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alertnerd's Reviews (169)
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am a certified space nerd, so I knew this book was right up my alley when it was first announced. I felt like it kinda started out a little slow in the beginning -- at least it took me a little while to get into it -- but it ended up being a very quick read.
I tend to shy away from books dealing with social media in any way. I don’t know why, but I find the topic tends to be executed poorly and sometimes it ends up being cringey. That’s why I’m glad I don’t read book synopses very closely, because I really enjoyed Cal’s FlashFame story arc. It’s different from what I usually read.
Before I started reading this book, I expected it to be more about Cal and Leon’s relationship than what it happened up being. The book focused a lot more on the NASA mission to Mars and Cal’s relationship with his family. Cal’s relationship with Leon didn’t feel like the main focus on the book, but it still felt like a super important part of Cal’s story, and it was believable that they had fallen in love.
I’m not only a space nerd, but I also love the 50s and 60s, so I really loved all the focus on the Apollo 11 mission, and the whole idea of them living in this super retro neighborhood that those astronauts lived in. I think that would be a really cool experience to have, and I’m a little jealous of Cal.
I tend to shy away from books dealing with social media in any way. I don’t know why, but I find the topic tends to be executed poorly and sometimes it ends up being cringey. That’s why I’m glad I don’t read book synopses very closely, because I really enjoyed Cal’s FlashFame story arc. It’s different from what I usually read.
Before I started reading this book, I expected it to be more about Cal and Leon’s relationship than what it happened up being. The book focused a lot more on the NASA mission to Mars and Cal’s relationship with his family. Cal’s relationship with Leon didn’t feel like the main focus on the book, but it still felt like a super important part of Cal’s story, and it was believable that they had fallen in love.
I’m not only a space nerd, but I also love the 50s and 60s, so I really loved all the focus on the Apollo 11 mission, and the whole idea of them living in this super retro neighborhood that those astronauts lived in. I think that would be a really cool experience to have, and I’m a little jealous of Cal.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really wanted to love this book, but it was difficult for me to get into. It started off very slow and I felt a little lost for the first couple chapters. Sometimes there were way too many details given (how things looked, how things smelled, etc.) and sometimes there weren’t nearly enough details (who all the characters were).
What I found the most difficult to get past in this book was how truly unlikable the love interest was. I found Diego arrogant, self-absorbed and incredibly inconsiderate. Throughout the book, I could tell we were given some things that were supposed to make him appear “deep” or not like any of the things I just described, but those attempts fell flat. I never cared for him and I wasn’t rooting him and Isa to get together. Once they did get together there was no chemistry between them.
I really loved all the cooking parts of the book though and I wish more attention had been paid on that and less on Diego. Some of the cooking scenes made me feel like I was watching a cooking competition show on Food Network. And I love Food Network! The scene where she was describing Chef Clara’s restaurant gave me some serious FOMO. I wish I could experience that.
Throughout the whole book I was rooting for Isa and I loved her right away. Sometimes she could be whiny and melodramatic, but what teenager isn’t? I wish we got to see more of her dealing with her dysfunctional family because that story seemed to be an afterthought almost.
A lot of parts of this book worked, but a lot of them didn’t and those parts that didn’t really brought the whole story down.
What I found the most difficult to get past in this book was how truly unlikable the love interest was. I found Diego arrogant, self-absorbed and incredibly inconsiderate. Throughout the book, I could tell we were given some things that were supposed to make him appear “deep” or not like any of the things I just described, but those attempts fell flat. I never cared for him and I wasn’t rooting him and Isa to get together. Once they did get together there was no chemistry between them.
I really loved all the cooking parts of the book though and I wish more attention had been paid on that and less on Diego. Some of the cooking scenes made me feel like I was watching a cooking competition show on Food Network. And I love Food Network! The scene where she was describing Chef Clara’s restaurant gave me some serious FOMO. I wish I could experience that.
Throughout the whole book I was rooting for Isa and I loved her right away. Sometimes she could be whiny and melodramatic, but what teenager isn’t? I wish we got to see more of her dealing with her dysfunctional family because that story seemed to be an afterthought almost.
A lot of parts of this book worked, but a lot of them didn’t and those parts that didn’t really brought the whole story down.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I Hope You Get this Message starts out the action almost right away, which is why it was so hard for me to put it down. There were so many mysteries and I had so many questions, that I had to read this practically in one sitting just to get to the end and find out what happens.
