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orchids's reviews
97 reviews
The Someday Daughter by Ellen O'Clover
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.5
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the Advanced Reader Copy!
OOF. This book hits hard (in all the right places!). This Contemporary YA novel follows Audrey St. Vrain, daughter of Camilla St. Vrain who is a famous self-help author, during the summer before her freshman year of college. Audrey had big plans to have a super productive summer by attending a prestigious summer premed program which would set her up for success in college, but she ends up getting roped into joining a summer book tour to promote the 25th anniversary of her mother's book, "Letters to My Someday Daughter," and confront her strained relationship with her. After having to endure the stresses of being in the spotlight and answering questions about her and her mother despite not having the picture-perfect relationship that her mother always boasts about, Audrey finds herself having to acknowledge difficult truths about herself and her family.
While this book was slow to start, it got me in the second half, and that twist shocked me to my core! I audibly gasped! At times Audrey's stubbornness was eye-roll worry and occasionally got on my nerves, but I'm also a 25-year-old who has gone through a lot of therapy! And to be fair, I very much acted like Audrey when I was her age. All the other characters were lovely! Except for Silas, Sadie, and Camilla, the side characters did feel a tad one-noted, but they were still a joy to read and provided a nice comic relief. There is a small bit of romance in this book, BUT "The Someday Daughter" is far beyond a standard YA romance novel. At its core, this novel is about Audrey and her mental health struggles and navigating her relationship with her mother. It's incredibly written and is so beautiful in a raw and vulnerable way. It is worth a read if you are looking for something fresh in the YA world!
OOF. This book hits hard (in all the right places!). This Contemporary YA novel follows Audrey St. Vrain, daughter of Camilla St. Vrain who is a famous self-help author, during the summer before her freshman year of college. Audrey had big plans to have a super productive summer by attending a prestigious summer premed program which would set her up for success in college, but she ends up getting roped into joining a summer book tour to promote the 25th anniversary of her mother's book, "Letters to My Someday Daughter," and confront her strained relationship with her. After having to endure the stresses of being in the spotlight and answering questions about her and her mother despite not having the picture-perfect relationship that her mother always boasts about, Audrey finds herself having to acknowledge difficult truths about herself and her family.
While this book was slow to start, it got me in the second half, and that twist shocked me to my core! I audibly gasped! At times Audrey's stubbornness was eye-roll worry and occasionally got on my nerves, but I'm also a 25-year-old who has gone through a lot of therapy! And to be fair, I very much acted like Audrey when I was her age. All the other characters were lovely! Except for Silas, Sadie, and Camilla, the side characters did feel a tad one-noted, but they were still a joy to read and provided a nice comic relief. There is a small bit of romance in this book, BUT "The Someday Daughter" is far beyond a standard YA romance novel. At its core, this novel is about Audrey and her mental health struggles and navigating her relationship with her mother. It's incredibly written and is so beautiful in a raw and vulnerable way. It is worth a read if you are looking for something fresh in the YA world!
Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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? Yes
5.0
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for the Advanced Reader Copy!
Dungeons and Drama follows Riley, a theatre-loving high schooler who just got grounded and now has to work at her father's game store as punishment. She quickly becomes enemies with Nathan, a fellow classmate who works at the store and is snarky and nerdy which annoys Riley to no end. After an awkward interaction with her ex, Riley devises a plan to fake-date Nathan, and surprisingly he agrees after Riley convinces him that this will help make his own crush jealous. However, part of the plan involves Riley hopping into a game of Dungeons and Dragons with Nathan and all of his nerdy friends! Riley finds herself having to juggle school, her passion for keeping her theatre department alive, and building a relationship with her father all while trying to make her fake relationship with Nathan look believable!
