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eloracookauthor's Reviews (211)
Okay, I read this back in the summer during my library children's job and I'm adding it because I'm so behind on my Goodreads Challenge (even though I've read many unpublished books but anyway) and this book deserves so many stars. It made me all warm and fuzzy inside reading it (mostly to myself lol) and the illustrations are gorgeous. Anyone with kids should pick this picture book up!
TW: Parental abuse, racism, sexual assault, suicide
This is a book I would never have thought I would enjoy as much as I did. I was given a copy to read with the promise that it was an underrated lovely novel and this is all correct. Though it's categorized as a teen novel, this is definitely more of a literary fiction story centered around the difficult life of 14 y/o Bun O'Keefe in Newfoundland, Canada and how she learns to heal from the help of her misfit older friends.
There were areas that were difficult to read (see the various TW above) and they're all right in your face seen and talked about throughout the story. Because these certain areas and also it being labeled as YA when it is far from what that category holds, I'm leaving a rating off. This isn't my typical style of story to read and I'm really unsure how to accurately rate such a novel. Yet, there is something about this small book that draws you into Bun's life and her troubled friends.
I do think more people should read this literary novel. It's one that holds a lot of pleasant surprises within its small frame - just like Bun O'Keefe :)
This is a book I would never have thought I would enjoy as much as I did. I was given a copy to read with the promise that it was an underrated lovely novel and this is all correct. Though it's categorized as a teen novel, this is definitely more of a literary fiction story centered around the difficult life of 14 y/o Bun O'Keefe in Newfoundland, Canada and how she learns to heal from the help of her misfit older friends.
There were areas that were difficult to read (see the various TW above) and they're all right in your face seen and talked about throughout the story. Because these certain areas and also it being labeled as YA when it is far from what that category holds, I'm leaving a rating off. This isn't my typical style of story to read and I'm really unsure how to accurately rate such a novel. Yet, there is something about this small book that draws you into Bun's life and her troubled friends.
I do think more people should read this literary novel. It's one that holds a lot of pleasant surprises within its small frame - just like Bun O'Keefe :)
Holy shit everyone. HOLY SHIT.
This book picks up 5 months after The Cruel Prince took place and I thought I couldn't love this story, the world, the characters, the schemes, and twists, and murder, and the sexy romance BUT I WAS SO EFFING WRONG. Jude is one of my favourite characters ever and everything about her was so well fleshed out - even her flaws that worked against her in dramatic ways - and her relationship to Cardan just got even more terribly wonderful with venom coating the insides. I loved it. Every. Single. Piece.
We're all going to be deceased until Holly Black restores us with Queen of Nothing, which I have no clue how to wait for until 2020. If you need me, you can find me lying on my floor going over every detail again, trying to understand how I missed so many twists, and wondering what's going to happen to Jude & Cardan. (Man, their scenes alone got me grinning like a middle-aged lady reading some Harlequin for the first time, but waaaay better.)
Though spoiler for one twist I saw coming from The Cruel Prince and want to see retribution for:
I can't wait for the book to officially release so everyone can join me in my misery of not finding out what happens next! It's going to be a wild ride in the last book and I am so ready to be intoxicated with its delicious words once again.
Thanks to my friends Sarena & Sasha for letting me borrow their ARC to read!
This book picks up 5 months after The Cruel Prince took place and I thought I couldn't love this story, the world, the characters, the schemes, and twists, and murder, and the sexy romance BUT I WAS SO EFFING WRONG. Jude is one of my favourite characters ever and everything about her was so well fleshed out - even her flaws that worked against her in dramatic ways - and her relationship to Cardan just got even more terribly wonderful with venom coating the insides. I loved it. Every. Single. Piece.
We're all going to be deceased until Holly Black restores us with Queen of Nothing, which I have no clue how to wait for until 2020. If you need me, you can find me lying on my floor going over every detail again, trying to understand how I missed so many twists, and wondering what's going to happen to Jude & Cardan. (Man, their scenes alone got me grinning like a middle-aged lady reading some Harlequin for the first time, but waaaay better.)
Though spoiler for one twist I saw coming from The Cruel Prince and want to see retribution for:
Spoiler
Taryn betraying Jude was not a surprise at all. She is such a weak sheep in so many regards. Pretending to be her to get half the army for Madoc was just the icing on the cake. Locke using Jude in The Cruel Prince wasn't just his doing, Taryn was a slimy snake for being a part of it and turning a blind eye to all the painfully obvious hints she got that Locke was a snake as well and was out to get Jude. But she's a bitch just as he's an asshole. So naturally, they're perfect together. I just hope Jude realizes that and puts her sister in her place in the end.I can't wait for the book to officially release so everyone can join me in my misery of not finding out what happens next! It's going to be a wild ride in the last book and I am so ready to be intoxicated with its delicious words once again.
Thanks to my friends Sarena & Sasha for letting me borrow their ARC to read!
Another wonderful story by such a lovely author!! It was so interesting to read a contrasting story/tone/main character to Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and see all the fun Easter eggs of Snow White details written throughout. Jade was a heartwarming & honourable young woman and I enjoyed watching her grow from a timid monastery girl to the person she becomes by the end. Wren, her "handmaiden" and best friend was a refreshing relationship to see on a hate-to-love friendship which we don't enough of in YA. I for one want to see more strong girl friendships that are just as important as any romantic ones.
Although this is technically a sequel, there's no insistence that you have to read Forest before picking up this one. I LOVE Forest though, so definitely recommend if you haven't already, but Kingdom stands apart so much that you can read it without any confusion. You'll miss some of the fun hints of past characters though if you don't read Forest first!
