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actuallyjusthanne's reviews
39 reviews
With a Little Luck by Marissa Meyer
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
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
3.0
I picked this book up at the library, because I was surprised that Marissa Meyer had a new book out, then realized it was second in a series, so I read that one first and then came back to this one. I had a really good fun with Instant Karma (the first book) but unfortunately this one fell a little flat for me. Following from the previous book, I'd thought that this book would follow Jude and the record store/music lover line, and not so much the DnD/renaissance faire/roleplaying storyline, but I was surprised.
I was a little disappointed, because I wanted to learn more about the record store and the Beatles and that whole angle, and I also didn't really relate to the main character. However, I did think that this angle of story was really interesting, and it is the first time I've ever read a book that incorporates DnD/roleplaying in this way! Jude is also an artist, and some of the story is told through panels that he drew, which was really cool! I also really liked the first person narration, especially where Jude breaks the fourth wall in parts! I thought it was SO fun in Chapter One, where Jude says "You're the one with your nose in a book right now, so I know you agree with me, on some level.", and then the audiobook version he says "you're the one listening to an audiobook right now." I thought that was so unique and put a fun twist on the storytelling! A bit gimmicky, sure, but SO fun!
As I mentioned, I was not super invested in how the story played out: I called the biggest plot point super early into the bookwe ALL knew that Maya and Jude wouldn't last, and that Jude and Ari would get together, RIGHT? it was SO OBVIOUS so the whole time I was waiting for it, and the rest of the story felt secondary to it happening. The "magic" element was also WAY stronger in this book than in Instant Karma, and it kind of took me out of the story a bit to be honest. Each of the individual pieces of luck was believable to me, the same way Pru's "karmaic" happenings were, but flipping heads 57 times in a row????? that really took me out of the immersion.
A lot of the book felt like the author took pieces from negative reviews about the first book and tried to incorporate it into this book, but didn't consider how changing those aspects would change the book overall. For instance,Pru notices and mentions how Jude has been extra lucky lately, seeming to allude to when she had her little karma touch, but then never talked to him directly about it?? . Also, the touches of magic were WAY more heavy handed in this book than in the previous book, and it kind of really took me out of the universe, because the storytelling between the two books was so inconsistent. I'd hoped to see more scenes with their whole family, but there seemed to be fewer in this book, which I was sad about.
At the heart of this book, it is a story about finding yourself and becoming secure in your interests and personality, which is a basic premise, and yet, it was done organically and well. I felt that Jude was much more self-aware than Pru was, which was a nice change of pace (and probably in response to negative reviews tbh).
All in all, I had a good time while reading it, but nowhere near as close as in Instant Karma. There was some interesting parts, but at large it was just okay. I'll read new books in the series if any come out, though.
I was a little disappointed, because I wanted to learn more about the record store and the Beatles and that whole angle, and I also didn't really relate to the main character. However, I did think that this angle of story was really interesting, and it is the first time I've ever read a book that incorporates DnD/roleplaying in this way! Jude is also an artist, and some of the story is told through panels that he drew, which was really cool! I also really liked the first person narration, especially where Jude breaks the fourth wall in parts! I thought it was SO fun in Chapter One, where Jude says "You're the one with your nose in a book right now, so I know you agree with me, on some level.", and then the audiobook version he says "you're the one listening to an audiobook right now." I thought that was so unique and put a fun twist on the storytelling! A bit gimmicky, sure, but SO fun!
As I mentioned, I was not super invested in how the story played out: I called the biggest plot point super early into the book
A lot of the book felt like the author took pieces from negative reviews about the first book and tried to incorporate it into this book, but didn't consider how changing those aspects would change the book overall. For instance,
At the heart of this book, it is a story about finding yourself and becoming secure in your interests and personality, which is a basic premise, and yet, it was done organically and well. I felt that Jude was much more self-aware than Pru was, which was a nice change of pace (and probably in response to negative reviews tbh).
All in all, I had a good time while reading it, but nowhere near as close as in Instant Karma. There was some interesting parts, but at large it was just okay. I'll read new books in the series if any come out, though.
Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes
At the heart of the book, this is a slice of life story, with an interwoven thread of Ginger Pye and his first few months. Going through the day to day with Jerry and Rachel really highlighted how growing up happens a little bit at a time and it's so hard to realize it until one looks back.
