Scan barcode
justagirlwithabook's reviews
432 reviews
Alone on the Ice by David Roberts
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
2.5
I don’t doubt that this book was informative and well-written, but man, was it slow. I listened to this on audio and I think part of my frustration was the inability to see the timeline of all these expeditions referenced by the author. Each “trip out onto the ice” felt the same — none of the expeditions felt incredibly unique and it all seemed to blur together (which is what I imagine it felt like for the explorers themselves honestly, if this book is anything to go by).
This was not the kind of adventure and survival story like what we’d expect from Krakauer, recalling events on Everest or something similar. (This is what I expected and now I know better!). There was a point where I wanted to just DNF it but I was already halfway through and figured I’d stick it out.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced adventure story about dangerous expeditions through Antarctica, this one isn’t for you. If you don’t mind a slow, non-chronological recounting of said expeditions in Antarctica (which DO qualify as dangerous and bleak and a bit depressing), then definitely give this one a chance.
Content Warning: There is significant recounting of animal death (specifically huskies) throughout the book and is not for the faint of heart.
This was not the kind of adventure and survival story like what we’d expect from Krakauer, recalling events on Everest or something similar. (This is what I expected and now I know better!). There was a point where I wanted to just DNF it but I was already halfway through and figured I’d stick it out.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced adventure story about dangerous expeditions through Antarctica, this one isn’t for you. If you don’t mind a slow, non-chronological recounting of said expeditions in Antarctica (which DO qualify as dangerous and bleak and a bit depressing), then definitely give this one a chance.
Content Warning: There is significant recounting of animal death (specifically huskies) throughout the book and is not for the faint of heart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
The Forgotten Kingdom: A Novel by Signe Pike
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A very much enjoyed sequel to The Lost Queen!
The Forgotten Kingdom picks up where The Lost Queen left off in AD 573. The events of the precious book have led the characters to the brink of battle, and the sequel starts off with the immediate aftermath (while piecing together the events of the battle itself). The Forgotten Kingdom is very much a continuation of the story of Languoreth, her brother Lailoken, and the people they love.
I’ve learned so much about Scottish history, lore, and religion from this book. It’s been incredibly fascinating and I especially appreciate Signe Pike taking the time at the very end in her author’s note to include fairly detailed notes on language, historical accuracy, religion, and other aspects that went into making the novel. I didn’t expect to be so fully immersed in pre-Christian Scottish history but here we are!
My only complaint was that it took a tad bit of time to get rolling (much as the first) — about 25% in I felt like I’d found my groove and was fully invested but it did take that 100 pages of reading time to get there. Otherwise, another great novel and I’m very much looking forward to the conclusion of this trilogy!
The Forgotten Kingdom picks up where The Lost Queen left off in AD 573. The events of the precious book have led the characters to the brink of battle, and the sequel starts off with the immediate aftermath (while piecing together the events of the battle itself). The Forgotten Kingdom is very much a continuation of the story of Languoreth, her brother Lailoken, and the people they love.
I’ve learned so much about Scottish history, lore, and religion from this book. It’s been incredibly fascinating and I especially appreciate Signe Pike taking the time at the very end in her author’s note to include fairly detailed notes on language, historical accuracy, religion, and other aspects that went into making the novel. I didn’t expect to be so fully immersed in pre-Christian Scottish history but here we are!
My only complaint was that it took a tad bit of time to get rolling (much as the first) — about 25% in I felt like I’d found my groove and was fully invested but it did take that 100 pages of reading time to get there. Otherwise, another great novel and I’m very much looking forward to the conclusion of this trilogy!
Wings of Fury by Emily R. King
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I’ve got a lot of mixed feelings about this one!
General Premise:
Althea Lambros lives in a time and place ruled by Titan gods and goddesses, but especially Cronos, the “god of the gods.” In a desire to avenge the death of her mother, protected her sisters, and because the oracles have spoken that this is her destiny, Althea goes on a journey to take down Cronos.
What I Enjoyed:
- I liked reading a new YA novel focused on the Titans rather than the usual Olympian gods and goddesses.
- There was a fun reveal at the end in relation to the origin of the main characters that I appreciated.
- About halfway through the pace seemed to pick up (but it was slow going until then — it was hard to figure out where we were going).
