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sarahscupofcoffee
This is so much more than just a fantasy book. Children of Blood and Bone is about finding yourself, the power of inner strength, overcoming boundaries that society has placed on you, and racial discrimination in a variety of forms (police brutality, racism, oppression...).
I am not a fantasy reader. I do not typically believe that fantasy books are believable. Before this novel, I only thought J.K. Rowling did fantasy correctly. Adeyemi has found herself on my list of authors and I'm absolutely thrilled that I read this book.
It's a long book, but worth every page. I would recommend this novel to avid readers (due to its size), specifically ones that enjoy exploring different cultures. Adeyemi created a world that is unlike our own. She created languages, classes, societal norms, and many other factors that makes Orïsha whole and believable. If you're willing to leave the modern world behind and enter a world unlike any other, I recommend this book.
As a writer, I love her style. I usually do not like point of view shifts between different characters, however, Adeyemi did a fabulous job of making it work. She cut between different point of views in the ideal places, such as in the middle of action scenes, to allow you to see different sides of the same situation. Her words are crafted beautifully and it's easy to tell which character is speaking without the tags because that's how well she developed them.
The only thing I did not like about this book is the pace. It's action-packed, which is a good thing, but there's such a thing as too much action. It's page-turning and heart-racing, but it's pretty constant. The characters are in trouble 90% of the time and it can get exhausting for a reader to have that heart-racing feeling 90% of the book.
Aside from that, the book was amazing and I loved it! I've already pre-ordered the sequel.
I am not a fantasy reader. I do not typically believe that fantasy books are believable. Before this novel, I only thought J.K. Rowling did fantasy correctly. Adeyemi has found herself on my list of authors and I'm absolutely thrilled that I read this book.
It's a long book, but worth every page. I would recommend this novel to avid readers (due to its size), specifically ones that enjoy exploring different cultures. Adeyemi created a world that is unlike our own. She created languages, classes, societal norms, and many other factors that makes Orïsha whole and believable. If you're willing to leave the modern world behind and enter a world unlike any other, I recommend this book.
As a writer, I love her style. I usually do not like point of view shifts between different characters, however, Adeyemi did a fabulous job of making it work. She cut between different point of views in the ideal places, such as in the middle of action scenes, to allow you to see different sides of the same situation. Her words are crafted beautifully and it's easy to tell which character is speaking without the tags because that's how well she developed them.
The only thing I did not like about this book is the pace. It's action-packed, which is a good thing, but there's such a thing as too much action. It's page-turning and heart-racing, but it's pretty constant. The characters are in trouble 90% of the time and it can get exhausting for a reader to have that heart-racing feeling 90% of the book.
Aside from that, the book was amazing and I loved it! I've already pre-ordered the sequel.
For more YA bookish content, visit www.travelthroughfiction.wordpress.com!
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Highlight of the Trip
I sat across from Nishat with an open palm, as she artistically painted the henna of my choice onto my skin.
Two Cent Summary
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar is a beautiful love story between two girls, as they compete against each other to win a business competition, where they both chose to sell the art of henna. It’s cute and cultural and has many lessons to learn in its pages.
First Impressions
After reading just a few pages in, I could tell that I’m going to learn a lot about different cultures. The main character, Nishat, is from Bangladesh and is very involved in her culture. Flávia is Brazilian and the novel is set in Ireland. There’s no American references anywhere in this novel and it was like a breath of fresh air.
I used Google a lot throughout reading this, I’m not going to lie. There were many references that I didn’t understand because I’m not part of their culture, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning about it.
The Story
One of the things that stuck out to me the most was the plot. I’m not a plot-driven reader; I enjoy character-driven books, but I loved this plot. The Henna Wars has a solid mix between character-driven and plot-driven elements.
The plot was dynamic, full of small plot twists, and adorable. It’s everything you could want from a contemporary romance in the young adult genre. There was romantic tension because of the contest and the romance swelled during certain scenes... just... ah! I loved the romance in this book.
There was also the plot twist (not so small) where Nishat comes out. I’m not gay, so I can’t possibly know what this is like, but I felt Nishat’s emotions fully. This is a testament to how amazing the writing is. You could feel every emotion that Nishat was feeling.
I don’t want to give too much away, but this book was adorable and culturally informative from an American white woman’s perspective.
Reason for Rating ~ Should You Read It?
If you enjoy light, fluffy romances with cultural significance, you’ll love this book. I rated it 5/5 stars because of the way it made me feel. I was on a ride with Nishat throughout the novel, the plot was amazing, and the characters were well developed. I couldn’t find anything that I didn’t like about this book.
Subscribe to my BookTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoIzjdWXr4oOkFLlSbe2FQ
Highlight of the Trip
I sat across from Nishat with an open palm, as she artistically painted the henna of my choice onto my skin.
Two Cent Summary
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar is a beautiful love story between two girls, as they compete against each other to win a business competition, where they both chose to sell the art of henna. It’s cute and cultural and has many lessons to learn in its pages.
First Impressions
After reading just a few pages in, I could tell that I’m going to learn a lot about different cultures. The main character, Nishat, is from Bangladesh and is very involved in her culture. Flávia is Brazilian and the novel is set in Ireland. There’s no American references anywhere in this novel and it was like a breath of fresh air.
I used Google a lot throughout reading this, I’m not going to lie. There were many references that I didn’t understand because I’m not part of their culture, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning about it.
