Scan barcode
mermaird's reviews
325 reviews
The Little Red Wolf by Amélie Fléchais
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I’m stunned and in awe. The artwork is utterly beautiful, the watercolour brushes capturing each scenes in details made me want to stare at the pages for a long long time 🩷
And the plot? Scrumptious. It’s a retelling of The Little Red Riding Hood, but make it a wolf version instead of a girl. And the villain is the humans instead. I feel like this feels more realistic, because let’s face it, even though some say wolves are beasts, humans are crueler than them. Humans are always capable of unnecessary violence.
I actually wish the story is longer, but I love it a lot nonetheless 💖
And the plot? Scrumptious. It’s a retelling of The Little Red Riding Hood, but make it a wolf version instead of a girl. And the villain is the humans instead. I feel like this feels more realistic, because let’s face it, even though some say wolves are beasts, humans are crueler than them. Humans are always capable of unnecessary violence.
I actually wish the story is longer, but I love it a lot nonetheless 💖
A Map for Wrecked Girls by Jessica Taylor
4.0
I have always loved reading stories with sisters bond in it. I love exploring how other sisters are with each other; a close-knitted relationship, or even a toxic one. I myself have the closest relationship with my own sisters, so I have soft spots for characters with good sisters relationship. Sadly, A Map for Wrecked Girls definitely is not about that.
A Map for Wrecked Girls tells about two sisters, Emma and Henri, who end up being stranded on an isolated island with another boy, Alex. Each of them with their own set of secrets, it was not the greatest way to bond. I have never read anything like this before; I'm used to characters figuring out they have hidden powers, or characters simply in search of what's true for them. But I've never read about survival. Actual survival. The kind where it makes you ponder, if you are ever in the character's shoes, would you survive, or die? I love that their survival sounds realistic, I can almost feel the heat and pain that the characters were going true. That is what makes this story most interesting.
I liked Emma very easily, even though she's the typical Plain Jane clouded by her sister's presence, I think she had her own charms. I like her soft character that always gives in to her sister's demands, but at some point, I wished she would just think about herself. And at one point, she did. Her character development is good to follow. As for Henri, she was quite... difficult. She infuriates me with her selfishness, but it was obvious that she had her own problems to face. Fear made her bitter. It seemed pointless when Emma kept trying to mend their relationship when Henri refused to, but in the end, sisters will always stay sisters. It was a long way to go, and Emma is very brave not to ever stop fighting for it.
I quite like Alex as easily as I liked Emma. From the first chapter, he did not try to fake being strong and cried when they got stranded on the island. A boy not afraid to cry? Sign me up! Just like the sisters, Alex has his own secrets to keep. Despite assuming the worst of him, I always end up liking Alex again. I read some reviews questioning why Alex is needed, because the story might have been better if it was just about the sisters. I beg to disagree, because Alex's presence created a lot difference in the sisters' relationship. Without Alex, Emma and Henri could have drifted way apart.
Overall, I loved this story a lot! The island really had a lot of surprises, and I even screamed at one part where Emma was bitten by an animal. I like that the chapters alternated between present and past; it may be a bit harder to keep up but it makes the story more interesting because you would have to figure out what happened in the past that makes the present. If you love reading about adventure, and mending a broken family bond, then this book is the right one for you.
A Map for Wrecked Girls tells about two sisters, Emma and Henri, who end up being stranded on an isolated island with another boy, Alex. Each of them with their own set of secrets, it was not the greatest way to bond. I have never read anything like this before; I'm used to characters figuring out they have hidden powers, or characters simply in search of what's true for them. But I've never read about survival. Actual survival. The kind where it makes you ponder, if you are ever in the character's shoes, would you survive, or die? I love that their survival sounds realistic, I can almost feel the heat and pain that the characters were going true. That is what makes this story most interesting.
I liked Emma very easily, even though she's the typical Plain Jane clouded by her sister's presence, I think she had her own charms. I like her soft character that always gives in to her sister's demands, but at some point, I wished she would just think about herself. And at one point, she did. Her character development is good to follow. As for Henri, she was quite... difficult. She infuriates me with her selfishness, but it was obvious that she had her own problems to face. Fear made her bitter. It seemed pointless when Emma kept trying to mend their relationship when Henri refused to, but in the end, sisters will always stay sisters. It was a long way to go, and Emma is very brave not to ever stop fighting for it.
I quite like Alex as easily as I liked Emma. From the first chapter, he did not try to fake being strong and cried when they got stranded on the island. A boy not afraid to cry? Sign me up! Just like the sisters, Alex has his own secrets to keep. Despite assuming the worst of him, I always end up liking Alex again. I read some reviews questioning why Alex is needed, because the story might have been better if it was just about the sisters. I beg to disagree, because Alex's presence created a lot difference in the sisters' relationship. Without Alex, Emma and Henri could have drifted way apart.
