Megan

Honestly, this was much darker than I expected. It wasn't bad by any means either. Ultimately, it was too repetitive for me, and Anna was overly clueless and self-involved at times. She somehow makes every little tragedy about her. The major conflict is wrapped up in a super anti-climactic way in one sentence.

That being said, I don't want to judge it too harshly. It's a book that bridges the gap between two Disney movies, so it met my overall expectations for kid lit. I had fun reading it too. If the amount of Anna's inner conflict that was written had been cut in half, she wouldn't have been as frustrating, so I think it's mostly an editing thing. I really loved all the new characters too.

I hadn't heard of this case before picking up this book.

It was definitely intriguing right off the bat, and I wanted to know all the details. The author doesn't do a bad job narrating the audiobook either, thankfully. A lot of authors are not skilled narrators, but she did a good job. The beginning was the strongest part for me. There was a definite sense of stress and anxiety that was portrayed quite well.

Personally, I'm not majorly interested in the NYC elite and celebrities in general, so I found all the references to the famous people a bit tiring after a while. I could've done without 20 references to Annie Leibovitz. I think the middle dragged a lot, especially while Rachel was trying to get reimbursed. It led to too much repetition for my liking. It could've been trimmed down quite a bit and still stayed true to the events. Think movie montage. That's all that was needed.

The writing is very simple, feeling very much like a magazine article (which makes sense). Very straightforward and choppy sometimes. It's not terrible but may have been more grating had I read it physically instead of listening to it. I definitely noticed it even while listening.

Your enjoyment of this book will majorly hinge on if you connect with the author. I was pretty neutral, but if you find yourself actively disliking her at any point you should just bail and read something else. If you are neutral or like her, this will be a quick and easy read/listen that you can speed through in an afternoon.

Frostheart was a really fun read. Going into it, I had no idea it was going to be a series, and I'm really excited to pick up the next book. Normally I find books that have a strong musical theme to be quite boring, but Jamie Littler did an excellent job of conveying the emotion behind Ash's singing. The descriptions as a whole were great. The characters were well developed and distinct. Even though I predicted most things, I still enjoyed the journey. I found myself calling this “Tremors, but with snow” at first, but it's much deeper than that. I can't wait to learn more about the characters and world.

Over the Top is exactly what you expect and not at all what you expect. It's a celebrity memoir, but JVN takes it to the next level. He's so open and raw. I appreciated that so much. I feel weird rating it because of the subject and because it's his life story. It was great, flowed well, and had a good balance of laughter and heartache. Some reviewers didn't like a few of the tangents, but they seemed natural to me. But then again, I'm all for a good tangent. I also got to walk away with one of my favorite quotes ever.

“I might look like sixteenth-century Jesus, but sometimes I struggle with being the landlord of Petty Lane.”

Enjoyed this way more than I expected to. It has its flaws, but overall I had a good time reading it and loved most of the characters and conversations.

How have I never heard of this book before??? People are seriously sleeping on an incredible sci-fi story.

A Pale Light in the Black is an absolutely wonderful character-driven LGBTQIA+ story featuring one of the best and most believable found families I've ever read about. Wagers writes fantastic character development and never info dumps. I would recommend this book to fans of the Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers, especially fans like me who wanted a bit more of a plot in The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet.

The only criticism I have is that I would have liked to have more time experiencing the Big Game, the final puzzle team event, with the crew during the Boarding Games. I ended up liking the Games way more than I expected, and I was disappointed to miss out on that event in the final Games. The team works so well together and their dynamic really shines when shown on the page.

I love Jenks and Max with all my heart, and their friendship makes me so happy. It had such a realistic and natural progression. I cannot wait for the next book to be able to read more about these girls and the rest of the crew of Zuma's Ghost.

Any time an author can keep me interested in both perspectives in a dual perspective story, I feel they deserve 4 stars. While this was heavy-handed and really spoon feeds you, I enjoyed the writing style a lot and mainly remember it for that. I want to check out more from this author.

