You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
oraclereadings's Reviews (107)
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book will make you cry!
So I'm not a big crier when it comes to reading, but animals just hold a special place in my heart. I didn't full on sob like I was expecting, but there some moments where I shed a few tears. It also didn't help that "Lily" is also the name of my Siamese kitten so it felt personal.
I think one of the big reasons I didn't cry really hard was because the "octopus" is introduced at the beginning so the outcome--in my opinion--was quite obvious as to what was going to happen. Our main character, Ted, just calls it an octopus because he can't bring himself to call what it actually is. (A tumor. ) It does kind of start off strange because Ted even calls it an octopus to his friends, family, and even the professionals; but it becomes apparent that this is just his way of coping as he and Lily "quite literally" battle against The Octopus.
Lily and The Octopus also "talk" and I actually found it entertaining. I listened to the audiobook for this so the different voices for both Lily and The Octopus were quite enjoyable.
So I'm not a big crier when it comes to reading, but animals just hold a special place in my heart. I didn't full on sob like I was expecting, but there some moments where I shed a few tears. It also didn't help that "Lily" is also the name of my Siamese kitten so it felt personal.
I think one of the big reasons I didn't cry really hard was because the "octopus" is introduced at the beginning so the outcome--in my opinion--was quite obvious as to what was going to happen. Our main character, Ted, just calls it an octopus because he can't bring himself to call what it actually is. (
Lily and The Octopus also "talk" and I actually found it entertaining. I listened to the audiobook for this so the different voices for both Lily and The Octopus were quite enjoyable.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This reads like a quirky Y2K rom-com.
I'm not really a fan of the trope of "bad boy is actually really sensitive" so that ended with my giving not enjoying this book as much.
I loved the concept about Lily's passion with music and felt her heartbreak when <i>that</i> inconvenience had happened. Although I had hoped that there would actually be more music involved. The main focus of the book seemed to be about Lily's crazy family and the mysterious letters, with music on the side.
I was also kinda disappointed that I knew immediately who Lily's secret pen pal was. And I feel like half of Lily's problems in the book wouldn't have happened if she just told her parents what was going on and explained the situation.
I'm not really a fan of the trope of "bad boy is actually really sensitive" so that ended with my giving not enjoying this book as much.
I loved the concept about Lily's passion with music and felt her heartbreak when <i>that</i> inconvenience had happened. Although I had hoped that there would actually be more music involved. The main focus of the book seemed to be about Lily's crazy family and the mysterious letters, with music on the side.
I was also kinda disappointed that I knew immediately who Lily's secret pen pal was. And I feel like half of Lily's problems in the book wouldn't have happened if she just told her parents what was going on and explained the situation.
fast-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this a lot more than the first. <b>NOTE:</b> I'm going to be writing this review with the first book in mind, so I'll be referring to things that happened in [book:The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer|11408650] so there will be some <b>SPOILERS</b> for the first book.
First off, I just wanted to say that I have a soft spot for Daniel and Joseph because their relationship with Mara is identical to the one I have with my own brothers. I always value the relationship between family members more than I do love interests, so it was nice to see more of Mara's family.
I liked that we got a little peek at Mara's family history, too. I was really intrigued to know more about her grandmother and was hoping that we would get to learn more about her.I also really liked the India background history. It kept me wondering if this was really Mara or her grandmother, or another life that she was catching glimpses of.
So after the events of the first book, Mara wakes up and she's been admitted. Soon she's enrolled in a psychiatric program that is basically just a school but for troubled teenagers. Jamie makes a reappearance, which I glad to see that he wasn't completely forgotten and washed away, though I still would have liked to see more of him.
Noah's character seemed to change and I don't know how I feel about that. In the first book, he comes off as this stand-offish bad boy type. While there's definitely some "bad boy" to him, it's not apparent as it was in the first book. I'm not sure if I'm relieved or not by the change but I did find him more likeable than I did in the first book.
Mara goes through the progress of not knowing what is real and what her mind has made up. She questions whether or not her ex-boyfriend Jude is still alive and why he's after her.
I wasn't surprised at the ending of this one, I'd almost been expecting it this time, but I was still taken aback by the twist. I still intend on reading the third book and seeing where <i>The Shaw Confessions</i> lead.
First off, I just wanted to say that I have a soft spot for Daniel and Joseph because their relationship with Mara is identical to the one I have with my own brothers. I always value the relationship between family members more than I do love interests, so it was nice to see more of Mara's family.
I liked that we got a little peek at Mara's family history, too. I was really intrigued to know more about her grandmother and was hoping that we would get to learn more about her.
So after the events of the first book, Mara wakes up and she's been admitted. Soon she's enrolled in a psychiatric program that is basically just a school but for troubled teenagers. Jamie makes a reappearance, which I glad to see that he wasn't completely forgotten and washed away, though I still would have liked to see more of him.
