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rjsetserauthor's reviews
866 reviews
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
4.0
I enjoyed this exciting adventure!
Artemis Fowl is a charming character who reminded me a lot of a young Sherlock Holmes. His genius makes him alluring and keeps him always one step ahead of everyone. The plot is a fun one and I loved how different yet familiar the fantasy world was. I recognized most of the fantasy creatures, though it was interesting for them to be changed a bit from their traditional roles.
Holly Short reminded me a lot of Judy Hopps from Zootopia; which was a fun comparison. Her personality, her kind heart, her courageous actions, and her determination to never give up on a job well done provided the perfect nemesis to Artemis's schemes.
I did like that Artemis is portrayed as the villain in this story and his illegal actions weren't justified just because he is twelve years old or because of the reasoning behind his actions.
The only reason that I docked a star is for the 5+ curse words that were thrown in after the 75% mark and the portrayal of a minor consuming alcohol. Since this book is a middle-grade book, the inclusion of these words was just unnecessary and one phrase was repeated several times by one character in a single scene. And Artemis pours himself and another minor a glass of champagne while acknowledging that he is a minor and making a comment that "mother wouldn't mind just this time". I really don't appreciate the casualty of underage drinking in a book meant for young readers, though Artemis is portrayed as the villain (as I mentioned earlier) so his actions are connected to being "bad". Still, I didn't care for how this particular scene was handled.
Artemis Fowl is a charming character who reminded me a lot of a young Sherlock Holmes. His genius makes him alluring and keeps him always one step ahead of everyone. The plot is a fun one and I loved how different yet familiar the fantasy world was. I recognized most of the fantasy creatures, though it was interesting for them to be changed a bit from their traditional roles.
Holly Short reminded me a lot of Judy Hopps from Zootopia; which was a fun comparison. Her personality, her kind heart, her courageous actions, and her determination to never give up on a job well done provided the perfect nemesis to Artemis's schemes.
I did like that Artemis is portrayed as the villain in this story and his illegal actions weren't justified just because he is twelve years old or because of the reasoning behind his actions.
The only reason that I docked a star is for the 5+ curse words that were thrown in after the 75% mark and the portrayal of a minor consuming alcohol. Since this book is a middle-grade book, the inclusion of these words was just unnecessary and one phrase was repeated several times by one character in a single scene. And Artemis pours himself and another minor a glass of champagne while acknowledging that he is a minor and making a comment that "mother wouldn't mind just this time". I really don't appreciate the casualty of underage drinking in a book meant for young readers, though Artemis is portrayed as the villain (as I mentioned earlier) so his actions are connected to being "bad". Still, I didn't care for how this particular scene was handled.
Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
1.0
*crickets chirping*
I have no idea why I finished this. Maybe because I received it for free to review and felt guilty abandoning it early? Maybe because I hoped that the resolution would be worth the cringe? I don't know. I just know that I wish I had stopped reading it back at 20% as I felt I should.
There is so much to unpack with this, so I'll start with why I think I kept reading: I liked Grant. And I was curious about what secrets Camp Zero held. There is a truly masterful undertone of suspense in this book. I felt bored throughout most of the story because of how slowly it moved, but the curiosity of what the camp was, the mystery shrouding all of the characters, and the heaviness of the world, all of it together just kept reeling me in. I had to know what happened, even though every revelation and new plot development left me even more appalled than I already was. Truly, this writing is unlike anything I've ever encountered. A slow burn suspense with a plot twist that repulsed me; I've never read anything like it.
However, personally, I almost dropped this book several different times. First, I feel like the main character's job should've been disclosed in the blurb because had I known that she were a "pleasure" worker, I would've known right away that this book wouldn't have been for me. As the blurb is now, I was quite shocked by her career of choice, though I do have to say that I was surprised at how "clean" the s*xual content is in light of that. There are conversations about her work and a couple of very brief, dry descriptions, but there is no spice. So, I chose to honor my pledge to finish and review the book and skipped over the parts that made me uncomfortable and just focus on the story.
I think my biggest reason for disliking this book is the doom and gloom feeling of everything. It was an incredibly depressing book and felt to me like a "all men are evil s*x fanatics and deserve to die" message. I'm all for women-empowerment stories and men paying for their evil deeds, but this one just painted such a focus on the darkness in our world that even the "good" male characters were roped into the same categories as the "bad" ones. And call me naive, but I know that there are still a lot of really good men left in the world.
Upon finishing the book, I just didn't feel satisfied with the plot. There were a lot of implied resolutions, but no absolutes, and honestly that just frustrated me.
Overall, I don't think I'll forget reading this book which is a compliment to the writer, but it's not a book that I would ever recommend to my circle of friends. And as I said earlier, I'm still shocked that I actually finished it.
I have no idea why I finished this. Maybe because I received it for free to review and felt guilty abandoning it early? Maybe because I hoped that the resolution would be worth the cringe? I don't know. I just know that I wish I had stopped reading it back at 20% as I felt I should.