My favorite character in this book, aside from Ginger, was Rachel. She was 9, and had many of the same compunctions that I did when I was 9, which was just so sweet. She also learned words from books, wanted to be like her father, and had likely diagnosable anxiety disorder, and following what she did was so fun. The chapters told from her perspective really encapsulate what childhood is like, in my opinion.
All in all, this book was really cute! I don't have the same nostalgic tie to it as some other books, but I had a really good time reading it and would recommend it!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is a book that was always around while I was a child, but it wasn't necessarily one of the books that was an all time favorite. Revisiting it as an adult, I thought it was so lovely and wholesome, but truly a story that illustrated the difference of the times. For starters, Mr. Pye was 35 when he met Mrs. Pye, 17, and the whole thing about Uncle Bennie being 3 years old is not quite as adorable with that context in mind.
The main takeaway from this book for me was how charming the writing was: it conveyed the facts of the story in a straightfoward, easily-digestible way for children, and yet, it doesn't talk down to children. The writing was super well rounded and nuanced, and all in all it was a pleasure to read. The switches in perspective were so subtle, yet made the book so fun to follow: from Jerry (age 10), to Rachel (age 9), to Ginger (puppy) to Uncle Bennie (age 3), getting to learn their inner monologue made the book feel tied together and nice to read.
I really liked that this book was set in Cranbury, the same town as The Moffats: the extra tie in was so fun and probably blew the minds of children in the 1960s lol. Obviously there were some dated references (in particular, a lot of banging on about Indians), but all in all it wasn't that bad in my opinion. (The low opinion of the police was ahead of its time, in my opinion lol). The whole small town featured throughout the book was so classic Americana and all the subtle characters (Sam Doody, Mr. Tuttle, Reverend Gandy, and so on) made this book so fun. (Sam Doody may have been my first ever fictional crush LOL).
The main takeaway from this book for me was how charming the writing was: it conveyed the facts of the story in a straightfoward, easily-digestible way for children, and yet, it doesn't talk down to children. The writing was super well rounded and nuanced, and all in all it was a pleasure to read. The switches in perspective were so subtle, yet made the book so fun to follow: from Jerry (age 10), to Rachel (age 9), to Ginger (puppy) to Uncle Bennie (age 3), getting to learn their inner monologue made the book feel tied together and nice to read.
I really liked that this book was set in Cranbury, the same town as The Moffats: the extra tie in was so fun and probably blew the minds of children in the 1960s lol. Obviously there were some dated references (in particular, a lot of banging on about Indians), but all in all it wasn't that bad in my opinion. (The low opinion of the police was ahead of its time, in my opinion lol). The whole small town featured throughout the book was so classic Americana and all the subtle characters (Sam Doody, Mr. Tuttle, Reverend Gandy, and so on) made this book so fun. (Sam Doody may have been my first ever fictional crush LOL).
One night when Jerry and Rachel had been desperately knocking on doors asking people had they seen Ginger, a woman came to the door and before they could even get out the sentence about Ginger she held up her hands and said, "I'm making mincemeat. Can't you see I'm making mincemeat?" And she slammed the door in their faces. Her hands hadn't had any mincemeat on them that they could see, but the way she held them up and the way she said, "mincemeat," made them imagine they were just dripping with it. So they called her "Mincemeat" from then on.
At the heart of the book, this is a slice of life story, with an interwoven thread of Ginger Pye and his first few months. Going through the day to day with Jerry and Rachel really highlighted how growing up happens a little bit at a time and it's so hard to realize it until one looks back.
My favorite character in this book, aside from Ginger, was Rachel. She was 9, and had many of the same compunctions that I did when I was 9, which was just so sweet. She also learned words from books, wanted to be like her father, and had likely diagnosable anxiety disorder, and following what she did was so fun. The chapters told from her perspective really encapsulate what childhood is like, in my opinion.
All in all, this book was really cute! I don't have the same nostalgic tie to it as some other books, but I had a really good time reading it and would recommend it!
Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer
The parts about the sea life center were really fun, and I really liked the whole thread ofkeeping the center running and running the fundraiser and involving the community. . Also, Quint was SUCH a fun character: he was so cool about everything, including Pru being a prick to him LOL and his emotional maturity and romantic side was so nice to see in a YA MMC .
My favorite part about this book by far was the environmental activism parts: learning about the sea lions, the rehabilitation, and what it takes to run a nonprofit. I also really liked all the mentions of music throughout the bookand that Pru and all her siblings are named after Beatles songs is pretty iconic ngl
I am not sure how else to describe this book other than it was really chill: it really felt like a slice of life, day by day replay of what happened over the course of a science vacation. I appreciated that there were multiple threads of stories going on throughout this book, which seemed really true to life. There was a thread that ran consistently throughout the book, but there were lots of side plots going on as wellthe karaoke nights, the side plot of trying to find Maya's earring, their friend group, the record store , which made the story fly by.