I was immediately intrigued by this premise, and I was completely hooked after the first few chapters! I read most of this book in the span of two days, and if it wasn't for my busy work life, I would have finished this book in three days (which would have been a personal record!). Kristy Boyce's prose flows so beautifully which is a huge reason this book was such a page-turner! All the characters felt very grounded and realistic. The characters and their dialogue were so charming and funny that it made reading this book so enjoyable. Riley did say some cringey things every so often, but to be honest, that's very true to form for a high school theatre kid! This book deals with so many complex themes like being a child of divorced parents and feeling guilt from "picking a side," and the importance of community spaces. Kristy Boyce did a wonderful job weaving these themes and subplots into the larger narrative. I will admit that I was giggling like an idiot at Riley and Nathan's "fake" dating scenes-- they are so adorable! I also appreciate the parts where they discussed their boundaries and consent! That is so important to include in YA novels! All in all, this book was such a fun and lovely read! I truly didn't want to book to end; I could read a million books about Riley, Nathan, and the whole cast of characters, and that would still not be enough! If you are looking for a light, charming, and nerdy rom-com, this book is perfect for you!!
Dungeons and Drama follows Riley, a theatre-loving high schooler who just got grounded and now has to work at her father's game store as punishment. She quickly becomes enemies with Nathan, a fellow classmate who works at the store and is snarky and nerdy which annoys Riley to no end. After an awkward interaction with her ex, Riley devises a plan to fake-date Nathan, and surprisingly he agrees after Riley convinces him that this will help make his own crush jealous. However, part of the plan involves Riley hopping into a game of Dungeons and Dragons with Nathan and all of his nerdy friends! Riley finds herself having to juggle school, her passion for keeping her theatre department alive, and building a relationship with her father all while trying to make her fake relationship with Nathan look believable!
I was immediately intrigued by this premise, and I was completely hooked after the first few chapters! I read most of this book in the span of two days, and if it wasn't for my busy work life, I would have finished this book in three days (which would have been a personal record!). Kristy Boyce's prose flows so beautifully which is a huge reason this book was such a page-turner! All the characters felt very grounded and realistic. The characters and their dialogue were so charming and funny that it made reading this book so enjoyable. Riley did say some cringey things every so often, but to be honest, that's very true to form for a high school theatre kid! This book deals with so many complex themes like being a child of divorced parents and feeling guilt from "picking a side," and the importance of community spaces. Kristy Boyce did a wonderful job weaving these themes and subplots into the larger narrative. I will admit that I was giggling like an idiot at Riley and Nathan's "fake" dating scenes-- they are so adorable! I also appreciate the parts where they discussed their boundaries and consent! That is so important to include in YA novels! All in all, this book was such a fun and lovely read! I truly didn't want to book to end; I could read a million books about Riley, Nathan, and the whole cast of characters, and that would still not be enough! If you are looking for a light, charming, and nerdy rom-com, this book is perfect for you!!
Queen's Peril by E.K. Johnston
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
i will easily admit that star wars lore confuses me to no end; however, this book was so delightful and easy to digest. for me, the first half of the book was more enjoyable than the second. it revolved around padme's beginnings as queen of naboo and the forming of her handmaid security group which extended beyond the confines of the prequel movies. it's easy to forget that padme and her handmaids are all just young teen girls that were thrown into matters of intergalactic importance, so i loved reading more of these private moments between all the girls that are non existent in the movies, the second half of the book started including beats from the movies, so it took the liberty of jumping around the narrative more which at times was disorienting (which, mind you, is coming from someone who isn't a diehard star wars fan and is instead just a casual viewer). nonetheless, i will give e.k. johnston props for not just solely rewriting events that happened in the movie but instead providing more behind-the-scenes moments and internal monologues during some of the well-known plot points from the movies. i'm looking forward to what the rest of this trilogy has to offer!
Zikora by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
this short story was set up beautifully and had my attention from the first page. chimamanda's writing is so exquisite and visceral that it felt like i could feel the physical and emotional pain that zikora went through. truly excellent prose that i didn't want it to end!