The Story
One of the things that stuck out to me the most was the plot. I’m not a plot-driven reader; I enjoy character-driven books, but I loved this plot. The Henna Wars has a solid mix between character-driven and plot-driven elements.
The plot was dynamic, full of small plot twists, and adorable. It’s everything you could want from a contemporary romance in the young adult genre. There was romantic tension because of the contest and the romance swelled during certain scenes... just... ah! I loved the romance in this book.
There was also the plot twist (not so small) where Nishat comes out. I’m not gay, so I can’t possibly know what this is like, but I felt Nishat’s emotions fully. This is a testament to how amazing the writing is. You could feel every emotion that Nishat was feeling.
I don’t want to give too much away, but this book was adorable and culturally informative from an American white woman’s perspective.
Reason for Rating ~ Should You Read It?
If you enjoy light, fluffy romances with cultural significance, you’ll love this book. I rated it 5/5 stars because of the way it made me feel. I was on a ride with Nishat throughout the novel, the plot was amazing, and the characters were well developed. I couldn’t find anything that I didn’t like about this book.
For more YA bookish content, visit www.travelthroughfiction.wordpress.com!
Subscribe to my BookTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoIzjdWXr4oOkFLlSbe2FQ
Highlight of the Trip: I huffed and puffed on a cigarette, as Will stood in that elevator. I’ve never smoked a cigarette before.
Two Cent Summary
Long Way Down is a novel in verse about the decision a young man has to make with a gun. Will’s brother was shot. Dead. Will thinks he knows who the killer is and follows the rules that he must follow: no crying, no snitching, revenge. He gets in an elevator, totally prepared to kill who he thinks killed his brother.
First Impressions
I love that this story is in verse. I read it all in one sitting and it took me about an hour, give or take. During that hour, I was sucked into that elevator with Will, feeling the dread that he was feeling. I loved that it took me about an hour to read it because the pacing of the book is one hour. The whole novel is set in 60 minutes.
Characterization
Without sharing a ton, I want to comment briefly on the amount of characterization that went into this novel. We meet several characters, one after another. Usually, it would be difficult to meet characters in this type of format—difficult to separate voices and personalities when we meet them all at rapid fire speed.
Somehow Jason Reynolds made this work beautifully. We get a solid snapshot into Will’s culture through the people he meets and talks to. Each character is set up, full of personality, and easily separated. A work of art.
The Open Ending
I don’t want to give too much away about the story, so this review is going to be short and sweet... but I do want to comment on the ending. The whole story is the telling of different stories, meeting of different characters. Will is confident that he knows who the killer is, but I think he has some doubts. When he gets off that elevator, the ending is open for us to make our own assumptions as to what happened. I love that. It makes you think.
Reason for Rating ~ Should You Read It?
I rated this book 5/5 stars because it deserves it. It’s a quick read, but it’s not an easy one. It will make you think, make you question things—as it should. It’s a brilliant work of art that everyone has time to devour.
Subscribe to my BookTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoIzjdWXr4oOkFLlSbe2FQ
Highlight of the Trip: I huffed and puffed on a cigarette, as Will stood in that elevator. I’ve never smoked a cigarette before.
Two Cent Summary
Long Way Down is a novel in verse about the decision a young man has to make with a gun. Will’s brother was shot. Dead. Will thinks he knows who the killer is and follows the rules that he must follow: no crying, no snitching, revenge. He gets in an elevator, totally prepared to kill who he thinks killed his brother.
First Impressions
I love that this story is in verse. I read it all in one sitting and it took me about an hour, give or take. During that hour, I was sucked into that elevator with Will, feeling the dread that he was feeling. I loved that it took me about an hour to read it because the pacing of the book is one hour. The whole novel is set in 60 minutes.
Characterization
Without sharing a ton, I want to comment briefly on the amount of characterization that went into this novel. We meet several characters, one after another. Usually, it would be difficult to meet characters in this type of format—difficult to separate voices and personalities when we meet them all at rapid fire speed.
Somehow Jason Reynolds made this work beautifully. We get a solid snapshot into Will’s culture through the people he meets and talks to. Each character is set up, full of personality, and easily separated. A work of art.
The Open Ending
I don’t want to give too much away about the story, so this review is going to be short and sweet... but I do want to comment on the ending. The whole story is the telling of different stories, meeting of different characters. Will is confident that he knows who the killer is, but I think he has some doubts. When he gets off that elevator, the ending is open for us to make our own assumptions as to what happened. I love that. It makes you think.
Reason for Rating ~ Should You Read It?
I rated this book 5/5 stars because it deserves it. It’s a quick read, but it’s not an easy one. It will make you think, make you question things—as it should. It’s a brilliant work of art that everyone has time to devour.
Check out my BookTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoIzjdWXr4oOkFLlSbe2FQ
First Impressions
I picked this up because I saw that it was available through Libby and I knew I had an ARC to read by E. Lockhart before the end of the month. I knew this book was hyped for a while and I figured I should read it before reading her new work.
I’m so glad that I did. I didn’t like the description because it’s so vague, but having read it… I understand why it’s vague.
Essentially, this book follows Cady’s journey in figuring out a past trauma. She doesn’t remember much about her fifteenth summer on the island and she wants to know why. Nobody is filling her in, leaving her to figure it out “in her own time.”