All in all, it wasn't the most novel concept ever but I did have a great time reading it! It was a fun, quick YA read, and I'm excited to read the next book in the series.
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
I randomly picked this book up at the library because it was a Marissa Meyer book, and I had a great time reading it! It is set during summer/summer vacation, so it was a perfect time of year to read it. I love the big family, summer vacation trope, and any book with a marine biology twist is bound to be good (I don't make the rules). It was super fast paced and didn't take a lot of brain power to read, and was overall a nice palette cleanser of a book.
On one hand, all the parts of this book feel like parts of a book that I've read before: big family, owning a record store, living in a tourist town, learning about marine biology. On the other, they WORK: the setting was so cozy and homey, and it was just so fun to follow along.
At the heart of it, this is a coming of age story, where the main character Pru learns about how the world works and develops her frontal lobe (lol). The story opens with Pru, who is an overachiever and thinks she knows better than everyone else, thinking everyone else is lazy, rude, arrogant, or otherwise doesn't live up to her standards (which honestly, SO real, me too tbh). She realizes that she is "casting" karmic justice whenever she notices injustice, and she goes through her summer vacation righting wrongs.
In contrast her lab partner, and then coworker Quint, is someone that Pru has decided is lazy and arrogant and rude, and she refuses to devote her time of day to him. He works at a sealife rescue center and has more going on than just getting the best grade on a lab report. As the summer progresses, Pru starts working at this sea life center and begins to see his point of view.
Pru's narration was fine, but she was so naive in certain scenarios. Altogether, the whole lesson she learns is thatthe world doesn't revolve around you and you're not the main character (which I suppose is a bit ironic because she IS the main character in this book lol) . With that being said, I really related to her, and I highlighted several quotes about doing work well.
On one hand, all the parts of this book feel like parts of a book that I've read before: big family, owning a record store, living in a tourist town, learning about marine biology. On the other, they WORK: the setting was so cozy and homey, and it was just so fun to follow along.
At the heart of it, this is a coming of age story, where the main character Pru learns about how the world works and develops her frontal lobe (lol). The story opens with Pru, who is an overachiever and thinks she knows better than everyone else, thinking everyone else is lazy, rude, arrogant, or otherwise doesn't live up to her standards (which honestly, SO real, me too tbh). She realizes that she is "casting" karmic justice whenever she notices injustice, and she goes through her summer vacation righting wrongs.
In contrast her lab partner, and then coworker Quint, is someone that Pru has decided is lazy and arrogant and rude, and she refuses to devote her time of day to him. He works at a sealife rescue center and has more going on than just getting the best grade on a lab report. As the summer progresses, Pru starts working at this sea life center and begins to see his point of view.
Pru's narration was fine, but she was so naive in certain scenarios. Altogether, the whole lesson she learns is that
There’s always more to do, and I don’t want to settle for less than perfect, you know? Why be mediocre? But it can be hard to know when enough is enough, or how to prioritize my time.
The parts about the sea life center were really fun, and I really liked the whole thread of
My favorite part about this book by far was the environmental activism parts: learning about the sea lions, the rehabilitation, and what it takes to run a nonprofit. I also really liked all the mentions of music throughout the book
I am not sure how else to describe this book other than it was really chill: it really felt like a slice of life, day by day replay of what happened over the course of a science vacation. I appreciated that there were multiple threads of stories going on throughout this book, which seemed really true to life. There was a thread that ran consistently throughout the book, but there were lots of side plots going on as well
All in all, it wasn't the most novel concept ever but I did have a great time reading it! It was a fun, quick YA read, and I'm excited to read the next book in the series.
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Have you ever read a book and been sad that it didn't exist while you were younger? This was that book for me. It is so wholesome, and feels like a story that I would have been OBSESSED with when I was about 12, though it didn't come out until I was 17. The quotes opening the book are from Spiderweb for Two by Elizabeth Enright and Anne of Green Gables from L. M. Montgomery, as a sign of how wholesome this book is.
This book was split up so that each day leading up to Christmas had its own section, and the whole book felt really festive. This was the book I was reading on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and that made it feel so special. The flyleaves are maps of the neighborhood, and there are little illustrations throughout of the brownstone and letters and such, relating to the story, and it was just all really sweet.
