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2.01k reviews by:
ninetalevixen
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★ 2.5 stars ★
This isn't bad, but apart from the MC being it's a fairly typical circus narrative — with some fantasy / mythology elements that gradually emerge and probably play a larger role as the series progresses.
Mostly I gave it a lower rating because the prose doesn't really work for me, so I wasn't particularly invested in the characters or interpersonal relationships or overall plot.
FRTC.
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CONVERSION: 6.73 / 15 = 2.5 stars
Prose: 4 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 5 / 10
Emotional Impact: 3 / 10
Development / Flow: 4 / 10
Setting: 6 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 2 / 5
Memorability: 2 / 5
Spoiler
rep:
Spoiler
intersex queer/questioning (though not specified in-text, author says genderfluid & bi) MC,★ 2.5 stars ★
This isn't bad, but apart from the MC being
Spoiler
queer/questioning: specifically intersex, genderfluid & bisexualMostly I gave it a lower rating because the prose doesn't really work for me, so I wasn't particularly invested in the characters or interpersonal relationships or overall plot.
FRTC.
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CONVERSION: 6.73 / 15 = 2.5 stars
Prose: 4 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 5 / 10
Emotional Impact: 3 / 10
Development / Flow: 4 / 10
Setting: 6 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 2 / 5
Memorability: 2 / 5
content warnings:
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★ 3.5 stars ★
Not groundbreaking in any way, but an entertaining enough, fluffy summer read (with just a pinch of socioeconomic commentary). Also a bit nostalgic for me — I haven't read a Dessen book in literal years, yet I recognized a few tie-ins to other Dessen-land books, which was cool.
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CONVERSION: 9.9 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 5 / 10
Development / Flow: 6 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Spoiler
rep:
Spoiler
★ 3.5 stars ★
Not groundbreaking in any way, but an entertaining enough, fluffy summer read (with just a pinch of socioeconomic commentary). Also a bit nostalgic for me — I haven't read a Dessen book in literal years, yet I recognized a few tie-ins to other Dessen-land books, which was cool.
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CONVERSION: 9.9 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 5 / 10
Development / Flow: 6 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
I received an advance review copy from St. Martin's Press through Netgalley; all opinions are my own and honest.
content warnings:
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★ 3.5 stars ★
RTC.
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CONVERSION: 9.1 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 6 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 2 / 5
Memorability: 3 / 5
content warnings:
Spoiler
precanon grandparent death, grief, MC breaks wrist (on-page, non-graphic)rep:
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Filipino-American transracial adoptee LI [Leo], WLW MC [Savvy], Filipina-American WLW major char/B-romance LI [Mickey], F/F relationship(s), implied questioning/aro secondary char [Connie], diverse minor char's★ 3.5 stars ★
RTC.
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CONVERSION: 9.1 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 6 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 2 / 5
Memorability: 3 / 5
I received an advance review copy from St. Martin’s Press through Netgalley; all opinions are my own and honest.
This is sweeter than Monster Cake or Kitchen Sink Macaroons. (Both of which I need recipes for, pretty please with a cherry on top!)
Pepper and Jack are incredibly well-written teenagers, with believable dialogue and minor existential (slash college/future-career-related) crises, and of course their feelings for each other. Each of them has clear strengths, but they also make a fantastic power pair and I ship it so hard.
But like Pepper's sister's Sex-Positive brownies, this book has so many layers. It illustrates the dangers of the GPA/college rat race (including the way we implicitly tell classmates they're rivals rather than teammates in academia, and the emphasis on going to a Good College straight out of high school); there are productive discussions and genuine compromises when hurt feelings arise; family drama is given as much weight as the Twitter nonsense that ostensibly started it all. The contemporary elements actually feel up-to-date: clear understanding of how social media actually works, meme culture, and pop culture references beyond Harry Potter. There's a secondary character in a M/M relationship; he's out and popular at school, and they tease him about constantly making out with his boyfriend, but it's otherwise not a big deal at all.