Writing Style
I get why this book has mixed reviews. E. Lockhart’s writing style isn’t for everybody, but it’s definitely for me! She writes in small chapters, which is a huge plus in my book. She has an airy way of writing, while being extremely dark in some moments. It just works.
One of my favorite things about her style is her embodiment of metaphors. Lockhart immerses herself and steeps her characters into these intense metaphors that make you think.
For example:
“A giant wields a rusty saw. He gloats and hums as he works, slicing through my forehead and into the mind behind it.”
She’s describing a migraine. I suffer from migraines, so I appreciate the accurate sentiment.
She goes from these detailed metaphor snippets to chapter-length metaphors. She has sections where Cady is writing a fairy tale, which parallels with her life and the trauma that she’s trying to uncover.
Her use of metaphors in general are beautiful and abrupt. I like to think of her writing style as if poetry were written in prose. While she does not write in verse, it feels like it sometimes.
The Story
I don’t want to say much here because of spoilers, but the twist is brutal. I cried for the last part of the book after the plot twist dropped because I seriously didn’t see that coming.
The characters were incredibly well developed, in my opinion. It’s hard to talk about the story without giving it away in this case… but trust that the story is great. If you don’t mind spoilers, head down to the next section for more detail.
If not, stay put and don’t read the rest of this review. Just know it’s a great young adult contemporary that deals with real problems and gets real fast.
Beware of Spoilers
Like I said, I can see why some people don’t like this book. I loved it and I cried.
The ending is like whiplash. I personally don’t like that the crew was still at the house when she returned. I’m not sure if people in similar situations as Cady get that kind of closure when they come a realization like she did.
However, I loved it despite hating it. I love that she was able to say goodbye to everyone and all of the conversations started making sense (between her and Gat especially). It seemed as though they weren’t conjured by her head, but were spirits that visited her to help her remember. I’m not sure if I liked that.
Part of me is saying that it should’ve been in her head, but the other part kind of likes that her friends came back to see her off.
I don’t know, but it was a different type of ending.
Anyway, five stars! Loved it! Can’t wait to read Again Again.
First Impressions
I picked this up because I saw that it was available through Libby and I knew I had an ARC to read by E. Lockhart before the end of the month. I knew this book was hyped for a while and I figured I should read it before reading her new work.
I’m so glad that I did. I didn’t like the description because it’s so vague, but having read it… I understand why it’s vague.
Essentially, this book follows Cady’s journey in figuring out a past trauma. She doesn’t remember much about her fifteenth summer on the island and she wants to know why. Nobody is filling her in, leaving her to figure it out “in her own time.”
Writing Style
I get why this book has mixed reviews. E. Lockhart’s writing style isn’t for everybody, but it’s definitely for me! She writes in small chapters, which is a huge plus in my book. She has an airy way of writing, while being extremely dark in some moments. It just works.
One of my favorite things about her style is her embodiment of metaphors. Lockhart immerses herself and steeps her characters into these intense metaphors that make you think.
For example:
“A giant wields a rusty saw. He gloats and hums as he works, slicing through my forehead and into the mind behind it.”
She’s describing a migraine. I suffer from migraines, so I appreciate the accurate sentiment.
She goes from these detailed metaphor snippets to chapter-length metaphors. She has sections where Cady is writing a fairy tale, which parallels with her life and the trauma that she’s trying to uncover.
Her use of metaphors in general are beautiful and abrupt. I like to think of her writing style as if poetry were written in prose. While she does not write in verse, it feels like it sometimes.
The Story
I don’t want to say much here because of spoilers, but the twist is brutal. I cried for the last part of the book after the plot twist dropped because I seriously didn’t see that coming.
The characters were incredibly well developed, in my opinion. It’s hard to talk about the story without giving it away in this case… but trust that the story is great. If you don’t mind spoilers, head down to the next section for more detail.
If not, stay put and don’t read the rest of this review. Just know it’s a great young adult contemporary that deals with real problems and gets real fast.
Beware of Spoilers
Like I said, I can see why some people don’t like this book. I loved it and I cried.
The ending is like whiplash. I personally don’t like that the crew was still at the house when she returned. I’m not sure if people in similar situations as Cady get that kind of closure when they come a realization like she did.
However, I loved it despite hating it. I love that she was able to say goodbye to everyone and all of the conversations started making sense (between her and Gat especially). It seemed as though they weren’t conjured by her head, but were spirits that visited her to help her remember. I’m not sure if I liked that.
Part of me is saying that it should’ve been in her head, but the other part kind of likes that her friends came back to see her off.
I don’t know, but it was a different type of ending.
Anyway, five stars! Loved it! Can’t wait to read Again Again.
Read this and other young adult book reviews at www.travelthoughfiction.wordpress.com!
Check out my brand new BookTube! I've gone visual! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoIzjdWXr4oOkFLlSbe2FQ?view_as=subscriber
Destination: Ellingham Academy on Hatchet Hill in Vermont
Highlight of the Trip: I hunted for a Moose in the woods with Stevie.
In this third installment of the Truly Devious series, Stevie solves yet another chunk of the Ellingham Academy murders, as the school sees even more death.
The Writing
Reviewing books in a series is difficult because you don’t want to give anything away. It’s easier if the books are bad, but when they’re amazing… you don’t want to say too much.
So, I’ll keep this one short and sweet.
Her writing is amazing, which I keep saying. Her description is spot-on and she understands balance. She also has a way of recapping what happened in previous books without summarizing it.