The Vanderbeekers are a family of 5 kids and 3 pets living in a brownhouse in New York, who have been informed that their landlord is not renewing their lease 4 days before Christmas. When they are informed of this, the kids start concocting a plan to change their landlord's mind and let them stay in their home that they love. Because they are children, they come up with solutions, that, while not the most practical, are very sweet.
There was so much I liked about this book: the sense of community throughout, the children and how they interacted with the world, the animals, the shops, neighbors, friends, music, and growing up that they did, even over the few days that this book took place over. There are so many sections that reminded me of my own childhood (the REP [Roof of Epic Proportions] and the bag of supplies and the water wall was so reminiscent of the "clubs" I would start when I was young). They have just the right amount of adult supervision--family who cares deeply about them, but with too many siblings to focus their attention on--and the love and kindness that radiate throughout the whole book was so lovely.
The closest thing I can think of to relate this series too is the "All of a Kind Family" books by Sydney Taylor, but modernized. It is so cute and I am so excited to read the rest of the books in the series!
This book was split up so that each day leading up to Christmas had its own section, and the whole book felt really festive. This was the book I was reading on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and that made it feel so special. The flyleaves are maps of the neighborhood, and there are little illustrations throughout of the brownstone and letters and such, relating to the story, and it was just all really sweet.
The Vanderbeekers are a family of 5 kids and 3 pets living in a brownhouse in New York, who have been informed that their landlord is not renewing their lease 4 days before Christmas. When they are informed of this, the kids start concocting a plan to change their landlord's mind and let them stay in their home that they love. Because they are children, they come up with solutions, that, while not the most practical, are very sweet.
There was so much I liked about this book: the sense of community throughout, the children and how they interacted with the world, the animals, the shops, neighbors, friends, music, and growing up that they did, even over the few days that this book took place over. There are so many sections that reminded me of my own childhood (the REP [Roof of Epic Proportions] and the bag of supplies and the water wall was so reminiscent of the "clubs" I would start when I was young). They have just the right amount of adult supervision--family who cares deeply about them, but with too many siblings to focus their attention on--and the love and kindness that radiate throughout the whole book was so lovely.
The closest thing I can think of to relate this series too is the "All of a Kind Family" books by Sydney Taylor, but modernized. It is so cute and I am so excited to read the rest of the books in the series!
Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
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
3.5
I read the first book in this series a few years ago, and thought it was really cute, so I was excited to read this one. I really like that both of them are set around Christmas time: reading them each year around Christmas time makes it feel extra nostalgic, and the setting and vibes are also perfect for winter!
I had fun with this book: it was really wholesome and I liked the deeper topics covered as well. I do feel like the story felt a lot like the first book and was just a little too long for my liking, and I don't think I will read the next books in the series. Finishing this book and looking it up on the website, I realized that there were SO many books in this universe, and the worldbuilding is insane, but to be honest, I just am not that invested in these characters/this world.
In this book, Milo has been working on figuring out his family history and his sense of identity. He has been working on uncovering his family history, and where he belongs in the world especially with his adoptive parents and his anxiety. At the same time, people are showing up to his parents' inn who may or may not be who they say they are, and his friend Meddy is nowhere to be seen.
My main complaint with this story is that it really seemed too long: it is over 450 pages, which is a lot for a middle grade book happening more or less all in one building. The best way I can describe is it is that a lot of scenes seemed to play out multiple times, and without that much changed between repetitions. There was so much description of what each of the characters were doing and who was doing what/going where without really an explanation why all of it was happening, and it just lost my interest.
The mystery and the smuggling and thieving aspects were really fun! I wish it was described more/in a more succinct fashion, because whenever that was actually discussed, I was having a lot of fun. I never felt like the mystery was relatable/interesting to me, and whenthe mystery was solved, I didn't feel like I would have been able to figure it out: it seemed like the characters had knowledge that I could have never come up with, and so them solving the mystery kind of feels like they pulled the solve out of thin air. Part of it may well be because I don't remember the first book very well, but I do think that the storytelling was lacking in that regard.
Like I alluded to, the cozy wintery inn vibes were so much fun! There was storytelling, cider, and snow, and really, the vibes were fantastic. I also thought the Waits visiting was really cool and I liked learning about their history and all the traditions that came along with their visit.
