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jce's reviews
750 reviews
The School for Invisible Boys by Shaun David Hutchinson
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
This was a fun read. I think kids who are looking for books with a scare level similar to Goosebumps will love this one. The pace, action and mystery are sure to keep readers engaged. We absolutely need more elementary books with queer characters, and I love that this book has a queer main character without that being what the book is about. Queer kids can be in all kinds of books! This hints at the possibility of being the first in a series, so I hope to see more of these characters in the future. I think this is sure to be a hit with young readers.
*ARC provided by NetGalley
*ARC provided by NetGalley
A Market of Dreams and Destiny by Trip Galey
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
I liked this book and really loved the main character. I think that Oliver's experience is the most powerful aspect of the book.
What worked less well for me were the other characters, who I felt lacked some of the humor and nuance of the original. Indeed, as a whole, I think this story works best if you haven't read Pride and Prejudice and therefore aren't comparing the two. As it was, I couldn't help the comparisons. This was too alike the original story to not be compared, and though there were myriad differences, a lot of those differences, apart from the character of Oliver himself, did not work for me. It felt unfair to cast Mr. Bennet in the role he has here, which is so very different from in the original, and to make Mrs. Bennet even more of a sort of embarrassing nag. I think that there are reasons in the original that make the reader able to understand why she is so worried for her daughters, as they will have nothing once their father dies. That isn't really touched on as much here, and so she becomes a sort of over the top eye rolling annoyance. I just think a lot of the humor and the nuance of the characters and the situations they are in doesn't come across. I also found the total last minute turnaround of a character to ring untrue.
I guess I hoped that Oliver would question the way in which society treats women versus men more than he does. It is touched on a bit, but I wanted that delved into more. How is he treated as a son versus as a daughter and what does that say about their family and about their society?
Apart from Oliver, a lot of the characters are changed a great deal, and the way the relationship between Darcy and Oliver unfolds is very different here. Again, I think a a reader who hasn't read Pride and Prejudice would be more able to just fall into this story without missing some elements of the original.
I did love the idea of imagining what the experience of a trans man would have been like during this time period and the reminder for young people that trans people have always existed. Again, I think that Oliver and his experience are at the heart of this book and are the best aspect of it.
I'd definitely recommend this book to YA readers who are looking for a historical romance with a trans character and a very happy, if in some ways rushed, ending. I preordered the print to lend out to the students I work with and I think they'll love it.
*ARC provided by NetGalley
What worked less well for me were the other characters, who I felt lacked some of the humor and nuance of the original. Indeed, as a whole, I think this story works best if you haven't read Pride and Prejudice and therefore aren't comparing the two. As it was, I couldn't help the comparisons. This was too alike the original story to not be compared, and though there were myriad differences, a lot of those differences, apart from the character of Oliver himself, did not work for me. It felt unfair to cast Mr. Bennet in the role he has here, which is so very different from in the original, and to make Mrs. Bennet even more of a sort of embarrassing nag. I think that there are reasons in the original that make the reader able to understand why she is so worried for her daughters, as they will have nothing once their father dies. That isn't really touched on as much here, and so she becomes a sort of over the top eye rolling annoyance. I just think a lot of the humor and the nuance of the characters and the situations they are in doesn't come across. I also found the total last minute turnaround of a character to ring untrue.
I guess I hoped that Oliver would question the way in which society treats women versus men more than he does. It is touched on a bit, but I wanted that delved into more. How is he treated as a son versus as a daughter and what does that say about their family and about their society?
Apart from Oliver, a lot of the characters are changed a great deal, and the way the relationship between Darcy and Oliver unfolds is very different here. Again, I think a a reader who hasn't read Pride and Prejudice would be more able to just fall into this story without missing some elements of the original.
I did love the idea of imagining what the experience of a trans man would have been like during this time period and the reminder for young people that trans people have always existed. Again, I think that Oliver and his experience are at the heart of this book and are the best aspect of it.
I'd definitely recommend this book to YA readers who are looking for a historical romance with a trans character and a very happy, if in some ways rushed, ending. I preordered the print to lend out to the students I work with and I think they'll love it.
*ARC provided by NetGalley