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bluebeereads's review against another edition
5.0
Quite The Novel Idea ~ Novel Ink
This was a beautiful book. Simple as that. I'll admit, I wasn't sure about it when I picked it up because I didn't fully enjoy the author's book HOW TO MAKE A WISH, but she proved me wrong with this book. And I'm glad I gave her a second chance. Because IVY ABERDEEN'S LETTER TO THE WORLD is a gorgeous, honest and genuine book that made my heart very, very happy.
The book grabbed me right from the first page, where it set the perfect tone and captured the atmosphere of the storm flawlessly. Along with the chaos and panic that followed it. And the heartbreak after that. I could never imagine going through a loss like that. Losing everything in the blink of an eye, it's something unfathomable for me. But I think the author did a beautiful job of capturing what it must feel like to lose your home and it broke my heart into little pieces.
Next to beautiful and very atmospheric writing, the author also brought amazing characters to life. They were so real and alive to me. The family dynamics were so realistic with everything going on. It's kind of normal for one child to be left out a bit when everything is happening at once. It made me feel so much for the main character, Ivy. And Ashley did a great job of capturing the situation from Ivy's point of view. It broke my heart, honestly.
Ivy is a wonderful main character and I rooted for her from the start. I love how brave she is, I really admire her for that. And how strong she is through everything. Resilient. And so very talented! I just loved how passionate she was about her drawing and how much she was attached to pens and how happy you could make her with coloring pencils. She's a great character and I loved her to bits.
But I loved the others characters too! I loved her family, her friend Taryn and the owner of the inn they're staying at, Robin. She was such a good role model for Ivy and I loved the moments they had together. And June! Oh how I loved her. She's so alive and spirited even when life has handed her a lot of pain in the past. She's multi-talented and I just love how she didn't let anything get her down and how much she wanted to live her life. And her growing friendship with Ivy was just plain beautiful.
And to add one last thing, I also liked the mystery of who is sending the notes to Ivy and in the end I was surprised by who it was, but in a good way. It made sense.
IVY ABERDEEN'S LETTER TO THE WORLD is a beautifully told queer story about a girl having figure out her place in the world while dealing with loss and the first stirrings of love. I would absolutely call it a must read for everyone that loves contemporary.
This was a beautiful book. Simple as that. I'll admit, I wasn't sure about it when I picked it up because I didn't fully enjoy the author's book HOW TO MAKE A WISH, but she proved me wrong with this book. And I'm glad I gave her a second chance. Because IVY ABERDEEN'S LETTER TO THE WORLD is a gorgeous, honest and genuine book that made my heart very, very happy.
The book grabbed me right from the first page, where it set the perfect tone and captured the atmosphere of the storm flawlessly. Along with the chaos and panic that followed it. And the heartbreak after that. I could never imagine going through a loss like that. Losing everything in the blink of an eye, it's something unfathomable for me. But I think the author did a beautiful job of capturing what it must feel like to lose your home and it broke my heart into little pieces.
Next to beautiful and very atmospheric writing, the author also brought amazing characters to life. They were so real and alive to me. The family dynamics were so realistic with everything going on. It's kind of normal for one child to be left out a bit when everything is happening at once. It made me feel so much for the main character, Ivy. And Ashley did a great job of capturing the situation from Ivy's point of view. It broke my heart, honestly.
Ivy is a wonderful main character and I rooted for her from the start. I love how brave she is, I really admire her for that. And how strong she is through everything. Resilient. And so very talented! I just loved how passionate she was about her drawing and how much she was attached to pens and how happy you could make her with coloring pencils. She's a great character and I loved her to bits.
But I loved the others characters too! I loved her family, her friend Taryn and the owner of the inn they're staying at, Robin. She was such a good role model for Ivy and I loved the moments they had together. And June! Oh how I loved her. She's so alive and spirited even when life has handed her a lot of pain in the past. She's multi-talented and I just love how she didn't let anything get her down and how much she wanted to live her life. And her growing friendship with Ivy was just plain beautiful.
And to add one last thing, I also liked the mystery of who is sending the notes to Ivy and in the end I was surprised by who it was, but in a good way. It made sense.
IVY ABERDEEN'S LETTER TO THE WORLD is a beautifully told queer story about a girl having figure out her place in the world while dealing with loss and the first stirrings of love. I would absolutely call it a must read for everyone that loves contemporary.
tashinasaurus_rex's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
moh's review against another edition
5.0
This was remarkably good. It's so nice to see great middle-grade books about queer kids coming out to themselves. Kacen Callender is the editor, and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World has the same kind of depth and respect for young people I loved so much in Hurricane Child. These kids are amazing. In fact, everything the family was going through felt genuine to me. I thought Ashley Herring Blake did an especially nice job of conveying how, at 12, even in loving, well-intentioned families, there can be a confusing expectation of maturity alongside big decisions that are made for kids without their input. I especially appreciated that there a sense of queer community and support. I'd love to see more of that in books for young queers.
mmckeever0415's review against another edition
4.25
I hope this is to someone what the girls like girls music video was to me
meghan_rasnake's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
abanas's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
j__tram's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
A really sweet story I wish I’d had to read as a young teen. The dialogue reads a bit older than 12-13/middle school in some parts which took me out of it, but I like that it’s accessible to various age groups.
squigleylib's review against another edition
5.0
This perfect jewel of a book is about so many things. The pain our loved ones cause us and we them. Loss and shame and healing. A 13 year old realizes that she likes girls. This beautiful middle grade story manages to capture the complexity of this turbulent time and to make the telling of it feel effortless. It’s about renewal and acceptance and courage. I love this book with my whole heart.
Merged review:
This perfect jewel of a book is about so many things. The pain our loved ones cause us and we them. Loss and shame and healing. A 13 year old realizes that she likes girls. This beautiful middle grade story manages to capture the complexity of this turbulent time and to make the telling of it feel effortless. It’s about renewal and acceptance and courage. I love this book with my whole heart.
Merged review:
This perfect jewel of a book is about so many things. The pain our loved ones cause us and we them. Loss and shame and healing. A 13 year old realizes that she likes girls. This beautiful middle grade story manages to capture the complexity of this turbulent time and to make the telling of it feel effortless. It’s about renewal and acceptance and courage. I love this book with my whole heart.
mbest75's review against another edition
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25