Anxiety Representation
I loved this third book because Stevie does it again! You see her struggling with her anxiety, which I know I hinted at before in previous reviews. You really see it in this one, though. You see her anxiety spiraling when she doesn’t have access to her medication. The way it’s described made me cry because I know exactly how it feels.
“Anxiety doesn’t ask for your permission. Anxiety does not come when expected. It’s very rude. It barges in at the strangest moments, stopping all activity, focusing everything on itself. It sucks the air out of your lungs and scrambles the world. Her vision went spotty around the edges. The ringing in her ears swelled again. Her knees buckled.” – Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall
Being a sufferer from anxiety, it’s difficult to find proper representation. Anxiety is often painted as intense nervousness, but it’s not. Anxiety literally jumps you. There doesn’t need to be a trigger. I love how Maureen Johnson represents anxiety like this.
I stole Stevie’s breathing technique: “In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. She let thoughts come and go and kept setting her attention back on the breathing.” – Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall I have my own techniques, but I was having a panic attack this week and thought of this. It helped a lot.
Should You Read It?
The fourth book comes out next year, so if you don’t want to get stuck waiting for it… wait to read this. I’m regretting jumping into this series now because I have to wait! If you like mysteries and murder, you’ll love this series. It’s dark and twisted, with amazing characters and set in an iconic school.
Check out my brand new BookTube! I've gone visual! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoIzjdWXr4oOkFLlSbe2FQ?view_as=subscriber
Destination: Ellingham Academy on Hatchet Hill in Vermont
Highlight of the Trip: I hunted for a Moose in the woods with Stevie.
In this third installment of the Truly Devious series, Stevie solves yet another chunk of the Ellingham Academy murders, as the school sees even more death.
The Writing
Reviewing books in a series is difficult because you don’t want to give anything away. It’s easier if the books are bad, but when they’re amazing… you don’t want to say too much.
So, I’ll keep this one short and sweet.
Her writing is amazing, which I keep saying. Her description is spot-on and she understands balance. She also has a way of recapping what happened in previous books without summarizing it.
Anxiety Representation
I loved this third book because Stevie does it again! You see her struggling with her anxiety, which I know I hinted at before in previous reviews. You really see it in this one, though. You see her anxiety spiraling when she doesn’t have access to her medication. The way it’s described made me cry because I know exactly how it feels.
“Anxiety doesn’t ask for your permission. Anxiety does not come when expected. It’s very rude. It barges in at the strangest moments, stopping all activity, focusing everything on itself. It sucks the air out of your lungs and scrambles the world. Her vision went spotty around the edges. The ringing in her ears swelled again. Her knees buckled.” – Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall
Being a sufferer from anxiety, it’s difficult to find proper representation. Anxiety is often painted as intense nervousness, but it’s not. Anxiety literally jumps you. There doesn’t need to be a trigger. I love how Maureen Johnson represents anxiety like this.
I stole Stevie’s breathing technique: “In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. She let thoughts come and go and kept setting her attention back on the breathing.” – Maureen Johnson, The Hand on the Wall I have my own techniques, but I was having a panic attack this week and thought of this. It helped a lot.
Should You Read It?
The fourth book comes out next year, so if you don’t want to get stuck waiting for it… wait to read this. I’m regretting jumping into this series now because I have to wait! If you like mysteries and murder, you’ll love this series. It’s dark and twisted, with amazing characters and set in an iconic school.
Read this and other YA book reviews at www.travelthroughfiction.wordpress.com!
Destination: Ellingham Academy on Hatchet Hill in Vermont
Highlight of the Trip: I connected with Nate on the brooding writer condition.
In this second installment of the Truly Devious series, Stevie uncovers another chunk of the murder mystery as more murder and mystery gets layered onto the riddle.
Characters
Characterization is a huge part in this series, which is why I love it so much. Each character is unique, not just from each other, but in general.
Stevie is our protagonist. She’s obsessed with murder mysteries and has anxiety. Murder mysteries helps calm her anxiety, which I find hilarious. It’s accurate, though! The things that calm my anxiety, would probably increase someone else’s. Stevie is determined to figure out who was behind the murders of Ellingham Academy. She’s also extremely smart and analytical.
“This is why I prefer books to people.” – Nate, Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Nate is a writer and one of my favorite characters. He’s pessimistic and very relatable. I’m a writer, so I understand his struggles and pain. We get to know him well and see this side of him clearly in the first book, but we see traces of his personality throughout this second one, as well.
I’m a huge fan of Larry, the security guard. He plays a minor, yet huge, role in this novel, though. I love how Maureen Johnson puts detail and love into all of her characters, even her secondary ones. She makes every single one of her characters seem important to the story and to the plot.
For example, this is how she describes all of her characters – even the secondary ones, like Call Me Charles:
“Dr. Charles Scott, aka Call me Charles, was the head of the school and Stevie’s adviser. Out of all the Ellingham faculty, he had the most bouncy personality, the one that said, ‘Learning is Fun!’ in giant Comic Sans. He tended to dress in expensive geek chic—superhero T-shirts with designer jeans. His hair was somewhere between blond and the earliest hints of gray. Today he wore a fitted black cashmere V-neck and gray wool pants, looking every inch the aged version of the perfect New England pretty guy. He sproinged up to her like a cartoon tiger.” – Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
There are plenty of amazing and iconic characters in this book that I can talk about forever, but let’s get on with the rest of the review. Characters: A+!
