Scan barcode
thebookishmel's reviews
405 reviews
Let it Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green, Lauren Myracle
3.0
Overall 3.5-4 star rating.
The Jubilee Express - Maureen Johnson (4/5)
Jubilee is addressing “you” directly so its interesting right off the bat! I love being able to hear Jubilee’s whole personality from the way she’s telling the story, but I can feel her emotions too.
Jubilee’s really so funny, and has such a strong personality. It makes reading everything so much more fun because she isn’t afraid of speaking her mind. But she’s also so stubborn that it can get the best of her.
The love interest, I felt, was kind of sudden and intense really quickly. But I like the growth that came from it. Overall, REALLY cute and I loved Johnson’s writing. I’m pleased!
A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle - John Green (3/5)
When I read the title, I was really praying it wasn’t about those 14 cheerleaders, but alas it was. I like seeing the stream of consciousness from Tobin, but the stream of consciousness between the two boys was a mess. The entire premise was making it to these cheerleaders.
I really like the Duke as a character. She’s so sick and, like Jubilee, isn’t afraid to speak up and make her thoughts known. Overall, I think I liked her perspective of the entire story the best, which helped boost the rating just a bit. She was up for the adventure and made it all the more positive, but if it wasn’t for that, I don’t think I’d give it any higher than a 2.
The Patron Saint of Pigs - Lauren Myracle (4/5)
Addie is a very interesting character, but in all honesty what made this story was the Christmas Angel aspect of it. I really love that trope in Christmas movies so reading it made my heart flutter. I loved how all of the characters really came together and their stories all kind of lined up! I definitely think this was the best way to wrap it up.
The Jubilee Express - Maureen Johnson (4/5)
Jubilee is addressing “you” directly so its interesting right off the bat! I love being able to hear Jubilee’s whole personality from the way she’s telling the story, but I can feel her emotions too.
Jubilee’s really so funny, and has such a strong personality. It makes reading everything so much more fun because she isn’t afraid of speaking her mind. But she’s also so stubborn that it can get the best of her.
The love interest, I felt, was kind of sudden and intense really quickly. But I like the growth that came from it. Overall, REALLY cute and I loved Johnson’s writing. I’m pleased!
A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle - John Green (3/5)
When I read the title, I was really praying it wasn’t about those 14 cheerleaders, but alas it was. I like seeing the stream of consciousness from Tobin, but the stream of consciousness between the two boys was a mess. The entire premise was making it to these cheerleaders.
I really like the Duke as a character. She’s so sick and, like Jubilee, isn’t afraid to speak up and make her thoughts known. Overall, I think I liked her perspective of the entire story the best, which helped boost the rating just a bit. She was up for the adventure and made it all the more positive, but if it wasn’t for that, I don’t think I’d give it any higher than a 2.
The Patron Saint of Pigs - Lauren Myracle (4/5)
Addie is a very interesting character, but in all honesty what made this story was the Christmas Angel aspect of it. I really love that trope in Christmas movies so reading it made my heart flutter. I loved how all of the characters really came together and their stories all kind of lined up! I definitely think this was the best way to wrap it up.
Nocturnal by Wilder
3.0
This was overall a meh read for me. I've read many poetry collections that I've highly enjoyed and appreciated, and although poetry is subjective and requires individual interpretation, I can't agree with the sentiments of many who enjoyed this. The collection is split into three sections, Dusk, Howl and Lucid Dreams, Lucid Dreams being my favorite of the three.
I didn't love how some of these poems seemed to be a broken narrator desperate to be fixed by "you." I was hoping for more, but it definitely showed weakness and a fragile heart REALLY well. I was hoping for more growth as you read through each section, and Howl didn't really bring that to the surface. My biggest issue came from the back and forth of perspective.
Example - One poem (p. 62) makes the difference between "losing" someone and "leaving" someone. Leaving is a much more powerful word, and I appreciated that so much. HOWEVER, the next page started to talk about losing again and it just completely lost any momentum it had for my enjoyment and appreciation.
In section three, stylistically the best was having a set of words connect or juxtapose the two pages like "Eye" on one page and "Of the Storm" on the next. The visuals were also a huge bonus, loved those!
I didn't love how some of these poems seemed to be a broken narrator desperate to be fixed by "you." I was hoping for more, but it definitely showed weakness and a fragile heart REALLY well. I was hoping for more growth as you read through each section, and Howl didn't really bring that to the surface. My biggest issue came from the back and forth of perspective.