Overall, I loved this story a lot! The island really had a lot of surprises, and I even screamed at one part where Emma was bitten by an animal. I like that the chapters alternated between present and past; it may be a bit harder to keep up but it makes the story more interesting because you would have to figure out what happened in the past that makes the present. If you love reading about adventure, and mending a broken family bond, then this book is the right one for you.
The Fandom by Anna Day
5.0
What will you give to enter the world of a book that you really love? Will you trade something precious to you so that you can experience magic in the world of Harry Potter? Or sacrifice something to run along the maze and defeat WCKED in the world of Maze Runner? Or do anything to befriend the great Daenerys Targaryen from the Game of Thrones?
It would be a dream come true to have all of those. The Fandom by Anna Day is just the perfect insight of how it feels to become a part of what we love to read (& watch) so much. 4.85/5 (★)!
But let's see...
If you think that it is a dream come true, well, think again. How exactly would you feel, if you suddenly pop into the world of fiction and accidentally causes harm in the people of the story and changed it's course? Will it still be a dream come true?
The story starts with our main character, Violet, making a presentation about her favourite book + film, The Gallows Dance. She's basically giving out snippets and (*cues horrifying noise*) spoilers towards the whole classroom, but it's understandable as it is for an academic discussion. It helps us to know about The Gallows Dance too, which is one of the most popular fictions in their world. Together with Violet's best friends, Alice and Katie, in addition of little brother Nate, the four of them attended the Comic-Con in cosplay. What initially started as a plan to meet the main cast of The Gallows Dance film ended way more than that. The four of them were somehow transported into the world of The Gallows Dance.
It was all confusing to them, and they ended changing several things during the course by accident. They struggled to fit in the bleak world of The Gallows Dance, unable to return to their own world. It was amazing to me that most of the time, Violet and Nate were able to follow the script. But no matter how the story continues to unfold the way it originally is, many things changed just because of the appearance of the four of them. The heroine of the story died too early, the four of them was forced to fix things again and Violet falling in love with the wrong character.
It was a mess for the four of them, having to learn that the world that they loved so much was almost entirely different from what they imagined. Friendship, suffering, betrayals, love and loss, a lot of emotions happened in the span of a week, and by the end of it, Violet has no choice but to let herself die in order to complete the story. The world divided by physical appearance, Gems the perfections, Imps the normal ones born to serve the so-called perfections. It is huge mess. A frustrating one. But I love them nonetheless. It kept me on the edge of my seat, curious on what will unfold next.
Even though I love British English, I rarely ever get to read stories using British English. Probably another reason why I enjoyed reading The Fandom. Just like warned at the back of the book, "not for younger readers", I find Anna Day's words more entertaining (oh yes, I'm a full-adult already huh). Despite some reviews on Goodreads complaining that some words were repeated too much: "I will hang in four more days", "Russian paper dolls", "canon", I had no problem with it simply because I think those things are important in the story and the author is trying to emphasise it. Especially the part where Violet keeps counting down the days she is going to be hanged, of course she'd do that! Who wouldn't do so when they know just the very day they will have to die?
But language is not the only the reason why this book is not for younger readers. I feel that a few scenes are quite disturbing, but they are essential to show how harsh the world of The Gallows Dance is. So if you're a much younger reader, be careful with it.
And so we have sweet Violet, our little flower of hope, the heroine of this story. On the surface, she can seem like a plain girl with a huge obsession towards a fiction, but of course she is more than that. A loyal friend and a protective sister, brave yet impulsive. It's not hard for me to become fond of her character. She can be clumsy and extremely shy at times, but these qualities make her character real and relatable to me. She may seem like she's babying her brother, Nate, a tad too much (seeing how smart she is), but some big sisters just act that way. I would have done the same thing if I was in her situation.
Nate, the not-so-little brother who often acts more like a big brother to Violet. He's quick-witted and as obsessed of The Gallows Dance as his sister. I'm always soft when it comes to siblings-things, so I naturally just have a soft spot for Nate. He is a big help when Violet struggles to complete the story, but what happened to him is absolutely unfair.
Best friends, Alice and Katie. While Alice just looks like a walking Barbie doll and another avid fan of The Gallows Dance who also writes fan fictions, Katie is quirky girl and very creative with her cusses, who has never read the book and is oblivious of the story line most of the time. Alice's self-importance annoyed me to the core at times, and I hate that she's too close with Violet. But I don't find it weird that she's still best friends with Violet, because sometimes, a person may be selfish, but we still love them nonetheless for possibly a different reason. As for Katie, her character is mostly supportive of Violet, so I appreciate her a lot.