What I Didn’t Love:
- At the start, there were a lot of names/characters thrown out but their relationships to other characters weren’t very well described or connected, so it felt like lots of hopping around from one person to the next and struggling to remember their association to the main character and vice versa. It took about 20% in for things to start snapping into place.
- There just wasn’t enough time spent initially on describing the world and system. For YA readers not proficient in Titan lore, this would require background knowledge in order to fall in quickly with the story.
- There was a lot of discussion about patriarchal society and the main character’s frustrations of not being allowed or able to do things because she’s a woman, which is fine, but she didn’t actually then DO much through most of the story to make that change. She didn’t really seem to become a great female protagonist until the end. There was ultimately of fe most talk and feelings and ideology, but I just found Althea to be not as strong of a female character as I hoped for or expected. Maybe ultimately she just wasn’t super likable for me.
- It’s also really hard to listen to someone screaming for equality when our main character wasn’t also just as angered by the slavery system that was also a part of the storyline. There were slaves casually mentioned throughout the whole novel yet it was never addressed as a problem. If it was not written in to be a system that needed to be overthrown, it served zero purpose and didn’t need to be written in; this is a fantasy-esque story based on mythological lore, so the “needing to be historically accurate” argument just won’t work here.
General Premise:
Althea Lambros lives in a time and place ruled by Titan gods and goddesses, but especially Cronos, the “god of the gods.” In a desire to avenge the death of her mother, protected her sisters, and because the oracles have spoken that this is her destiny, Althea goes on a journey to take down Cronos.
What I Enjoyed:
- I liked reading a new YA novel focused on the Titans rather than the usual Olympian gods and goddesses.
- There was a fun reveal at the end in relation to the origin of the main characters that I appreciated.
- About halfway through the pace seemed to pick up (but it was slow going until then — it was hard to figure out where we were going).
What I Didn’t Love:
- At the start, there were a lot of names/characters thrown out but their relationships to other characters weren’t very well described or connected, so it felt like lots of hopping around from one person to the next and struggling to remember their association to the main character and vice versa. It took about 20% in for things to start snapping into place.
- There just wasn’t enough time spent initially on describing the world and system. For YA readers not proficient in Titan lore, this would require background knowledge in order to fall in quickly with the story.
- There was a lot of discussion about patriarchal society and the main character’s frustrations of not being allowed or able to do things because she’s a woman, which is fine, but she didn’t actually then DO much through most of the story to make that change. She didn’t really seem to become a great female protagonist until the end. There was ultimately of fe most talk and feelings and ideology, but I just found Althea to be not as strong of a female character as I hoped for or expected. Maybe ultimately she just wasn’t super likable for me.
- It’s also really hard to listen to someone screaming for equality when our main character wasn’t also just as angered by the slavery system that was also a part of the storyline. There were slaves casually mentioned throughout the whole novel yet it was never addressed as a problem. If it was not written in to be a system that needed to be overthrown, it served zero purpose and didn’t need to be written in; this is a fantasy-esque story based on mythological lore, so the “needing to be historically accurate” argument just won’t work here.
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Pip is back on a new case with this fast-paced sequel of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. After the events of the previous book, Pip goes on to publish her story in the form of a podcast and gains notoriety for her sleuthing abilities. Now, a friend s brother, Jamie, has gone missing, and Pip (with the help of her sidekick and now sort-if boyfriend, Ravi) agree to take on this new case.
What I loved:
- The author’s attention to small but accurate details that make this whole story is much more realistic (Pip asking people to send pictures or stories or posts from IG/Snapchat from a particular night to get more evidence; Pip having to relocate to a better spot in a cafe to get better audio quality while doing an interview for the podcast). Little things but noticeable things.
- I ADORE the multimedia aspect of this book, the seamless incorporation of different types of mediums - docx files, wave files, flyers, emails, Reddit threads, etc. These make the whole story more of an experience (multi-layered, really) and makes the plot even more fast-paced.
What I didn’t love:
- The author seemed to step it up a bit more on the use of language in this one compared to the first (significantly more f*** and s*** than I recall in the previous book). As a junior high librarian, this is really unfortunate to me because the plot and characters are SO great and I know so relatable to even my 7th and 8th graders. They get so sucked in to these kind of stories. Much of the language wasn’t necessary and wouldn’t have taken away from the story or characters. Sure, the characters are seniors in high school and nearly 18, but taking out some of the language wouldn’t have made them any less realistic or believable.