Example - One poem (p. 62) makes the difference between "losing" someone and "leaving" someone. Leaving is a much more powerful word, and I appreciated that so much. HOWEVER, the next page started to talk about losing again and it just completely lost any momentum it had for my enjoyment and appreciation.
In section three, stylistically the best was having a set of words connect or juxtapose the two pages like "Eye" on one page and "Of the Storm" on the next. The visuals were also a huge bonus, loved those!
Cat's Game by Sara Marie
5.0
Oh my goodness. I am so incredibly in love with this poetry collection. After reading Sara's most recent work, I decided to go backwards and read the first and I'm so glad I did. It's such a beautifully crafted collection that really pulled me by my heart strings and forced me to take a step back and really be introspective with my own life. I highlighted so many more poems this time around, I feel, than I did with Wish List and it really goes to show just how much I adored this.
More so, I haven't had something inspire me so much. One of the poems ends with "you always had a way of believing in me and/i'm jealous because i don't know how to anymore" and instantly I was hit with memories and moments in my life that I needed to open up a new document and start writing. I wanted to eternalize that moment I remembered, but also eternalize just how much it had hit me. I'm so blessed to have an outlet like this, but also so blessed to see that there is so much in this world that reminds me and others alike that we are not alone.
Sara Marie, you've done it again.
More so, I haven't had something inspire me so much. One of the poems ends with "you always had a way of believing in me and/i'm jealous because i don't know how to anymore" and instantly I was hit with memories and moments in my life that I needed to open up a new document and start writing. I wanted to eternalize that moment I remembered, but also eternalize just how much it had hit me. I'm so blessed to have an outlet like this, but also so blessed to see that there is so much in this world that reminds me and others alike that we are not alone.
Sara Marie, you've done it again.
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
5.0
The final installment in the mortal instruments was fantastic. I LOVED the build up and the momentum of the entire novel. At times, TMI can get slow and redundant or like a giant waiting game and I was bored, but this time around, the waiting game was more anticipation of something BIG coming and had me on my toes. I think my favorite part of this was at about 75% in. Cassandra Clare usually writes the "trust me" plan without showing the reader the characters create the plan. In CoHF, we get to see a glimpse of the plan in the making and that definitely added to the entire atmosphere of it all because I was sitting and WAITING for something to happen.
I do think the reason I enjoyed this so much more though was seeing the characters and their emotional toil throughout it all. Meeting Emma and Julian was incredible and SO refreshing to see a younger side of things again. I loved being back in this world, and seeing my favorites, but Emma and Julian really were needed in this. ALSO OKAY SPEAKING OF CHARACTERS. BROTHER ZACHARIA. THAT IS ALL.
:)
I do think the reason I enjoyed this so much more though was seeing the characters and their emotional toil throughout it all. Meeting Emma and Julian was incredible and SO refreshing to see a younger side of things again. I loved being back in this world, and seeing my favorites, but Emma and Julian really were needed in this. ALSO OKAY SPEAKING OF CHARACTERS. BROTHER ZACHARIA. THAT IS ALL.
:)
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan, Rachel Cohn
4.0
Super cute and fun read! I listened to it on audio and had such a blast. The teenage angst was definitely present and I enjoyed that and the entire premise was real cute, great for the holidays!
Gemina by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
5.0
There have only been a handful of sequels that have given me a book hangover, and this joins that club. Gemina really threw me for a ride that I wasn't expecting, but also was so much better than Illuminae in a way that I genuinely did not anticipate. Having listened to the entire book and flipping through made the experience SOOO much more incredible!
Hanna and Nik are such dynamic characters, and I love their romance SO much more than Kady and Ezra's. I love them as a duo, but them individually have such intense growth and their backstories play such a huge role into who they are and the choices they make later on in the novel. It's built SO well and I really cannot praise this book enough.
My small issues came from keeping up with the amount of characters that were flowing in and out through comms, through radio transmissions, etc. THEN, oh my gosh, introducing aNOTHER TWIST at the literal last 100 pages that just absolutely blew my mind up.
I don't have enough words to express my joy, grief, and rollercoaster of love for this novel and for this series.
Hanna and Nik are such dynamic characters, and I love their romance SO much more than Kady and Ezra's. I love them as a duo, but them individually have such intense growth and their backstories play such a huge role into who they are and the choices they make later on in the novel. It's built SO well and I really cannot praise this book enough.