The Visit by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
this short story was fine. i'm always a fan of alternate universes and speculative fiction, but this at times felt pretty surface-level. i felt like the story was more focused on the "what ifs" surrounding men being the minority gender rather than building complex characters that go beyond stereotypes and tropes. you could argue that this was done purposefully to make a point but still... i needed something more
The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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? No
5.0
earlier this year, one of my former students recommended this book specifically because she felt like i would enjoy it as much as she did (she couldn't stop talking about how much she loved this book for a week straight)!! and wow! this book is truly something special! the story follows a young protagonist named marya who is growing up in a medieval fantasy world where sorcerers are held in high regard as they are combating an evil entity known as "the dread" that can kill a village in an instant. as the story progresses, marya learns more about herself and other young girls and the roles they are expected to play in society. i don't want to explain the plot any further because i believe this book is worth going in blind. the book always kept me on the edge of my seat and the book ended not how i was expecting. this truly is a powerful and magical book that has beautiful messages of courage and believing in what's right. knowing that my former student thought of me while reading this so heartwarming. i am thankful that she introduced me to this book. this is truly a must-read!!
Frida Kahlo: The Last Interview: And Other Conversations by Frida Kahlo
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
this is a great little collection of interviews and articles published during frida kahlo's lifetime. while this short book is not all-encompassing (given that this is not a traditional biography and knowing that frida was a reserved person who rarely gave interviews), i would say that this book would be a great start for any admirer of her work and is interested in learning more about the big moments of her life. it was interesting to see the transition of interviews restricting frida's identity as just, "diego's wife that sometimes paints," into the final interview in the book where frida, in her own words, recounts her life story and her relationship with painting.
Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid
emotional
funny
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you NetGalley and Clarion Books for the Advanced Reader Copy!
Just Lizzie follows the life of the titular character Lizzie as she goes through all sorts of jarring life changes such as moving out of her childhood home, her brother moving away to college, and her childhood best friend drifting away from her as she starts dating. As Lizzie's environment is changing all around her, Lizzie starts examining her goals and motivations, she quickly realizes that she thinks differently from her fellow classmates, particularly when it comes to crushes and dating. After doing research for her science projects and stumbling upon plants and animals that reproduce asexually, Lizzie feels like all of her questions about her identity are answered. However, Lizzie now finds herself having to navigate this newfound identity label and how this could potentially affect her relationships with her friends and family.
There were so many aspects of the book that I loved including the complexity of all of Lizzie's relationships with her peers and the adults in her life Although I feel like elements of Lizzie's internal monologue felt repetitive and sometimes inducive of eye-rolls, it still felt very true to the middle schooler experience. As an adult I wanted to shout, "Lizzie!! Just talk to your teacher/parent about your feelings!!" but her reservations about speaking up were very characteristic of a pre-teen, and in the end, she grew from her mistakes and feels more confident about speaker her mind and being true to herself. All in all, I feel like this book is a spectacular cornerstone of asexual representation, particularly in the middle-grade/young-adult genre, where representation like this is severely lacking. I can wholeheartedly see that this book will have an impact on the next generation!
Just Lizzie follows the life of the titular character Lizzie as she goes through all sorts of jarring life changes such as moving out of her childhood home, her brother moving away to college, and her childhood best friend drifting away from her as she starts dating. As Lizzie's environment is changing all around her, Lizzie starts examining her goals and motivations, she quickly realizes that she thinks differently from her fellow classmates, particularly when it comes to crushes and dating. After doing research for her science projects and stumbling upon plants and animals that reproduce asexually, Lizzie feels like all of her questions about her identity are answered. However, Lizzie now finds herself having to navigate this newfound identity label and how this could potentially affect her relationships with her friends and family.
There were so many aspects of the book that I loved including the complexity of all of Lizzie's relationships with her peers and the adults in her life Although I feel like elements of Lizzie's internal monologue felt repetitive and sometimes inducive of eye-rolls, it still felt very true to the middle schooler experience. As an adult I wanted to shout, "Lizzie!! Just talk to your teacher/parent about your feelings!!" but her reservations about speaking up were very characteristic of a pre-teen, and in the end, she grew from her mistakes and feels more confident about speaker her mind and being true to herself. All in all, I feel like this book is a spectacular cornerstone of asexual representation, particularly in the middle-grade/young-adult genre, where representation like this is severely lacking. I can wholeheartedly see that this book will have an impact on the next generation!
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
This was a really enjoyable read! I'm a sucker for any political/historical fictitious narratives, so this book was right up my alley. I think that Casey McQuiston did an excellent job at world-building and making these characters feel real amidst some of comedic and over-the-top plot points (which were very fun to read!)