There is so much to unpack with this, so I'll start with why I think I kept reading: I liked Grant. And I was curious about what secrets Camp Zero held. There is a truly masterful undertone of suspense in this book. I felt bored throughout most of the story because of how slowly it moved, but the curiosity of what the camp was, the mystery shrouding all of the characters, and the heaviness of the world, all of it together just kept reeling me in. I had to know what happened, even though every revelation and new plot development left me even more appalled than I already was. Truly, this writing is unlike anything I've ever encountered. A slow burn suspense with a plot twist that repulsed me; I've never read anything like it.
However, personally, I almost dropped this book several different times. First, I feel like the main character's job should've been disclosed in the blurb because had I known that she were a "pleasure" worker, I would've known right away that this book wouldn't have been for me. As the blurb is now, I was quite shocked by her career of choice, though I do have to say that I was surprised at how "clean" the s*xual content is in light of that. There are conversations about her work and a couple of very brief, dry descriptions, but there is no spice. So, I chose to honor my pledge to finish and review the book and skipped over the parts that made me uncomfortable and just focus on the story.
I think my biggest reason for disliking this book is the doom and gloom feeling of everything. It was an incredibly depressing book and felt to me like a "all men are evil s*x fanatics and deserve to die" message. I'm all for women-empowerment stories and men paying for their evil deeds, but this one just painted such a focus on the darkness in our world that even the "good" male characters were roped into the same categories as the "bad" ones. And call me naive, but I know that there are still a lot of really good men left in the world.
Upon finishing the book, I just didn't feel satisfied with the plot. There were a lot of implied resolutions, but no absolutes, and honestly that just frustrated me.
Overall, I don't think I'll forget reading this book which is a compliment to the writer, but it's not a book that I would ever recommend to my circle of friends. And as I said earlier, I'm still shocked that I actually finished it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Content warnings: Would be rated R if it were a movie. Cursing is very, very high. Gore is present, but not overly detailed. The nature of the deaths are more barbaric and disturbing, however. S*xual content is very present and talked about frequently in the nature of the characters' jobs, however, there are two mildly descriptive on-page scenes. Other topic warnings would be r*pe, child death, s*xual discrimination, racial discrimination, etc.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
adventurous
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Cinder earned the fifth star in the last half of the book; for a while, I was holding at only 4 stars.
I think I would've been on the hype bandwagon if I would've read it in high school, which is how long I've owned it without reading it *oops*. A friend of mine gave it to me as a birthday present and I just never made time to read it until recently.
Cinder is an exciting story and a very imaginative retelling of Cinderella while still sticking very close to the original plotline. I think that because it parallels the original story of Cinderella SO much in the first half of the book is why I struggled so much during the beginning. I felt like I knew what was going to happen because nothing new and different was learned about the Lunars until right at the halfway mark. It just felt like the same story (but with a Cyborg Cinderella) and I had to fight with myself to keep from getting bored. But once I started learning about the Lunars and the plot deviated from the traditional fairytale arc, I got invested and couldn't put it down at all during the last half of the book.
I loved Prince Kai! He was the perfect mix of young prince and soon-to-be king. He was the perfect "prince charming" and I'm invested in his story. Cinder was a good main character as well. I really liked her personality and though I didn't always agree with her actions, she still fit her role very well.
Overall, I wish I would've read this when I was younger because "high school me" would've adored this book!
I think I would've been on the hype bandwagon if I would've read it in high school, which is how long I've owned it without reading it *oops*. A friend of mine gave it to me as a birthday present and I just never made time to read it until recently.
Cinder is an exciting story and a very imaginative retelling of Cinderella while still sticking very close to the original plotline. I think that because it parallels the original story of Cinderella SO much in the first half of the book is why I struggled so much during the beginning. I felt like I knew what was going to happen because nothing new and different was learned about the Lunars until right at the halfway mark. It just felt like the same story (but with a Cyborg Cinderella) and I had to fight with myself to keep from getting bored. But once I started learning about the Lunars and the plot deviated from the traditional fairytale arc, I got invested and couldn't put it down at all during the last half of the book.
I loved Prince Kai! He was the perfect mix of young prince and soon-to-be king. He was the perfect "prince charming" and I'm invested in his story. Cinder was a good main character as well. I really liked her personality and though I didn't always agree with her actions, she still fit her role very well.
Overall, I wish I would've read this when I was younger because "high school me" would've adored this book!
A New Moon by Brandy Norwood
emotional
inspiring
4.0
Brandy's Cinderella is, and always has been, my absolute FAVORITE version of Cinderella. I watched it over and over and over and over as a girl. We had it on a VHS tape with no cover; identified only by the name "Brandy" written in black marker on a single white strip of masking tape. I'll never forget the day that the VHS unraveled...never to be watched again. I was devastated.
Listening to Brandy's story as a rising star and achieving her dreams over the years took me back to when I first saw her in Cinderella. She was such an inspiration to me then and still is to me now. Her audiobook is definitely worth listening to as she describes what it was like growing up as a child star, battling the self-competition of releasing even better albums than her hits, and dealing with public scrutiny of the constant judgment that comes with being in the limelight. The following quote is a bit on the longer side, but it just warmed my heart way too much to not include in the review:
"My God. I was the first black Disney Cinderella! And it was because of Whitney that I got to play such an iconic role. It was because of her that I became the first black Disney princess. I couldn't really appreciate it in that moment because I was so focused on doing the best possible job I could. But my life had literally become a Cinderella story. My dreams had come true; except I didn't care about finding a prince...because I had met my fairy godmother."
