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cgj13's reviews
588 reviews
The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman
5.0
I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
Well, since it's not released yet, no quotes.
Every book in this series gets better. We see alliances happen where we least expect them and Irene/Ray starts to shed that little bit of naivety that she still has. The drama in this book is supremely exciting and a page turner. We get to see that Irene is evolving and no longer is viewing the world as black and white, right or wrong, but she still sticks to her morals and to the core of who she is, even when she is betrayed.
I am curious as to why my copy shows 295 pages and all the copies on good reads have 350+. Maybe more was added? I will have to check out the published version when it comes out.
I have more I want to say, but they would be spoilers, so I will hold those until later. However based on the events in the book, I know this is not the end of the story and I can't wait for more.
Well, since it's not released yet, no quotes.
Every book in this series gets better. We see alliances happen where we least expect them and Irene/Ray starts to shed that little bit of naivety that she still has. The drama in this book is supremely exciting and a page turner. We get to see that Irene is evolving and no longer is viewing the world as black and white, right or wrong, but she still sticks to her morals and to the core of who she is, even when she is betrayed.
I am curious as to why my copy shows 295 pages and all the copies on good reads have 350+. Maybe more was added? I will have to check out the published version when it comes out.
I have more I want to say, but they would be spoilers, so I will hold those until later. However based on the events in the book, I know this is not the end of the story and I can't wait for more.
The STEM Club Goes Exploring by Lois Melbourne
4.0
3.5-4 stars. Can't quite decide. There is a ton of information in this book about exploring potential STEM careers. That is above a 4 star rating. But it looks like a picture book. That's great for illustrating the text, but that compresses all the text down into some tight spaces. A few more pages for the book would have helped resolve it--But would have messed with the two page layout of each career path.
The author covers lots of ground on the vast array of STEM careers out there, and gives a great high-level glimpse into different industries/areas of study that kids might be interested in pursuing based on their strengths and interests.
The author covers lots of ground on the vast array of STEM careers out there, and gives a great high-level glimpse into different industries/areas of study that kids might be interested in pursuing based on their strengths and interests.
The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
5.0
I received this as an advanced reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
"How could people be so mean to each other when isn't everyone just the same anyway and why can't anyone work that out" -Jimmie
This is an amazing pre-teen novel that brings to light modern day societal issues. Subhi is a 10 year old boy who has lived his entire life in an Australian detention center for Rohingya refugees. It's a sad, yet interesting viewpoint. He has no reference of comparison of life outside the camp, which causes conflict between him and others. He knows the violence he has seen inside, and learned the rules of "living" in the camp, such as how to avoid being beat, the dual-face of the overseers when the outside comes to the camp, but he doesn't know the sweetness of living free. We learn that his father has been removed from this camp and Subhi spends the entire story waiting for him to return. His imagination has him believe that his father sends him messages via "treasures" that roll in during "the night sea". Something only he can see. I believe that this is his minds way of trying to make sense of his limited life.
Then there is his relationship with Jimmie, real or imagined? That one I think will remain a mystery to me. It seems implausible that it could be, but maybe...
Because of the intended age of the reader, this portrayal tends to stay on the safe side of violence, but does venture there. It would do justice to the issues refugees face in detention camps if that was glossed over. That might be disturbing to younger readers.
This is artful piece of fiction that is used to explore contemporary world issues.
Quotes:
Dedication: "To those who refuse the be blinded by the glare, or deafened by the hush, who are brace enough to question, and curious enough to explore. To those who will not forget. You will make a difference. And to the rest of us, So that we may learn."
"Someday and will see that looking back is just as important as looking forward, no matter how much sad it carries" -Subhi
"How could people be so mean to each other when isn't everyone just the same anyway and why can't anyone work that out" -Jimmie
"If we al sing together, our song can light up the dark" -Subhi
"How could people be so mean to each other when isn't everyone just the same anyway and why can't anyone work that out" -Jimmie
This is an amazing pre-teen novel that brings to light modern day societal issues. Subhi is a 10 year old boy who has lived his entire life in an Australian detention center for Rohingya refugees. It's a sad, yet interesting viewpoint. He has no reference of comparison of life outside the camp, which causes conflict between him and others. He knows the violence he has seen inside, and learned the rules of "living" in the camp, such as how to avoid being beat, the dual-face of the overseers when the outside comes to the camp, but he doesn't know the sweetness of living free. We learn that his father has been removed from this camp and Subhi spends the entire story waiting for him to return. His imagination has him believe that his father sends him messages via "treasures" that roll in during "the night sea". Something only he can see. I believe that this is his minds way of trying to make sense of his limited life.
