that, it was something that was hard to put down. I consistently wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen to the characters and what the big plan was all along.
I was really really pleased with this story and I'm very excited for the sequel to be released sometime in the near future.
Jocelyn is a typical seventeen-year-old who experiences immense guilt on a daily basis for the situation her family has been thrust into. She takes this burden on her own shoulders and begins to fight for her mothers' health by getting involved with the Faerie Queen and striking up a deal (pretty bold for a seventeen year old).
As I read, I was impressed with Jocelyn's growth, but often annoyed at how independent she felt she had to be in all the situations that were presented to her. I understand this was part of her character and she didn't want anyone else affected by her actions, however the constant wave of support she received from those around her should have implied she was not facing any of this alone.
Reading the summary of this book (which was all I did), I was not aware this was a diverse read but upon reading it, I definitely felt that the relationships were authentic and it didn't take away from the story at all. This was a really empowering book for lesbian relationships and I was really happy to see such diversity in a fantasy novel.
As far as the other characters go, I almost felt more connected with them than I did with Jocelyn. I felt as though she allowed her weaknesses to show quite often, but almost as often she was incredibly strong (no spoilers, there was a moment where she produced an entire plan at a moments notice that she should have had no knowledge how - at least not to the level she dictated). I still felt she was a stranger at the end of it, but perhaps that's because we were able to see all the other characters in their own worlds (Rina at school, Anna at home, Mr. Hob at the bookshop, etc), whereas Jocelyn was never able to be herself the entire book. She was always trying to be something to somebody and never had a moment to breathe. So I can see why - I just wanted a few moments with Jocelyn to learn more about her.
The descriptions throughout the story were absolutely stunning and I was so impressed with the dialogue as well - authentic with hardly any awkward phrases, even some jokes thrown in that made me crack a smile. I was truly pleasantly surprised by the character interactions and how lifelike it made them appear.
I'll be honest, I'm not big on fairys (or faeries) and I never have been but this is the best 'faerie'tale I've ever read. This was full of action and love and family but more than that, it was something that was hard to put down. I consistently wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen to the characters and what the big plan was all along.
I was really really pleased with this story and I'm very excited for the sequel to be released sometime in the near future.
Full Review at: www.loganashleyleduc.com
Between Two Skies became the contemporary read I needed when I didn’t even know I needed one. After attempting to read book after book and not loving any of them, this book appeared exactly when I began to lose hope.
The main character, Evangeline, is a strong female lead who follows her heart throughout the whole story, even when the world around her didn’t provide her may other options. She stuck to her guns and made choices she truly believed in and she never lost sight of what really mattered.
Tru was an absolutely wonderful love interest for Evangeline and was a key component to the story, while Mandy, Danielle and Kendra helped Evangeline to grow and become the person she was at the end. She needed the trials and difficulties these people put her through and the issues her family was experiencing to help get her through the entirety of the story and her experience by being uprooted from everything she’d known before the storm.
This story moved me and was so incredibly powerful – it gave me a glimpse of life after Hurricane Katrina that I could not have imagined having not lived in its path. I am so grateful to this story for providing a realistic experience of what happened to thousands of families after this tragedy struck, and I have added this to my favorites shelf permanently.
Between Two Skies was my selection for the May, YA Once Upon a Book Club box.
Between Two Skies became the contemporary read I needed when I didn’t even know I needed one. After attempting to read book after book and not loving any of them, this book appeared exactly when I began to lose hope.
The main character, Evangeline, is a strong female lead who follows her heart throughout the whole story, even when the world around her didn’t provide her may other options. She stuck to her guns and made choices she truly believed in and she never lost sight of what really mattered.
Tru was an absolutely wonderful love interest for Evangeline and was a key component to the story, while Mandy, Danielle and Kendra helped Evangeline to grow and become the person she was at the end. She needed the trials and difficulties these people put her through and the issues her family was experiencing to help get her through the entirety of the story and her experience by being uprooted from everything she’d known before the storm.
This story moved me and was so incredibly powerful – it gave me a glimpse of life after Hurricane Katrina that I could not have imagined having not lived in its path. I am so grateful to this story for providing a realistic experience of what happened to thousands of families after this tragedy struck, and I have added this to my favorites shelf permanently.
Between Two Skies was my selection for the May, YA Once Upon a Book Club box.
Full review available at www.loganashleyleduc.com
I was really excited when I found out that this was the title Michelle had selected for the April box. I was a bit concerned as it dealt with a lot of serious subjects and I didn’t want a title that was going to make me cry through 85% of it. After reading the first few chapters I knew this story would be moving and make a statement.