Ultimately, this one IS a page-turner and as an adult reading it, I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down! Supposedly there will be a third installment, and I’ll likely be reading that one as well!
What I loved:
- The author’s attention to small but accurate details that make this whole story is much more realistic (Pip asking people to send pictures or stories or posts from IG/Snapchat from a particular night to get more evidence; Pip having to relocate to a better spot in a cafe to get better audio quality while doing an interview for the podcast). Little things but noticeable things.
- I ADORE the multimedia aspect of this book, the seamless incorporation of different types of mediums - docx files, wave files, flyers, emails, Reddit threads, etc. These make the whole story more of an experience (multi-layered, really) and makes the plot even more fast-paced.
What I didn’t love:
- The author seemed to step it up a bit more on the use of language in this one compared to the first (significantly more f*** and s*** than I recall in the previous book). As a junior high librarian, this is really unfortunate to me because the plot and characters are SO great and I know so relatable to even my 7th and 8th graders. They get so sucked in to these kind of stories. Much of the language wasn’t necessary and wouldn’t have taken away from the story or characters. Sure, the characters are seniors in high school and nearly 18, but taking out some of the language wouldn’t have made them any less realistic or believable.
Ultimately, this one IS a page-turner and as an adult reading it, I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down! Supposedly there will be a third installment, and I’ll likely be reading that one as well!
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Not quite sure where to rate this one. Definitely a page-turner and finished it in a day, but not as good as The Silent Patient. I was hoping to have it land on a solid 4-star but I think the way the ending turned out, it puts it more at a 3-3.5 for me.
What I enjoyed:
- I really loved the incorporation of mythology and how it was seamlessly woven into so many events throughout the story.
- I loved the fast-pace! This was definitely a page-turner.
- I liked the psychotherapist perspective of our main character and having little typed letters from our “villain” sprinkled throughout.
- I was excited to see a clever little nod to The Silent Patient and its main character, Theo. Fun Easter egg!
- There were red herrings everywhere but I love that about mystery/thrillers. It kept me guessing the whole time about who was really responsible.
- The descriptions of Cambridge were wonderful!
What I didn’t love:
- I was hoping for a grand twist like we had experience in The Silent Patient and was disappointed when it didn’t turn out as twisty as I was hoping for.
- Some aspects of the ending were tough and, content-wise, I was disappointed it went the direction it did.
Overall, fairly enjoyable read, fast-paced, good mystery/thriller that doesn’t require too much brain-bending to enjoy!
Content Warnings:
Death/murder, ritualistic sacrifices, child abuse, spousal abuse, animal death
What I enjoyed:
- I really loved the incorporation of mythology and how it was seamlessly woven into so many events throughout the story.
- I loved the fast-pace! This was definitely a page-turner.
- I liked the psychotherapist perspective of our main character and having little typed letters from our “villain” sprinkled throughout.
- I was excited to see a clever little nod to The Silent Patient and its main character, Theo. Fun Easter egg!
- There were red herrings everywhere but I love that about mystery/thrillers. It kept me guessing the whole time about who was really responsible.
- The descriptions of Cambridge were wonderful!
What I didn’t love:
- I was hoping for a grand twist like we had experience in The Silent Patient and was disappointed when it didn’t turn out as twisty as I was hoping for.
- Some aspects of the ending were tough and, content-wise, I was disappointed it went the direction it did.
Overall, fairly enjoyable read, fast-paced, good mystery/thriller that doesn’t require too much brain-bending to enjoy!
Content Warnings:
Death/murder, ritualistic sacrifices, child abuse, spousal abuse, animal death
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Stalking
Minor: Sexual content and Cursing
Lore by Alexandra Bracken
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Oh, how I was hoping to really enjoy this one!
I've got a lot of mixed feelings.For starters, I've been in a "mythological retellings" kind of mood for a couple of weeks now (which has been wonderful!), and while grasping for more myth-based stories, this one was recommended to me to try out (and I had discovered that I'd put in on my TBR prior to its publishing). So, I went to Barnes & Noble and grabbed a copy right before getting snowed in for a week.
The premise is entirely intriguing. The idea is that there are 'houses' fighting for powers from the gods, and every 7 years, an Agon arises where gods become mortal. Members of these houses then try to kill the gods to obtain their power, and, in a way, become the 'new' gods (who are then of course potential prey when the next Agon happens).