Listening to Brandy's story as a rising star and achieving her dreams over the years took me back to when I first saw her in Cinderella. She was such an inspiration to me then and still is to me now. Her audiobook is definitely worth listening to as she describes what it was like growing up as a child star, battling the self-competition of releasing even better albums than her hits, and dealing with public scrutiny of the constant judgment that comes with being in the limelight. The following quote is a bit on the longer side, but it just warmed my heart way too much to not include in the review:
"My God. I was the first black Disney Cinderella! And it was because of Whitney that I got to play such an iconic role. It was because of her that I became the first black Disney princess. I couldn't really appreciate it in that moment because I was so focused on doing the best possible job I could. But my life had literally become a Cinderella story. My dreams had come true; except I didn't care about finding a prince...because I had met my fairy godmother."
One Christmas Mystery by M. Christina Butler
hopeful
5.0
The fun thing about nieces is that I always have a reason to shop in the kids' book section at my favorite bookstore!
One Christmas Mystery is an adorable book that I was so excited to find and gift to my niece! The story is so very sweet, following Hedgehog and his friends as they each re-gift their gift to someone else in need. The red scarf helps them all and becomes so many things. This story is such a sweet method to illustrate the power of giving a helping hand.
One Christmas Mystery is an adorable book that I was so excited to find and gift to my niece! The story is so very sweet, following Hedgehog and his friends as they each re-gift their gift to someone else in need. The red scarf helps them all and becomes so many things. This story is such a sweet method to illustrate the power of giving a helping hand.
The Adventurers by Rachel Elliot, Valeria Docampo
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
I recently went thrift-shopping and this book was buried at the bottom of a stack of used books. I think it was the colors of the cover that caught my eye and I immediately fell in love with the illustrations! I took it home without even reading it, which is very rare for me with kids' books. I will almost always at least skim the story before I buy, but this one went home with me based solely on the cover and the title.
I'm just now getting around to reading it and what a fun book! It's short, which is perfect for young book-lovers. I adore how it's centered around the little girl's stuffed animals and toys and their adventures in her imagination. There are some introductions to genies, pirates, sea monsters, and many things that set little readers up for a love of fantasy.
The illustrations are what I think really make this book! Very beautiful and exciting! I definitely recommend it to parents/guardians of wee adventurers.
I'm just now getting around to reading it and what a fun book! It's short, which is perfect for young book-lovers. I adore how it's centered around the little girl's stuffed animals and toys and their adventures in her imagination. There are some introductions to genies, pirates, sea monsters, and many things that set little readers up for a love of fantasy.
The illustrations are what I think really make this book! Very beautiful and exciting! I definitely recommend it to parents/guardians of wee adventurers.
The Magpie Isles by Christian Sterling
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Live Your Best Life by Julia A. Royston
Live Your Best Life by Julia Royston is a short, motivational book meant to encourage and provide some direction in how to navigate your best life. Her enthusiasm and cheerfulness is contagious and as you read, it’s easy to imagine her speaking to you with a smile on her face.
I love her passion for giving credit back to God for everything and for His guidance in her life’s decisions. I would have liked to see more scripture references for many of the “biblical” virtues that she mentioned, just because I’ve never heard some of them before and there were few scripture references to back up her claims.
However, this book is not meant to be a deep study into turning your life around, but rather a quick pick-me-up and motivational speech that points you in the direction of living the best version of life by choosing who’s on your team in life, walking in your passion, and keeping yourself focused. It took me roughly 30 minutes to read the entire book if that gives you a better idea of how brief each topic is touched on.
Overall, I enjoyed the motivational pep-talk this morning and really liked the way that Mrs. Royston wrote the book. It felt conversational and relatable. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
I received this book for free from the author and was not required to write a review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
Live Your Best Life by Julia Royston is a short, motivational book meant to encourage and provide some direction in how to navigate your best life. Her enthusiasm and cheerfulness is contagious and as you read, it’s easy to imagine her speaking to you with a smile on her face.
I love her passion for giving credit back to God for everything and for His guidance in her life’s decisions. I would have liked to see more scripture references for many of the “biblical” virtues that she mentioned, just because I’ve never heard some of them before and there were few scripture references to back up her claims.
However, this book is not meant to be a deep study into turning your life around, but rather a quick pick-me-up and motivational speech that points you in the direction of living the best version of life by choosing who’s on your team in life, walking in your passion, and keeping yourself focused. It took me roughly 30 minutes to read the entire book if that gives you a better idea of how brief each topic is touched on.
Overall, I enjoyed the motivational pep-talk this morning and really liked the way that Mrs. Royston wrote the book. It felt conversational and relatable. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
I received this book for free from the author and was not required to write a review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.