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emotional funny hopeful 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

I've only had Lucy, Talia, Theodore, Chauncey, Sal and Phee for a day and a half, but if anything happened to them I would kill everyone in this room and then myself

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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: No

Arthur is probably one of the kindest characters I have ever read. He was so giving and caring of those that were in his care. 

Linus had a lot of growth as a character. He was a reclusive character that believed he was happy with his life. When he went out and found more in life he found that he could be happier than he ever thought. 

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dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Read For:
Fantasy
Slow Burn
Found Family
Idiots in Love
Happy Ending

Think Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children vibes but kinda queer.  I just felt kinda neutral about it.  The humor was okay, the characters were okay, and the setting was kinda meh.  I just felt like I had to force myself to keep reading and if I didn’t already own the book I would have stopped.  Also, I thought there would be more queer rep to be honest so that was kinda disappointing.  Not to mention the fatphobia.

I wasn’t going to read this given the reviews I’ve been seeing recently, however, I already own the first two books so I figured I’d see if it was as bad as some of the reviews were saying.  And honestly, I just didn’t understand the hype about it.  Even not knowing what the book was based on it was barely a 3-star rating for me, it just fell flat to me.

However, learning that this was based on the Sixties Scoop and how the author decided to turn what was a cruel and tragic piece of history he read about on Wikipedia about how the Canadian government removed a bunch of indigenous children from their literal homes and away from their family only to be adopted to white, middle-class families and he then took that information and basically turned it into a happy little fantasy where the kids live not in an “orphanage” but a “home” like, dude, why?

This kind of thing is still something native people are dealing with and as a white person, it should not be something you’re involved in like this.  In America the Supreme Court literally is going to be voting soon on overturning ICWA so states can regain control to remove Native children from their homes and families, this isn’t just some fantasy.  This story could have been written way better and in a way that did romanticize trauma and make light of a literal genocide.

I just wouldn’t recommend this one.  There are some links on where I got my information from if you’re interested along with two reviews I think do a better job of explaining this than I did.

Links:


Source: https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A617930246/ITBC?u=uvictoria&sid=bookmark-ITBC&xid=0efbabda

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixties_Scoop

Helpful Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4032060130

Another Helpful Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3601407534


Rep: Achillean, Queer MC

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

I really liked this book. I don’t usually read this genre, but when i found this so captivating. The dark but lighthearted humor was sooo good. The characters were excellent written. If you want to read a book that is heartwarming, playfull and funny this is the one.

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

"Hate is loud only because it's a few desperate people shouting."

I honestly loved this book. It took me a long while to get to it... I was listening to another audiobook, and then there was the small matter of giving birth and taking home a small baby, not to mention hosting my family and what feels like half the county as visitors. So I kept hitting renew... until I realised I had just days left to finish the whole book. I managed it – only just! – and so glad I did.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is an uplifting fantasy story about the world's most dedicated worker (and most boring man) Linus Baker, a caseworker for the Dept. of Magical Youth, who is sent on a top secret mission to analyse operations at an orphanage on a secluded island. At first stolid and painstakingly professional, he slowly becomes attached to the children at the house, sent there due to their "dangerous" magical traits or parentage. It is endearing to witness his transformation from soulless government bureaucrat to loving guardian and custodian of the orphanage and the six unusual children who live there, run by the enigmatic Arthur Parnassus and the kind-hearted forest sprit Zoe.

Linus' characterisation is predictable but nonetheless endearing. The end – my least favourite part – is a bit cheesy and you'll see it coming. But it'll put a smile on your face and warm your soul. And that's what this book is. It deals with complex issues such as social work and the foster system, prejudice and hate, self love and acceptance for who one is, but at the end of the day, The House in the Cerulean Sea is essentially comfort mac and cheese in book format. 100% recommend. 

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lighthearted 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: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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

Heartwarming, vulnerable, and achingly human. 
I absolutely adored this. Were there flaws? a few. But this book had me crying in the best way. It is a massive hug. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

Qué libro TAN bonito, 5 estrellas se le queda corto. Lo llevaré siempre en mi corazón. Este libro me ha hecho sentir tantas cosas bonitas e incluso me ha hecho llorar. Los personajes son increíbles y me ha encantado ver cómo evolucionan y lo mucho que se quieren todos e incluso hacen que te sientas como en casa. Arthur y Linus tienen mi corazón para siempre y los niños también. Me parece un libro súper importante por los temas que trata (como, por ejemplo, la segregación, la aceptación de uno mismo, los prejuicios, etc.) y por eso recomiendo a todo el mundo que lo lea.

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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: Complicated

This book was absolutely delightful. The characters had so much life and made my heart swell with all their different, quirky personalities. The children of the house for the most part had some sort of quality to them that made them stick out. My favorite character by far was definitely Talia. All the children in the house had growth in their own way whether it be in regards to their individualistic dreams/aspirations, cultural connection or self actualization. This book was so light hearted and i felt happy after reading it. There were moments where i actually laughed out loud which was a nice surprise since many books dont get that reaction from me.
overall, the story had an important message about not being a product of your birthright but of how you are nurtured and live the life you are given. That anybody has the capacity to do good as easy as they are to do evil. If i had to pick ONE critique, i felt that Phi’s story fell a little short but her connecting with Zoe about their culture was sweet and very healing for her. I would say she was the least memorable child for sure.
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Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings