Scan barcode
jennguare's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fictionfiend74's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
itssayruh's review against another edition
3.0
Really enjoyed this, but then ending left me feeling like there should have been more.
guardianofthebookshelf's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Ableism
shesgothernoseinabookagain's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
readyourworriesaway's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 ⭐️ My favorite thing about reading this was the setting. The author gave so many beautiful, vivid depictions of nature and it felt like I was right there. SUGARING OFF is about life on a maple syrup farm, but you get SO much more than just that. The main character, Owl, was left deaf in one ear after a childhood tragedy. Being that she lives in a rural mountain community, she doesn’t have anyone to relate to. There is also indigenous representation, and a touch of romance and mystery.
I struggled a bit with the pacing. With this being YA, and I wanted more backstory on some of the characters. However, this was probably the most moody, atmospheric young adult story I’ve read — and I’m not mad about it! There are so many elements of SUGARING OFF that make it evocative and thought-provoking. I sure learned a lot about the process of making maple syrup
I struggled a bit with the pacing. With this being YA, and I wanted more backstory on some of the characters. However, this was probably the most moody, atmospheric young adult story I’ve read — and I’m not mad about it! There are so many elements of SUGARING OFF that make it evocative and thought-provoking. I sure learned a lot about the process of making maple syrup
openmypages's review against another edition
3.0
Owl lives with her uncle on a maple farm in a remote village. She is an expert on sugaring season and balances her farm responsibilities with school. With people her age she always feels a little out of place due to her partial deafness caused by a traumatic past with her father. During sugaring season, her uncle must hire help and that comes in the form of a handsome teen stranger. The two bond over their traumatic pasts and help each other grow as they learn more about one another's emotional baggage.
This is a book about recovering from trauma, discovering your self worth and using your voice. Owl is the perfect mix of vulnerable and strong willed. Her confidence in her role in the natural world was a good balance to her uncertainty and social awkwardness with other people. We get to see her coming of age and learning in the most visceral way about the nature of people and that no one is all good or all bad. She knows she must face her past traumas and her life as a differently abled person. I liked the heart of this one although I wanted a little more from the ending. I also really loved learning about the maple syrup business, that was one of the more interesting parts of this book for me.
Thanks to Algonquin Books for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
This is a book about recovering from trauma, discovering your self worth and using your voice. Owl is the perfect mix of vulnerable and strong willed. Her confidence in her role in the natural world was a good balance to her uncertainty and social awkwardness with other people. We get to see her coming of age and learning in the most visceral way about the nature of people and that no one is all good or all bad. She knows she must face her past traumas and her life as a differently abled person. I liked the heart of this one although I wanted a little more from the ending. I also really loved learning about the maple syrup business, that was one of the more interesting parts of this book for me.
Thanks to Algonquin Books for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
kylielovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This review is going to contain a few spoilers because I feel so strongly I need to spoil. I will put a warning though.
I feel like this book gave me a lot of all kinds of feelings. Our main character Owl lives on a maple farm with her aunt and uncle. She is partially deaf from something that happened when she was younger. One of her neighbor's grandsons Cody, comes to work on the maple farm to help Owl's uncle Seth who needs a knee replacement so he can't do all the work he used to. Cody is kind of a bad boy, maybe running from something bad.
My absolute favorite part of this book was the atmosphere. Owl lives in extremely rural New Hampshire, like her entire school has 11 kids in it K-12. The woods that Owl lives in are just described so well it felt like I was right next to Owl the whole book. You could feel Owl's love for the woods and her life radiating out of every single page. My sister's in-laws make maple syrup, so it was even more immersive having that bit of extra first hand knowledge about something that took up so much of the book.
I also really liked the characters, especially Owl. Since she is partially deaf, not fully, she does not sign with her aunt and uncle. She either hears them or reads their lips. She has a one-on-one teacher at school for signing, but since she does not sign at home, she is not fluent like her teacher. She has such an inner struggle trying to find out where she belongs and feels she does not belong with either the hearing community or the deaf community. Her relationship with her aunt and uncle absolutely warmed my heart. I don't think this a spoiler because it's in the synopsis, but her father was abusive to her and the reason she is partially deaf and you can tell that Owl values the safe relationship she has with her aunt and uncle. I also really liked the relationship Owl formed with Cody at first. You could tell that it was something new and scary for Owl, but she also stood up for herself.