Then there is his relationship with Jimmie, real or imagined? That one I think will remain a mystery to me. It seems implausible that it could be, but maybe...
Because of the intended age of the reader, this portrayal tends to stay on the safe side of violence, but does venture there. It would do justice to the issues refugees face in detention camps if that was glossed over. That might be disturbing to younger readers.
This is artful piece of fiction that is used to explore contemporary world issues.
Quotes:
Dedication: "To those who refuse the be blinded by the glare, or deafened by the hush, who are brace enough to question, and curious enough to explore. To those who will not forget. You will make a difference. And to the rest of us, So that we may learn."
"Someday and will see that looking back is just as important as looking forward, no matter how much sad it carries" -Subhi
"How could people be so mean to each other when isn't everyone just the same anyway and why can't anyone work that out" -Jimmie
"If we al sing together, our song can light up the dark" -Subhi
The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison
5.0
Wow!!! This book really gripped me and pulled me in. I did not expect to like a book with this subject matter so much, but the story telling drew me in
Told from the perspective of one of the butterflies from the garden. It is apparent that some incident happened in the garden and she is being questioned by the police.
The manner in which the story is a meandering representation of her life in the garden. It was a fascinating way to tell the story.
Told from the perspective of one of the butterflies from the garden. It is apparent that some incident happened in the garden and she is being questioned by the police.
The manner in which the story is a meandering representation of her life in the garden. It was a fascinating way to tell the story.
Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz
5.0
Has anyone one else become super creeped out by stories with Gingerbread men in it since reading this book??? I work in a library and all the books checked out over Christmas are coming back and I being flooded with children's books with Gingerbread men in them. I know it was such a minor part of the story, but wow--this is the affect Dean Koontz's writing can have on you.
This was a brilliant story. I will admit that I was taking the story line at face value at first. Not realizing he was spinning an fantastical supernatural aspect around Bibi. Of course being a reader of Koontz's work for a long time, I should have known, yet he wrote the story so well, that I couldn't pick it out.
And then--when halfway through the book, he lays all the cards on the table. But Bibi's plight goes deeper yet, and you are driven to find out how everything will end.
A page turner from start to end.
This was a brilliant story. I will admit that I was taking the story line at face value at first. Not realizing he was spinning an fantastical supernatural aspect around Bibi. Of course being a reader of Koontz's work for a long time, I should have known, yet he wrote the story so well, that I couldn't pick it out.
And then--when halfway through the book, he lays all the cards on the table. But Bibi's plight goes deeper yet, and you are driven to find out how everything will end.
A page turner from start to end.
Poppy Pickle by Emma Yarlett
5.0
Sometimes a children's book comes across my hands and strikes my fancy so much that I decide to review it.
I love love love books that showcase the wild imaginations of children. There is just something so pure about that innocence and freedom.
Poppy is sent to clean her room and instead her imagination takes control and the most crazy part of all, her imaginations come to life.
But as things do, it soon gets out of control and Poppy needs to figure a way out to make order happen.
This book is not a quick glance through and be done. There is so much detail in her imagination that you must take note of it all.
I love love love books that showcase the wild imaginations of children. There is just something so pure about that innocence and freedom.
Poppy is sent to clean her room and instead her imagination takes control and the most crazy part of all, her imaginations come to life.
But as things do, it soon gets out of control and Poppy needs to figure a way out to make order happen.
This book is not a quick glance through and be done. There is so much detail in her imagination that you must take note of it all.
Pumpkin: The Raccoon Who Thought She Was a Dog by Laura Young
4.0
We had a fun time reading this as a family. Great photos and snippets of an unusual pet. Very cute
The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
4.0
I received this book as an advanced reader copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
WOW! Wow, wow, wow.
That is how I felt ending this book. A surprise twist at the end that I did not expect. Actually two.
This is a new book from Rin Chupecho, possibly a series, but the author says there will be a sequel. This is good, because now I have so many unanswered questions!!!
Tea is a teenager who has magical powers. 2 of her sisters do as well, but her own powers were unknown until, in the grasps of grief over her brothers death, she accidently raises him from the dead. In the middle of his funeral!.