Intriguing, but also confusing, right? I'll try to explain the details of how it works further because it's a bit complicated. I found myself going to Goodreads to read reviews that might help me 'get it' better because the book wasn't doing as great of a job as it should've. I was only really fully comfortable with the inner workings of the system by the time I was nearly done with the book.
So, here's how it works, if you are (or were) confused like I was:
- This book takes place in our modern time.
- Descendants of great warriors and heroes of mythological legend have formed houses (which have, in theory, been in existence since the heroes themselves). These houses are named after their great ancestors. So, think of these as Hunger Games districts or factions. We have the Odysseides (The House of Odysseus), Achillides (The House of Achilles), Theseides (House of Theseus), and so forth. There are 9 houses in all. The number doesn't really matter, just know that there are a lot of houses.
- Some of these houses have been basically hunted into extinction. Some have only a couple descendants remaining. Some of them aren't seen as 'worthy' enough to even really play along in this Agon cycle (i.e. 'The Hunger Games') because they're so weak (not a lot of descendants left, not a lot of resources to really keep playing in the game, etc.). That also doesn't really matter to the plot, because there are really only a handful of houses that are key players that you'll read about.
- The main character, Lore, is one of these 'last people standing' from The House of Perseus (they'd been nearly hunted to extinction, and then for a time it was just her immediate family left, but then they were killed -but Lore survived and went into hiding).
- On the separate end of things, we have gods and goddesses that, long ago, made Zeus angry. So he started this Agon cycle (i.e. The Hunger Games) and threw these gods and goddesses into the game. So, once every 7 years, they become mortal. During the cycle, any mortal who kills them will gain their powers and become the 'new' god or goddess. (They use language in the book like 'the new Ares' or 'the False Ares' - because Ares was killed and a new person took on his powers.)
- If a god/goddess lasts through the Agon without getting killed, good job. They're free for another 7 years. If a mortal kills them, they're gone, and that mortal then becomes like the god/goddess they killed at the end of the Agon and takes on full god/goddess powers. Until the next Agon, when they become mortal again and have to keep themselves alive.
- The heads of the houses are ones who often get the 'privilege' of killing a god/goddess to get their powers. People in the houses that fight for their faction are called 'hunters' and they basically just try to do everything they can for the head of their house to get god/goddess powers. IF the head of their house gets those powers, a lot of times that head of the house, as the 'new' god/goddess, will align themselves with their old house and protect them in various ways. Not always, but most of the time.
So, here's how that plays into the overall storyline:
In the book, we have our main character Lore who is the last living MORTAL descendent of her house. There is one other descendant BUT that descendant killed Poseidon and got his powers (and then she named herself 'Tidebringer'). Lore has been in hiding since the last Agon when her entire family was murdered. We start the book with a new Agon cycle about to start in New York, and Lore wants to do whatever she can to take revenge on the person that she thinks killed her family, the head of a rival house who took on the powers of Ares (he renamed himself 'Wrath').
What I liked:
- I liked the incorporation of mythology (but wanted more)
- I liked the side characters more than anyone else - sort of quirky, etc. Some of these side characters were actual gods/goddesses (that had still somehow not been killed since the start of the whole thing), and I liked them as well because they retained the characteristics of who they were and what made them them.
- Mostly liked the pace - there seemed to be enough going on to keep me interested.
What I didn't like:
- I didn't like the fact that there wasn't enough world-building and explanation for me to fully understand the gist of what the heck was happening fairly quickly. I had to sort of figure it out as I went to get a better understanding of things (and even did some Googling and looking at other Goodreads reviews hoping that someone would explain to me how this all worked in a way that was simpler to understand). By the time I got about 2/3 of the way through, I felt more comfortable with it, but it would've done me a lot more good to have figured it out sooner. I'm a librarian for 7th and 8th graders and don't imagine seeing any of them, even the ones who love mythology, following along with the story very well. I think YAs would have a hard time figuring it all out.
- It was really violent and gory. I personally don't care about that but I think it might be a bit much for some of our YAs on the younger end of the scale.
- The ending was really abrupt and didn't provide much of an explanation. Sure, we could probably guess at what had happened to explain the ending, but an epilogue would've helped. Either way, it came to a swift end.