Yes, this book is a lot of filler, but it really didn't bother me. I enjoyed the continued world-building and character development for Spensa and M-bot.

The Polar Bear Explorer's Club was incredibly fun and cute while offering just enough of a thrill to keep you on your toes. I think it suffered very slightly from a lack of focus on what exists in the world, but at the same time that seemed very intentional. Basically anything could exist anywhere, which made absolutely no sense, but it was great fun. I really loved the lessons, friendships, and positive adult role models.

One of my favorite true crime books ever. It reads like a thriller and will sit with you for a long time. The part about the dive team will probably stick with me forever.

I think the only sequel I was more disappointed with was The Cursed Child, and that's not even a sequel OR a book OR written by the author. So what sequel is really at the top of the list here?

At one point I could have sworn I was actually reading early 2000's YA, complete with a combat training montage.

Although the ending was a bit abrupt, this was one of the most honest and engaging graphic memoirs I've ever read. I finished it in one sitting.

I found this conclusion to the series to be a bit too rushed. The setting and time changed so much that the story struggled to feel cohesive. Unfortunately this is the weakest volume of the series for me, but I loved the artwork and found the story to still be enjoyable. I just wish it hadn't been so rushed.

I hate absolutely everything about this book.

The Fellowship of the Ring is a classic epic fantasy that made the genre what it is. You'll see elements of it in pretty much every fantasy book that was published after. The most unexpected thing for me when I first read it was just how much humor there was.

I was creeped out at times, but I wanted a tiny bit more in the end. I think it was incredibly sad for what you'd expect from such a short audiobook.

This was a very enjoyable Audible Original audiobook and well worth a listen. Maeve is my favorite little girl! Now, there is a bit of the “not like other girls” trope in here, and Maeve is special and unique because she likes “boy” things and doesn't understand “girl” things and thinks they're dumb and frivolous. However, I reminded myself that this was set in the late 1800s, so I believe these attitudes would be realistic. That being said, this is a story about a djinni in a sardine tin... we don't need realistic. However, Maeve values the differences in her roommate, so she isn't one of those female characters who perpetuates the idea that girls can't be friends with other girls. I think the author is trying to show other girls who listen to this story that liking sports that are traditionally only played by boys, or other “boy” things, is more than acceptable and perfectly normal. There are better ways to do that, so I couldn't give this 5 stars.

But oh dear did I love this story. I loved the “hate to friends” trope and thought it was well executed. The friend group was fantastic, and I really liked how they encouraged each other but never pushed. I absolutely loved that there were actual consequences for these children when they acted like fools and broke rules. Maeve learned some really difficult lessons from those consequences too. I think in general this is a great story for kids, but I would caution parents to discuss downfalls I mentioned with their kids and use it as a learning opportunity. I would hate for little girls who love fashion to read this and feel silly and mindless because of Maeve's opinions.

The comparison to a Black Mirror episode is 100% on point. The Test is a fast and emotional read that will likely make you think about more than just the events in the story.

It's so bad.

If I ever see the word ‘chagrin' again, it'll be too soon. Somewhere in there, there's a fun self-insert escapism romance story, but I can't see it through the endless uncomfortable controlling stalker moments, cringey insta-“love”, and supremely bad writing. I'm always down for an original take on the paranormal, but there is absolutely no logic to any of the vampire lore.

Man I really wanted this to be more stars, but unfortunately it has a few too many repetitive and slightly forced jokes to make it fully enjoyable. It was very informative and interesting, making me angry a fair few times (as expected). I laughed out loud a few times too, so it'll probably just depend on your humor.

Evil Has A Name is a very immersive podcast that apparently I get to log as a book. No complaints here, but there's no denying that this is not really a book. Keep that in mind if you don't usually enjoy podcasts.