There are more characters from The Gallows Dance, and you'll find a good time (or hateful) to get to know each of them. I just would like to touch a little about Ash. His appearance is like a burst of brightness in the sombre world, his pale blue eyes that drew in Violet in silence. In the book, he's just a side character, but in Violet's reality, he's a lot more than that. Just like Nate, this boy deserves a lot more. (But seriously, I want my own Ash too.)
All in all, I enjoyed the journey through The Fandom! I can relate greatly to it as I have my own obsessions with books and films (though I'm never able to memorise the scripts or dialogues), and the character development is exciting to follow up with. Love and betrayal, I feel that this book changed quite a large part of my perspective towards a fandom. It has never occurred to me that the side characters of a story should have their own journey and story, yet we always take them for granted. The next time I wish I can experience a fiction world, I think I'll be more careful with my thoughts. Because in the end, be careful with what you wish for.
It would be a dream come true to have all of those. The Fandom by Anna Day is just the perfect insight of how it feels to become a part of what we love to read (& watch) so much. 4.85/5 (★)!
But let's see...
If you think that it is a dream come true, well, think again. How exactly would you feel, if you suddenly pop into the world of fiction and accidentally causes harm in the people of the story and changed it's course? Will it still be a dream come true?
The story starts with our main character, Violet, making a presentation about her favourite book + film, The Gallows Dance. She's basically giving out snippets and (*cues horrifying noise*) spoilers towards the whole classroom, but it's understandable as it is for an academic discussion. It helps us to know about The Gallows Dance too, which is one of the most popular fictions in their world. Together with Violet's best friends, Alice and Katie, in addition of little brother Nate, the four of them attended the Comic-Con in cosplay. What initially started as a plan to meet the main cast of The Gallows Dance film ended way more than that. The four of them were somehow transported into the world of The Gallows Dance.
It was all confusing to them, and they ended changing several things during the course by accident. They struggled to fit in the bleak world of The Gallows Dance, unable to return to their own world. It was amazing to me that most of the time, Violet and Nate were able to follow the script. But no matter how the story continues to unfold the way it originally is, many things changed just because of the appearance of the four of them. The heroine of the story died too early, the four of them was forced to fix things again and Violet falling in love with the wrong character.
It was a mess for the four of them, having to learn that the world that they loved so much was almost entirely different from what they imagined. Friendship, suffering, betrayals, love and loss, a lot of emotions happened in the span of a week, and by the end of it, Violet has no choice but to let herself die in order to complete the story. The world divided by physical appearance, Gems the perfections, Imps the normal ones born to serve the so-called perfections. It is huge mess. A frustrating one. But I love them nonetheless. It kept me on the edge of my seat, curious on what will unfold next.
Even though I love British English, I rarely ever get to read stories using British English. Probably another reason why I enjoyed reading The Fandom. Just like warned at the back of the book, "not for younger readers", I find Anna Day's words more entertaining (oh yes, I'm a full-adult already huh). Despite some reviews on Goodreads complaining that some words were repeated too much: "I will hang in four more days", "Russian paper dolls", "canon", I had no problem with it simply because I think those things are important in the story and the author is trying to emphasise it. Especially the part where Violet keeps counting down the days she is going to be hanged, of course she'd do that! Who wouldn't do so when they know just the very day they will have to die?
But language is not the only the reason why this book is not for younger readers. I feel that a few scenes are quite disturbing, but they are essential to show how harsh the world of The Gallows Dance is. So if you're a much younger reader, be careful with it.
And so we have sweet Violet, our little flower of hope, the heroine of this story. On the surface, she can seem like a plain girl with a huge obsession towards a fiction, but of course she is more than that. A loyal friend and a protective sister, brave yet impulsive. It's not hard for me to become fond of her character. She can be clumsy and extremely shy at times, but these qualities make her character real and relatable to me. She may seem like she's babying her brother, Nate, a tad too much (seeing how smart she is), but some big sisters just act that way. I would have done the same thing if I was in her situation.
Nate, the not-so-little brother who often acts more like a big brother to Violet. He's quick-witted and as obsessed of The Gallows Dance as his sister. I'm always soft when it comes to siblings-things, so I naturally just have a soft spot for Nate. He is a big help when Violet struggles to complete the story, but what happened to him is absolutely unfair.