I was invested in the characters almost immediately. I wanted to know more about their stories and find out what was going to happen to them at the end of the world. It’s been such a long time since I read a well-written unlikable bastard like Jesse. It’s hard to balance making a character an asshole but still have the readers care about them. And that’s exactly how I felt about Jesse.
I hope I’m not the only one who found myself shipping Cate and Adeem. I was hoping something more would happen between them, but I really liked that it stayed platonic in the end. That’s pretty rare for a YA book.
It’s also worth noting that Rishi’s portrayal of mental illness was very well done. I love how she chose to show how these illnesses affected the characters -- not only the ones with the mental illness but also the people they loved. I thought that was handled very well.
I was invested in the characters almost immediately. I wanted to know more about their stories and find out what was going to happen to them at the end of the world. It’s been such a long time since I read a well-written unlikable bastard like Jesse. It’s hard to balance making a character an asshole but still have the readers care about them. And that’s exactly how I felt about Jesse.
I hope I’m not the only one who found myself shipping Cate and Adeem. I was hoping something more would happen between them, but I really liked that it stayed platonic in the end. That’s pretty rare for a YA book.
It’s also worth noting that Rishi’s portrayal of mental illness was very well done. I love how she chose to show how these illnesses affected the characters -- not only the ones with the mental illness but also the people they loved. I thought that was handled very well.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When Dimple Met Rishi is a cute little rom-com that is perfect to read during quarantine. I love Rishi with my whole entire heart, and I found myself rooting for his happiness the most throughout the story.
I loved Dimple as well, but sometimes I found her to be a little irritating. Her “I’m not like other girls” attitude was annoying and I was disappointed that she never learned that wearing make-up and liking stereotypically girly things isn’t bad and it doesn’t make you a bad person. She was also a borderline “Mary Sue” character. I found myself rolling my eyes when we discovered that not only is she an amazing coder, but she’s also apparently an amazing dancer too.
I also wished she had fleshed out the Aberzombies a little more. They were over the top, stereotypical and flat.
However, Dimple and Rishi’s relationship was adorable and I loved seeing it grow from hatred to friendship to more. I read most of their scenes with a smile on my face because they were so cute.
Overall, I felt that this story got a little long in the end and wasn’t the quick read I was expecting it to be, but it was still nice to have a light read.
I loved Dimple as well, but sometimes I found her to be a little irritating. Her “I’m not like other girls” attitude was annoying and I was disappointed that she never learned that wearing make-up and liking stereotypically girly things isn’t bad and it doesn’t make you a bad person. She was also a borderline “Mary Sue” character. I found myself rolling my eyes when we discovered that not only is she an amazing coder, but she’s also apparently an amazing dancer too.
I also wished she had fleshed out the Aberzombies a little more. They were over the top, stereotypical and flat.
However, Dimple and Rishi’s relationship was adorable and I loved seeing it grow from hatred to friendship to more. I read most of their scenes with a smile on my face because they were so cute.
Overall, I felt that this story got a little long in the end and wasn’t the quick read I was expecting it to be, but it was still nice to have a light read.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I found the premise of this book very interesting. I doubt you’re going to find too many books like this one. I haven’t read a whole lot about Chinese history, so this was very new to me. I liked the idea of the legends being real and coming to life during the war.
One of the problems I had with the story though was the pacing. I was on the last chapter and it didn’t feel like the story was wrapping up at all. Then suddenly everything wrapped up too quickly and it ended pretty abruptly. I feel like more time could have been spent wrapping up the characters’ stories instead of doing it all in the last few pages.
I also felt like I never got too attached to any of the characters. Maybe it was because of the danger that they were in that I didn’t want to let myself get attached in case something awful happened, but I found myself feeling pretty indifferent to how each character ended up.
One of the problems I had with the story though was the pacing. I was on the last chapter and it didn’t feel like the story was wrapping up at all. Then suddenly everything wrapped up too quickly and it ended pretty abruptly. I feel like more time could have been spent wrapping up the characters’ stories instead of doing it all in the last few pages.
I also felt like I never got too attached to any of the characters. Maybe it was because of the danger that they were in that I didn’t want to let myself get attached in case something awful happened, but I found myself feeling pretty indifferent to how each character ended up.
I was first interested in this book because of the synopsis given and because the title of the book sounded really interesting. I'm very interested in the Civil Rights Movement, so I thought a novel about a a black boy from the north being sent to Alabama in 1955 was interesting. Of course, we're all reminded of the story of Emmett Till, and there are definitely some connections to that historical event found in this story.