Noah's character seemed to change and I don't know how I feel about that. In the first book, he comes off as this stand-offish bad boy type. While there's definitely some "bad boy" to him, it's not apparent as it was in the first book. I'm not sure if I'm relieved or not by the change but I did find him more likeable than I did in the first book.
Mara goes through the progress of not knowing what is real and what her mind has made up. She questions whether or not her ex-boyfriend Jude is still alive and why he's after her.
I wasn't surprised at the ending of this one, I'd almost been expecting it this time, but I was still taken aback by the twist. I still intend on reading the third book and seeing where <i>The Shaw Confessions</i> lead.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Murder
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Child abuse
This wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't very good either. I actually quite enjoyed some parts.
The book is so over descriptive that it's easy to get lost. It's labeled as adult fiction, but because of Evie's age and since it's in her POV, it reads as a young-adult. There's a mighty list of trigger warnings that need to be addressed before reading this book. View this spoiler for tw: Adult/Minor Relationship, Sexual Assault, Murder, Drugs, Abuse of all sorts (including child abuse), and some light gore
The Girls starts with Evie sitting in a park and she becomes fascinated with these older teenage girls and the freedom that they express. Evie is so young and impressionable that when she meets up with Suzanne, one of the girls from the park, she becomes fascinated and drawn to her. It's never outright said in the book, but Evie is gay and she becomes obsessed with Suzanne.
Evie's parents are divorced and she's just broken a friendship with a childhood friend. After a fight with her mom, she goes with Suzanne to a ranch where her "family" stays. If you don't know already, this book is very heavily based upon "The Manson Family". This book focuses more on the Family itself rather than the murders.
I probably would have enjoyed this more if it stayed focused on the past and didn't time jump to the present. Nothing really happens in the present with Evie, other than her recollecting her memories of the cult and how things could have been different.
adventurous
inspiring
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:
Complicated
I don’t want to say that I’m disappointed, because I’m not. I really loved this book and enjoyed reading it. Surprised is more of the word that I’m looking for.
For the title to be “Wonder Woman” I was expecting that Diana (Wonder Woman) would be more of the focus of the story. And I did want the story to completely focused on her.
I wanted to see more of Diana’s life on Themyscira, of how she grew up and her history. I wanted more Amazons, more of Diana’s friends and the women that she grew up with, more of her mother Hippolyta and her actions as a queen.
We only get to see these for a brief, small moment before Diana runs from a trial to rescue Alia from a shipwreck. That isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy Alia’s character, though.
Alia is half-black/half-greek, with ancient Greek history flowing through her veins. With the help of Diana, Alia agrees to travel to Greece so that they can stop the Warbringer lineage. But not before making a quick trip to present time New York. There, we get to see Diana experience the mortal world for the first time. Alia explains all of the hardships of being human, and the inevitable racism that still exists today.
We meet Alia's brother Jason, who is hardheaded and determined, and Alia’s friends Theo and Nim. Theo and Nim’s banter back and forth kept me laughing and turning the page for more of their insults towards each other. This cast of characters was great and diverse, without feeling like it was trying too hard.
This book had everything you could have ever wanted in a Wonder Woman YA retelling: Greek Gods/Goddesses, amazing action and detailed fighting sequences, girl power and the bonds they share, and the reality of war and man.
<i>4.5 stars</i>
With that said, I am now going to be turning over to the downsides I had with this book, which are <b>SPOILERS</b> so read at your own risk!
I didn’t particularly enjoy the plot twist of Jason being the bad guy, but I understood his motive. I was kind of disappointed that he didn’t get the horrible ending he deserved. On that note, we don’t even know what happened to Jason. It was just kind of left ambiguous. I know that it goes against Diana’s character to end someone’s life, but I had been hoping that maybe Alia would have stepped in and taken that role and let her rage out on him. That wouldn’t have been within her character either, though.
While I loved Nim and Theo’s characters, I was almost expecting for one (or both, I guess) of them to actually die, like stay dead kind of die. It’s the kind of thing that we get used to in stories. You find a beloved character that you relate and hang onto for dear life, and then reality comes and snatches them away. The hero grieves and uses their sacrifice as a reason to keep moving and defeat the enemy.
The “everyone dies and gets a second chance” felt lazy to me. I get it, you want the drama and anger, but it felt like something that would have happened in a fanfiction. Oh I killed off these characters for dramatic effect, see you in the next chapter! Oh, haha just kidding they’re alive again, don’t worry about it. I get that this story was a good example of that excuse, it’s just not something that I particularly enjoy.