The Plot
In the first book, we learn about the murders and kidnappings that happened within Ellingham’s walls in the 1930s. We flash between present day, with Stevie as our lead teenage investigator, and the past, where multiple people narrate events that will coincide with what we discover in the present. The way those flips are set up is genius and not distracting to the plot or characters in the slightest.
In this second book, we dive deeper into the history and Stevie starts putting together some massive clues with her advanced access. A murder mystery book wouldn’t be good without a fresh murder, so someone else dies. It probably wasn’t a murder, but someone still dies.
One of the things I love about this book is that you expect certain things (murders and mysteries), but you’re still gasping at the end of most chapters. Some of these plot twists seriously took me by surprise and had me bouncing in my seat. My stomach would clench because I would remember a detail from the first book or early on in the second that would match up to what Stevie’s about to uncover. The plotting is masterful.
I called one of these plot twists and I kept yelling at Stevie to hurry up and put the clues together. When she finally did, I literally yelled, “Yes! Go, Stevie, Go!” while I was taking a “relaxing” bath.
There was one issue I had with the book that is spoilery, so SPOIL ALERT in the next paragraph.
You can probably guess this from the first book, but it’s declared in the second: the Truly Devious letter has nothing to do with the kidnappings and the murders. I had a hunch that it didn’t in the first book, but I kept second guessing myself. Why would it have nothing to do with it, if the entire serious was surrounded by it? This was the issue I had with the plot. I don’t like how the title of the book has nothing to do with the real plot line.
However, I can understand why Johnson plotted it this way. I want to see how the third book turns out before I explain why, but I have some ideas!
Anyway, I loved the ending. I was gasping and ready for more when I turned the virtual page (eBook from the library) and saw the acknowledges staring at me. She solves this book’s subplot and then dangles another one in our faces, so we just have to read the next book.
So, Hand on the Wall here I come!
Should You Read It?
YES! I love this series and I think anyone could really get into it. There’s something here for everyone, even if you don’t like mysteries. I don’t like mystery books, but I’m obsessed with this series because of the characters and the masterful plotting.
Destination: Ellingham Academy on Hatchet Hill in Vermont
Highlight of the Trip: I connected with Nate on the brooding writer condition.
In this second installment of the Truly Devious series, Stevie uncovers another chunk of the murder mystery as more murder and mystery gets layered onto the riddle.
Characters
Characterization is a huge part in this series, which is why I love it so much. Each character is unique, not just from each other, but in general.
Stevie is our protagonist. She’s obsessed with murder mysteries and has anxiety. Murder mysteries helps calm her anxiety, which I find hilarious. It’s accurate, though! The things that calm my anxiety, would probably increase someone else’s. Stevie is determined to figure out who was behind the murders of Ellingham Academy. She’s also extremely smart and analytical.
“This is why I prefer books to people.” – Nate, Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Nate is a writer and one of my favorite characters. He’s pessimistic and very relatable. I’m a writer, so I understand his struggles and pain. We get to know him well and see this side of him clearly in the first book, but we see traces of his personality throughout this second one, as well.
I’m a huge fan of Larry, the security guard. He plays a minor, yet huge, role in this novel, though. I love how Maureen Johnson puts detail and love into all of her characters, even her secondary ones. She makes every single one of her characters seem important to the story and to the plot.
For example, this is how she describes all of her characters – even the secondary ones, like Call Me Charles:
“Dr. Charles Scott, aka Call me Charles, was the head of the school and Stevie’s adviser. Out of all the Ellingham faculty, he had the most bouncy personality, the one that said, ‘Learning is Fun!’ in giant Comic Sans. He tended to dress in expensive geek chic—superhero T-shirts with designer jeans. His hair was somewhere between blond and the earliest hints of gray. Today he wore a fitted black cashmere V-neck and gray wool pants, looking every inch the aged version of the perfect New England pretty guy. He sproinged up to her like a cartoon tiger.” – Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
There are plenty of amazing and iconic characters in this book that I can talk about forever, but let’s get on with the rest of the review. Characters: A+!
The Plot
In the first book, we learn about the murders and kidnappings that happened within Ellingham’s walls in the 1930s. We flash between present day, with Stevie as our lead teenage investigator, and the past, where multiple people narrate events that will coincide with what we discover in the present. The way those flips are set up is genius and not distracting to the plot or characters in the slightest.
In this second book, we dive deeper into the history and Stevie starts putting together some massive clues with her advanced access. A murder mystery book wouldn’t be good without a fresh murder, so someone else dies. It probably wasn’t a murder, but someone still dies.
One of the things I love about this book is that you expect certain things (murders and mysteries), but you’re still gasping at the end of most chapters. Some of these plot twists seriously took me by surprise and had me bouncing in my seat. My stomach would clench because I would remember a detail from the first book or early on in the second that would match up to what Stevie’s about to uncover. The plotting is masterful.
I called one of these plot twists and I kept yelling at Stevie to hurry up and put the clues together. When she finally did, I literally yelled, “Yes! Go, Stevie, Go!” while I was taking a “relaxing” bath.
There was one issue I had with the book that is spoilery, so SPOIL ALERT in the next paragraph.
You can probably guess this from the first book, but it’s declared in the second: the Truly Devious letter has nothing to do with the kidnappings and the murders. I had a hunch that it didn’t in the first book, but I kept second guessing myself. Why would it have nothing to do with it, if the entire serious was surrounded by it? This was the issue I had with the plot. I don’t like how the title of the book has nothing to do with the real plot line.