Tara is a strong voice who leads the way through the story, while glimpses of Mukta tie it all together. As I read, I absolutely loved the back and forth between the two women and how it would go back and forth in time (to when they were children to present day). I loved that Mukta was a buildup from the day she was taken to where she is now and Tara’s started as a present day and looked back gradually throughout her life and how it brought her back to India in search of her childhood friend.
Both women are such strong voices and show the magnitude of the situation Mukta finds herself in and the lengths Tara goes to find her again.
This book had me in tears by the end but I was more than okay with it. This book moved me and I am so pleased to learn of the impact it makes on others who read it. I’m so glad I was able to experience this title.
I was really excited when I found out that this was the title Michelle had selected for the April box. I was a bit concerned as it dealt with a lot of serious subjects and I didn’t want a title that was going to make me cry through 85% of it. After reading the first few chapters I knew this story would be moving and make a statement.
Tara is a strong voice who leads the way through the story, while glimpses of Mukta tie it all together. As I read, I absolutely loved the back and forth between the two women and how it would go back and forth in time (to when they were children to present day). I loved that Mukta was a buildup from the day she was taken to where she is now and Tara’s started as a present day and looked back gradually throughout her life and how it brought her back to India in search of her childhood friend.
Both women are such strong voices and show the magnitude of the situation Mukta finds herself in and the lengths Tara goes to find her again.
This book had me in tears by the end but I was more than okay with it. This book moved me and I am so pleased to learn of the impact it makes on others who read it. I’m so glad I was able to experience this title.
Full review at www.loganashleyleduc.com
This was such a unique concept for a book, I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis and was eager to see where this book would take our main characters. I absolutely loved both Andrea and Isaac as characters and the stories that were built around both of them. What did bother me a bit was how their connection grew to be so strong.
These two strangers on either side of a wall, in vastly different eras of humanity suddenly developed this strong connection with each other after very few ‘visits’. This confused me quite a bit and I wanted to know more about how their feelings developed from a handful of glimpses at the other person.
However, please don’t let this opinion steer you wrong. Andrea and Isaac had a beautiful relationship once they were actually able to interact and they were an incredible duo. I just wanted more information on how they got to be this way.
I felt for Nate the entire book. I wanted him to have a happily ever after so badly, it hurt and I couldn’t help but question Andrea’s decision to cast him aside like he was nothing after he’d been there for her every day, in all the ways Isaac couldn’t. Nate loved Andrea through everything, even when she didn’t, and he was such a marvelous character, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of resentment for her.
The writing style was absolutely gorgeous and I was so captivated by her descriptions. I wanted this book to be longer and wished so badly for more detail in some places (especially about the nature of Isaac’s and Andrea’s emotions toward each other).
Overall, I loved this book and I truly enjoyed the read. I won’t spoil the ending for you but I definitely recommend you check it out for yourself!
This was such a unique concept for a book, I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis and was eager to see where this book would take our main characters. I absolutely loved both Andrea and Isaac as characters and the stories that were built around both of them. What did bother me a bit was how their connection grew to be so strong.
These two strangers on either side of a wall, in vastly different eras of humanity suddenly developed this strong connection with each other after very few ‘visits’. This confused me quite a bit and I wanted to know more about how their feelings developed from a handful of glimpses at the other person.
However, please don’t let this opinion steer you wrong. Andrea and Isaac had a beautiful relationship once they were actually able to interact and they were an incredible duo. I just wanted more information on how they got to be this way.
I felt for Nate the entire book. I wanted him to have a happily ever after so badly, it hurt and I couldn’t help but question Andrea’s decision to cast him aside like he was nothing after he’d been there for her every day, in all the ways Isaac couldn’t. Nate loved Andrea through everything, even when she didn’t, and he was such a marvelous character, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of resentment for her.
The writing style was absolutely gorgeous and I was so captivated by her descriptions. I wanted this book to be longer and wished so badly for more detail in some places (especially about the nature of Isaac’s and Andrea’s emotions toward each other).
Overall, I loved this book and I truly enjoyed the read. I won’t spoil the ending for you but I definitely recommend you check it out for yourself!
Full review at loganashleyleduc.com
We were required to read this for my introduction to young adult literature course and this was the one that grabbed my attention the most just based on the cover. It took a while to get to it, but once we read it, I knew it was going to be my favorite of the entire course.