Best friends, Alice and Katie. While Alice just looks like a walking Barbie doll and another avid fan of The Gallows Dance who also writes fan fictions, Katie is quirky girl and very creative with her cusses, who has never read the book and is oblivious of the story line most of the time. Alice's self-importance annoyed me to the core at times, and I hate that she's too close with Violet. But I don't find it weird that she's still best friends with Violet, because sometimes, a person may be selfish, but we still love them nonetheless for possibly a different reason. As for Katie, her character is mostly supportive of Violet, so I appreciate her a lot.
There are more characters from The Gallows Dance, and you'll find a good time (or hateful) to get to know each of them. I just would like to touch a little about Ash. His appearance is like a burst of brightness in the sombre world, his pale blue eyes that drew in Violet in silence. In the book, he's just a side character, but in Violet's reality, he's a lot more than that. Just like Nate, this boy deserves a lot more. (But seriously, I want my own Ash too.)
All in all, I enjoyed the journey through The Fandom! I can relate greatly to it as I have my own obsessions with books and films (though I'm never able to memorise the scripts or dialogues), and the character development is exciting to follow up with. Love and betrayal, I feel that this book changed quite a large part of my perspective towards a fandom. It has never occurred to me that the side characters of a story should have their own journey and story, yet we always take them for granted. The next time I wish I can experience a fiction world, I think I'll be more careful with my thoughts. Because in the end, be careful with what you wish for.
The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles
3.0
I made three mistakes when I chose to read The Edge of Everything. Firstly, I judged the book by its cover. It made me think that I'm diving into a contemporary romance. Secondly, I did not bother to read the synopsis on Goodreads. Big Mistake. I got so confused and almost freaked out when I realised that this is no ordinary love story—it involved inhuman supernatural elements that came from Hell. And thirdly, I didn't bother to check whether this one is a standalone or a series. I had thought it was a standalone, yet I was proved to be wrong.
The story revolves around Zoe's family, who recently just lost their father. During one blizzard, while the mother was stuck in the traffic, Zoe's little brother had ventured a little too far from their home. Scared of losing another family, Zoe went out to look for Jonah. The search didn't went well, and when their lives were at risk by a stranger who wanted to murder them, a man suddenly appeared out-of-nowhere to save the day. Because the man had no name, Zoe decided to name him X, and then things got worse when they learned the truth about X's life.
Okay, let me get this straight. If you were on the verge of losing your life to a stranger, and then another stranger of the same gender pops in to "save" the day, would you actually trust the second stranger blindly? Not, maybe not. But Zoe did. From the first moment of their meeting, Zoe was having little-to-none wariness over this new stranger, who does not appear to look normal, and even has the quest to kill a man. Say, would you give your full trust to a bounty hunter? I doubt it.
Yet, that did not seem to be the case for our Zoe here. In the first half of the book, I truly loved Zoe. She seems to be this strong girl that will do anything for her family, and she does not give a damn to other people; she had her own thoughts. And I adored her for that. But I guess the insta-love probably ruined everything. In less than a day, Zoe got so drawn towards X that it seemed almost ridiculous, now that I think of it. X returned her feelings silently, and from his perspective, I'm not surprised that he's attracted to her. In his situation, she would be the nicest thing to ever happen to him. But after loving Zoe's headstrong character, her "I'll-do-anything-for-him" attitude irks me a little.
X warned her that it would be dangerous if he stayed, but Zoe and Jonah (oh sweet little, Jonah) insisted, despite the mother constantly telling them that X should not be trusted. I got so baffled that Zoe kept on wanting him, even when clearly he's not a normal human being and he may bring danger to the whole family. I'm normally okay with insta-love, but there has to be a valid reason for it. I could not see the reason how both of them are so in love with each other. Love does not need a reason, of course, but let's keep it realistic, there HAS to be something.
And who even names a person, X? It made the character sound more shady than he already is. Is it that hard to come up with a proper name, like Henry or even John? Oh well, putting the weird name aside, I had no hate towards X. He's simply... different? I have no idea how to describe him; at some point, he is rather cute for someone who actually came from the Lowlands, but on other times, I just wish he would stay in his own world for good. His birth seems to be as shady as the name given by Zoe, which did not make me like him more than I already can. Both Zoe and X are okay characters, but not more than that.
I probably could enjoy this story more thanks to Jonah, and X's friends in Lowlands, Banger and Ripper. Especially Ripper. Other than that, it was not as good as I hoped it will be, like when I saw the cover. I could see the twist coming at the end, and I could not believe that there had to be a second book over this. It could have ended with just one book. The story had a potential for something bigger, but I didn't end up loving it. Jeff Giles way of writing is just not for me. I'll probably only try to read the second book for Ripper's sake.
