I mean, who could possibly ignore a sign on a fence that says...."DIG HERE"....?
Another intriguing mystery from the talented Lisa Jewell. Thi3.5 Stars
I mean, who could possibly ignore a sign on a fence that says...."DIG HERE"....?
Another intriguing mystery from the talented Lisa Jewell. This was a gripping slow burn. I did manage to pick quite early on what had happened but I enjoyed the way everything unfolded. I love Lisa's attention to detail and the way she weaves in little hints and red herrings seamlessly. This isn't a thriller but it is certainly very engaging.
The harsh but beautiful Alaskan wilderness was the perfect backdrop to this powerful tale of survival.
Cora and Leni were characters that I wi4.5 Stars
The harsh but beautiful Alaskan wilderness was the perfect backdrop to this powerful tale of survival.
Cora and Leni were characters that I will remember for their loyalty, love, and gritty determination to survive Ernt and his PTSD driven paranoia and rage. The writing was lush and it blew my mind that, in what was essentially a slow burn, I could be on the edge of my seat for so much of it. I loved how Kristin perfectly described the realities of surviving in such an unpredictable and volatile environment and that she mirrored this with the realities of surviving in the Allbright family. The supporting cast were phenomenal too and I felt a deep affection for the Alaskan 'found family' members. A wonderful story that I thoroughly recommend.
CW: (view spoiler)[domestic violence, domestic rape, gun violence, descriptions of bloody injuries in people and animals, PTSD after war, hunting and killing animals, drowning (hide spoiler)]...more
I gotta say, it's hard to enjoy a book when you detest the main character.
Tallie and Emmett were really difficult to like bec1.5 Stars rounded up to 2
I gotta say, it's hard to enjoy a book when you detest the main character.
Tallie and Emmett were really difficult to like because their behaviour was a mix of inappropriate, unprofessional, unacceptable and invasive. I probably should have dnf'd at 4% when I could tell I would find Tallie a tad annoying but I pushed through. I went in expecting a more moving story but alas this was not the case.
CW: Suicide and depression (view spoiler)[wife committed suicide by carbon monoxide in a car but left door open to house and her child also died, cheating, false imprisonment, infertility, grief, injury in fire (hide spoiler)]
CW: (view spoiler)[father dies, lots of deaths during 9/11 some of which are described on page, extremist Taliban ideals on page, war scenes /deaths/iCW: (view spoiler)[father dies, lots of deaths during 9/11 some of which are described on page, extremist Taliban ideals on page, war scenes /deaths/injuries, mother died when MC was younger, sister killed by American bombing (hide spoiler)]
Well that was a surprisingly gritty and difficult read given that the main characters are about 9 years old.
Brandon fights for survival after a plane hits the North tower on 9/11/2001. Meanwhile, in present day Afghanistan, Reshmina is trying to keep her family safe as war rages all around her isolated village. Although it is obvious how the two stories intersect from very early on I still found this to be a compelling read. Alan doesn't shy away from the difficulties and horrors both children witness and experience so I would be clear about that when recommending this book to a middle school student, and full disclosure, I cried at one particular point. Like, sob cried. I think this may be my favourite Alan Gratz book yet....more
Well that was an interesting verse novel about a friendship at odds with the shifting views prior to the 1812 war.
Twelve year olCW: racism, starvation
Well that was an interesting verse novel about a friendship at odds with the shifting views prior to the 1812 war.
Twelve year olds Anikwa and James struggle to understand the growing tension between their people as preparations for a seige at Fort Wayne are underway. James' trading community are starting to turn against Anikwa's Native American Miami tribe with devastating consequences. I didn't know anything about this period in US history and spent quite some time after on the intermaweb with Mrs Google learning about the seige at Fort Wayne and the 1812 war. An interesting middle school novel that would be a good introduction to this period of conflict....more
What a suspenseful story about a girl hanging on to life and hoping her connection to her sister is strong enough to save her. Autumn is undeniably quite an unlikeable character but through flashbacks we learn why her life drastically changed course. I thought both voices were done well and liked how the alternating POVs added tension as we drew closer to the end of the novel. A good YA thriller....more
CW: (view spoiler)[sexual content, death of loved ones, animal suffering, humane killing of animal on page (hide spoiler)]
Well I am emotionally exhausCW: (view spoiler)[sexual content, death of loved ones, animal suffering, humane killing of animal on page (hide spoiler)]
Well I am emotionally exhausted because this book is bleak y'all!