It's fascinating to hear the stories in the investigators' and victims' own voices, and the level of emotion you feel through their words is more than you'll ever get from reading them on a page. Some reviewers mention that there isn't really any new information that you can't find by scouring the internet forums and news articles. I mostly agree with that, but the collection of all these stories and perspectives into one cohesive listen is perfect. The pacing and flow of events is well done and makes you want to keep listening. I think the most interesting part for me was the amount of time and effort that went into creating the family trees to search for the GSK. I don't feel any article I read up until now truly conveyed the gravity of the work that was done and how incredible it is. I honestly wish they went into more detail about it.

The only major complaint I have is about the audio, and since it only exists in audio form I feel it's necessary to address it in my review. The audio levels vary from interview to interview, with some being much poorer quality than others. The background noise is sometimes purposeful and atmospheric (the sounds of driving on Russell Blvd in Davis, CA), while other times it clouded the speaker's voice (echoing rooms/bad recordings).

I can't say I love Reid's work. I find it predictable and too on-the-nose, but this was a sad-yet-sweet-but-also-sort-of-not-because-no-one-likes-infidelity novella. The title tells you the end, but the journey is good. As with all of Reid's books, I think the writing style works well.

I went into Ember and the Ice Dragons with so much excitement, maybe too much, and instantly connected with Ember. She's totally my kind of girl, and I absolutely loved her. Feeling uncomfortable around people, always feeling the need to be truthful even when it would be helpful to lie (especially for little things), being frustrated by yourself... Heather Fawcett conveyed these emotions so perfectly. Ember is that typical “let me save everyone from me, even if it makes me miserable” person, which I can relate to. She was strong-willed, smart, and ultimately open to more than she realized.

I found all the characters to be distinct and interesting which is very important to me for a good reading experience. The developing friendships between Ember, Nisha, and Moss felt realistic and critical to the plot. They all mattered to each other and played important roles. I loved the complexity of Gideon's character and felt both kinship and hatred for him at times. I particularly loved that Fawcett didn't try to make us think all the bad guys were good at first. That's almost always super transparent, and the reveal of a seemingly helpful/nice companion being a villain is usually anticlimactic. Instead, we knew who the villains were and the mystery was whether they could be redeemed or what their motives or plans were. Such a breath of fresh air! Overall, it was a great read, and I hope to read more about these characters in the future.

There's so much to learn about the world! A world both like and unlike ours in a Victorian-esque age was right up my alley, and I think it was well executed. Unfortunately, I think I overhyped the book by thinking it was going to be my favorite middle grade book since Harry Potter. It's definitely my favorite world after the wizarding world, and I WANT MORE. However, there were a few places where I think the execution could be improved. I don't necessarily believe it will hinder the reading experience for the target audience though. The inclusion of two deus ex machina moments was also a bit disappointing. Thank goodness for the accidentally enmagicked penguins and lone dragons who show up at precisely the right time.

Firstly, there were times when I felt like a phrase or sentence of exposition was missing. I had to go back and read to see if I missed something. For example, Ember chokes on her tea at one point, then later she dries her sleeve. I wouldn't assume someone who choked on what they were drinking also spilled it all over themselves, and it would've been more clear with an extra phrase (like “Ember choked, spraying tea all down her front.”). Not a huge deal, and I'd rather this than over explaining every detail, but it was common enough for me to feel like it wasn't my fault.

Next, there were contradictory descriptions of fire dragons that I think slipped by during editing. At the start of one chapter, they are described as “subsisting entirely on vegetation”, but in another chapter the available food options for them on tropical islands includes small prey animals. Not a huge deal, but it is confusing when creating a clear description of the fire dragons for the reader. Do they eat animals, or are they herbivores? I think it's possible there is a distinction that a subspecies could be omnivorous, but that goes back to missing information that should have been included for clarity. Perhaps you could make an argument that the fictional source that the excerpts came from is poorly researched/edited itself, but that didn't seem to be the case.