All in all, this was a fun Christmassy book, and I am glad I read it! I won't be reading the other books in the series but I am definitely open to rereading the first book in the series around Christmastime in the future!
I had fun with this book: it was really wholesome and I liked the deeper topics covered as well. I do feel like the story felt a lot like the first book and was just a little too long for my liking, and I don't think I will read the next books in the series. Finishing this book and looking it up on the website, I realized that there were SO many books in this universe, and the worldbuilding is insane, but to be honest, I just am not that invested in these characters/this world.
In this book, Milo has been working on figuring out his family history and his sense of identity. He has been working on uncovering his family history, and where he belongs in the world especially with his adoptive parents and his anxiety. At the same time, people are showing up to his parents' inn who may or may not be who they say they are, and his friend Meddy is nowhere to be seen.
My main complaint with this story is that it really seemed too long: it is over 450 pages, which is a lot for a middle grade book happening more or less all in one building. The best way I can describe is it is that a lot of scenes seemed to play out multiple times, and without that much changed between repetitions. There was so much description of what each of the characters were doing and who was doing what/going where without really an explanation why all of it was happening, and it just lost my interest.
The mystery and the smuggling and thieving aspects were really fun! I wish it was described more/in a more succinct fashion, because whenever that was actually discussed, I was having a lot of fun. I never felt like the mystery was relatable/interesting to me, and when
Like I alluded to, the cozy wintery inn vibes were so much fun! There was storytelling, cider, and snow, and really, the vibes were fantastic. I also thought the Waits visiting was really cool and I liked learning about their history and all the traditions that came along with their visit.
All in all, this was a fun Christmassy book, and I am glad I read it! I won't be reading the other books in the series but I am definitely open to rereading the first book in the series around Christmastime in the future!
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This book was really sweet! While it wasn't my favorite of the series, there was a lot of growth throughout the book from each of the characters, and I find that I have become rather attached to these elderly fictional people.
This book is distinctly not a standalone: I impressed myself with how well I was able to keep track each of the different characters (the list is getting quite long now) and their distinct personalities and backgrounds. This is definitely because of the writing style of the books, and how different each of the characters are.
The stakes just keep getting higher and higher in these books: in this book, the Thursday Murder Club is getting involved with an antique/forgery group, as well as trying to locate a hundred thousand pounds worth of heroin. I wasn't a huge fan of the meddling in police work that they started doing, and Chris and Donna's extracurricular activities.
The criminals play a bigger part in this book than they have in the previous books, which I don't know how I feel about. I don't think that these are going to continue into future books, like how Connie Johnson did, but one never knows. Connie Johnson does appear in this book, and assists the Thursday Murder Club from prison.
Elizabeth is more of a minor character in this book: she has been occupied with some personal things that get revealed as the book goes along. Stephen's dementia has continued to worsen, and they are deciding what the next steps are in terms of his quality of life.They end up choosing medically (though not legally, because it's Elizabeth) assisted death, and those chapters are so utterly heartbreaking. As a result, this book has a much more somber tone than some of the other books in the series.
As always, I am a huge fan of Joyce's diary entries: they are so witty and the mentions of Alan are so cute and make me laugh. As part of the side plot, Ron, Ibrahim, and Computer Bob are trying to bust someone who is doing a romance scam on one of the other residents of Cooper's Chase, which was also quite amusing.
I read this book in physical form as well as partially on audiobook, which I still think is the superior way to consume this series. To me it sounds like old people telling their story, which is just overall really fun. There was quite a bit of discussion of each of the people discuss their lived experience and their life partners and it was SO sweet!
I really enjoyed this book! It was really sweet and I am looking forwards to reading more from this series when they come out.
This book is distinctly not a standalone: I impressed myself with how well I was able to keep track each of the different characters (the list is getting quite long now) and their distinct personalities and backgrounds. This is definitely because of the writing style of the books, and how different each of the characters are.
The stakes just keep getting higher and higher in these books: in this book, the Thursday Murder Club is getting involved with an antique/forgery group, as well as trying to locate a hundred thousand pounds worth of heroin. I wasn't a huge fan of the meddling in police work that they started doing, and Chris and Donna's extracurricular activities.
The criminals play a bigger part in this book than they have in the previous books, which I don't know how I feel about. I don't think that these are going to continue into future books, like how Connie Johnson did, but one never knows. Connie Johnson does appear in this book, and assists the Thursday Murder Club from prison.
Elizabeth is more of a minor character in this book: she has been occupied with some personal things that get revealed as the book goes along. Stephen's dementia has continued to worsen, and they are deciding what the next steps are in terms of his quality of life.
