Lila Danisa

Ah what a wonderful book!

My 5 years son is currently in the stage of knowing bad and mean words. He mostly knows that those words are bad and mean, but sometimes he doesn't know that one bad word could hurt others. This book perfectly relies that message. The idea of words have colors is amazingly easy to understand, at least for my son. He could follow the storyline given by this book and the messages behind it. We (my son and I) discussed many things because of this book. This book indirectly made my son more empathetic to others. With this book, my son concluded that not only we need to always say something nice, but we sometimes need to not listen to what others say about us if they make us sad.

The illustrations were so good. Fit the story and the messages this book try to deliver. Vibrant with colors but also convey the soothing effect.

Thank you to Krista Legge, illust. Leila Nabih, Clavis Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Personally I liked the style of the poems in this book. They were giving story telling vibe. I also found the poems easily to read. But to be honest, I only 50% to 75% understood what could be the real meaning of the poems.

This book divided into two parts. For me the second part has stronger messages because the themes are (kinda) heavy I think. Meanwhile the first part is 100% the story (telling) of the poet in "new" (home) country. Though I am not relate to any of the poems (yet), it was still heartwarming (?) to read others experiences especially in poetry form.

Some of the poems were also sarcastically funny and dark-ish. One of my favorites was "Fear of death numbs rational thinking but the absence of an ambulance strengthens the resolve to live".

Thank you to Tolu' A. Akinyemi, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for the ARC.

The story continued and for me it was getting better. Though it's already book two, the world-building was still so strong. This kind of sci-fi book is always amazed me. How someone could imagine then create the whole (different) universe 👏🏻

Though the story was actually going strong, I still felt distance with the characters. Maybe because I read in graphic novel format so I didn't feel fully connected with the characters.

Still so much going on in plots side of the story, I wonder how everything would get wrap up in the third and the last book. I guess I need to read it and find out myself.

I read this book as soon as I finished Outlier, the last book from this author's previous series, because I assumed that the FMC in this book was kinda same like Vicky (the FMC of Outlier). I loved Vicky so much and I thought I would love Clara (the FMC in this book) too. Turned out Clara was fine-ish. She was kinda doormat for my like. She was strong, yes, but she was kinda slow. So nope, Clara wasn't anything like Vicky.

But my biggest problem was the MMC, Rafe aka Lord Sterling. He was so arrogant and mean. I hated how he easily turned his back to Clara. He even brought other woman to charity/party because he wanted to ruffle Clara's heart. What a dich!!!

I actually understood why Rafe was so entitled prick. With his background, privileges, and posh-ness, it was understandable for him to turn the way he was. But still, him being as close as real life men behaving was not the selling point for me to like his character. Well, yes he actually groveled enough and being so sweet to Clara at the end part of the book, however I still don't like him.

The plots were actually really good. And I loved the found-family aspect in this book so much. I definitely will read the next book(s) in this series. I just hope that the MMC(s) would not as arrogant ass as Rafe.

Oh my heart!!! I could literally die for Vicky!!! I would easily kill for Vicky!!!

Vicky was so lovely. Her perspectives were so funny and logical and so honest. I hated that the author made her struggle so much. I hated even more that even Vicky herself didn't know that she was struggle. For her, everything bad happened around her was normal because the way she was. I cried so many times my heart hurt so much because of many unfair treatments Vicky got. Especially from her own mother!!!

Now, Mike. He was such as a d1ck from the beginning. He didn't deserve Vicky at all. I don't think he groveled enough. Vicky was just too nice person and quickly accepted him back. He said such as hurtful words even when he didn't know Vicky was autistic. He not supposed to say any of those craps to someone with or without spectrum. It cost nothing to be nice to other people. Period.

However, I understood him tho. I understood why he was so mean to Vicky at the beginning. His explanations were totally make sense. I forgave him but I would never forgive how mean he was to Vicky. Again, he didn't deserve Vicky but I am fine with him being with her. He at least treated her well.

I really really enjoyed reading this book. I cried so much and I laughed so many times. All because of Vicky. I loved her so freaking much. I may would read two previous books in this series just to see a glimpse of her.

Thank you to Susie Tate and Good Girls PR for the ARC. I am so sorry for the very late review.

I seriously can't take this book seriously. So freaking absurd and nonsense. Yes, everything could happen in fiction world but this book is beyond ridiculous. Though to be really honest I kinda enjoyed reading this one. I didn't need to think hard, I just read and scoffed to the absurdity of the story.

This book took the instalush and instalove to another level. I applauded the author for the next level of creativity though.

Light, super spicy, and almost no-plot read.

I know I could never read the original book/novel of Dune but I was so FOMO and wanted to know what the fuss about. When I found there are graphic novel version of the book, I dove right down. I know that the graphic novel would be easier for me to read. Then I got the ARC of Dune: Edge of a Crysknife (also in graphic novel format) and it will be expired in 9 days, automatically right now I am in racing mode to read all graphic novels available in Duneverse so I can catch up with the stories. Me and my love of tight deadlines.

Like I expected, this graphic novel was easier for me to read. I didn't need to imagine the world-building because the illustrations already did it. I just needed to focus on the story. And so far, I enjoyed the story. Is it worth the hype? I can't agree yet. Let me finish all the books in Dune and decide.

Off I go to the book 2!

That was fun and funny! My son loved this book. Especially the activities in the end of the book. Yes, after the story ends, there are some (fun) activities related to the story. My son finished all of the activities with flying colors. I am maybe in bias but he is too smart for his own good.

Back to the book. The story was fun and easy to understand. My son could read 50% of the book by himself because the words used were simple and familiar for him.

The illustrations were simple but still good. Not many colors used yet they elevated the story.

Thank you to Linda Harkey, Story Monsters Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Before I got my now 5 years old son, I had to wait for almost 5 years and 1 miscarriage. This book is so relatable with me. Reading this book brought out the memories of when I doubt myself of not getting pregnant and blamed myself when I had miscarriage. Though now I have my son, reading this book was like opening the old wounds.

I nodded along when parts of the book were so relatable. I cried when I read other mothers' stories. I cried for them and for myself too.

I almost never reading self-help book(s), but for me this book is not only self-help book. This book is more than that. I wish I already read this book when I went through waiting for pregnancy and when I had miscarriage. I bet this book would be like a warm blanket that could easily support me and make me not feeling alone.

Very moving, motivational, and uplifting book.

Thank you to Liz Swenson, Alessa Martin, Familius, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I think this book is so far my favorite from Amanda Lovelace.

I felt the women rage within the poems. I felt how important women support women message conveyed through the poems. What touched me the most was how women need to stand up for themselves against "cruelty" which for some became "normal".

Like other Amanda Lovelace's poetry books I have read, this book was also so easily to read and to understand. I know nothing about poetry and poems but I prefer this kind of modern poetry. Still beautiful but doesn't make me confused with underlying messages.

Since I read this book to my 5 years old son, I think his opinions about this one is preferable than mine. He mostly liked this book. He enjoyed the story though he was also questioning some parts. One of them being the inaccurate of the storyline. Example, it said that the musicians who went missing, but when Princess Penelope found the music instruments, the musicians suddenly popped up. He said so it was not the musicians who went missing, it was the musical instruments. I couldn't argue with him.

My son (and I) also was not a fan of the illustrations. He said they were like paused videos in YouTube. Well, again, I could argue with him because I felt the same.

However, overall this book was enjoyable to read. Many messages were being delivered by the story too.

Thank you to Angela C. Santomero, 4U2B Books & Media, and NetGalley for the ARC.