Kristin has written a grim tale of one woman's fight to keep her family alive during the 'dust bowl era' in Texas. Whilst I wasn't wowed by the writing I could not stop listening because Elsa and Loreda are relatable characters who showed grit and determination in the face of disaster. It is a slow paced story and much of it is about the daily grind which normally doesn't hold my interest, however, I didn't realise how invested I actually was until I was sobbing. This book and it's wonderful women just crept up on me and I ended up loving it.
I also want to add that Julia Whelan is my favourite audiobook narrator and she does a marvellous job of bringing the characters in this novel to life....more
Captain Churchill is, most of the time, a totally despicable person. The current day town worships thWell I think this needed a more critical editor.
Captain Churchill is, most of the time, a totally despicable person. The current day town worships this mysterious historical figure that they know virtually nothing about and I have no idea why. None of that story line made any sense to me. Why did Leta fall in love with him? He was a real jerk to her yet she was still obsessed with him. She even knew she was in love with a figment of her imagination yet she yearned for the bits of love he threw at her feet every now and then.
The shame is that the rest of the characters and story lines were good. I really liked the idea of two female poets across time looking to have their work appreciated. I thought the modern day relationships were more believable and quite cute at times, with some great friendship dynamics in there too. I don't recommend this for animal lovers as there are a couple of descriptions of whale hunting that are quite upsetting. Leta finds the whale hunting abhorrent yet she falls in love with the man behind the slaughters because you know, he's so damned desirable in his aloof, cruel and cold manner......more
CW: (view spoiler)[father attempts to kill himself with a gun however it blows away part of his head and he is left with severe long term injuries andCW: (view spoiler)[father attempts to kill himself with a gun however it blows away part of his head and he is left with severe long term injuries and needs constant care. His son found him after and there are descriptions of the bloody injury and scene, alcohol, inappropriate adult/young person relationships, affair, talk of abortion, excessive drinking (hide spoiler)]
Well that was an intense and emotional story!
I actually found it hard to put this one down because of how engaged I was with the characters' stories. Rob was the golden boy until his father's actions tore his world apart. Now he is an isolate counting down the days until he can leave school and his lonely existence. He meets Meagan through a school assignment and together the begin to learn about the struggles each of them faces. I thought Owen was a brilliant supporting character. One thing Brigid does incredibly well, is friendships. They are so relatable and her characters feel real and easy to connect to. This will be for seniors due to one content warning in particular. I really enjoyed this engaging and heartfelt story about looking past what you see on the surface, and the importance of understanding other people's perspectives. ...more
Well this was a good entry level YA scifi-dystopia.
By entry level I mean perfect for a young adult who is a less experienced reader and in particular of dystopian novels. It was predictable, there was a lot of explaining of the world and the science, and the characters and tropes were stereotypical for this genre. The story was engaging with some good twists and turns. It reminded me a bit of the exceptional Hugo and Nebula Winning Novella Beggars in Spain, with it's exploration and discussion of genetically engineering babies to create perfect humans. I will definitely be ordering a copy for the library....more
Stories about nerdy book lovers are always a winner with me. I can't think why. It touches on some important is3.5 Stars
Well that was a bit adorable.
Stories about nerdy book lovers are always a winner with me. I can't think why. It touches on some important issues such as betrayal and lies but not so much that it detracts from the high levels of fluffiness. A quick and enjoyable read....more
"No one in this tiny Cartagena dive bar knows she’s five pounds too heavy and four inches too sCW: (view spoiler)[Murder of loved one. (hide spoiler)]
"No one in this tiny Cartagena dive bar knows she’s five pounds too heavy and four inches too short to ever have anything more than her face appear in Teen Vogue, even if her father did design the latest Hermès handbag. In Cartagena, she’s just another hot American tourist. Where everyone else sees anonymity, Neda thinks she’s projecting mystery."
Me a few chapter in: 100 hours with this teen's insightful observations? No thanks. That's a hard pass. Me at the end: *mutters* should have followed my gut instinct...more
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