The Space Between Here and Now by Sarah Suk
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Thank you NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for the Advanced Reader Copy!
This book follows protagonist Aimee Roh, a high schooler with Sensory Time Warp Syndrome where a specific scent of items like sawdust or perfume can physically take her back in time to a childhood memory. As the story progresses, Aimee realizes she is almost always being brought back in time to memories of her mother who walked away from Aimee's life at a young age. Aimee begins searching for answers both inside and outside of her memories on why her mom left her. Throughout the book, Aimee finds more answers about herself and her relationships with people in the present as well as finding out the truth of what happened to her mother.
The book is exceptionally well-written. Sometimes I would suddenly remember, "Oh, this is a young adult book!" It was so easy to get lost in the story and read large sections of the book in one sitting, and that is in large part due to Sarah Suk's incredible world-building and character development. This book was so hard to put down! I would categorize this book as magical realism akin to books Isabel Allende and Cristina García have written, and yet, the settings and characters felt so grounded and based in reality. Each character is so complex and flawed, including protagonist Aimee, which I think really adds so much dimension to the story overall. I think Suk did an amazing job of unraveling this story as the book progresses. The reader is slowly made privy to the reasoning for certain character motivations (what immediately comes to mind is Aimee's father, who was so complex and beautifully written). I was always kept on my toes and second-guessing how the story was going to play out. Time and time again, the book kept surprising me, in a good way! I couldn't be happier with how the book ended; I felt like everything was resolved so lovely. Admittedly, I was crying my way through reading the last few chapters of the book. This book deals with themes such as grief and identity so beautifully and with a fresh and unique lens with fantastical elements such as time-traveling.
I truly think this a flawless book! The plot was engaging from beginning to end. The characters, no matter how big or small of a role they played in the plot, were multifaceted and added dimension to the story. The sci-fi element of time traveling with Suk's addition of Sensory Time Warp Syndrome felt new and fresh; I truly haven't seen anything like this. Sarah Suk really hit it out of the park with this novel. It quickly became one of my favorite books of all time!! I highly recommend this book to anybody who loves sci-fi, mysteries, and good ol' coming-of-age stories!
This book follows protagonist Aimee Roh, a high schooler with Sensory Time Warp Syndrome where a specific scent of items like sawdust or perfume can physically take her back in time to a childhood memory. As the story progresses, Aimee realizes she is almost always being brought back in time to memories of her mother who walked away from Aimee's life at a young age. Aimee begins searching for answers both inside and outside of her memories on why her mom left her. Throughout the book, Aimee finds more answers about herself and her relationships with people in the present as well as finding out the truth of what happened to her mother.
The book is exceptionally well-written. Sometimes I would suddenly remember, "Oh, this is a young adult book!" It was so easy to get lost in the story and read large sections of the book in one sitting, and that is in large part due to Sarah Suk's incredible world-building and character development. This book was so hard to put down! I would categorize this book as magical realism akin to books Isabel Allende and Cristina García have written, and yet, the settings and characters felt so grounded and based in reality. Each character is so complex and flawed, including protagonist Aimee, which I think really adds so much dimension to the story overall. I think Suk did an amazing job of unraveling this story as the book progresses. The reader is slowly made privy to the reasoning for certain character motivations (what immediately comes to mind is Aimee's father, who was so complex and beautifully written). I was always kept on my toes and second-guessing how the story was going to play out. Time and time again, the book kept surprising me, in a good way! I couldn't be happier with how the book ended; I felt like everything was resolved so lovely. Admittedly, I was crying my way through reading the last few chapters of the book. This book deals with themes such as grief and identity so beautifully and with a fresh and unique lens with fantastical elements such as time-traveling.
I truly think this a flawless book! The plot was engaging from beginning to end. The characters, no matter how big or small of a role they played in the plot, were multifaceted and added dimension to the story. The sci-fi element of time traveling with Suk's addition of Sensory Time Warp Syndrome felt new and fresh; I truly haven't seen anything like this. Sarah Suk really hit it out of the park with this novel. It quickly became one of my favorite books of all time!! I highly recommend this book to anybody who loves sci-fi, mysteries, and good ol' coming-of-age stories!