The story revolves around Zoe's family, who recently just lost their father. During one blizzard, while the mother was stuck in the traffic, Zoe's little brother had ventured a little too far from their home. Scared of losing another family, Zoe went out to look for Jonah. The search didn't went well, and when their lives were at risk by a stranger who wanted to murder them, a man suddenly appeared out-of-nowhere to save the day. Because the man had no name, Zoe decided to name him X, and then things got worse when they learned the truth about X's life.
Okay, let me get this straight. If you were on the verge of losing your life to a stranger, and then another stranger of the same gender pops in to "save" the day, would you actually trust the second stranger blindly? Not, maybe not. But Zoe did. From the first moment of their meeting, Zoe was having little-to-none wariness over this new stranger, who does not appear to look normal, and even has the quest to kill a man. Say, would you give your full trust to a bounty hunter? I doubt it.
Yet, that did not seem to be the case for our Zoe here. In the first half of the book, I truly loved Zoe. She seems to be this strong girl that will do anything for her family, and she does not give a damn to other people; she had her own thoughts. And I adored her for that. But I guess the insta-love probably ruined everything. In less than a day, Zoe got so drawn towards X that it seemed almost ridiculous, now that I think of it. X returned her feelings silently, and from his perspective, I'm not surprised that he's attracted to her. In his situation, she would be the nicest thing to ever happen to him. But after loving Zoe's headstrong character, her "I'll-do-anything-for-him" attitude irks me a little.
X warned her that it would be dangerous if he stayed, but Zoe and Jonah (oh sweet little, Jonah) insisted, despite the mother constantly telling them that X should not be trusted. I got so baffled that Zoe kept on wanting him, even when clearly he's not a normal human being and he may bring danger to the whole family. I'm normally okay with insta-love, but there has to be a valid reason for it. I could not see the reason how both of them are so in love with each other. Love does not need a reason, of course, but let's keep it realistic, there HAS to be something.
And who even names a person, X? It made the character sound more shady than he already is. Is it that hard to come up with a proper name, like Henry or even John? Oh well, putting the weird name aside, I had no hate towards X. He's simply... different? I have no idea how to describe him; at some point, he is rather cute for someone who actually came from the Lowlands, but on other times, I just wish he would stay in his own world for good. His birth seems to be as shady as the name given by Zoe, which did not make me like him more than I already can. Both Zoe and X are okay characters, but not more than that.
I probably could enjoy this story more thanks to Jonah, and X's friends in Lowlands, Banger and Ripper. Especially Ripper. Other than that, it was not as good as I hoped it will be, like when I saw the cover. I could see the twist coming at the end, and I could not believe that there had to be a second book over this. It could have ended with just one book. The story had a potential for something bigger, but I didn't end up loving it. Jeff Giles way of writing is just not for me. I'll probably only try to read the second book for Ripper's sake.
Snowglobe by Amy Wilson
4.0
I am just so in love with this book! It took me no time to warm up with the main character, Clementine. Her headstrong character that is also brave and kindhearted is easily loved, and I found myself constantly anticipating her next actions. Despite her father's pleads for her to stop giving in to her true powers, she fought for what she think is rightfully hers. I am sure that if I have read this book when I was younger, I would have idolised Clementine.
There are so many good elements being part of this wonderful story. Family love and friendship would be the biggest part of it. The friendship that blooms between Clementine and Dylan warms me up, and I'm actually glad the story focuses only on them being friends. The bond and trust for each other that they created during the times they are trapped in the snowglobes are just delightful. Aside from that, there is also the element of forgiving others and accepting oneself as who they are. I believe that Snowglobe will be able to teach so many goodness to young readers.
Thank you Pansing for providing me with a review copy of this book. The full review is available on my blog ♡
There are so many good elements being part of this wonderful story. Family love and friendship would be the biggest part of it. The friendship that blooms between Clementine and Dylan warms me up, and I'm actually glad the story focuses only on them being friends. The bond and trust for each other that they created during the times they are trapped in the snowglobes are just delightful. Aside from that, there is also the element of forgiving others and accepting oneself as who they are. I believe that Snowglobe will be able to teach so many goodness to young readers.
Thank you Pansing for providing me with a review copy of this book. The full review is available on my blog ♡
Snow White by Matt Phelan
4.0
Snow White by Matt Phelan is the first graphic novel that I've read, and I'm so in love with it 💞 There's barely any dialogues at all, but the graphics are so detailed and lovely! This retelling of Snow White is as powerful as the classic fairytale, maybe even better because I belief that the emotions are stronger in this one. Overall, it was a very quick read, yet oh-so-wonderful thanks to the gorgeous graphics!
Full review is available on my blog 🌹
Full review is available on my blog 🌹