- There were moments of disconnect where a scene was playing out and Bracken would throw in a description of something happening that, up to that point, hadn't even been introduced to the reader. So as a reader, I did a lot of 'Wait, where'd that come from?" in my imagination. For example, in one scene Lore and Athena are going through some stores in the aftermath of a flood, checking out the landscape, etc., and ultimately end up on a roof. They're talking, yada yada, and then there's a line that says something like, 'Athena drank the water from her bottle and threw the bottle to the side.' Up to that point, didn't even realize that was a thing. Surprise water bottle in the scene! I had to go back and reread to see if there had a been a part when they'd picked up groceries or water or something? Nope. No mention of it. The bottle appeared and disappeared just as quickly. In another scene, Lore tells her friends she's going to go up and take a shower and take a nap. Next page over, she goes up the stairs and just climbs straight into bed in her gross clothes and then when she wakes up, she changes into a clean shirt and moves on. Huh?
Long story short:
Could it have been better executed? Absolutely.
Was it a great story? It was okay. I didn't hate it once I got past my frustration and understood it better (by the time I was more than halfway through).
Would I recommend it? Well, did you like The Hunger Games? Do you want to read something similar but even more violent and gory and with some mythology thrown in there to make it feel a little different and unique? If not, pass. If so, this might be even more enjoyable for you than it was for me (not saying I didn't enjoy it, just have a lot of mixed feelings). Not sure? Check it out from your local library before investing in your own copy.
I've got a lot of mixed feelings.For starters, I've been in a "mythological retellings" kind of mood for a couple of weeks now (which has been wonderful!), and while grasping for more myth-based stories, this one was recommended to me to try out (and I had discovered that I'd put in on my TBR prior to its publishing). So, I went to Barnes & Noble and grabbed a copy right before getting snowed in for a week.
The premise is entirely intriguing. The idea is that there are 'houses' fighting for powers from the gods, and every 7 years, an Agon arises where gods become mortal. Members of these houses then try to kill the gods to obtain their power, and, in a way, become the 'new' gods (who are then of course potential prey when the next Agon happens).
Intriguing, but also confusing, right? I'll try to explain the details of how it works further because it's a bit complicated. I found myself going to Goodreads to read reviews that might help me 'get it' better because the book wasn't doing as great of a job as it should've. I was only really fully comfortable with the inner workings of the system by the time I was nearly done with the book.
So, here's how it works, if you are (or were) confused like I was:
- This book takes place in our modern time.
- Descendants of great warriors and heroes of mythological legend have formed houses (which have, in theory, been in existence since the heroes themselves). These houses are named after their great ancestors. So, think of these as Hunger Games districts or factions. We have the Odysseides (The House of Odysseus), Achillides (The House of Achilles), Theseides (House of Theseus), and so forth. There are 9 houses in all. The number doesn't really matter, just know that there are a lot of houses.
- Some of these houses have been basically hunted into extinction. Some have only a couple descendants remaining. Some of them aren't seen as 'worthy' enough to even really play along in this Agon cycle (i.e. 'The Hunger Games') because they're so weak (not a lot of descendants left, not a lot of resources to really keep playing in the game, etc.). That also doesn't really matter to the plot, because there are really only a handful of houses that are key players that you'll read about.
- The main character, Lore, is one of these 'last people standing' from The House of Perseus (they'd been nearly hunted to extinction, and then for a time it was just her immediate family left, but then they were killed -but Lore survived and went into hiding).
- On the separate end of things, we have gods and goddesses that, long ago, made Zeus angry. So he started this Agon cycle (i.e. The Hunger Games) and threw these gods and goddesses into the game. So, once every 7 years, they become mortal. During the cycle, any mortal who kills them will gain their powers and become the 'new' god or goddess. (They use language in the book like 'the new Ares' or 'the False Ares' - because Ares was killed and a new person took on his powers.)
- If a god/goddess lasts through the Agon without getting killed, good job. They're free for another 7 years. If a mortal kills them, they're gone, and that mortal then becomes like the god/goddess they killed at the end of the Agon and takes on full god/goddess powers. Until the next Agon, when they become mortal again and have to keep themselves alive.
- The heads of the houses are ones who often get the 'privilege' of killing a god/goddess to get their powers. People in the houses that fight for their faction are called 'hunters' and they basically just try to do everything they can for the head of their house to get god/goddess powers. IF the head of their house gets those powers, a lot of times that head of the house, as the 'new' god/goddess, will align themselves with their old house and protect them in various ways. Not always, but most of the time.