One thing I really loved about this story was the friendship between Ethan and Juniper Jones. Juniper from the beginning was an endearing character and I found refreshing and different from what I usually read in these types of books. Some of the events later in the book changed my opinion however, and I found her character less likable.
The biggest thing that I couldn't wrap my mind around in this book was what kind of father sends his biracial son to Alabama in 1955? That has to be categorized as child abuse. I found the resolution to this story arc very unsatisfying and wished it had been a bigger topic throughout the story.
What I think is the biggest flaw of this story though is the depiction of white people in it. When a novel focuses heavily on racism but has an almost entirely white cast of characters, it can easily become a story about "good white people" and that's what happened here. Many of the white characters were praised for doing the bare minimum when it came to racism and I think as a people we've grown past that. The "but they're trying" excuse isn't good enough anymore and it never really was.
Overall, I really liked the concept of this novel, but I felt it had too many missteps throughout and there were a lot of topics that could have been handled differently.
One thing I really loved about this story was the friendship between Ethan and Juniper Jones. Juniper from the beginning was an endearing character and I found refreshing and different from what I usually read in these types of books. Some of the events later in the book changed my opinion however, and I found her character less likable.
The biggest thing that I couldn't wrap my mind around in this book was what kind of father sends his biracial son to Alabama in 1955? That has to be categorized as child abuse. I found the resolution to this story arc very unsatisfying and wished it had been a bigger topic throughout the story.
What I think is the biggest flaw of this story though is the depiction of white people in it. When a novel focuses heavily on racism but has an almost entirely white cast of characters, it can easily become a story about "good white people" and that's what happened here. Many of the white characters were praised for doing the bare minimum when it came to racism and I think as a people we've grown past that. The "but they're trying" excuse isn't good enough anymore and it never really was.
Overall, I really liked the concept of this novel, but I felt it had too many missteps throughout and there were a lot of topics that could have been handled differently.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies follows the lives of different black women as they reconcile their developing sexuality, identities, and independence with their strict religious upbringings. All these topics were done incredibly well and the short story format made this one a super quick read.
First off, the writing is gorgeous and compelling and it really draws you in. Philyaw's use of imagery made me feel like I was there with these women and experiencing these things along with them. I felt like I was part of the world that Philyaw had created.
Some of the stories are heartbreaking, some of them funny, some of them uplifting, but all of them are very compelling and worth the read. I know that these were just short stories, but all of them left me wanting to read more about these characters and know more about their rich and complex lives.
I look forward to reading more by Deesha Philyaw in the future.
First off, the writing is gorgeous and compelling and it really draws you in. Philyaw's use of imagery made me feel like I was there with these women and experiencing these things along with them. I felt like I was part of the world that Philyaw had created.
Some of the stories are heartbreaking, some of them funny, some of them uplifting, but all of them are very compelling and worth the read. I know that these were just short stories, but all of them left me wanting to read more about these characters and know more about their rich and complex lives.
I look forward to reading more by Deesha Philyaw in the future.
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
More Than Just a Pretty Face is described as being for fans of Becky Albertalli and Jenny Han and Syed M. Masood’s YA debut is witty, funny, adorable and heartwarming.
Danyal isn’t the brightest kid at his school and he may not be the best prospect for his long-time crush, Kaval. When he’s entered into the Renaissance Man -- his school’s yearly competition -- he must prove that he’s smarter than everyone thinks without giving up who he truly is and what is important to him. Danyal’s voice throughout the story is strong and what really drew me into the story. He’s funny, he’s unique, and as stated, he’s not the smartest. That combination makes for an endearing main character who’s fun to read.
When Danyal is introduced to Bisma -- a marriage prospect with a less than ideal past -- the chemistry between them is immediate. Their banter is witty and funny and adorable. The dialogue and the chemistry between all of Masood’s characters are what makes this book such a standout. Everyone felt real and they all felt like they were really friends.
Overall, More Than Just a Pretty Face is a quick, fun read with an underlying message that is very relevant to today’s world.
Danyal isn’t the brightest kid at his school and he may not be the best prospect for his long-time crush, Kaval. When he’s entered into the Renaissance Man -- his school’s yearly competition -- he must prove that he’s smarter than everyone thinks without giving up who he truly is and what is important to him. Danyal’s voice throughout the story is strong and what really drew me into the story. He’s funny, he’s unique, and as stated, he’s not the smartest. That combination makes for an endearing main character who’s fun to read.
