justine
As with the first three volumes, I really loved this one. I think the time jump was a good choice because we get to see the characters and their storylines developed a bit more, with new problems and new ‘villains.'
We're definitely seeing some strain in the relationship since Alana started working and they're not quite on the run. I am also quite invested in the robots and seeing where the story goes, now that IV realizes his wife is dead and he has a son.
I was immediately drawn to this book after reading the synopsis and seeing the gorgeous cover, and I had high expectations for this one, but the story didn't quite engross me as I was expecting.
I understand that people have different ways of grieving, but some of her actions just came across as insensitive and selfish? She claims to be close with Sam's family, but she completely stops talking to Sam's mom and brother, who she claims to be very close with, and only talks to his cousin because Mika makes the effort.
The writing was easy to get into, and I did enjoy the flashbacks of how they met and their relationship developing, but I just didn't feel like the characters were fleshed out well. I couldn't empathize with Julie, and I couldn't see Sam beyond a memory. Although we were getting flashbacks, it just seemed like we were seeing a memory, and not Sam actually still alive. (I don't even know if that makes sense to you but I don't know how to explain this any better right now bc I'm running on 3hrs of sleep
This was so beautiful! Elizabeth Acevedo brings life to her stories through her narration and I knew I wasn't going to go wrong with choosing to listen to this as an audiobook.
This tackled issues with living in an extremely religious and conservative household that I am quite familiar with, especially growing up in the Philippines.
Although I can't say I have extremely religious and conservative parents, I most definitely have family members that are, and cousins + close friends that share Xiomara's experiences.
What I especially loved about Xiomara was her questioning attitude when it came to the church's teachings, and hearing her thoughts about her culture and the societal structure and standards that so clearly favors men.
Acevedo is incredibly talented and I love the way she writes her characters, gives them their passions and dreams, a voice, and a story that so many can relate to.
I wish we could have more of virgil, valencia, kaori, and gen's adventures!!
I really loved the diverse characters and all their personalities, the filipino folklore and tales by virgil's lola, and the relationship dynamics in this story. I've been reading a lot more middle grade books lately and i've been enjoying them all so far. this one definitely did not disappoint.
i love how we were able to see the bully's perspective as well and how his personality (and why he is the way he is) is greatly influenced by his father.
apart from this being such an easy read, ms kelly does a great job of writing her characters and how she highlights their interests and personalities, and their relationships w the other characters. i love how this book teaches younger readers how sometimes society can label you and treat you differently because you're “different” i.e. virgil being too shy or needing extra help with math, and valencia being deaf, but that doesn't need to be your identity.
she writes and describes how people treat valencia differently and act uncomfortable towards her because she's deaf, as well as how virgil's parents, especially his mom, call him a nickname that isn't cute at all when you find out the meaning behind it, and it's so heartbreaking because these are some things that people really do go through.
as sad some parts are, i really have to highlight how this is such a great book for having such diverse characters but the story not necessarily focusing on their diversity, and for having such inquisitive and courageous characters. i'm so glad we get to see more of these books and younger filipino kids being able to relate to characters that they read about.
this was such a wonderful read and absolutely loved every bit of it!
The first few chapters were quite confusing, having to piece together what's going on and trying to keep up with the events as well as the characters. It didn't make much sense until after Ch 16 for me, because it felt like I just had so many questions about the setting and these kids and how the heck they're living.
After getting through the first few chapters though, I was captivated. The writing style is engrossing and the more you read it, the more you don't want to put it down. The book got pretty heavy, which I didn't expect! I loved how all the characters were intertwined and how the pieces slowly unraveled. It felt so messy but it was somehow woven together so well that everything just made sense in the end.
This felt like a 3-star read in the beginning but after finishing it, this book deserves a 5. There were some parts that felt awkward but I loved it in its entirety. Definitely something that stays with you for a while after you finish reading it.
this was such a fun middle-grade spooky read that brought me back to my 3rd grade days of sitting in the library during lunch to read Goosebumps & bringing those books home over the weekend.