As always, I am a huge fan of Joyce's diary entries: they are so witty and the mentions of Alan are so cute and make me laugh. As part of the side plot, Ron, Ibrahim, and Computer Bob are trying to bust someone who is doing a romance scam on one of the other residents of Cooper's Chase, which was also quite amusing.
I read this book in physical form as well as partially on audiobook, which I still think is the superior way to consume this series. To me it sounds like old people telling their story, which is just overall really fun. There was quite a bit of discussion of each of the people discuss their lived experience and their life partners and it was SO sweet!
I really enjoyed this book! It was really sweet and I am looking forwards to reading more from this series when they come out.
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I heard about this book because it was one of the Book of the Month picks, marketed as Knives Out meets Agatha Christie, and it sounded soooo good! I went into this book wanting a fast paced, fun little Christmas mystery and it delivered! The setting was such a vibe: an English country estate of an author with a huge library that's snowed in on Christmas??? The PERFECT quick read by the Christmas tree!!! While there was definitely a touch of modern vibes (e.g., cell phones), the whole setting felt like it came out of an Agatha Christie book and it was so fun.
Maggie, the main character, is an author who writes mystery novels, who gets invited to the estate of her all time favorite mystery author, along with her rival, another mystery novelist, with whom she has had a rocky relationship when they've crossed paths. I felt that both of their characterizations were a little shallow, and despite having a compelling backstory, I was still not particularly rooting for Maggie throughout the book.
The romance is a little contrived, though I wasn't reading this book for the romance, which is why I wasn't as invested in the two main characters. I didn't really think they had that much chemistry in each other, and I felt as though the two main interests were shoved together and kept searching each other out because they were the main interests, and nothing else. There wasn't a lot of emotional depth to the two characters--another review said that it felt like a YA romance and I agree--despite the heavier topics that the two of them discussed, the romance itself didn't feel like it had much depth.
Altogether, the writing and the story structure was pretty average: there were some chapters/plot points that I really enjoyed and some chapters that felt really repetitive. The phrase "touch her and I'll kill you" was used unironically, which did kind of give me the ick. I really enjoyed the chapters where Maggie and Ethan were solving puzzles/the mystery, but the ones where they just kind of . . . argued about who hated each other more were pretty unimpressive. This also was possibly the first book that I've read where a police interview transcript was included that did not add to the story.
Surprisingly, there was some pretty good discussion about grief, relationship abuse/control, and the fallout from that. Maggie is reclaiming her life after a relationship, and the way that her ex changed her thought patterns and self image was actually pretty well done.
With all that being said, the mystery itself was fantastic, and I loved the chapters where that was being covered: each of the various people in the house and how they relate, the mansion with its secret passageways, the greenhouse with the poisonous plants, and so forth. The link between the mystery and the author's books was also soooo fun and I wished there was more of it!
Overall, I really liked it: it was really fun and the concept of a Christmas thriller is something I am SO DOWN for. I liked the Christmas vibes and the author/library/mystery was really fun: it was very reminiscent of an Agatha Christie book with the setting and the characters, and I had a really good time reading it! The wintery vibe was perfect for this time of the year, and it was the perfect book to start off my Christmas vacation with!
Maggie, the main character, is an author who writes mystery novels, who gets invited to the estate of her all time favorite mystery author, along with her rival, another mystery novelist, with whom she has had a rocky relationship when they've crossed paths. I felt that both of their characterizations were a little shallow, and despite having a compelling backstory, I was still not particularly rooting for Maggie throughout the book.
The romance is a little contrived, though I wasn't reading this book for the romance, which is why I wasn't as invested in the two main characters. I didn't really think they had that much chemistry in each other, and I felt as though the two main interests were shoved together and kept searching each other out because they were the main interests, and nothing else. There wasn't a lot of emotional depth to the two characters--another review said that it felt like a YA romance and I agree--despite the heavier topics that the two of them discussed, the romance itself didn't feel like it had much depth.
Altogether, the writing and the story structure was pretty average: there were some chapters/plot points that I really enjoyed and some chapters that felt really repetitive. The phrase "touch her and I'll kill you" was used unironically, which did kind of give me the ick. I really enjoyed the chapters where Maggie and Ethan were solving puzzles/the mystery, but the ones where they just kind of . . . argued about who hated each other more were pretty unimpressive. This also was possibly the first book that I've read where a police interview transcript was included that did not add to the story.