When Danyal is introduced to Bisma -- a marriage prospect with a less than ideal past -- the chemistry between them is immediate. Their banter is witty and funny and adorable. The dialogue and the chemistry between all of Masood’s characters are what makes this book such a standout. Everyone felt real and they all felt like they were really friends.
Overall, More Than Just a Pretty Face is a quick, fun read with an underlying message that is very relevant to today’s world.
After reading the synopsis for this one, I was really excited. A F/F romance set at a camp and the cover is gorgeous. I thought it would have everything I wanted.
Unfortunately, that was not the case. I ended up DNFing this one about 20% into the book.
Night Owls and Summer Skies tells the story of Emma who is forced to spend the summer with her near-absent mother as part of her parents' custody agreement. When she arrives at her mother's house, she finds out that she has gotten married and will be going on her honeymoon all while Emma is forced to go to a summer camp. The last time Emma went to summer camp, she was traumatized by the other members.
The first thing that really jumped out to me was the dialogue. It was stilted and awkward. I don't know a single teenager that would take the way they do in this book. A lot of times the wording seemed inside-out and I would have to re-read a couple times to understand the sentence. Also, all of the characters talked the same and there weren't enough speaker tags, so I never knew who was talking.
Every scene that I read felt melodramatic and all the characters felt a little childish. Everything always seemed to escalate from nothing to really intense out of nowhere. I didn't find myself rooting for anybody in this story. Emma is extremely unlikable and came off as whiny and just plain rude sometimes.
When I read the synopsis, I (maybe naively) thought that Emma's crush on her camp counselor was going to be unrequited, so I didn't mind that going in. But it seems like that relationship is central to the story and I'm not a fan of that power dynamic. I already know I will be unable to root for them when their first interaction is Vivian telling her that she's basically being held at this camp against her will and then locks her in a shed. There's nothing romantic about that one.
I really wanted to like this one, so I'm disappointed that I wasn't even able to get all the way through it.
I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, that was not the case. I ended up DNFing this one about 20% into the book.
Night Owls and Summer Skies tells the story of Emma who is forced to spend the summer with her near-absent mother as part of her parents' custody agreement. When she arrives at her mother's house, she finds out that she has gotten married and will be going on her honeymoon all while Emma is forced to go to a summer camp. The last time Emma went to summer camp, she was traumatized by the other members.
The first thing that really jumped out to me was the dialogue. It was stilted and awkward. I don't know a single teenager that would take the way they do in this book. A lot of times the wording seemed inside-out and I would have to re-read a couple times to understand the sentence. Also, all of the characters talked the same and there weren't enough speaker tags, so I never knew who was talking.
Every scene that I read felt melodramatic and all the characters felt a little childish. Everything always seemed to escalate from nothing to really intense out of nowhere. I didn't find myself rooting for anybody in this story. Emma is extremely unlikable and came off as whiny and just plain rude sometimes.
When I read the synopsis, I (maybe naively) thought that Emma's crush on her camp counselor was going to be unrequited, so I didn't mind that going in. But it seems like that relationship is central to the story and I'm not a fan of that power dynamic. I already know I will be unable to root for them when their first interaction is Vivian telling her that she's basically being held at this camp against her will and then locks her in a shed. There's nothing romantic about that one.
I really wanted to like this one, so I'm disappointed that I wasn't even able to get all the way through it.
I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Into the Streets is a great look at social uprising over the years in the United States. It includes a brief history lesson on numerous protests ranging from slave revolts to the Delano Grape Strike. A lot of the events (the Stonewall Riots, The Ferguson Uprising, the Wounded Knee Standoff) are typically not taught in standard text books, but are very important for young people to learn about. It feels like it covered a lot of ground and didn't seem to leave out any important moments or groups from history.
This book is perfect for younger people because it's written in very easy to understand words and is very well organized. All of the protests appear chronologically and include a brief history of what led up to the moment as well as key players behind the protests.
Bieschke didn't write this book only to inform young readers about protests in the past, but he also includes tips on how to organize your own protest at the very end of the book.
Overall, this was an informative, easy read and I will definitely be buying myself a copy of this.
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is perfect for younger people because it's written in very easy to understand words and is very well organized. All of the protests appear chronologically and include a brief history of what led up to the moment as well as key players behind the protests.
Bieschke didn't write this book only to inform young readers about protests in the past, but he also includes tips on how to organize your own protest at the very end of the book.
Overall, this was an informative, easy read and I will definitely be buying myself a copy of this.
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.