ashleyreads88's reviews
593 reviews

Big Tree by Brian Selznick

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

Brian Selznick has a way of telling a story through prose and illustrations.  There were parts of Big Tree that were heartbreaking, happy, and hopeful.  I loved the brother/sister relationship between Merwin and Louise.  I did find that Big Tree was somewhat philosophical but in a good way, it makes you think about things and put things into perspective. 

I loved it when Louise and Merwin were reunited, it was heartwarming.

 Big Tree is a great read.

The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds

adventurous

This did a good job of telling the story of The Odyssey visually and textually.  The most important pieces of The Odyssey were there which for me was appreciated.  I enjoyed reading this.

The Iliad by Gareth Hinds

adventurous fast-paced

While a lot of content had to be cut, I found that this was a good adaptation that got the most important pieces of Homer's Epic.  I loved the artwork and how it helped visually tell the story.  I do recommend reading Homer's Epic first as the graphic novel adaptation will make more sense.

To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Lindsey Nyx Walker
Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.

I love space and was excited to read this book, however, I found that it was too dense and too scientific.

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

There was sadness, adventure, and a bit of romance in this book.  Nettle and Bone is a short fantasy novel in which the main character, Mara has to complete three tasks to

save her sister from a loveless, abusive marriage.

The magic is complex but easy to understand.  Mara, after seeing what her sister, Damia goes through

decides to go to the convent to avoid getting married but still goes home to see her family because she still holds the title of princess.

Mara eventually does meet someone named Fenrir.  I loved how Mara and Fenrir's relationship develops because for so long Mara didn't trust men and for good reason.  There was a minor plot twist that I did not see coming and it was perfectly placed.  Nettle and Bone was a great read and I loved it.

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I loved this book and how it had a story within the story.  My favorite storylines were Zeno's Anna's, Omeir's, and Konstance's.  Seymour didn't have my favorite at the beginning but I appreciated his growth.  There was a point in the story where the storylines of the different characters overlap and this was done seamlessly.  There were parts of the story that were sad, but overall Cloud Cuckoo Land was a great read.

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Lost in the Moment and Found is a heartbreaking story.  It's about how things that were lost can be found again, just maybe not where one would expect.  I loved Vineta, Hudson, and Sakos and how they became Antsy's found family.  Antsy grew a lot in this book, and I loved how her character was written and developed.  Antsy experienced things that no child should ever have to experience.  There is more to Antsy's story and I can't wait to read it in Mislaid in Parts Half-Known. 

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-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

Where The Drowned Girls Go is the epitome of the grass isn't always greener.  In Where The Drowned Girls Go, Cora starts realizing this

after transferring from Miss Eleanor's to the Whitehorn Institute which is much darker and strict.

As Cora starts figuring things out about Whitehorn she concocts a plan with the help of newfound friends

to get back to Miss Eleanor's, which they do.

I loved the story and the world that Seanan created in this book.

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Fiona Davis never disappoints.  I loved how The Spectacular wove two different periods of time of the main character together which breaks away from Davis' formula ever so slightly as her books in the past were two time periods and two different characters.  I love Marion and how she had her dreams and went after them.  I loved the complex family dynamic of Marion, her father, and her sister.  I loved how there was a mystery/crime-solving aspect of the story.  I loved how the story ended and how happy it was.

Caveat Emptor: The Secret Life of an American Art Forger by Ken Perenyi

slow-paced

While not my normal read, I did find this book interesting.  I had no idea art forgery was a thing until reading this book, and reading about the process was interesting too.  I did think some things could have been left out and were just filler, but other than that it was an okay read.