So, here's how that plays into the overall storyline:
In the book, we have our main character Lore who is the last living MORTAL descendent of her house. There is one other descendant BUT that descendant killed Poseidon and got his powers (and then she named herself 'Tidebringer'). Lore has been in hiding since the last Agon when her entire family was murdered. We start the book with a new Agon cycle about to start in New York, and Lore wants to do whatever she can to take revenge on the person that she thinks killed her family, the head of a rival house who took on the powers of Ares (he renamed himself 'Wrath').
What I liked:
- I liked the incorporation of mythology (but wanted more)
- I liked the side characters more than anyone else - sort of quirky, etc. Some of these side characters were actual gods/goddesses (that had still somehow not been killed since the start of the whole thing), and I liked them as well because they retained the characteristics of who they were and what made them them.
- Mostly liked the pace - there seemed to be enough going on to keep me interested.
What I didn't like:
- I didn't like the fact that there wasn't enough world-building and explanation for me to fully understand the gist of what the heck was happening fairly quickly. I had to sort of figure it out as I went to get a better understanding of things (and even did some Googling and looking at other Goodreads reviews hoping that someone would explain to me how this all worked in a way that was simpler to understand). By the time I got about 2/3 of the way through, I felt more comfortable with it, but it would've done me a lot more good to have figured it out sooner. I'm a librarian for 7th and 8th graders and don't imagine seeing any of them, even the ones who love mythology, following along with the story very well. I think YAs would have a hard time figuring it all out.
- It was really violent and gory. I personally don't care about that but I think it might be a bit much for some of our YAs on the younger end of the scale.
- The ending was really abrupt and didn't provide much of an explanation. Sure, we could probably guess at what had happened to explain the ending, but an epilogue would've helped. Either way, it came to a swift end.
- There were moments of disconnect where a scene was playing out and Bracken would throw in a description of something happening that, up to that point, hadn't even been introduced to the reader. So as a reader, I did a lot of 'Wait, where'd that come from?" in my imagination. For example, in one scene Lore and Athena are going through some stores in the aftermath of a flood, checking out the landscape, etc., and ultimately end up on a roof. They're talking, yada yada, and then there's a line that says something like, 'Athena drank the water from her bottle and threw the bottle to the side.' Up to that point, didn't even realize that was a thing. Surprise water bottle in the scene! I had to go back and reread to see if there had a been a part when they'd picked up groceries or water or something? Nope. No mention of it. The bottle appeared and disappeared just as quickly. In another scene, Lore tells her friends she's going to go up and take a shower and take a nap. Next page over, she goes up the stairs and just climbs straight into bed in her gross clothes and then when she wakes up, she changes into a clean shirt and moves on. Huh?
Long story short:
Could it have been better executed? Absolutely.
Was it a great story? It was okay. I didn't hate it once I got past my frustration and understood it better (by the time I was more than halfway through).
Would I recommend it? Well, did you like The Hunger Games? Do you want to read something similar but even more violent and gory and with some mythology thrown in there to make it feel a little different and unique? If not, pass. If so, this might be even more enjoyable for you than it was for me (not saying I didn't enjoy it, just have a lot of mixed feelings). Not sure? Check it out from your local library before investing in your own copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Sexism, and Suicide attempt
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee takes an up-close and personal look at the issue of racism, its origins, its growth, and its twisted ability to continue to reach through to the present, infiltrating and poisoning every aspect of life, especially as it relates to the economics of the American system.
When we say that racism is systemic, this book puts any second thoughts to rest. As a white woman, I have found myself questioning the reasons for why things are so mixed up, backwards, and unfathomable, like how can one of the wealthiest first world countries "not have nice things" as McGhee would say? Why do we continue to make poor policy choices that only widen the gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots"? A lot of times, I think "Well, it's just really complicated," and I can list off all the factors that contribute to the way of the American system.
But at the end of the day, some of these factors that I have been lead to believe as factors aren't actually factors at all; they are just lies that have been told to manipulate thinking and the overall (white) public opinion. McGhee shows through research and personal narratives that all along, racism has been at the root. Have things gotten more tangled as we've gone along? Sure. But at the core is racism and a legacy of white supremacy.