Luckily for Tea, Lady Mykaela, a bone witch is near by and comes to her assistance to help her recover from this instance. And then take her to learn how to become an asha.
This is the part of the book I struggled with. I took the assumption that Asha were very Geisha-esque with magical powers. It's where my mind went when trying to build a picture in my mind of the clothing (hua) and manner of entertainment. I hope this is what the author was trying to portray. If not, I am sorry for making that assumption.
Tea's story is told from two points of view in each chapter. One version is her first person account of how she first discovered her powers and coming to the Valerian to learn to be an Asha. The other point of view is from a Bard who has come upon Tea while she is in exile.
It is from these two points of view that we get a picture that something has happened to Tea to cause her to be placed in exile. The alternative would have been death. We see events that lead up to this from the stories Tea tells us of her apprentice learnings as well as her retelling to the Bard.
And to prevent leaking any spoilers, I will stop there.
WOW! Wow, wow, wow.
That is how I felt ending this book. A surprise twist at the end that I did not expect. Actually two.
This is a new book from Rin Chupecho, possibly a series, but the author says there will be a sequel. This is good, because now I have so many unanswered questions!!!
Tea is a teenager who has magical powers. 2 of her sisters do as well, but her own powers were unknown until, in the grasps of grief over her brothers death, she accidently raises him from the dead. In the middle of his funeral!.
Luckily for Tea, Lady Mykaela, a bone witch is near by and comes to her assistance to help her recover from this instance. And then take her to learn how to become an asha.
This is the part of the book I struggled with. I took the assumption that Asha were very Geisha-esque with magical powers. It's where my mind went when trying to build a picture in my mind of the clothing (hua) and manner of entertainment. I hope this is what the author was trying to portray. If not, I am sorry for making that assumption.
Tea's story is told from two points of view in each chapter. One version is her first person account of how she first discovered her powers and coming to the Valerian to learn to be an Asha. The other point of view is from a Bard who has come upon Tea while she is in exile.
It is from these two points of view that we get a picture that something has happened to Tea to cause her to be placed in exile. The alternative would have been death. We see events that lead up to this from the stories Tea tells us of her apprentice learnings as well as her retelling to the Bard.
And to prevent leaking any spoilers, I will stop there.
The Girl Before by JP Delaney
3.0
I received this as an advanced reader copy from the Publisher via NetGalley.
This is probably a 3.5. Since finishing it, it is growing on me. There are many complex characters in here with many emotional/mental layers to them.
This is another in a series of books that I seem to be gravitating to lately. Stories of women who are missing/abused/killed, etc and set in London. I really need to find a new line of books, they are all meshing together.
I did like this one better than a couple of the others I have read.
This book tells the stories of two women, who through varying circumstances, end up having lived in the same apartment. One to discover that the prior died while living there.
Many parallels are drawn through their time spent living there, that you feel like history is going to repeat it self, maybe for the third time. As we discover that the landlord/owner/architect's wife died there as well. Both women look like the landlord's deceased wife. Both end up enjoying the rules of the house and having relationships with the owner.
This isn't a normal apartment lease. There are rules and stipulations to living there. Tenants must undergo psychological questionnaire's and be subjected to routine monitoring. The apartment is austere and minimalist in design, and tenants must keep it that way.
The mastery of this story is that what we see and think are not always the truth. It is a great whodunnit mystery. However, at the same time you are left with a general unease of how characters are manipulated.
This is probably a 3.5. Since finishing it, it is growing on me. There are many complex characters in here with many emotional/mental layers to them.
This is another in a series of books that I seem to be gravitating to lately. Stories of women who are missing/abused/killed, etc and set in London. I really need to find a new line of books, they are all meshing together.
I did like this one better than a couple of the others I have read.
This book tells the stories of two women, who through varying circumstances, end up having lived in the same apartment. One to discover that the prior died while living there.
Many parallels are drawn through their time spent living there, that you feel like history is going to repeat it self, maybe for the third time. As we discover that the landlord/owner/architect's wife died there as well. Both women look like the landlord's deceased wife. Both end up enjoying the rules of the house and having relationships with the owner.
This isn't a normal apartment lease. There are rules and stipulations to living there. Tenants must undergo psychological questionnaire's and be subjected to routine monitoring. The apartment is austere and minimalist in design, and tenants must keep it that way.
The mastery of this story is that what we see and think are not always the truth. It is a great whodunnit mystery. However, at the same time you are left with a general unease of how characters are manipulated.