My favourite part of this novel was definitely Act 1 while we're in the Imperial Palace! The court intrigue and games played in Forest were some of my favourite parts of that novel and it was great to see it done in this book too. Quest, unfortunately, are not my thing, so I had a bit of a hard time once our gang of misfits took off on their adventure. I wish we had seen more Imperial Palace setting since I think it was the strongest areas of this story and Forest. Totally my subjective opinion though!
Overall, definitely pick this story up and FOREST! It's been a great experience reading a Chinese retelling of Snow White in a YA Fantasy that hasn't been done before. I can't wait to see what new stories Julie comes up with!
Although this is technically a sequel, there's no insistence that you have to read Forest before picking up this one. I LOVE Forest though, so definitely recommend if you haven't already, but Kingdom stands apart so much that you can read it without any confusion. You'll miss some of the fun hints of past characters though if you don't read Forest first!
Spoiler
Like Wei making an appearance and playing such a massive role in the climax! I suspected Ming was him early on and knew he would be the one to end Xifeng's life, but I thought it was very poetic.My favourite part of this novel was definitely Act 1 while we're in the Imperial Palace! The court intrigue and games played in Forest were some of my favourite parts of that novel and it was great to see it done in this book too. Quest, unfortunately, are not my thing, so I had a bit of a hard time once our gang of misfits took off on their adventure. I wish we had seen more Imperial Palace setting since I think it was the strongest areas of this story and Forest. Totally my subjective opinion though!
Overall, definitely pick this story up and FOREST! It's been a great experience reading a Chinese retelling of Snow White in a YA Fantasy that hasn't been done before. I can't wait to see what new stories Julie comes up with!
I know I'm so behind the eight ball for reading & reviewing this trilogy, but here I am proclaiming my love for it now!! I loved Lara Jean's authentic teen voice and all the fun, quirky, hilarious trouble she got up to with the other characters. Peter is also just as loveable in the books as he is in the film! Funny enough, I don't dislike Gen as much as I do Margot. I find her so snobbish and hypocritical many times and I was glad when she was in Scotland most of the story.
I'm diving into P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU right away and can't wait to continue this sweet story!! ♡♡
I'm diving into P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU right away and can't wait to continue this sweet story!! ♡♡
Let's just say I finished this for my sanity's sake. The Goodreads Challenge was way too much for me this year. From what I've read so far in this book though, it's been so insightful and already making me consider my characters and their scenes differently. Can't wait to see what else there is to learn.
This was a fun and thoughtful read! I enjoyed the flowery prose and the writing style that had a mix of traditional story-telling, letters, poetry, and screenplay-like chapters. I've learned things about a trans woman's life and journey that never occurred to me before.
The reason this lost a star for me was because there were some areas that were a little too purple prose-y for me and made it difficult to understand what the character was talking about. Overall though this was a good, quick read for class.
The reason this lost a star for me was because there were some areas that were a little too purple prose-y for me and made it difficult to understand what the character was talking about. Overall though this was a good, quick read for class.
"Because the purpose of a memory, I would argue, is to remind us how to live."
This is one of the most beautifully heart-wrenching books I've ever read. And I absolutely loved it so much. The Astonishing Color of After, welcome to my top favourite books of all time.
This book is a whopper in size for a magical realism (though I wonder if contemporary fantasy is a better term to use?) book and I understand if some people are intimidated/weary of beginning such a large book that isn't high fantasy or historical fantasy. But let me be the one to tell you that the story is so so worth it. I finished this last night and throughout the final chapters was bawling my eyes out at how real and connected I felt to Leigh and everything she had to say about grief, loss, love, family, and new beginnings.
Going into this book, be prepared for the heaviness of it's subject matter as well. TW: the whole premise resolves around the mother's death by suicide, but I saw no flaws in how Emily X.R. Pan dealt with the difficult topic. Everything Leigh dealt with was so genuine, she was a grieving teenager who made flawed decisions and thoughts, but grew into a beautiful strong person I understood so well.
The writing is very poetic, but so well done that you're not lost by confusing, pretty words that don't have any use on the page. Everything had a purpose and it all brought you, the reader, to feel what Leigh was feeling and see her emotional journey as if you too are experiencing it.
Overall, I loved this book. I am heartbroken because of this book. It struck every nerve and I wouldn't have it any other way. If you're prepared for an emotional story, I highly recommend this one.
"She was the color of home."
This is one of the most beautifully heart-wrenching books I've ever read. And I absolutely loved it so much. The Astonishing Color of After, welcome to my top favourite books of all time.
This book is a whopper in size for a magical realism (though I wonder if contemporary fantasy is a better term to use?) book and I understand if some people are intimidated/weary of beginning such a large book that isn't high fantasy or historical fantasy. But let me be the one to tell you that the story is so so worth it. I finished this last night and throughout the final chapters was bawling my eyes out at how real and connected I felt to Leigh and everything she had to say about grief, loss, love, family, and new beginnings.
Going into this book, be prepared for the heaviness of it's subject matter as well. TW: the whole premise resolves around the mother's death by suicide, but I saw no flaws in how Emily X.R. Pan dealt with the difficult topic. Everything Leigh dealt with was so genuine, she was a grieving teenager who made flawed decisions and thoughts, but grew into a beautiful strong person I understood so well.
The writing is very poetic, but so well done that you're not lost by confusing, pretty words that don't have any use on the page. Everything had a purpose and it all brought you, the reader, to feel what Leigh was feeling and see her emotional journey as if you too are experiencing it.
Overall, I loved this book. I am heartbroken because of this book. It struck every nerve and I wouldn't have it any other way. If you're prepared for an emotional story, I highly recommend this one.
"She was the color of home."