thecandlelightlibrary's Reviews (1.25k)

I was really looking forward to this book: exploring the many different scientific disciplines that can be extrapolated from Tolkien’s work is right up my alley. Unfortunately, though, this book fell short for me. Many of the essays were just scientific papers and as a whole it didn’t seem like there was a good grasp of who the audience was supposed to be. Many of the essays, frustratingly, didn’t seem to be aware if they even had a point. Of the essays included, I really enjoyed the “Linguistics and Fantasy” essay and most of the “A Complex Environment” and “Spectacular Settings” sections. However, as other reviewers have pointed out, there are errors throughout the text. It’s disappointing, because this book could have been really good.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me a free ARC of this title. 

 

The Dead and the Dark is a stunningly spooky debut that I finished in one day. Gould has masterfully woven a tale that keeps you hungering to find out what happens next, and my curiosity to how the story would unfold made it very difficult to put it down. 

 

While this book has horror elements, I found it more spooky than scary and enjoyed how the paranormal aspects came to life. I also thought most the plot points wrapped up in a satisfying way (and several twists I did not see coming!), although there was a couple instances where character actions didn’t seem in line with their set up and few side characters didn’t receive the ending I thought they deserved. 

I was really looking forward to this book: the concept was intriguing, the world-building was exciting, and the characters were quirky and diverse…but the pacing and writing style just really didn’t work for me. 

Thank you to Milkweed Editions for sending me a free ARC of this title. Diary of a Young Naturalist is a beautifully written celebration of the world around us: a world that is so incredibly full of life on every level, if only we remember to slow down and pay attention. I really enjoyed experiencing the world through McAnulty’s perspective, and I often paused my read in order to research some of the species mentioned in greater detail. This is an excellent selection for youth naturalists or anyone who enjoys nature writing. 

I loved the idea of this book, but unfortunately the format didn't work for me.