Surprisingly, there was some pretty good discussion about grief, relationship abuse/control, and the fallout from that. Maggie is reclaiming her life after a relationship, and the way that her ex changed her thought patterns and self image was actually pretty well done.
With all that being said, the mystery itself was fantastic, and I loved the chapters where that was being covered: each of the various people in the house and how they relate, the mansion with its secret passageways, the greenhouse with the poisonous plants, and so forth. The link between the mystery and the author's books was also soooo fun and I wished there was more of it!
Overall, I really liked it: it was really fun and the concept of a Christmas thriller is something I am SO DOWN for. I liked the Christmas vibes and the author/library/mystery was really fun: it was very reminiscent of an Agatha Christie book with the setting and the characters, and I had a really good time reading it! The wintery vibe was perfect for this time of the year, and it was the perfect book to start off my Christmas vacation with!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Death of parent
A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
On the surface, this book seems like the kind of thing that would be perfectly up my alley: a family with really specific names that plays by weird rules, living in a old-and-maybe-magical house, trying to find missing treasure throughout their house. Each of the members of the family/each of the characters has a name that describes their personality, and the main character Shenanigan, is the one who is trying to figure out her place in the world. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me.
There are so many parts of this book that I really like! The naming of new Swifts with the dictionary, the decennial family reunion, Aunt Schadenfreude who makes her family practice her funeral every week: so many aspects of this book were so quirky and fun! However, I never felt like I really connected with Shenanigan, which is what it all comes down to, in the end.
I had a really hard time working through this book: although it is technically middle grade, it is really dense, and the plot didn't move fast enough for me to be invested, and reading it from start to finish took me almost a month. A lot of big things did happen: a few murders, a full/human sized Scrabble game (one of my favorite parts of the book), someone's attic chemistry lab, and yet none of it grasped my attention. I'm not sure if it's because of the names, of the writing style, or something else, but I really was not connecting to this book.
I thought the whole concept of how language is used, and how words mean things until they don't, the exploration of names, words, and meanings, and the plot points had a lot of potential, but I just wasn't interested in this book.
There are so many parts of this book that I really like! The naming of new Swifts with the dictionary, the decennial family reunion, Aunt Schadenfreude who makes her family practice her funeral every week: so many aspects of this book were so quirky and fun! However, I never felt like I really connected with Shenanigan, which is what it all comes down to, in the end.
I had a really hard time working through this book: although it is technically middle grade, it is really dense, and the plot didn't move fast enough for me to be invested, and reading it from start to finish took me almost a month. A lot of big things did happen: a few murders, a full/human sized Scrabble game (one of my favorite parts of the book), someone's attic chemistry lab, and yet none of it grasped my attention. I'm not sure if it's because of the names, of the writing style, or something else, but I really was not connecting to this book.
I thought the whole concept of how language is used, and how words mean things until they don't, the exploration of names, words, and meanings, and the plot points had a lot of potential, but I just wasn't interested in this book.
Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
I've officially found my favorite book of the series! When I read book 4, I said that I thought that this book would be my favorite, and that would appear to be holding true.
In this book, Nick and Charlie start thinking seriously about what their futures are going to look like: whether they want to tackle long distance when they go to college, how bittersweet it is that their friend group is going to change soon, and Nick and Charlie taking the next step in their relationship. Something I really liked was the discussion of making big life decisions knowing that they could both change your life dramatically forever, OR mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things, which is something I feel like very few YA books talk about.
The character development in this book is astounding, and seeing both Nick and Charlie coming into their own is sooo sweet, especially after having followed them through the previous books and knowing where they came from. This book feels like it has a very well rounded story arc, and ties in a lot of the storylines and things that they were learning about in the previous few books.
I'm officially caught up with the series now, and I am looking forwards to reading book 6 when it comes out! I also really liked the Oseman timeline in the back of this book, and I'm looking forwards to picking up loveless soon!
In this book, Nick and Charlie start thinking seriously about what their futures are going to look like: whether they want to tackle long distance when they go to college, how bittersweet it is that their friend group is going to change soon, and Nick and Charlie taking the next step in their relationship. Something I really liked was the discussion of making big life decisions knowing that they could both change your life dramatically forever, OR mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things, which is something I feel like very few YA books talk about.
The character development in this book is astounding, and seeing both Nick and Charlie coming into their own is sooo sweet, especially after having followed them through the previous books and knowing where they came from. This book feels like it has a very well rounded story arc, and ties in a lot of the storylines and things that they were learning about in the previous few books.