Our unit on historical fiction was such a great one, especially while discussing this book. Though this title is based on Arabian Nights, it is still an absolutely beautifully told story that I fell in love with.
Our main character Marjan lives in a world dominated by men and their choices. Her mother crippled her at a young age in order to prevent her from being taken by the Sultan as one of his many wives (which he would take a wife and then kill her in the morning after they were married). It was only Shahrazad who was able to stop him with her stories, as each night she would spin a story and not tell him the ending. The next night she would continue weaving the story together and then, if it ended, start a new one so he’d want to hear more the following night.
In this story, Marjan is not taken for her beauty, but because she is smart. She is able to tell wonderful stories and Shahrazad, running out of stories after years of creating them to keep the Sultan entertained, takes kindly to her as she is able to help her continue her storytelling journey. Marjan is an inspiring young woman who stands up to help her people.
This short but moving story kept me captivated throughout the entire thing and had a deeper message within its pages. I’m so grateful to have been exposed to this book and I look forward to rereading it in the near future.
We were required to read this for my introduction to young adult literature course and this was the one that grabbed my attention the most just based on the cover. It took a while to get to it, but once we read it, I knew it was going to be my favorite of the entire course.
Our unit on historical fiction was such a great one, especially while discussing this book. Though this title is based on Arabian Nights, it is still an absolutely beautifully told story that I fell in love with.
Our main character Marjan lives in a world dominated by men and their choices. Her mother crippled her at a young age in order to prevent her from being taken by the Sultan as one of his many wives (which he would take a wife and then kill her in the morning after they were married). It was only Shahrazad who was able to stop him with her stories, as each night she would spin a story and not tell him the ending. The next night she would continue weaving the story together and then, if it ended, start a new one so he’d want to hear more the following night.
In this story, Marjan is not taken for her beauty, but because she is smart. She is able to tell wonderful stories and Shahrazad, running out of stories after years of creating them to keep the Sultan entertained, takes kindly to her as she is able to help her continue her storytelling journey. Marjan is an inspiring young woman who stands up to help her people.
This short but moving story kept me captivated throughout the entire thing and had a deeper message within its pages. I’m so grateful to have been exposed to this book and I look forward to rereading it in the near future.
Full Review at loganashleyleduc.com
Though this book was a really interesting read, it wasn't one I'd be looking to read again.
I was really hopeful based on the synopsis of this book, which featured plenty of information regarding the bad-ass female this book is supposed to be about. Unfortunately, I was definitely disappointed.
Kalinda was a great main character and I really loved her. I thought it was so interesting to see what happened to her through her journey as she left the temple and began her journey to living and becoming the 100th wife of the Rajah. I was disappointed when the story took a turn and instead of focusing on how bad-ass and persistent Kalinda was with her goals, it turned instead to the romantic aspect as she began to fall in love. It wasn't just about dying for women's rights anymore. It became about dying for love which wasn't what I was expecting based on the synopsis.
I was underwhelmed by this book and though I really enjoyed the plot overall, I felt the writing could definitely use some work. It was choppy, and often times I severely questioned whether this was actually a title written for YA readers or if it should be adjusted to be an adult genre piece.
I'd probably read something else and just skip this one if I could go back in time.
Though this book was a really interesting read, it wasn't one I'd be looking to read again.
I was really hopeful based on the synopsis of this book, which featured plenty of information regarding the bad-ass female this book is supposed to be about. Unfortunately, I was definitely disappointed.
Kalinda was a great main character and I really loved her. I thought it was so interesting to see what happened to her through her journey as she left the temple and began her journey to living and becoming the 100th wife of the Rajah. I was disappointed when the story took a turn and instead of focusing on how bad-ass and persistent Kalinda was with her goals, it turned instead to the romantic aspect as she began to fall in love. It wasn't just about dying for women's rights anymore. It became about dying for love which wasn't what I was expecting based on the synopsis.
I was underwhelmed by this book and though I really enjoyed the plot overall, I felt the writing could definitely use some work. It was choppy, and often times I severely questioned whether this was actually a title written for YA readers or if it should be adjusted to be an adult genre piece.
I'd probably read something else and just skip this one if I could go back in time.
I got about 3 chapters in and I didn't even know what I was reading. This was such a disappointment. Honestly, I ended up bringing it back to the store and swapping it out for something else.
Ugh. Nothing made sense and the writing was so childlike and poor, it was making me actually frustrated trying to read it. Such a disappointment.
Ugh. Nothing made sense and the writing was so childlike and poor, it was making me actually frustrated trying to read it. Such a disappointment.