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emmanovella's reviews
670 reviews
Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
5.0
This audiobook was a ten out of ten - amazing production.
I felt fully immersed, I loved both the general story and the podcast sections. I had so many theories while listening and it just totally hooked me.
I didn't guess the big reveal (or at least the one I think was intended to shock the most) and my main theory for how the book would go was wrong and I love that. Maybe it is predictable and for whatever reason I just didn't clock it but either way - I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this!
I felt fully immersed, I loved both the general story and the podcast sections. I had so many theories while listening and it just totally hooked me.
I didn't guess the big reveal (or at least the one I think was intended to shock the most) and my main theory for how the book would go was wrong and I love that. Maybe it is predictable and for whatever reason I just didn't clock it but either way - I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this!
How I Saved the World in a Week by Polly Ho-Yen
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised by this one.
I picked up the audiobook and was surprised at the length, and I also went into it not knowing anything about it.
The beginning was quite slow and I couldn't really see where things were going, but then after Billy went to his Dad's it really picked up and did so again once the main crux of the story (the greys) got into it.
I thought this was done really well - it handled Billy's mum's paranoia, the strained relationship between Billy and his Dad and new step family. The new friendships. It's all just done so well and it feels like a really good foray into dystopia for kids. It was exactly what I needed right now.
I picked up the audiobook and was surprised at the length, and I also went into it not knowing anything about it.
The beginning was quite slow and I couldn't really see where things were going, but then after Billy went to his Dad's it really picked up and did so again once the main crux of the story (the greys) got into it.
I thought this was done really well - it handled Billy's mum's paranoia, the strained relationship between Billy and his Dad and new step family. The new friendships. It's all just done so well and it feels like a really good foray into dystopia for kids. It was exactly what I needed right now.
The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
I really wanted to love this but in the end, I lost interest.
This was LONGGGG and to be honest, I could barely tell you what happened as it failed to keep my interest. I definitely missed out on any excitement of reveals as I'd not kept up with who was who and it just wasn't for me.
This was LONGGGG and to be honest, I could barely tell you what happened as it failed to keep my interest. I definitely missed out on any excitement of reveals as I'd not kept up with who was who and it just wasn't for me.
Remember, Remember by Elle Machray
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I will find the words for this one day
The Infinite by Patience Agbabi
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
After by Anna Todd
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
I've heard nothing but good things about Nnedi Okorafor's books and was so excited for this one. I was struggling to stay engaged with this one - I couldn't find a speed that suited me along with the speed of the narrator, so I had to go slightly too fast and let it get ahead f me as otherwise it was too slow and I'd have completely turned off. This meant I wasn't really keeping up and not fully invested. I had debated just dnf'ing and accepting it wasn't for me, but I was still interested in where it would go.. however I wish I had stopped.
In the last 20% we are introduced to an evil chief who I don't think was referred to without mention of his fatness - going so far as to say his fatness isn't normal but a literal sign of how evil he is. It also got dangerously close to ableism with my liking when we're first introduced to him and Ejii says he's so fat he can't walk.
At one point there is a casual mention of him clenching his fists and it's written as "his fat fist". There is simply no need for it.
It made me, a fat disabled person, feel really uncomfortable and honestly a bit angry.
I can absolutely accept characters having problematic thoughts, but this was purely used to evidence how evil this man was. I saw nothing in Ejii to suggest she would be fatphobic and it wasn't used to better her character.
There was also a comment in regards to creatures knowing if the person riding them is a man or a woman even if they've dressed as the other which I would have worded better as with it being a throwaway comment, it does risk veering close to being transphobic.
I realise this was originally published in 2007, but I'd have thought one of the benefits of reworking and republishing a book so many years later is that you can change theses sorts of things. I guess not - though I'm not sure what the point would be in reworking it otherwise.
It does make me hesitant to pick up the sequel or more of this author's work as if they didn't feel they needed to change this now, I don't really want to risk reading more fatphobic content, which is a shame given how many good things I've heard and how great the plots sound.
In the last 20% we are introduced to an evil chief who I don't think was referred to without mention of his fatness - going so far as to say his fatness isn't normal but a literal sign of how evil he is. It also got dangerously close to ableism with my liking when we're first introduced to him and Ejii says he's so fat he can't walk.
At one point there is a casual mention of him clenching his fists and it's written as "his fat fist". There is simply no need for it.
It made me, a fat disabled person, feel really uncomfortable and honestly a bit angry.
I can absolutely accept characters having problematic thoughts, but this was purely used to evidence how evil this man was. I saw nothing in Ejii to suggest she would be fatphobic and it wasn't used to better her character.
There was also a comment in regards to creatures knowing if the person riding them is a man or a woman even if they've dressed as the other which I would have worded better as with it being a throwaway comment, it does risk veering close to being transphobic.
I realise this was originally published in 2007, but I'd have thought one of the benefits of reworking and republishing a book so many years later is that you can change theses sorts of things. I guess not - though I'm not sure what the point would be in reworking it otherwise.
It does make me hesitant to pick up the sequel or more of this author's work as if they didn't feel they needed to change this now, I don't really want to risk reading more fatphobic content, which is a shame given how many good things I've heard and how great the plots sound.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
Yours from the Tower by Sally Nicholls
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
I wasn’t sure what to think of this at first but I did really enjoy it. It wasn’t overly exciting - given it being told via the letters sent between the characters it made any climatic moments duller as it was being told second hand but that said, it was a nice change of pace and just an enjoyable read to pop on and dip back in to their lives.