However, I can understand why Johnson plotted it this way. I want to see how the third book turns out before I explain why, but I have some ideas!
Anyway, I loved the ending. I was gasping and ready for more when I turned the virtual page (eBook from the library) and saw the acknowledges staring at me. She solves this book’s subplot and then dangles another one in our faces, so we just have to read the next book.
So, Hand on the Wall here I come!
Should You Read It?
YES! I love this series and I think anyone could really get into it. There’s something here for everyone, even if you don’t like mysteries. I don’t like mystery books, but I’m obsessed with this series because of the characters and the masterful plotting.
Read more young adult book reviews at www.readersandteachers.com!
Another ARC (advance reader copy)! Thanks NetGalley, Jean-Luc Deglin, IDW Publishing, and Top Shelf Productions for the free copy in exchange for a review!
Rascal releases May 5, 2020, even though it was previously released in 2017 in France. I believe this book was translated and released in English. There is a second book still in French, which I will eagerly wait for if there are plans for translation in the future!
The Novel
I love this. So much. I was making all sorts of squealing noises as I read this. Rascal is a graphic novel, but leans more toward the graphic than the novel. It’s mostly a visual experience and very light on dialogue, which is fine by me. In total, it took me about forty minutes to read and I loved every second of it.
The story is simple, but adorable! Rascal highlights the experiences of a cat owner: a new adventure on every page. If you’re a cat owner, you will feel it. I’ve lived with a few cats, including a fostering situation. I could relate on a deep level to the experiences illustrated in this graphic novel.
The Graphics
I fell in in love with the art style. It’s super simple, but it works beautifully with the story. Despite the lack of detail within the actual illustrations (more of a cartoon-ish comic feel), he gives attention to detail with the story.
Rascal grows throughout the novel. Physically. You can see him grow gradually throughout the book. It’s amazing. The metaphors that he uses are awesome. I especially liked the dream sequences and the animal comparisons. If you read it, you’ll understand.
Faves and Dislikes
My favorite parts of Rascal include his human messing with him. You can see the personality coming off of this young woman in waves, just through her actions alone. She’s an awesome character and I would hang with her. She messes with Rascal a lot. Those are the pages that made me laugh the most.
As for dislikes, I don’t really have any. The lack of criticism is why it’s a 5/5 star read.
If You Liked…
If you liked Sarah’s Scribbles by Sarah Anderson, you’ll love this. I read Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Anderson and her work kept popping up in my head as I was reading Rascal.
Teachers:
Should this novel by in your library? Yes.
It does contain some “Jesus Christ” moments, so if you find that offensive, I wouldn’t read it. However, it’ll make your students crack up for sure. I would say this novel is appropriate for grades 5 and up, just because of the “Jesus Christ” language.
Rascal by Jean-Luc Deglin will be available May 5, 2020. Jean-Luc is a French, self-taught artist.
Another ARC (advance reader copy)! Thanks NetGalley, Jean-Luc Deglin, IDW Publishing, and Top Shelf Productions for the free copy in exchange for a review!
Rascal releases May 5, 2020, even though it was previously released in 2017 in France. I believe this book was translated and released in English. There is a second book still in French, which I will eagerly wait for if there are plans for translation in the future!
The Novel
I love this. So much. I was making all sorts of squealing noises as I read this. Rascal is a graphic novel, but leans more toward the graphic than the novel. It’s mostly a visual experience and very light on dialogue, which is fine by me. In total, it took me about forty minutes to read and I loved every second of it.
The story is simple, but adorable! Rascal highlights the experiences of a cat owner: a new adventure on every page. If you’re a cat owner, you will feel it. I’ve lived with a few cats, including a fostering situation. I could relate on a deep level to the experiences illustrated in this graphic novel.
The Graphics
I fell in in love with the art style. It’s super simple, but it works beautifully with the story. Despite the lack of detail within the actual illustrations (more of a cartoon-ish comic feel), he gives attention to detail with the story.
Rascal grows throughout the novel. Physically. You can see him grow gradually throughout the book. It’s amazing. The metaphors that he uses are awesome. I especially liked the dream sequences and the animal comparisons. If you read it, you’ll understand.
Faves and Dislikes
My favorite parts of Rascal include his human messing with him. You can see the personality coming off of this young woman in waves, just through her actions alone. She’s an awesome character and I would hang with her. She messes with Rascal a lot. Those are the pages that made me laugh the most.
As for dislikes, I don’t really have any. The lack of criticism is why it’s a 5/5 star read.
If You Liked…
If you liked Sarah’s Scribbles by Sarah Anderson, you’ll love this. I read Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Anderson and her work kept popping up in my head as I was reading Rascal.
Teachers:
Should this novel by in your library? Yes.
It does contain some “Jesus Christ” moments, so if you find that offensive, I wouldn’t read it. However, it’ll make your students crack up for sure. I would say this novel is appropriate for grades 5 and up, just because of the “Jesus Christ” language.
Rascal by Jean-Luc Deglin will be available May 5, 2020. Jean-Luc is a French, self-taught artist.
Read this and other young adult book reviews at www.readersandteachers.com!
First Impressions
All the Bright Places is all over social media right now, due to the Netflix release. Honestly, it’s the reason why I decided to read it this month. It’s been on my TBR for a long time, so I’m using the adaptation as an excuse to bump it to a higher spot on the list.