If we work to untangle our learning, we'll see that poor policy and economic decisions have been made because of racism and white supremacy's need to survive, and as time has gone on, the issues that plague our country have just continued to get messier and more bundled up in complication, making it harder to find its ugly roots. But McGhee lays it all bare, and I applaud and thank her for her research and for her commitment to not only share the stories of those who have been impacted, Black and white alike, but to also shed light on the deeply troubling impact of our nation's past and present AND what we can do about it.
This is a deeply powerful book full of insight and, for especially white people, perspectives that challenge old and incredibly harmful ways of thinking. This is a must-read especially for white individuals like myself who can then begin to have conversations with white friends, family members, and colleagues who also need to rethink their own perspectives and what we've all been so manipulated into believing about most specifically economics and policy-making over the course of our nation's history. What a great unlearning! I hope to read more from Heather McGhee in the future. Her research is so important and her voice is helping to bring about change in our society.
When we say that racism is systemic, this book puts any second thoughts to rest. As a white woman, I have found myself questioning the reasons for why things are so mixed up, backwards, and unfathomable, like how can one of the wealthiest first world countries "not have nice things" as McGhee would say? Why do we continue to make poor policy choices that only widen the gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots"? A lot of times, I think "Well, it's just really complicated," and I can list off all the factors that contribute to the way of the American system.
But at the end of the day, some of these factors that I have been lead to believe as factors aren't actually factors at all; they are just lies that have been told to manipulate thinking and the overall (white) public opinion. McGhee shows through research and personal narratives that all along, racism has been at the root. Have things gotten more tangled as we've gone along? Sure. But at the core is racism and a legacy of white supremacy.
If we work to untangle our learning, we'll see that poor policy and economic decisions have been made because of racism and white supremacy's need to survive, and as time has gone on, the issues that plague our country have just continued to get messier and more bundled up in complication, making it harder to find its ugly roots. But McGhee lays it all bare, and I applaud and thank her for her research and for her commitment to not only share the stories of those who have been impacted, Black and white alike, but to also shed light on the deeply troubling impact of our nation's past and present AND what we can do about it.
This is a deeply powerful book full of insight and, for especially white people, perspectives that challenge old and incredibly harmful ways of thinking. This is a must-read especially for white individuals like myself who can then begin to have conversations with white friends, family members, and colleagues who also need to rethink their own perspectives and what we've all been so manipulated into believing about most specifically economics and policy-making over the course of our nation's history. What a great unlearning! I hope to read more from Heather McGhee in the future. Her research is so important and her voice is helping to bring about change in our society.
The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Lost Queen by Signe Pike
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Third time is a charm!
I started and stopped this book two different times (made it all the way to page 110 on the second try) but it just refused to stick. I’m chalking it down to the wrong time and the wrong mood, because picking it up the third time, right where I had left off months earlier, it was a different story! The pace began to pick up, a romantic entanglement introduced, and all of a sudden things were moving very quickly.
I loved the inquisitiveness of the author and her desire to explore (and to draw some strong conclusions about) the origins of “Merlin” and his sister, who in her own right was an incredibly powerful queen of Scotland whose story has been mostly lost to history.
This book has strong foundations in the historical fiction genre but also in the “legends and folktales” sort of categories where we have characters whose legends became greater than even they themselves. I love stories like this, that explore those origins or ask “what if we were to tell their story, their whole story?” I think this book seeks to answer some of that and I’m looking forward to grabbing the next in the series and to continue along on the journey!
I started and stopped this book two different times (made it all the way to page 110 on the second try) but it just refused to stick. I’m chalking it down to the wrong time and the wrong mood, because picking it up the third time, right where I had left off months earlier, it was a different story! The pace began to pick up, a romantic entanglement introduced, and all of a sudden things were moving very quickly.
I loved the inquisitiveness of the author and her desire to explore (and to draw some strong conclusions about) the origins of “Merlin” and his sister, who in her own right was an incredibly powerful queen of Scotland whose story has been mostly lost to history.
This book has strong foundations in the historical fiction genre but also in the “legends and folktales” sort of categories where we have characters whose legends became greater than even they themselves. I love stories like this, that explore those origins or ask “what if we were to tell their story, their whole story?” I think this book seeks to answer some of that and I’m looking forward to grabbing the next in the series and to continue along on the journey!