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2.39k reviews by:
thecaptainsquarters
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here are me honest musings . . .
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1) Connie Willis wrote the doomsday book and it was seriously one of the best books I have ever read ;
2) It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3) The story takes place in a bookstore.
I loved this quick paced novella by Connie Willis. It actually feels at first like yer reading a true-life account. Then the protagonist enters Ozymandias Books. It is no ordinary bookstore. The books seem to be shelved with no organization, there are no prices in any of the books, and the store goes on forever. As Jim enters further into the bookstore and learns more about its function, his idea of the disposability of the physical book begins to change. In an era where the e-book is a popular form, those of us readers who cling to our beloved physical copies of childhood favourites and wish we could visit the lost Library in Alexandria will highly enjoy this story of Connie Willis. She captures a moment where changing technology and nostalgia collide and makes ye think due to her masterful writing.
This be the last read in me April BookBum Club Challenge! Much thanks to the BookBum Club for giving me the incentive to finally read this wonderful “short and sweet” book (168 pgs). Day four – challenge complete! Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1) Connie Willis wrote the doomsday book and it was seriously one of the best books I have ever read ;
2) It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3) The story takes place in a bookstore.
I loved this quick paced novella by Connie Willis. It actually feels at first like yer reading a true-life account. Then the protagonist enters Ozymandias Books. It is no ordinary bookstore. The books seem to be shelved with no organization, there are no prices in any of the books, and the store goes on forever. As Jim enters further into the bookstore and learns more about its function, his idea of the disposability of the physical book begins to change. In an era where the e-book is a popular form, those of us readers who cling to our beloved physical copies of childhood favourites and wish we could visit the lost Library in Alexandria will highly enjoy this story of Connie Willis. She captures a moment where changing technology and nostalgia collide and makes ye think due to her masterful writing.
This be the last read in me April BookBum Club Challenge! Much thanks to the BookBum Club for giving me the incentive to finally read this wonderful “short and sweet” book (168 pgs). Day four – challenge complete! Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This was a book I stumbled across that had a fascinating premise and I was excited to have me wish granted. A group of biologically different humans lives in Austin, TX. Julia, is one of these “select” people but has always had trouble fitting in. Forced to keep a low profile and told to hide her gifts, she makes a mistake and finds herself forced to go to ::gasp:: a public high school with “normal” humans. What will she do?
Apparently she will have insta-lust and waffle a lot. Now this was a fast read and only took a couple of hours. I did finish it, which was good. But seriously for a group of special people trying to hide their gifts, they seem to go out of their way to flaunt themselves. The leader (Julia’s dad) is a billionaire investor. The whole group lives in mansions, wears designer clothes, and drives expensive cars. I have known teens who drive BMWs and such. They do NOT blend.
The other kids in the “select” group are daredevils and troublemakers and yet none of them have ever been caught or truly punished. Mommy and Daddy just get the lawyers to bail them out. So the premise that Julia blows their cover and has to be punished seemed unbelievable. And Julia being forced to go to public school for punishment did not lead to anything other than fodder for the insta-love relationship. Julia skates through school with no real consequences for anything really. Though she learns to control her powers by using them in stupid ways. Bland.
The relationship itself was kinda creepy and self-serving, especially in the beginning. Julia and John have instant chemistry but her method of learning about him is to read his mind without permission and then use that knowledge to encourage him. Just because she is bored. I would rather they had a better relationship than one built on lies and some flashes of exposed leg. Oh add in some non-appealing pseudo love triangle junk and shake not stir.
Even the powers of Julia and the “select” left something to be desired. Instead of rooting for them, all of the people in her family group felt like a cult. The powers, like telekinesis or enhanced stamina, were barely used at all and when they were, it felt more like whiny magic people throwing temper tantrums. If that is what it meant to be one of the “select” then I will gladly pass.
I would have loved for this to have been a deeper look into different branches of human evolution living alongside each other. I would have loved the “select” to have used their intelligence and powers for something other than money and solitude. I would have loved for all of the characters to have more depth. I would have loved for Julia’s golden cage to have actually been appealing so that she had a better reason for her inner conflict.
Overall the premise did not live up to its promise. Sigh.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Charlesbridge Teen!
Check out me other reviews on https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
This was a book I stumbled across that had a fascinating premise and I was excited to have me wish granted. A group of biologically different humans lives in Austin, TX. Julia, is one of these “select” people but has always had trouble fitting in. Forced to keep a low profile and told to hide her gifts, she makes a mistake and finds herself forced to go to ::gasp:: a public high school with “normal” humans. What will she do?
Apparently she will have insta-lust and waffle a lot. Now this was a fast read and only took a couple of hours. I did finish it, which was good. But seriously for a group of special people trying to hide their gifts, they seem to go out of their way to flaunt themselves. The leader (Julia’s dad) is a billionaire investor. The whole group lives in mansions, wears designer clothes, and drives expensive cars. I have known teens who drive BMWs and such. They do NOT blend.
The other kids in the “select” group are daredevils and troublemakers and yet none of them have ever been caught or truly punished. Mommy and Daddy just get the lawyers to bail them out. So the premise that Julia blows their cover and has to be punished seemed unbelievable. And Julia being forced to go to public school for punishment did not lead to anything other than fodder for the insta-love relationship. Julia skates through school with no real consequences for anything really. Though she learns to control her powers by using them in stupid ways. Bland.
The relationship itself was kinda creepy and self-serving, especially in the beginning. Julia and John have instant chemistry but her method of learning about him is to read his mind without permission and then use that knowledge to encourage him. Just because she is bored. I would rather they had a better relationship than one built on lies and some flashes of exposed leg. Oh add in some non-appealing pseudo love triangle junk and shake not stir.
Even the powers of Julia and the “select” left something to be desired. Instead of rooting for them, all of the people in her family group felt like a cult. The powers, like telekinesis or enhanced stamina, were barely used at all and when they were, it felt more like whiny magic people throwing temper tantrums. If that is what it meant to be one of the “select” then I will gladly pass.
I would have loved for this to have been a deeper look into different branches of human evolution living alongside each other. I would have loved the “select” to have used their intelligence and powers for something other than money and solitude. I would have loved for all of the characters to have more depth. I would have loved for Julia’s golden cage to have actually been appealing so that she had a better reason for her inner conflict.
Overall the premise did not live up to its promise. Sigh.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Charlesbridge Teen!
Check out me other reviews on https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordpress.com/