I'm officially caught up with the series now, and I am looking forwards to reading book 6 when it comes out! I also really liked the Oseman timeline in the back of this book, and I'm looking forwards to picking up loveless soon!
The Four-Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
READ 2 (December 5, 2024)-
This is another book I read when I was a teenager, and loved. The Story Mistake covers a series of anecdotes that happen to the Melendy family over the course of a year. I remember reading this book fairly close to when my family moved when I was a child, so this book stuck tightly to me.
It's always such a grounding experience reading a book, and realizing that the corners that hold up the story are some of the corners that hold up your soul. Reading parts of this book felt like coming home, and it was so familiar despite my having forgotten most of what happened in this book. Looking at my last review, it looks like I read it 5 years ago, and then 5 years ago before that, so this may well be an every-5-years reread, which I would not be mad at.
At the heart of it, this is a very basic concept for a book: slice of life anecdotes of a family and the notable moments that they had over the course of the year. And yet, that's what makes this book so cozy and comfortable: it's just a regular family living a regular life, and it's messy and funny and human, and things happen that you don't expect, and things work out better than you could ever imagined, and it's all just . . . life.
My favorite part about this book by far is the writing style: it is so nostalgic and cozy, and it makes you feel like you're part of the family, learning about life along side them.
My favorite parts of this book: reading the chapter about Christmas and their preparations for it, as it is almost Christmas, Rush exploring the new property and building a tree house (which is particularly nostalgic for me because of when I read this book for the first time), and the whole recurring theme with the crocodile.
With this book being published in 1942, there are some less-than politically correct metaphors and descriptions in some parts of this book, but really, they were so few and far between that I am not super pressed about it. There are things that happen in this book that could never happen in this day and age (a 14 year old going on radio? insane), and there are some mentions of the war happening, but the writing makes the story feel so familiar and warm. It is wild to me that 13 years old seemed so incredibly old in that day, and that one could simply roll up to a perfect stranger's house to ask for help, but at the same time, these time capsules of history are what preserve humanity.
I will love this series forever, and I am so excited to read the rest of it!
READ 1 (July 29, 2019)-
i will love this book forever
the vague nostalgia
the hominess
and the writing style
there is next to no chance I will ever get tired of it
also haven't read this in like 5 years and i forgot how much i adored this series
now to read the rest of it
This is another book I read when I was a teenager, and loved. The Story Mistake covers a series of anecdotes that happen to the Melendy family over the course of a year. I remember reading this book fairly close to when my family moved when I was a child, so this book stuck tightly to me.
It's always such a grounding experience reading a book, and realizing that the corners that hold up the story are some of the corners that hold up your soul. Reading parts of this book felt like coming home, and it was so familiar despite my having forgotten most of what happened in this book. Looking at my last review, it looks like I read it 5 years ago, and then 5 years ago before that, so this may well be an every-5-years reread, which I would not be mad at.
At the heart of it, this is a very basic concept for a book: slice of life anecdotes of a family and the notable moments that they had over the course of the year. And yet, that's what makes this book so cozy and comfortable: it's just a regular family living a regular life, and it's messy and funny and human, and things happen that you don't expect, and things work out better than you could ever imagined, and it's all just . . . life.
My favorite part about this book by far is the writing style: it is so nostalgic and cozy, and it makes you feel like you're part of the family, learning about life along side them.
My favorite parts of this book: reading the chapter about Christmas and their preparations for it, as it is almost Christmas, Rush exploring the new property and building a tree house (which is particularly nostalgic for me because of when I read this book for the first time), and the whole recurring theme with the crocodile.
With this book being published in 1942, there are some less-than politically correct metaphors and descriptions in some parts of this book, but really, they were so few and far between that I am not super pressed about it. There are things that happen in this book that could never happen in this day and age (a 14 year old going on radio? insane), and there are some mentions of the war happening, but the writing makes the story feel so familiar and warm. It is wild to me that 13 years old seemed so incredibly old in that day, and that one could simply roll up to a perfect stranger's house to ask for help, but at the same time, these time capsules of history are what preserve humanity.
I will love this series forever, and I am so excited to read the rest of it!
READ 1 (July 29, 2019)-
i will love this book forever
the vague nostalgia
the hominess
and the writing style
there is next to no chance I will ever get tired of it
also haven't read this in like 5 years and i forgot how much i adored this series
now to read the rest of it