I plan to read the rest of the series and can only hope that Wonder Woman and these lovely characters that I've grown fond of make an appearance once again.
For the title to be “Wonder Woman” I was expecting that Diana (Wonder Woman) would be more of the focus of the story. And I did want the story to completely focused on her.
I wanted to see more of Diana’s life on Themyscira, of how she grew up and her history. I wanted more Amazons, more of Diana’s friends and the women that she grew up with, more of her mother Hippolyta and her actions as a queen.
We only get to see these for a brief, small moment before Diana runs from a trial to rescue Alia from a shipwreck. That isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy Alia’s character, though.
Alia is half-black/half-greek, with ancient Greek history flowing through her veins. With the help of Diana, Alia agrees to travel to Greece so that they can stop the Warbringer lineage. But not before making a quick trip to present time New York. There, we get to see Diana experience the mortal world for the first time. Alia explains all of the hardships of being human, and the inevitable racism that still exists today.
We meet Alia's brother Jason, who is hardheaded and determined, and Alia’s friends Theo and Nim. Theo and Nim’s banter back and forth kept me laughing and turning the page for more of their insults towards each other. This cast of characters was great and diverse, without feeling like it was trying too hard.
This book had everything you could have ever wanted in a Wonder Woman YA retelling: Greek Gods/Goddesses, amazing action and detailed fighting sequences, girl power and the bonds they share, and the reality of war and man.
<i>4.5 stars</i>
With that said, I am now going to be turning over to the downsides I had with this book, which are <b>SPOILERS</b> so read at your own risk!
While I loved Nim and Theo’s characters, I was almost expecting for one (or both, I guess) of them to actually die, like stay dead kind of die. It’s the kind of thing that we get used to in stories. You find a beloved character that you relate and hang onto for dear life, and then reality comes and snatches them away. The hero grieves and uses their sacrifice as a reason to keep moving and defeat the enemy.
The “everyone dies and gets a second chance” felt lazy to me. I get it, you want the drama and anger, but it felt like something that would have happened in a fanfiction. Oh I killed off these characters for dramatic effect, see you in the next chapter! Oh, haha just kidding they’re alive again, don’t worry about it. I get that this story was a good example of that excuse, it’s just not something that I particularly enjoy.
I plan to read the rest of the series and can only hope that Wonder Woman and these lovely characters that I've grown fond of make an appearance once again.
slow-paced
Can I just put the snoozing emoji in this review? No? Well. I don't know how to put a full thoughtful review into this so, here:
I think I would have enjoyed this more if the sisters had talked or bonded over anything else other than their choice of men.
Marianne is definitely the dreamer of the two sisters. She’s reckless and ambitious while her sister Elinor is calm and sensible, more realistic than her younger sister.
I couldn’t get over the fact that their “hardship” was from being in a wealthy home and living a rich life to living a lesser wealthy and rich life. Though I will admit that I have no idea how their currency would compare to today’s standards.
I found both love interests to be rather dull and neither were charming or interesting. The romance was just not there, for either of the sisters. It’s very apparent and you can feel Marianne’s feelings for Willoughby,but I thought it was obvious that he didn’t really reciprocate her feelings.
I've been wanting to get into Jane Austen for some time now and I can only hope that this particular book just wasn't my taste.
I think I would have enjoyed this more if the sisters had talked or bonded over anything else other than their choice of men.
Marianne is definitely the dreamer of the two sisters. She’s reckless and ambitious while her sister Elinor is calm and sensible, more realistic than her younger sister.
I couldn’t get over the fact that their “hardship” was from being in a wealthy home and living a rich life to living a lesser wealthy and rich life. Though I will admit that I have no idea how their currency would compare to today’s standards.
I found both love interests to be rather dull and neither were charming or interesting. The romance was just not there, for either of the sisters. It’s very apparent and you can feel Marianne’s feelings for Willoughby,
I've been wanting to get into Jane Austen for some time now and I can only hope that this particular book just wasn't my taste.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
I usually don't enjoy memoirs or books wrote in verse, but this was a nice read. Woodson does a great job at explaining what is was like as a child growing up during the Civil Rights movement in very little words.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
That ending threw me through a loop. I knew that there was going to be a twist, but that wasn't what I was expecting. Overall, it was still a nice read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Murder
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Homophobia, Miscarriage
emotional
informative
inspiring
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:
N/A
It's crazy to think that this book can be called "fiction". It is informative, it is heartbreaking, and emotional. Everyone should read this book at least once.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Police brutality, Murder
Moderate: Gun violence
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The romance was just not there for me. It seemed to be very nonexistent, to be honest. The whole relationship is surrounded at their jobs and we hardly get to see them outside of work-mode. I did enjoy the little prank-war the two had started and wished we had gotten more shenanigans.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Sexual content