I loved following Ollie & friends as they navigate through the ‘other world' to get back home. also, really love the cover! reminds me of jeepers creepers.
I liked that this story revolved around modern technology and horror. I think the setting was painted nicely in the beginning, but as the story progressed I was a little disappointed with this book.
The story felt like it dragged on and I kept waiting for the horror to come but it just... didn't. I enjoyed reading through the relationships and conflicts between the group but ultimately, it felt lacking.
I first rated this book 4 stars, because Talyien was such a frustrating character to follow, but after letting it sit for a night, I was able to think about the book in its entirety more and not just about how I felt about Talyien.
This Southeast/East Asian-inspired story was such a comforting read for me, despite the harrowing details of Zorheng City and other scarring events in the book. Seeing the Filipino culture woven into the woldbuilding and the characters really made this an enjoyable read to relate to.
The characters are all wonderful in that they are all so human. I think that's one of the reasons why I was so frustrated with Talyien. I expected her to be this perfect, unapologetic, and fearless leader with zero mistakes. In reality, she's unapologetic but she definitely made a bunch of mistakes in the book and I really had to put myself in her shoes and think, “I mean I probably would've made that mistake too.” She has such a huge heart and we get to see her journey develop into something so much more than just being the bitch queen.
Thank you to Orbit Books for giving me a physical ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I highly recommend this book. The magic system is unique and the characters were well-written.
Read my full review on my blog:
https://theliterarybeerlingual.wordpress.com/2020/08/29/blog-tour-the-bone-shard-daughter/
My first Rin Chupeco book and I can say with my whole heart that I am a chupec-hoe. This immersive and intricate world Chupeco created swallowed me in from the first page. It was so easy to dive into this book, which I can't say for a lot of the other fantasy reads I've encountered.
This writing style is one of my favorites, because it keeps you intrigued & engaged since we're going back + forth between the past & the present. The magic system was well-written, dark, and crafty. I loved how Chupeco incorporated necromancy in Tea's world.
This book was amazing. I listened to it on audio and the narrator, Bahni Turpin, did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life with her voice.
I believe this is my first African-based YA fantasy read and I loved it so much. The worldbuilding was so vibrant and rich, and I loved how the story really transports the reader to the world of Orisha. The different characters really take you for a ride since their differences and their growth throughout the story weren't always predictable. They were all flawed, which made them so likable. Even Inan.
The book also includes heavy themes such as prejudice and institutional racism, enslavement, and corrupt political systems. The pain and anguish the characters experience feel so raw and I commend Adeyemi for doing such a great job of weaving these themes, that people experience in real life to this day, throughout the story.
This was action-packed, magical, and intense. I can't wait to read the sequel!
a poignant, hopeful, and thought-provoking story of twin sisters that chose to live very different lives.
We follow Stella and Desiree's stories along with their daughters. I loved that their daughters' perspectives were included because it shows us how each sister's decisions affected the upbringing of their children and eventually, their children's lives as adults.
There are a lot of heavy topics in this book and sometimes it felt too much and the focus was shifting from racial identity, but it did make the book feel more realistic as one doesn't ever go through life dealing with just one thing.
Hilarious. Unapologetic. Unfiltered.
Ali Wong's sense of humor is not for everybody, but her raunchy, honest, and relatable stories are right up my ali (get it? yeah. I'm not meant for stand-up comedy lol). She talks about the life of a stand-up comedian, being a female in a competitive industry, Asian culture, and the joys and struggles of being a parent.
Amidst all her jokes about eating butt and bodily fluids, she provides advice and shows us the importance of having a strong support system, and living life to the fullest.
Listening to this as an audiobook made it even better.
Having her husband's pov for the Afterword was also a nice touch.
I had high expectations for this book that unfortunately, were not met. This book was really long for no reason, and the plot twist became really weird. Of course, I was 400 pages deep and I felt like I might as well finish it if I spent that much time on it already (a reading habit I need to break, I know).
It took a turn I wasn't expecting, and instead of it creeping me out like how the first few chapters did, it just felt comical.