hickorynut's reviews
349 reviews

Princess Kaguya's Lunar Leap by Mel Tong

lighthearted fast-paced

1.5

I was disappointed by the style in which this was written as it felt very inauthentic to a child's mannerisms and the mythology was difficult to follow due to constant interruptions and confusing interpretations. I didn't really take anything away from this and am still confused about the actual mythological story and will need to find a different source to help me better understand it.

Radio Apocalypse by Kayleigh Gallagher

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

This was an intriguing premise about a radio broadcast bringing together two young survivors of the apocalypse together from across the planet. Rachel lives in the UK, finding Lota/Lauren's radio broadcast from across the ocean and finding a way to communicate back to her. They are the only members of the human race we come into contact with during this book, having survived an unspecified apocalypse that took most of the world and left behind terrifying humanoid creatures.

Unfortunately the pacing and elements felt unbalanced. The chapters were short and easy to get through. A great deal of the book was the two finding and making their way to each other, and then their relationship quickly develops into a romantic one. But then towards the end there is an added layer of mysterious and distressing visions and seeking answers to a very complex new world full of humanoid beings that are not accessible. It feels thrown in at the last minute to make the apocalypse somehow mystically tied to the remaining characters but then the book just ends without any real resolution or understanding of how the world was structured and their place in it. We get hints at their backstory but no answers on what truly happened and how they both managed to survive with no other contact with any other humans. We see them start to catalogue and interact with the humanoid beings, but in a very distant way where it doesn't seem like a conscious choice they made. Overall just disappointed with how many elements weren't fully finished and left so many unsatisfying plot holes unfinished.

Squire & Knight, Volume 1 by Scott Chantler

adventurous funny fast-paced

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

3.25

A short and simple adventure featuring an egotistical knight with questionable conquests and his quiet studious squire. They arrive at a town under terror from a nearby dragon, and the knight ventures out alone to slay it. The squire, left back at town, begins reading and piecing together bits of the town's history, ultimately discovering that the dragon's role is quite different and there is a wizard amongst them. 

Flying Kites: A Story of the 2013 California Prison Hunger Strike by The Stanford Graphic Novel Project

challenging informative tense fast-paced

4.5

An incredibly well portrayed story of an incarcerated man in long-term solitary confinement who takes part in the 2013 prison hunger strike. It was packed with historical information and details from both inside and outside the prison, and artwork that was starkly emotive. I left with far more knowledge about prison reform in general, not just for solitary confinement. It was a very accessible read though the final pages that go through the history and creation of the book are text heavy in a font that is a bit hard to read in large paragraphs.

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

3.5

Bud is an 11 year old orphan living in the 1930s. He is placed into an abusive foster home, deciding to escape and go on a journey to find who he suspects is his father. It follows Bud's journey across Michigan and his encounters with people along the way. Ultimately he finds his way to family who didn't know he existed. 

It was a simple and easy to read tale that wove some of the struggles of black Americans during the 1930s, but ultimately focused on hope and community.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

adventurous hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A story following a black family living in Flint Michigan during the 1960s and their road trip back to Birmingham Alabama to stay with relatives. It focuses on the perspective of Kenny, the middle child, frustrated by his older bully brother and annoyed by his younger naive sister. Despite that, their family is connected in beautiful bonds and they share and show great love for each other. This delved into some of the difficulties facing black families during the 1960s, like having to plan safe travelling routes and encountering an act of severe terrorism.

Ladycastle by Delilah S. Dawson

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

This book had such a fun concept with a gorgeous cast of unique and diverse characters. The artwork was beautifully rendered and character design included diverse body shapes, skin tones, clothing preferences, abilities/disabilities, and ethnicities. Overall it was a really interesting concept of the women taking over control of the kingdom after their men are killed and finding new ways to approach community and conflict resolution. 

Unfortunately I found the storytelling and pacing to be a bit of a struggle. A lot of actions are implied to take place out of the frame and you have to fill in the gaps on your own instead of getting to witness the artwork and visual expression of those moments. It led for many moments where I had to flip back and forth making sure I had not missed a page. The first few pages were also particularly chaotic and confusing and I had to read through them a few times before I understood who was speaking and what the relationships were. I think this could have been a really amazing longer form book with more detailed scenes that allow us to truly see the characters develop and sit with them in those important moments.

Root Magic by Eden Royce

adventurous mysterious medium-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

4.0

It's the 1960s and Jez and her twin brother Jay are about to turn 11, facing many changes in their life: the death of their grandmother, Jez skipping a grade, the harassment of a local police officer, the mystery of their absent father, and the introduction to learning rootwork from their uncle. We follow Jez's point of view as she develops her rootwork abilities and becomes friends with a mystical being that ends up protecting her and her family. 

This was a complicated book in the sense that it had many layers - magical realism, historical fiction, etc. But it was written in a very accessible way that also educated the readers on aspects of black history that are often overlooked.

Salt Magic by Hope Larson, Rebecca Mock

adventurous 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? No

4.25

An intriguing tale about a girl named Vonceil whose family is cursed by a salt witch to never have access to fresh water at their home and farm. Her brother Elber has recently returned from the war, scarred both inside and out. He was unknowingly the affection of the salt witch, and so when he marries, she curses the family. Vonceil sets off to find a way to reverse the curse to save her family and home. Multiple storylines from different time periods are shown and we are drawn into a world full of unusual magical beings, with a bittersweet ending.

Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper

challenging dark sad tense medium-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? No

4.75

Amari's journey begins with her a content, betrothed young teen in her village in Africa. Pale-skinned strangers approach her community and they are greeted warmly and welcomed with a grand celebration that ends as they turn upon the villagers, massacring many and enslaving those remaining. Amari is taken captive, and forced to begin a long journey shackled to her peers to reach the shore and ship awaiting them.

Amari survives her journey at sea, losing the remainder of her dignity and innocence. She is sold to a plantation owner alongside a young white girl named Polly burdened by a family debt of 14 years of service. Despite their differences, their efforts to survive bring them closer and eventually allow them to escape together.

Despite being for younger readers, this book does not shy away from the stark, horrendous realities that awaited enslaved folks. It captures only a fraction of the cruelty truly endured, but alludes to more. Absolutely a critically important piece of history that the author crafted in a devastatingly realistic way.