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sassyowlreads's Reviews (910)
Full review is on my new blog!
“My baking skills could use some work . . . But I also have jam, and jam fixes everything.”
The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by Daven McQueen really caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting to love it so much or get so attached to Ethan and Juniper.
As the description says, this is set in 1950’s rural Alabama which paints a pretty distinct mental picture right off the bat. Ethan Harper is the main character, he’s 14 and was sent to Alabama for the summer by his father for getting into a fight back home in Arcadia, Washington. Ethan faced an incredibly boring summer in the Deep South until whirlwind Juniper “Starfish” Jones blows through his uncle’s malt shop. Juniper is heartwarming to read about and constantly brought a smile to my face. She loves sunflowers, riding her bike as fast as humanly possible, root beer floats and the Fourth of July.
I absolutely loved the friendship that developed between Juniper and Ethan and the bond that formed from being the two town outcasts. Ethan’s struggles were realistic and heart wrenching. He was constantly having to correct those around him and I can only imagine how exhausting that became.
“So much sunshine here in the summer, but God knows this town could use a little light.”
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for an e-arc!
“My baking skills could use some work . . . But I also have jam, and jam fixes everything.”
The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by Daven McQueen really caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting to love it so much or get so attached to Ethan and Juniper.
As the description says, this is set in 1950’s rural Alabama which paints a pretty distinct mental picture right off the bat. Ethan Harper is the main character, he’s 14 and was sent to Alabama for the summer by his father for getting into a fight back home in Arcadia, Washington. Ethan faced an incredibly boring summer in the Deep South until whirlwind Juniper “Starfish” Jones blows through his uncle’s malt shop. Juniper is heartwarming to read about and constantly brought a smile to my face. She loves sunflowers, riding her bike as fast as humanly possible, root beer floats and the Fourth of July.
I absolutely loved the friendship that developed between Juniper and Ethan and the bond that formed from being the two town outcasts. Ethan’s struggles were realistic and heart wrenching. He was constantly having to correct those around him and I can only imagine how exhausting that became.
“So much sunshine here in the summer, but God knows this town could use a little light.”
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for an e-arc!
3.25 Stars
1. How could she kill Locke off page?? I really enjoyed his character and was sad to see such a disservice done to him. It seemed to be done solely as a means to get Jude back to Elfhame and the same goes with Taryn being pregnant.
2. Jude and Cardan became a little too cheesy towards the end of the book.
3. What was with the happy ending?? That is not what I came to expect after TCP and TWK.
1. How could she kill Locke off page?? I really enjoyed his character and was sad to see such a disservice done to him. It seemed to be done solely as a means to get Jude back to Elfhame and the same goes with Taryn being pregnant.
2. Jude and Cardan became a little too cheesy towards the end of the book.
3. What was with the happy ending?? That is not what I came to expect after TCP and TWK.
4.5 stars!
This had more "twists" than I expected and was so powerful. It wasn't as heartbreaking as [b:A Man Called Ove|18774964|A Man Called Ove|Fredrik Backman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405259930l/18774964._SY75_.jpg|21619954] and I didn't personally connect to the themes as much as others might but it was an excellent read.
The narrator didn't add much for me and I might have enjoyed it a tiny bit more if I'd read it instead.
This had more "twists" than I expected and was so powerful. It wasn't as heartbreaking as [b:A Man Called Ove|18774964|A Man Called Ove|Fredrik Backman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405259930l/18774964._SY75_.jpg|21619954] and I didn't personally connect to the themes as much as others might but it was an excellent read.
The narrator didn't add much for me and I might have enjoyed it a tiny bit more if I'd read it instead.
I really loved the first half of the book. It reads like an enjoyable contemporary that addresses serious issues like assault and racism. Mexican Folklore is blended in seamlessly and those aspects were my favorite part.
I actually struggled through the second half with the aliens. I kept putting it down and coming back to it due to not being able to get into the new alien aspect. I'm usually SFF fan but this wasn't hitting the spot for me. If anything, it was detracting from the folklore and family aspect I was enjoying so much.
I also didn't love that it's split into 200+ short chapters.
Overall, this probably more of a 3.5-3.75 star book for me.
Thanks so much to Libro.fm and Simon and Schuster Audio for the audiobook!
I actually struggled through the second half with the aliens. I kept putting it down and coming back to it due to not being able to get into the new alien aspect. I'm usually SFF fan but this wasn't hitting the spot for me. If anything, it was detracting from the folklore and family aspect I was enjoying so much.
I also didn't love that it's split into 200+ short chapters.
Overall, this probably more of a 3.5-3.75 star book for me.
Thanks so much to Libro.fm and Simon and Schuster Audio for the audiobook!
Updated based on re-read: I enjoyed this so much more the 2nd time. It took forever for me to get through the 1st time.
****
Why does Sarah J. Maas keep ruining me for other authors?! I read The Assassin's Blade as slow as possible to drag it out until Kingdom of Ash. Which worked fine until the last novella when I found myself unable to put it down.
I also see a lot of people asking if they should read this before or after the rest of the series and after reading it, I'm inclined to say before is better BUT I don't think readers will like it as much if they haven't read the rest of the series. It gives insight into the depths of love and despair Celaena experiences that isn't in the other books but you don't have 7 books of history to make the stories meaningful. I read it after Empire of Storms and think that's a little too late. The best time to read it is after the 3rd book but before the 5th.
****
Why does Sarah J. Maas keep ruining me for other authors?! I read The Assassin's Blade as slow as possible to drag it out until Kingdom of Ash. Which worked fine until the last novella when I found myself unable to put it down.
I also see a lot of people asking if they should read this before or after the rest of the series and after reading it, I'm inclined to say before is better BUT I don't think readers will like it as much if they haven't read the rest of the series. It gives insight into the depths of love and despair Celaena experiences that isn't in the other books but you don't have 7 books of history to make the stories meaningful. I read it after Empire of Storms and think that's a little too late. The best time to read it is after the 3rd book but before the 5th.