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maryriii's review
5.0
Hilarious! I loved the voice work. I listened to this on my earphones while at work. I shouldn't have though, because people started to think I was possessed or something. A reminder I should only read or listen to whatever Simon James Green wrote in the privacy of my own home. Otherwise, they'd call the priest or the asylum hotline on me next time.
mehsi's review
5.0
What happens when you get cursed by bad luck? Well… a lot of chaos and tons of humour!
After reading Simon James Green’s The Sleepover Takeover I just had to check out his backlist and see what else was on there! I found out that I got plenty to read! I decided to buy this book + one of his picture books! This one was first and I loved reading it, it was just oodles of fun and I laughed a lot, because dang that is just not some bad luck but extra-ordinary bad luck.
I will write my review as a AWESOME and mmm unsure one.
After reading Simon James Green’s The Sleepover Takeover I just had to check out his backlist and see what else was on there! I found out that I got plenty to read! I decided to buy this book + one of his picture books! This one was first and I loved reading it, it was just oodles of fun and I laughed a lot, because dang that is just not some bad luck but extra-ordinary bad luck.
I will write my review as a AWESOME and mmm unsure one.
jedbird's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this for a challenge that asked for a queer middle grade book. There were a lot of suggestions, but as far as I could see, all of them were YA titles rather than something both specifically queer and specifically middle grade, a demographic whose queerness is probably more suggested than overt. For this reason, I chose a middle grade book by Simon James Green, an author whose YA books are all queer, but whose middle grade books (I've read two now) merely suggest a high probability of queerness in their lovable protagonists.
Riley used to have a female best friend (until she moved to Australia), he loves musical theater, and he's generally a hapless dingbat, which might not read as queer, but doesn't read as inherently straight. After a run-in with a funfair fortune teller, Riley begins experiencing bad luck, which is only countered when he meets a new boy named Brad. Might they go through puberty and become boyfriends? Sure, it's possible, but for now they're in a cute story about becoming friends.
Riley used to have a female best friend (until she moved to Australia), he loves musical theater, and he's generally a hapless dingbat, which might not read as queer, but doesn't read as inherently straight. After a run-in with a funfair fortune teller, Riley begins experiencing bad luck, which is only countered when he meets a new boy named Brad. Might they go through puberty and become boyfriends? Sure, it's possible, but for now they're in a cute story about becoming friends.
slinkmalink's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Not my kind of book but it's always useful to have some 'if you like diary of a wimpy kid' recommendations and while I've not read one of them since I was like 8 and they weren't really my thing then, this seems like the same vibe to me but less annoying and a more relatable (likes musical theatre) protagonist
19becky97's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
berodatheelf's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bibliopaat's review against another edition
3.0
Täitsa asjalik lasteraamat. Parasjagu lustakaid seikluseid kui ka elulisi õppetunde.
jennyholderliv's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
sapphoslibrary's review
When 10 year old Riley visits a fortune teller at a funfair, he's not expecting to be cursed, especially not a thousand times over! As disaster strikes again and again, Riley realises he needs to break the curse. When a new boy, Brad, joins his class, Riley is desperate to be his friend but how can he? Brad is so cool and he definitely won't want to be friends with someone who's cursed.
Simon James Green's middle grade debut has brought his famous humour to a whole new audience. Life of Riley is the perfect book for reluctant readers - short, laugh out loud funny and full of perfectly placed illustrations, this book deserves a place in every primary school classroom.
I really enjoyed reading this, despite absolutely Not being the target audience. I appreciated that Riley enjoyed more typically 'girly' things like singing, dancing and theatre and that this was only ever presented positively. I also liked the message that no one is as perfect as they appear and that they probably have their own doubts and worries.
This book wrapped some important messages up in a fun novel full of humour that I'm sure younger readers will adore. I encourage you to pick this book up for any children in your life.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*Thank you Harriet at Scholastic for sending me a copy for review. This hasn't affected my review and all opinions are my own.*
Simon James Green's middle grade debut has brought his famous humour to a whole new audience. Life of Riley is the perfect book for reluctant readers - short, laugh out loud funny and full of perfectly placed illustrations, this book deserves a place in every primary school classroom.
I really enjoyed reading this, despite absolutely Not being the target audience. I appreciated that Riley enjoyed more typically 'girly' things like singing, dancing and theatre and that this was only ever presented positively. I also liked the message that no one is as perfect as they appear and that they probably have their own doubts and worries.
This book wrapped some important messages up in a fun novel full of humour that I'm sure younger readers will adore. I encourage you to pick this book up for any children in your life.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*Thank you Harriet at Scholastic for sending me a copy for review. This hasn't affected my review and all opinions are my own.*
charlottereadsthings's review
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Life Of Riley from Simon James Green follows a young boy called Riley who is cursed by a fortune teller to have bad luck. He has to endure seagull attacks, looking like he peed himself on stage, among many other things. Yet his luck seems to change when around his nee friend, Brad.
As I've come to expect from a Simon James Green book, it had hilarious and laugh-out-loud moments along with an entertaining writing style. The illustrations from Aleksei Bitskoff added to the chaos of the plot points and I loved turning the page to see them bring the story to life.
This book was pure fun from start to finisb and one I would definately read again.
As I've come to expect from a Simon James Green book, it had hilarious and laugh-out-loud moments along with an entertaining writing style. The illustrations from Aleksei Bitskoff added to the chaos of the plot points and I loved turning the page to see them bring the story to life.
This book was pure fun from start to finisb and one I would definately read again.