hickorynut's reviews
386 reviews

House of Frank by Kay Synclaire

emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

A beautiful exploration into the various phases of grief and the ways in which we cope, honor our loved ones, and move forward. Saika is a modest witch who comes to Ash Gardens, a place of magic where her sister requested her ashes be buried. She is lost and crushed by her grief but finds companionship in the other members of the house of Ash Gardens, and is offered a position and room to stay. Upon accepting, she finds herself a part of a community and family that care for each other in the deepest ways.

This follows as the members of the Ash Gardens family work together to save their ailing, cursed home while also healing each other along the way. There are an abundance of unique characters with diverse qualities and lovely queer representation and acceptance. It was easy to fall in love with all of them, and beautifully bittersweet to watch their complicated stories unfold.

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

While vastly different from the movies, this was a quirky read with unique witty characters. Instead of Hiccup being the first to train a dragon, considered a dangerous pest, the book shows a society that has already established a bond between humans and dragons. Each person must select/steal their own dragon at a certain age to remain a member of the community. But while the dragons are somewhat bonded to their people, they are still wild, distrustful, and ready to flee when given the chance. The only known method of training a dragon is to yell at it.

Hiccup becomes the first to learn to speak with dragons rather than ask them to submit to him, and he helps his community realize there are new ways to communicate and manage their dragon companions. When their home is threatened by gigantic dragons, he uses his ability to speak to them to save his community and home.

The Boy Who Painted the World by Melody J. Bremen

emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

3.75

This was a sweet story about a boy named Indigo who is left by his mother and raised on the streets by an older girl, Jade. She ensures he has food, shelter, and companionship, as well as encourages his love of art and drawing. When she is separated from Indigo, he leaves the area they had been relying on and makes his way through the world on his own, ultimately finding a family and community that adores him, pulled together by his artwork.

So B. It by Sarah Weeks

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

3.75

Heidi is an eleven year old girl raised by her agoraphobic neighbor Bernadette and her mother, a woman with mental impairment, memory issues, and learning disabilities, affectionately referred to as Precious. Her mother's story is unknown, and Heidi does not know where they come from. But as she grows she is more and more curious of their backgrounds and who they are, and she alone embarks upon a journey to piece together their past. Ultimately she finds her way to a home for folks with disabilities that had once housed her mother, finding answers as to who her family is and greater understanding of her mother's past.

This carefully relayed the very real experiences of folks with agoraphobia and mental impairment, and how isolated people can often slip through the cracks unnoticed. It's raw and realistic about the realities of their lives and how people interact with them. Overall a book with several important perspectives to consider.

Wayward Creatures by Dayna Lorentz

adventurous reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is much deeper than it may appear on the surface, delving into the nuance of restorative justice, wildlife regulation, community repair and building, and the rippling effect of struggles of families affected by layoffs and income struggles. 

Gabe is an immature, angry middle school boy who is lost in the world, his family life tense and full of anger and resentment. He has no understanding of how to process his emotions and his distracted family do not guide him. Desperate for attention, he grabs some fireworks from a local store to set off in an effort to impress a group of boys who he was once close with. But the fireworks spark a real fire, burning acres and acres of park woodland. 

This follows as Gabe navigates his role as the sole person taking responsibility for the fire. He is brought into a restorative justice program in which he must admit his mistake and acknowledge the consequences, and then work with the community to set things right. Through this process Gabe begins making connections and learning emotional regulation, and his family life begins to repair itself as they all work together for a greater cause.

It also follows the side story of Rill, a young coyote who is injured in the fire and is secretly cared for by Gabe. Eventually she is taken by animal control and he fights with his newfound community to ensure her survival. Rilla's place as a coyote, commonly seen as an outcast and pest, mirrors Gabe's initial feelings of his own place in the world.

This stresses the importance of facing one's mistakes and acknowledging the consequences and committing to fixing things as best as possible. Both Gabe and Rill restore bonds with their community with a greater understanding of the systems we are all a part of.

Bisclavret by K.L. Noone

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

3.5

A short and sweet tale about a werewolf stuck in his wolf form, taken in and cared for by the young king. They develop a close bond and the king finds a way to return the wolf to his human form. This was told from the perspective of the werewolf recounting their past, with brief moments of their current reality flickering through, showing that they are together and happy. It was full of lovely queer acceptance and I would enjoy a longer version of this story.

The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain

emotional hopeful reflective 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

This was a sweet story of a man named Albert who is notified of his impending forced retirement as a postal worker due to his age. He has always kept to himself, and finds himself rattled and unsure about his future. The loss of his feline companion, Gracie, sent him into a depressive spiral. But eventually Albert claws his way out of the depression and begins to make new choices that turn his life in different and unexpected ways. He becomes social and amicable with his coworkers, customers on his route, and strangers. Slowly he realizes that the modern world is more accepting than he realized, and that he may be safe to explore parts of himself long hidden away.

This follows Albert's journey as he comes out as gay for the first time, finding acceptance and support from people he never expected. He embarks upon a personal journey to refresh his entire life and track down his beloved from his younger years. Ultimately he creates a community that is close knit and cares for each other in ways they all needed.

Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo

adventurous 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? Yes

3.5

This was a short amusing little tale in a whimsical, odd style similar to stories crafted by authors like Roald Dahl, Clive Barker, and Daniel Handler. Flora struggles with the divorce of her parents and the realities of life with her difficult mother. A neighbor receives an out of control magical vacuum that ends up sucking up a squirrel, and Flora brings him back to life, upon which the squirrel has developed super powers. She names him Ulysses, finding that he is able to communicate, type, and even fly. They go on a rambunctious, chaotic adventure with Flora's parents and neighbors that ends in each of them overcoming their own struggles.

The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim

emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This followed the traumatic struggles and separation of Korean families through generations of war and division. It emphasized how the elders we still have with us today had experienced these exact moments and struggles for survival - it was not so long ago. And there was a strong focus on how the most recent, modern generations are often disconnected to the memories and realities of what their families went through. 

I did find some of the character emoting and lighting/shading caused some visual confusion in moments where I wasn't sure who was involved or what time period we were in. There were also many moments where they may speak of "my brother" while having multiple brothers, so it wasn't always completely clear as to which person they were referencing.  

The Magician's Daughter by H.G. Parry

adventurous mysterious 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

4.75

This was a delightful standalone historical magical realism book that reminded me often of the Morrigan Crow/Wundersmith series but simpler with far more cozy found family vibes. It's the early 1900s and Biddy was raised isolated on a magical island magician named Rowan and his familiar, a rabbit spirit named Hutchincroft. At age 16, she leaves the island for the first time, finding herself swept up in a confusing social and political web of chaos from Rowan and his peers. She begins putting pieces of their past together and ends up the missing key to unlocking a long misunderstood magic.

Biddy was written in such a way that her ignorance of the outside world for the first 16 years of her life left her naive to the realities of a modern world. She has very emotive, descriptive reactions as she experiences new pains, traumas, and struggles. We see her growth in confidence and understanding the raw darkness behind the world, while also being open to new opportunities that may be scary but are still worth experiencing.