Shannon
This is a wonderful read-aloud book with beautiful illustrations. It does have chapters, but it wasn't really a chapter book as I expected. The book is fully illustrated and takes about 20 minutes to read out loud. The writing is really cute and funny. It's a great bedtime book. I enjoy it as much as my daughter (3.5 when we got this book).
Wonderful.
I loved this book and can't wait to read it to my daughter. I found the writing style very funny and Engaging, and loved the characters.
This book was so sweet but also sad. My heart broke for Eleanor and her family. There was more language than I usually like in books, but most of the characters using “ugly words” were clearly the “ugly” people. The foulness of their character was not hidden, and it definitely affected me.
SpoilerIt was sweet. Eleanor and Park spent most of the book just reading comic books together, exchanging mix tapes, and excited just to hold hands. It was sad. Eleanor's home life was genuinely heartbreaking. She slept in a room with all four of her younger siblings, most of them sleeping on the floor. She didn't have a toothbrush. The bathroom has no door. Her mother is broken and terrified of her step-father, Richie. Eleanor gets picked on at school too.
I liked that, even though she didn't like Eleanor at first, Park's mom came around to understanding and caring about Eleanor. I really liked the emphasis on how much Park's parents loved each other, that even when he was a kid it was knowing his parents loved each other that made him feel safe at night. I think that's very important, and definitely underemphasized these days.
I was appalled to discover that Richie was the one that had been writing dirty messages on Eleanor's book covers.
I liked that the “mean kids” from the bus really came around when things were serious. They put their differences aside and helped Eleanor without hesitation.
I liked that Park's dad helped him help Eleanor.
I was relieved when it seemed clear that Eleanor's uncle was going to take her in, and it was implied that Eleanor's mother had taken the rest of the children out of Richie's house. I was sad when Eleanor wouldn't write back to Park or open his letters and packages. But I was also a little glad he wasn't actually “moving on”. I liked that it ended with hope and a postcard from Eleanor.
I assumed the three words on the postcard were “I love you.”
I avoided this book for a long time because for some reason I thought it would be too “dark”, then I decided to look up the author again. I found my way to her online journal and I saw a post containing C.S. Lewis quotes. Not just any C.S. Lewis quotes, but quotes from The Screwtape Letters. So I decided to give it a try.
I didn't love the characters, but the writing and story were beautiful and that's what really grabbed me. It reminded me somewhat of C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy and also a bit of A Wrinkle In Time.
When I read the first book in this series, it reminded me a bit of C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy. This third book is very reminiscent of Perelandra.
The classic Christian apologetic. It starts very broadly and gets very specific. I have many copies of this book because I'm always lending it or leaving it somewhere and I tend to panic without the reference. I recommended this book to a friend who was struggling with her dad not being a believer and after reading it she said she really felt better about talking to him. If I could make sure everyone in the world read one book, this would be it.
Just finished this book. I really enjoy Apollo's POV. It's so fun and different. I like that Calypso and Leo featured in this one as well.
The Tea Dragon Society was so cute! I struggle a bit with graphic novels because I'm not very visual and have to actively remember to look at the pictures, but I really enjoyed this one. This was the sweetest concept and such a cozy story. I love the idea of tea dragons! I showed them to my daughter, and we agree that we both want one.
I couldn't put it down
The descriptions sound average, but Stephanie Perkins somehow manages to create characters you really love and care about, and relationship drama that you can't turn away from. Anna and St. Clair from Anna and the French kiss were featured in this book a little bit, and now even though I have no idea if any of the characters that I've grown to love will be in it I can't wait for the next book. Because I feel confident that there will be fresh characters that I will love.
We finished the first book in this series, and flew right through this one. There were so many classic fairy tales represented!
I think people are on the right track when they call Timothy Keller “the next C.S. Lewis”. The Prodigal God was excellent, and it definitely brought to light some things in the parable commonly called “The Prodigal Son” that I had never considered. This book also reinforced some exciting aspects of the gospel and God's grace that, yes, I knew but the way they were presented was so exciting. It made me think about them anew and I look forward to recommending this book to new believers as well as life-long Christians. I haven't been so excited about a book like this since I first read Mere Christianity. I think I'll go back in my Kindle edition and highlight some quotes!
I liked Abigail's voice, and the setting. Jackaby was interesting enough. I liked the way the fantasy elements were used. They weren't expected magical creatures, but I didn't feel like they were “made up” either. I think this would be a good introduction to the series if there are sequels. I'll probably read them if there are.
I was delighted to find another variant in the Howl's universe. It had new characters and a new country, but it did tie into the second book, and you do get to see Sophie and Howl.
I liked how each book was a bit different. I was sad to come to the end of my reading in this universe.
I love the Chronicles of Narnia as a whole, but this is probably my favorite. There's no part of it that I don't care for, every line is a treat. I think that the undragoning of Eustace is a beautiful illustration of salvation.
I forgot to mark this book as read and we'd already moved on to the next one.
This started out as a bedtime read aloud with my daughter(4 years old). It was so good I was tempted to read ahead!
It was nostalgic, with depth. I appreciate the themes of video games and theatre, and the friendship love story. I actually related to a lot of things in this book.I married a game developer. I loved doing theatre in high school and college. I'm 9-10 years younger than the main characters, so their childhood and college years were a different timeframe, technologically, but most were timeframes that I remembered nostalgically. I don't know what the overlap is between those who have read this book and those who have participated in game development, but most of the reviews I'm seeing are from people who say they don't know too much about games. That's fine, but I'm just curious. Like, how many other people have read this book that have also, for example, opened Unreal Engine? Is it just me?
I decided to start reading this book when I saw someone on Twitter describing it as the ultimate slump buster. I thought that sounded like just what I needed!
This book was so fun and funny. I loved the narrator's voice and tone of the book. The alternate history mixed with fantasy was very engaging.
I was also struck with the realization that I didn't know anything about this period of British history. I had never heard of Jane Grey, and while I had heard the name Tudor, I didn't really know what it was.
SpoilerThough, one of my favorite bits was the suggestion that G was really Shakespeare. I noticed that pretty quickly.
I read this book in school (fourth or fifth grade I think) and I liked it so much that I got the sequels and read them on my own. Not long after, a movie version came out. I don't remember how the movie was, but the books stick in my mind.