My small issues came from keeping up with the amount of characters that were flowing in and out through comms, through radio transmissions, etc. THEN, oh my gosh, introducing aNOTHER TWIST at the literal last 100 pages that just absolutely blew my mind up.
I don't have enough words to express my joy, grief, and rollercoaster of love for this novel and for this series.
Obsidio by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
5.0
I’m not remotely surprised that this is a 5/5 star read. I am so completely enthralled by this entire series that Obsidio really is the icing on the cake. This book had me angry, it had me nervous, CRYING, and wanting more constantly. Kristoff and Kaufman do a fantastic job of really setting the scene with extremely vivid imagery (thanks to the transcriptions!!), and the constant movement was so well done!
AIDAN remains one of my favorite and most dynamic characters that I’ve seen and I genuinely love it so much! I think the only thing I didn’t LOVE was how rushed Rhys and Asha’s plot line developed but then again there’s a method to the madness. So happy I finished, and so incredibly pleased with this beauty! Definitely top trilogy!
AIDAN remains one of my favorite and most dynamic characters that I’ve seen and I genuinely love it so much! I think the only thing I didn’t LOVE was how rushed Rhys and Asha’s plot line developed but then again there’s a method to the madness. So happy I finished, and so incredibly pleased with this beauty! Definitely top trilogy!
Our Dark Duet by V.E. Schwab
4.0
4.0-4.5
In the acknowledgement section, Schwab writes "This book nearly killed me... books can't hurt you unless you care about them," and I CARED SO MUCH. Oh my goodness. To start off, the beginning went a bit rough for me because it felt so slow. I didn't feel the connection and drive to the story primarily because August and Kate were so far apart for so long. But their separation was SUCH good character building as a result of book one.
I don't ever underestimate Schwab, but she seriously writes a conflicting morale, monsters, good and evil and internal conflict SO WELL! The dynamics between the characters and duos like August and Kate, and our antagonists (x2? 3?) develop so well as the story continues to build. I also really loved the slight change in writing from prose to verse created so much more complexity in the different perspectives and viewpoints without making it confusing.
Through and through, Schwab knew that writing this story meant it wouldn't have a clear happy ending for everyone, and I LOVED IT! However, I feel like the end was a bit rushed. I understand the choices that were made, but to really pack a punch emotionally, I would've loved to have seen more than what we were given for the last chapter and elegy. I definitely feel like something was missing and I can't quite put my finger on it, but I still enjoyed it a ton!
In the acknowledgement section, Schwab writes "This book nearly killed me... books can't hurt you unless you care about them," and I CARED SO MUCH. Oh my goodness. To start off, the beginning went a bit rough for me because it felt so slow. I didn't feel the connection and drive to the story primarily because August and Kate were so far apart for so long. But their separation was SUCH good character building as a result of book one.
I don't ever underestimate Schwab, but she seriously writes a conflicting morale, monsters, good and evil and internal conflict SO WELL! The dynamics between the characters and duos like August and Kate, and our antagonists (x2? 3?) develop so well as the story continues to build. I also really loved the slight change in writing from prose to verse created so much more complexity in the different perspectives and viewpoints without making it confusing.
Through and through, Schwab knew that writing this story meant it wouldn't have a clear happy ending for everyone, and I LOVED IT! However, I feel like the end was a bit rushed. I understand the choices that were made, but to really pack a punch emotionally, I would've loved to have seen more than what we were given for the last chapter and elegy. I definitely feel like something was missing and I can't quite put my finger on it, but I still enjoyed it a ton!
Crack of Dawn by Luicy Bora
I received a free e-book in exchange for an HONEST review.
I had such a hard time with this poetry collection. Although the concept of this was interesting and fun, a love story through poetry wasn’t conveyed to me. I had to get past a structure that wasn’t cohesive and I found myself struggling to get past words that were far too eloquent for the type of poem it was.
There were a handful of poems that I did enjoy and could see it going in that direction of a love story, but not enough to portray that consistently. It definitely picked up towards the end of chapter two, and while I did appreciate that, the levels of complexity just weren’t there.
I had such a hard time with this poetry collection. Although the concept of this was interesting and fun, a love story through poetry wasn’t conveyed to me. I had to get past a structure that wasn’t cohesive and I found myself struggling to get past words that were far too eloquent for the type of poem it was.
There were a handful of poems that I did enjoy and could see it going in that direction of a love story, but not enough to portray that consistently. It definitely picked up towards the end of chapter two, and while I did appreciate that, the levels of complexity just weren’t there.