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emilycait's reviews
1460 reviews
Mrs. Nobody by Y. S. Lee
medium-paced
2.0
I received access to a copy of Mrs. Nobody from the publishers for work.
I didn't love this... Mostly we watch Alice behaving badly under the direction of her imaginary friend Mrs. Nobody. One day, Alice decides to stand up to Mrs. Nobody and Mrs. Nobody throws a tantrum and leaves briefly. When she returns, Alice and her make up and Alice suggests that they do some of her ideas.... which are also behaving badly.
I kinda thought this would be a growth moment for Alice, learning/becoming aware that doing things like permanent marker drawing on the walls or cutting your own micro bangs might not be such great ways to play. Alas... This one is a miss for me.
I didn't love this... Mostly we watch Alice behaving badly under the direction of her imaginary friend Mrs. Nobody. One day, Alice decides to stand up to Mrs. Nobody and Mrs. Nobody throws a tantrum and leaves briefly. When she returns, Alice and her make up and Alice suggests that they do some of her ideas.... which are also behaving badly.
I kinda thought this would be a growth moment for Alice, learning/becoming aware that doing things like permanent marker drawing on the walls or cutting your own micro bangs might not be such great ways to play. Alas... This one is a miss for me.
Home for Margaret by Denise Davy
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.0
I received access to an ARC from the publishers for work.
I really enjoyed the gentle education on unhoused folks. While somewhat idyllic (obviously this is for kids), I think it does a good job of showing how kindness and empathy can and do make an impact on those we interact with in our communities.
The illustrations are GORGEOUS! The texture of pencil crayons (?) over the watercolour backgrounds are a delightful visual feast.
I really enjoyed the gentle education on unhoused folks. While somewhat idyllic (obviously this is for kids), I think it does a good job of showing how kindness and empathy can and do make an impact on those we interact with in our communities.
The illustrations are GORGEOUS! The texture of pencil crayons (?) over the watercolour backgrounds are a delightful visual feast.
Everybelly by Thao Lam
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
I received access to a copy of Everybelly from the publishers through work.
I LOVE the illustrations here! The paper collage adds so much texture and visual interest to this story as we follow a kiddo from their apartment to the community pool. I love that we get a kids view of the world -- belly height -- and only other children have faces. I love seeing cellulite and scars of all kids -- c-sections, open abdominal surgery, top surgery -- and stomas and diabetic monitors. Seeing big bellies, soft bellies, bellies that work out, bellies with hair. It is so beautifully done!
I LOVE the illustrations here! The paper collage adds so much texture and visual interest to this story as we follow a kiddo from their apartment to the community pool. I love that we get a kids view of the world -- belly height -- and only other children have faces. I love seeing cellulite and scars of all kids -- c-sections, open abdominal surgery, top surgery -- and stomas and diabetic monitors. Seeing big bellies, soft bellies, bellies that work out, bellies with hair. It is so beautifully done!
Community Snowman by Deborah Kerbel
hopeful
lighthearted
4.0
I received access to an ARC from the publishers through work.
Benjamin Grows a Garden, Volume 2 by Melanie Florence
5.0
I received an ARC from the publishers through work.
Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
What a bizarre little read. I have so many questions! I think this would make a fantastic horror book club or buddy read. So many moments I think would be fascinating to talk through and see how folks interpreted what exactly was happening.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
fast-paced
Not sure how to rate this.
5/5 stars for a fun silly goofy time. It felt like being 15 and getting my hands on the latest Twilight or HP. Reading in a community of equally excited readers online is capturing something I haven't experienced in a while. This story consumed my life for TWO days and I immediately ordered the next two in the series. I get why people are loving this!
1/5 stars for writing. If I think about the logic behind world building, the rules of dragon war college, the paternalistic behaviour of Xaden vs Dain... the list goes on, it falls apart. Pick any piece of world building we've been given and expand or push it to its logical conclusion and it crumples like wet cardboard. This is also a book for people who have never read fantasy or a romance before. The plot points are all predictable/obvious if you're familiar with both genres. (That's not necessarily a bad thing; feeling smart when you've predicted the correct "plot twist" or feeling safe because you know exactly where a story is going can sometimes be a good thing.)
I think the biggest pro of FW is that it's high-low literature for adults. High-low is something I see working in kids lit to engage reluctant readers: high interest concept, low barrier to entry in terms of writing. It's clearly hitting with a broad variety of readers who don't normally read fantasy or romance; talking about this book with people IRL, they are very much people who wouldn't identify as a Reader who picked this up at the drugstore because TikTok served it to them. And non-readers/casual readers finding a way into reading maybe some more challenging things in the future isn't bad.
5/5 stars for a fun silly goofy time. It felt like being 15 and getting my hands on the latest Twilight or HP. Reading in a community of equally excited readers online is capturing something I haven't experienced in a while. This story consumed my life for TWO days and I immediately ordered the next two in the series. I get why people are loving this!
1/5 stars for writing. If I think about the logic behind world building, the rules of dragon war college, the paternalistic behaviour of Xaden vs Dain... the list goes on, it falls apart. Pick any piece of world building we've been given and expand or push it to its logical conclusion and it crumples like wet cardboard. This is also a book for people who have never read fantasy or a romance before. The plot points are all predictable/obvious if you're familiar with both genres. (That's not necessarily a bad thing; feeling smart when you've predicted the correct "plot twist" or feeling safe because you know exactly where a story is going can sometimes be a good thing.)
I think the biggest pro of FW is that it's high-low literature for adults. High-low is something I see working in kids lit to engage reluctant readers: high interest concept, low barrier to entry in terms of writing. It's clearly hitting with a broad variety of readers who don't normally read fantasy or romance; talking about this book with people IRL, they are very much people who wouldn't identify as a Reader who picked this up at the drugstore because TikTok served it to them. And non-readers/casual readers finding a way into reading maybe some more challenging things in the future isn't bad.