The more books I read, the higher the bar is raised — and if this is any indicator of what YA will bring us in 2020, I for one am super excited.
content warnings:
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CONVERSION: 13.7 / 15 = 5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 10 / 10
Emotional Impact: 9 / 10
Development / Flow: 9 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 5 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5
This is sweeter than Monster Cake or Kitchen Sink Macaroons. (Both of which I need recipes for, pretty please with a cherry on top!)
Pepper and Jack are incredibly well-written teenagers, with believable dialogue and minor existential (slash college/future-career-related) crises, and of course their feelings for each other. Each of them has clear strengths, but they also make a fantastic power pair and I ship it so hard.
But like Pepper's sister's Sex-Positive brownies, this book has so many layers. It illustrates the dangers of the GPA/college rat race (including the way we implicitly tell classmates they're rivals rather than teammates in academia, and the emphasis on going to a Good College straight out of high school); there are productive discussions and genuine compromises when hurt feelings arise; family drama is given as much weight as the Twitter nonsense that ostensibly started it all. The contemporary elements actually feel up-to-date: clear understanding of how social media actually works, meme culture, and pop culture references beyond Harry Potter. There's a secondary character in a M/M relationship; he's out and popular at school, and they tease him about constantly making out with his boyfriend, but it's otherwise not a big deal at all.
The more books I read, the higher the bar is raised — and if this is any indicator of what YA will bring us in 2020, I for one am super excited.
content warnings:
Spoiler
underage drinking (background)rep:
Spoiler
gay secondary character, minor M/M relationship-----------
CONVERSION: 13.7 / 15 = 5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 10 / 10
Emotional Impact: 9 / 10
Development / Flow: 9 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 5 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5
"It was the year I turned into a mirror,
I was incapable of holding up anything else
but the truth.
I was feral under the sun, too stubborn to kill.
Spitting knives
and prophecies."
I was incapable of holding up anything else
but the truth.
I was feral under the sun, too stubborn to kill.
Spitting knives
and prophecies."
content warnings: precanon parent death, ableist language
"Why is summer mist romantic and autumn mist just sad?"
This is a greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts combination of Anne Shirley of Green Gables (narrator), Little Women (interpersonal relationships), and Jane Austen's work (plot). It's unpretentiously insightful, unaffectedly charming, poignantly wistful.
Perhaps one of its greatest strengths is in how wholly believable it is, in its realism: complex, flawed characters; a plot progression that makes sense rather than seizing shock value or maximum drama; satisfying but imperfect resolutions.
Rather than trying to impose her views on the world, the narrator is thoughtful both as observer and participant, unafraid to admit lack of knowledge or to tackle Big Questions. Like any (real or well-written) teenager, Cassandra Mortmain contains multitudes — sometimes she's infinitely patient and forgiving, other times her spite or resentment bursts out; her self-awareness and genuine desire to be kind absolutely endeared her to me through the highs and the lows.
And she (Cassandra/Smith) is a great writer. I've read a lot of books told in journal format; this one is executed particularly well, balancing hindsight with narrative continuity and coherence. There are vivid descriptions of setting and emotion, not so much that it bogs down the story.
For me it did take a while to really get into it, but once it took hold I was well and truly hooked. I Capture the Castle is the kind of book you want to settle down to savor, whether by sunlight on a grassy mound in the open air or by candlelight in a cocoon of blankets.
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CONVERSION: 12.25 / 15 = 4.5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 9 / 10
Emotional Impact: 8 / 10
Development / Flow: 7 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 5 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5
"Why is summer mist romantic and autumn mist just sad?"
This is a greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts combination of Anne Shirley of Green Gables (narrator), Little Women (interpersonal relationships), and Jane Austen's work (plot). It's unpretentiously insightful, unaffectedly charming, poignantly wistful.
Perhaps one of its greatest strengths is in how wholly believable it is, in its realism: complex, flawed characters; a plot progression that makes sense rather than seizing shock value or maximum drama; satisfying but imperfect resolutions.