SPOILER
Though when Owl caught him with another girl after asking her to move away with him, and he said "it was just sex, it was just a hookup, it didn't mean anything." NO. That makes me cringe so hard, I HATE it when people say that. Especially since he knew that everything happening between them was brand new for Owl. Like, I get why it happened and I'm so proud of Owl for being like nope, we're done, but in the moment of reading, just personally, no.
Also just going to throw this in the spoiler section, I about threw up when the fox den caved in and the mama couldn't get to her babies. I knew something was going to happen to them but my poor heart cracked and I almost DNFed the book with like 40 pages left. Then at the end when mama comes out with one baby that had survived, I almost screamed. Like, no it wasn't ideal but I cried happy tears for mama fox.
END SPOILER
This is not a fast paced book until the very end. I never really struggled to pick it up, and while I did enjoy the entire time reading it, I did think that it was slow going. It was just a really atmospheric, flowy book until BOOM the end grabs you by the hand and sprints away. My heart was absolutely pounding in my chest and I couldn't put it down until I had read the last page. It was such a drastic change from the rest of the book and it was just fantastic.
This is the perfect book to read this fall or maybe in the spring when there's still snow on the ground and it hasn't quite warmed up yet.
Thank you to AlgonquinYR for a copy of this book!
I feel like this book gave me a lot of all kinds of feelings. Our main character Owl lives on a maple farm with her aunt and uncle. She is partially deaf from something that happened when she was younger. One of her neighbor's grandsons Cody, comes to work on the maple farm to help Owl's uncle Seth who needs a knee replacement so he can't do all the work he used to. Cody is kind of a bad boy, maybe running from something bad.
My absolute favorite part of this book was the atmosphere. Owl lives in extremely rural New Hampshire, like her entire school has 11 kids in it K-12. The woods that Owl lives in are just described so well it felt like I was right next to Owl the whole book. You could feel Owl's love for the woods and her life radiating out of every single page. My sister's in-laws make maple syrup, so it was even more immersive having that bit of extra first hand knowledge about something that took up so much of the book.
I also really liked the characters, especially Owl. Since she is partially deaf, not fully, she does not sign with her aunt and uncle. She either hears them or reads their lips. She has a one-on-one teacher at school for signing, but since she does not sign at home, she is not fluent like her teacher. She has such an inner struggle trying to find out where she belongs and feels she does not belong with either the hearing community or the deaf community. Her relationship with her aunt and uncle absolutely warmed my heart. I don't think this a spoiler because it's in the synopsis, but her father was abusive to her and the reason she is partially deaf and you can tell that Owl values the safe relationship she has with her aunt and uncle. I also really liked the relationship Owl formed with Cody at first. You could tell that it was something new and scary for Owl, but she also stood up for herself.
SPOILER
Though when Owl caught him with another girl after asking her to move away with him, and he said "it was just sex, it was just a hookup, it didn't mean anything." NO. That makes me cringe so hard, I HATE it when people say that. Especially since he knew that everything happening between them was brand new for Owl. Like, I get why it happened and I'm so proud of Owl for being like nope, we're done, but in the moment of reading, just personally, no.
Also just going to throw this in the spoiler section, I about threw up when the fox den caved in and the mama couldn't get to her babies. I knew something was going to happen to them but my poor heart cracked and I almost DNFed the book with like 40 pages left. Then at the end when mama comes out with one baby that had survived, I almost screamed. Like, no it wasn't ideal but I cried happy tears for mama fox.
END SPOILER
This is not a fast paced book until the very end. I never really struggled to pick it up, and while I did enjoy the entire time reading it, I did think that it was slow going. It was just a really atmospheric, flowy book until BOOM the end grabs you by the hand and sprints away. My heart was absolutely pounding in my chest and I couldn't put it down until I had read the last page. It was such a drastic change from the rest of the book and it was just fantastic.
This is the perfect book to read this fall or maybe in the spring when there's still snow on the ground and it hasn't quite warmed up yet.
Thank you to AlgonquinYR for a copy of this book!
badattentionspan_reader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
iwillendyouinc's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Alcohol