On social media, everyone suggests reading (and watching) this novel with a box of tissues. I hate sad stories. I don’t mind brutal, gory, scary, or intense novels, but the ones that make me cry... well, you can say I’m an ugly crier.
With that being said, I was excited to read this because of the hype and the story. I love the cover and its simplicity. I love the character names and how they’re being represented by symbols (Finch and Violet). Despite the tissues, I am excited to dive into this book.
Main Elements
Plot. To say this book tore me apart is putting it lightly. I almost wanted to scrap my usual formatting for writing reviews, but decided it had to stay. I was battling which element to discuss first because this is a character-driven plot, but the plot itself is incredibly powerful. This marks a sign of an excellent writer. Niven had this expert balance between plot and characterization, which I cannot say is true for most writers I’ve read in this genre.
I loved the plot in this book. We have two teenagers who meet at the top of a bell tower, both intending on jumping (sort of). They talk each other down and build a solid friendship turned romantic relationship out of their experiences. One of the main points in the plot is a school project. They are tasked with the challenge of “wandering” their state.
The idea behind the wandering is that these seniors won’t be in the lovely state of Indiana much longer. Their teacher wants them to experience the state before moving away for college. So, Violet and Finch end up partners and start to chart their wanderings on a map.
The book’s hard plot, as I’m going to refer to it, is this project. They go on this journey together, making memories and inside jokes along the way. The book’s soft plot is that Finch is battling suicidal thoughts and a hard home life.
This plot dives deep into teen suicide, bullying, and making friendships.
Characters. All character introduced in All the Bright Places are well developed and dynamic, even the secondary ones. Violet recently lost her sister in a car accident and has a lot of grief to wade through. Her character is gray and murky, because that’s what it feels like to lose someone close to you. It feels like the world has lost color and Jennifer Niven did a great job at depicting that loss. Violet shows the most character growth throughout the novel, which I loved.
Finch is a weird person with a few close friends and a crappy home life. He switches personas when he feels like he’s changed as a person. He also has depression, which is evident throughout the novel. His character really confused me at first because I didn’t know how literal Niven was being toward his Awake and Asleep phases. He goes through phases where he goes to Sleep, where he blacks out and doesn’t resurface for days to weeks to months. He wants to stay Awake, so he fights off his Sleep. That’s the only part that really confused me in this novel.
Setting. The setting was developed beautifully. Violet and Finch visit so many places and interact with various odd attractions. The detail Niven put into the map and the places associated with it was stunning.
Theme. There were multiple themes of this book. The top one being suicide awareness. You don’t need me preaching at you about suicide, as most of us have had a brush with it in one way or another, but All The Bright Places truly dives deep with this theme.
Reason for Rating
I gave All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven a 5/5 star rating because of how detailed the plot was. The ending is crazy and unexpected. I knew I would cry and that this book is about teen suicide, but that ending tore me apart in ways I didn’t expect.
For Teachers
I would love to tell you that this book is perfect for every classroom library because I think it has important themes and is a book that all teens should read. I seriously believe that, but because of how the world is and the nature of this book, I’m not sure this book is great for all audiences. I would use your judgement and definitely read this book before doing anything professional with it.
That being said, I am going to build a literature unit around this novel for teachers who want to discuss these themes with high school students. Permission slips will be needed, but I think there are some important lessons for both bullies and kids that feel suicidal in this book.
Grades: 9-12
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven was published September 13, 2016 by Ember (reprint). She is the founder of Germ Magazine, a real literary magazine for teens, which you can find here http://www.germmagazine.com/. To view her other written works, visit her website https://www.jenniferniven.com/!
First Impressions
All the Bright Places is all over social media right now, due to the Netflix release. Honestly, it’s the reason why I decided to read it this month. It’s been on my TBR for a long time, so I’m using the adaptation as an excuse to bump it to a higher spot on the list.
On social media, everyone suggests reading (and watching) this novel with a box of tissues. I hate sad stories. I don’t mind brutal, gory, scary, or intense novels, but the ones that make me cry... well, you can say I’m an ugly crier.
With that being said, I was excited to read this because of the hype and the story. I love the cover and its simplicity. I love the character names and how they’re being represented by symbols (Finch and Violet). Despite the tissues, I am excited to dive into this book.
Main Elements
Plot. To say this book tore me apart is putting it lightly. I almost wanted to scrap my usual formatting for writing reviews, but decided it had to stay. I was battling which element to discuss first because this is a character-driven plot, but the plot itself is incredibly powerful. This marks a sign of an excellent writer. Niven had this expert balance between plot and characterization, which I cannot say is true for most writers I’ve read in this genre.
I loved the plot in this book. We have two teenagers who meet at the top of a bell tower, both intending on jumping (sort of). They talk each other down and build a solid friendship turned romantic relationship out of their experiences. One of the main points in the plot is a school project. They are tasked with the challenge of “wandering” their state.
The idea behind the wandering is that these seniors won’t be in the lovely state of Indiana much longer. Their teacher wants them to experience the state before moving away for college. So, Violet and Finch end up partners and start to chart their wanderings on a map.
The book’s hard plot, as I’m going to refer to it, is this project. They go on this journey together, making memories and inside jokes along the way. The book’s soft plot is that Finch is battling suicidal thoughts and a hard home life.
This plot dives deep into teen suicide, bullying, and making friendships.
Characters. All character introduced in All the Bright Places are well developed and dynamic, even the secondary ones. Violet recently lost her sister in a car accident and has a lot of grief to wade through. Her character is gray and murky, because that’s what it feels like to lose someone close to you. It feels like the world has lost color and Jennifer Niven did a great job at depicting that loss. Violet shows the most character growth throughout the novel, which I loved.
Finch is a weird person with a few close friends and a crappy home life. He switches personas when he feels like he’s changed as a person. He also has depression, which is evident throughout the novel. His character really confused me at first because I didn’t know how literal Niven was being toward his Awake and Asleep phases. He goes through phases where he goes to Sleep, where he blacks out and doesn’t resurface for days to weeks to months. He wants to stay Awake, so he fights off his Sleep. That’s the only part that really confused me in this novel.
Setting. The setting was developed beautifully. Violet and Finch visit so many places and interact with various odd attractions. The detail Niven put into the map and the places associated with it was stunning.
Theme. There were multiple themes of this book. The top one being suicide awareness. You don’t need me preaching at you about suicide, as most of us have had a brush with it in one way or another, but All The Bright Places truly dives deep with this theme.
Reason for Rating
I gave All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven a 5/5 star rating because of how detailed the plot was. The ending is crazy and unexpected. I knew I would cry and that this book is about teen suicide, but that ending tore me apart in ways I didn’t expect.
For Teachers
I would love to tell you that this book is perfect for every classroom library because I think it has important themes and is a book that all teens should read. I seriously believe that, but because of how the world is and the nature of this book, I’m not sure this book is great for all audiences. I would use your judgement and definitely read this book before doing anything professional with it.
That being said, I am going to build a literature unit around this novel for teachers who want to discuss these themes with high school students. Permission slips will be needed, but I think there are some important lessons for both bullies and kids that feel suicidal in this book.
Grades: 9-12
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven was published September 13, 2016 by Ember (reprint). She is the founder of Germ Magazine, a real literary magazine for teens, which you can find here http://www.germmagazine.com/. To view her other written works, visit her website https://www.jenniferniven.com/!
I am 26. I'm not in high school anymore and I cannot stay up late. My bedtime, even on nights when I don't work in the morning, is around 10:30 each night. If I'm lucky. Sometimes, I'll go to bed at 9. My point in sharing my sleep schedule with you is that I cannot pull all nighters reading anymore. I used to do it all the time in high school. I would stay up until 3 in the morning reading, most of the time in the bathroom so my parents didn't catch me. I stayed up until midnight and beyond twice while reading this book.
It's a short read, which is why I chose it. I needed a short and sweet book and thought this one would be perfect. It's less than 300 pages, it's supposed to be a sappy teen romance. Perfect.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster (as cliche as the phrase is). The characters are scarily relatable and the plot has twists and turns that will both melt your heart and make you want to throw up.
It's been a long time since I actually laughed out loud at a book. I'm a sap, so I cry while reading. That's nothing new. However, the amount of tears, the frequency of tears, and the topics that brought the tears on (not always what you think) were new. I felt actual fear for the characters, as well as relief and joy and a bunch of other emotions while reading.
I have to say **small spoiler alert - skip paragraph if you don't want to know**, that these authors got losing someone right. We lose a character in the book, which I expected judging by the topic of the book, but I wasn't expecting the accuracy that the authors exhibited. My husband died at the age of 23 a little over a year ago and the grief that is shown in this book is beyond accurate. I felt the way the characters did during some scenes and I cried because I felt represented.
Five Feet Apart is about sick kids falling in love. It's been done before, which is honestly sad. I read another review on this book and she said that it's "another book about childhood illness." I wanted to throw up because she's right. Despite what authors are trying to do in raising awareness, this genre is becoming a cliche. It's sad that the lives that these people (teens, kids, adults...) have to live through is becoming a cliche.
So, I encourage you to read this book. Not because it's in the romance genre (it's a damn good one though), but because it'll broaden your horizons and teach you things. That's what books are supposed to do, right?
It's a short read, which is why I chose it. I needed a short and sweet book and thought this one would be perfect. It's less than 300 pages, it's supposed to be a sappy teen romance. Perfect.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster (as cliche as the phrase is). The characters are scarily relatable and the plot has twists and turns that will both melt your heart and make you want to throw up.
It's been a long time since I actually laughed out loud at a book. I'm a sap, so I cry while reading. That's nothing new. However, the amount of tears, the frequency of tears, and the topics that brought the tears on (not always what you think) were new. I felt actual fear for the characters, as well as relief and joy and a bunch of other emotions while reading.
I have to say **small spoiler alert - skip paragraph if you don't want to know**, that these authors got losing someone right. We lose a character in the book, which I expected judging by the topic of the book, but I wasn't expecting the accuracy that the authors exhibited. My husband died at the age of 23 a little over a year ago and the grief that is shown in this book is beyond accurate. I felt the way the characters did during some scenes and I cried because I felt represented.
Five Feet Apart is about sick kids falling in love. It's been done before, which is honestly sad. I read another review on this book and she said that it's "another book about childhood illness." I wanted to throw up because she's right. Despite what authors are trying to do in raising awareness, this genre is becoming a cliche. It's sad that the lives that these people (teens, kids, adults...) have to live through is becoming a cliche.
So, I encourage you to read this book. Not because it's in the romance genre (it's a damn good one though), but because it'll broaden your horizons and teach you things. That's what books are supposed to do, right?