Take a photo of a barcode or cover
thewildnorry's reviews
213 reviews
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
4.0
I will say that this book kept me guessing at various points. It is definitely a teen read and mostly enjoyable even if it is a "candy" type book.
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
4.0
Summary: Exploring love and loss in the relationships between best friends, siblings, exes, places, and words. The writing's beauty and sincerity masks the story's overall flatness.
I liked this book. Looking back on it, I'm not sure exactly why though.
The characters weren't particularly complex and neither were the relationships. We are often "told" of the character's closeness and feelings and then shown. As we're privy to the characters' inmost thoughts, I suppose this makes sense, but I can't help feeling as if this book would be much stronger without the "telling." I closed the book feeling as if I didn't know any of the characters any better than when I first opened the book. Maybe it was because I read so many young adult novels that the "quirky" and obsessive natures of these characters felt rather formulaic? As if they had to be a little odd in order to forge a kinship with the targeted demographic of readers (which I imagine to largely be high school girls who love to read and feel misunderstood.)
There are some characters that exist for next to know reason and some characters who seem promising and yet are completely wasted. Other times there are events that happen that likewise lead to nothing when they could be much more impactful. I have the feeling that this book could have used one more round of edits before its final release.
The plot wasn't particularly new or entertaining. It was best friends falling in love with each other and growing up. Although there didn't seem to be much growth by the end of the book, there were some steps towards it.
Despite all this, I still think it was a nice book, and I'd recommend it. It's not bad enough to feel like a waste of time, and I think it'd be a nice companion if you're looking for an audiobook for a long drive or to do some chores around the house. It's an excellent "in-between" book. When you're waiting to get a book you're particularly excited for and want to keep up the momentum of reading.
I also feel as if this book functions in a way similar to how sad songs or poetry might, which I think is the appeal and magic of the book. In it's flatness and it is relatable, and that's a certain kind of gift.
I liked this book. Looking back on it, I'm not sure exactly why though.
The characters weren't particularly complex and neither were the relationships. We are often "told" of the character's closeness and feelings and then shown. As we're privy to the characters' inmost thoughts, I suppose this makes sense, but I can't help feeling as if this book would be much stronger without the "telling." I closed the book feeling as if I didn't know any of the characters any better than when I first opened the book. Maybe it was because I read so many young adult novels that the "quirky" and obsessive natures of these characters felt rather formulaic? As if they had to be a little odd in order to forge a kinship with the targeted demographic of readers (which I imagine to largely be high school girls who love to read and feel misunderstood.)
There are some characters that exist for next to know reason and some characters who seem promising and yet are completely wasted.
Spoiler
The three that come to mind are Rose, Greg (I think that's his name, he shows up once), and Joel.Spoiler
Rachel's mom visiting.The plot wasn't particularly new or entertaining. It was best friends falling in love with each other and growing up. Although there didn't seem to be much growth by the end of the book, there were some steps towards it.
Despite all this, I still think it was a nice book, and I'd recommend it. It's not bad enough to feel like a waste of time, and I think it'd be a nice companion if you're looking for an audiobook for a long drive or to do some chores around the house. It's an excellent "in-between" book. When you're waiting to get a book you're particularly excited for and want to keep up the momentum of reading.
I also feel as if this book functions in a way similar to how sad songs or poetry might, which I think is the appeal and magic of the book. In it's flatness and it is relatable, and that's a certain kind of gift.