The dragon language is very interesting and something I was so excited to delve into. I love the idea of the dragons using old English language, and it set up some funny moments with Nisha (love her) and strongly yet subtly hinted at things to come for Moss. That subtlety was so good. I'm not sure how the language is innate though (similar to Parseltongue) with Ember being able to speak and understand immediately. The background info presents it as a learned language from coexisting with humans. But if that's true, then Ember shouldn't be able to instantly speak and understand it. She should be more like Nisha.

The characters definitely aren't believable 12-year-olds. They seem more like 17 or 18 in pretty much every character trait and piece of dialogue. I think 12-year-olds won't care when they read this though and will love the idea of the big adventure the kids go on. The believability issues extended beyond that too, but not excessively so. For example, Ember was described as feeling more exhausted than she'd ever felt before after battling the grimlings, but after a fairly short conversation with Aquamarine was ready to fly for hours. Again, not really a big deal, but it didn't make a lot of sense if you looked closely. Then there was the riddle requirement for seeing the king. I loved the idea, but I couldn't understand why one of the kids wouldn't be allowed through, at the very least. One riddle per person... If they only answered 2 wouldn't Ember and one of the others be able to meet with the king while the other waited outside? Maybe they require the whole group to go through or none at all? It didn't make a ton of sense.

The final issue I had was with the portal. I wanted so much more back story and info on that, but that's not really necessary for middle grade. I hope we get another book so we can learn more about it! I didn't understand how the portal opened up directly into the room with the dragons during the conflict on the ship. Maybe I missed something, but I thought the portal opened into the hallway that leads to the dragon room, not the dragon room itself. Also, how were the dragons not chained up anymore? This probably bugged me the most out of everything.

I think it could have been very interesting to see Ember lead her pursuers through the portal and lure them into the dragon room on the other ship. She would have been able to use her newfound control of her fire powers, confidence, and maybe even knowledge of dragon language to get the captive dragons to finally recognize her as one of them and to help her. Then she could lock her pursuers in the dragon room, run back through the portal, and unscrew Montgomery which would trap them on the other side of the world even if they survive their encounter with the dragons.

I highly recommend this story for middle grade readers. I think adults will find some of the things I mentioned a bit frustrating, but if you can see past those you'll be met with an extraordinary cast of complex characters, fantastic friendships, and intelligent dragons. I loved the whole world. I cannot wait to see if we'll get to learn more about why dragons don't like magic and where Moss comes from, in addition to everything else I mentioned. I was definitely quite critical because of how highly anticipated this book was for me, but I don't want that to dissuade anyone from picking up this book. Go read it. It's really good, and I think if there's another book that it will be even better.

I really like Butler's writing style and imagination. I also love that I know I won't have to overlook heaps of misogyny to be able to enjoy her stories.

This dystopian world didn't feel far-fetched at all. Everything about it seemed almost one step away from where we are now. In the Twitter Age, we communicate about these kinds of things all the time on social media, but in 1993 I imagine the it was a little more novel, being before the YA dystopian craze that followed The Hunger Games. Adding the hyperempathy element was also interesting if not all that critical to the story.

All in all, I struggled to connect with the characters and main goal of the protagonist. That's not necessarily Butler's fault as books centered around religion tend to not be my thing. I think how religion is formed is interesting though, and this was intriguing in that way. I also liked Lauren's steadfastness. She's so much older than her years. I found the dystopian and survival aspects of the book the most interesting and tended to glaze over the Earthseed stuff. I read it all, but those parts left my head immediately upon finishing the words. Given the book become more and more about Earthseed as events unfold, that hindered my overall enjoyment.

Red, White & Royal Blue is just too darn cute. It really is. It's sweet and emotional, and I really enjoyed all of it. It's a bit long and a bit cliche, but the story itself is wholesome and heartwarming. Also, I'm pretty sure there was a subtle Firefly reference near the end, which is A+ in my book.