Rather than trying to impose her views on the world, the narrator is thoughtful both as observer and participant, unafraid to admit lack of knowledge or to tackle Big Questions. Like any (real or well-written) teenager, Cassandra Mortmain contains multitudes — sometimes she's infinitely patient and forgiving, other times her spite or resentment bursts out; her self-awareness and genuine desire to be kind absolutely endeared her to me through the highs and the lows.
And she (Cassandra/Smith) is a great writer. I've read a lot of books told in journal format; this one is executed particularly well, balancing hindsight with narrative continuity and coherence. There are vivid descriptions of setting and emotion, not so much that it bogs down the story.
For me it did take a while to really get into it, but once it took hold I was well and truly hooked. I Capture the Castle is the kind of book you want to settle down to savor, whether by sunlight on a grassy mound in the open air or by candlelight in a cocoon of blankets.
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CONVERSION: 12.25 / 15 = 4.5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 9 / 10
Emotional Impact: 8 / 10
Development / Flow: 7 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 5 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5
content warnings:
While an engaging enough read to get through, this is tropey in a way that makes it predictable (except perhaps the very last twist, though I personally felt that didn't really add a ton besides mildly satisfying closure). The romances in particular are super obvious from the beginning, and not altogether necessary to the narrative.
The interviews-with-locals opening for some chapters, seemingly at random, didn't do much for me. In general I think it can be a fun structure, but it only seemed to show off Southern small-town "charm" or insularity. By the last instance, honestly I was completely over it.
The dual-perspective also didn't seem necesssary. I liked both Anna Kate and Natalie, and having both their arcs helped beef up the story, but apart from the obvious they didn't quite cohere in my mind.
The magical-realism elements felt underdeveloped, kind of hand-wave-y; I was particularly disappointed by. And for all the to-do about , it didn't really seem to lead anywhere.
To be quite frank, [b:Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune|42051103|Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune|Roselle Lim|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544267261l/42051103._SX50_.jpg|61454595] features many of the same tropes — — but with more depth and thus in a more engaging way.
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CONVERSION: 7.6 / 15 = 3 stars
Prose: 5 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 6 / 10
Emotional Impact: 4 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Memorability: 1 / 5
Spoiler
precanon loss of (many) loved ones, grief, terminally ill major character (cancer), colloquial use of "g*psy", on-page panic attackWhile an engaging enough read to get through, this is tropey in a way that makes it predictable (except perhaps the very last twist, though I personally felt that
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the revelation that Aubin was in the car with Anna Kate's parents when it crashed, and that it was indeed an accident, and AJ indeed refused to bow to his parents' pressureThe interviews-with-locals opening for some chapters, seemingly at random, didn't do much for me. In general I think it can be a fun structure, but it only seemed to show off Southern small-town "charm" or insularity. By the last instance,
Spoiler
where the reporter speaks to Anna Kate herself,The dual-perspective also didn't seem necesssary. I liked both Anna Kate and Natalie, and having both their arcs helped beef up the story, but apart from the obvious they didn't quite cohere in my mind.
The magical-realism elements felt underdeveloped, kind of hand-wave-y; I was particularly disappointed by
Spoiler
how quickly and prosaically the mystery of the blackbird pies was solved; I'd half hoped Anna Kate would figure it out but the readers wouldn't be told ... or at least not until the endSpoiler
blackbirds and the cat and Celtic ancestressesTo be quite frank, [b:Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune|42051103|Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune|Roselle Lim|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544267261l/42051103._SX50_.jpg|61454595] features many of the same tropes —
Spoiler
prodigal (grand)daughter returning to a tight-knit community to inherit a cafe, with every intention to leave; learning family recipes and developing their own; realizing that there's more to life than traditional success; "unlikely" romance; etc etc-----------
CONVERSION: 7.6 / 15 = 3 stars
Prose: 5 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 6 / 10
Emotional Impact: 4 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Memorability: 1 / 5
I feel simultaneously personally attacked and validated.
(Except for all the comics about buying books, because I have a fantastic local library and a college student budget. Still, I love living vicariously through other bookwyrms.)
(Except for all the comics about buying books, because I have a fantastic local library and a college student budget. Still, I love living vicariously through other bookwyrms.)