Lauren
This was a lovely graphic novel memoir about a young ballet dancer and her journey through dance. It navigates the sacrifices young athletes have to make along with the pressures of meeting high expectations in a field where only a select few make it to the very top.
I think this is a great read for any young adult, but especially someone who dances. It really captures the passion that drives dancers from the beginning, that is never lost even if dance no longer holds the joy it once did.
I did get the feeling there was a bit of a rose colored shine on the storytelling style where I wish we could have gotten a little more real about the struggles she was experiencing, rather than feeling like she was presenting a pretty charmed existence and everything just kind of works out. But I feel like that comes along with the territory when you're reading something aimed at a Young Adult audience.
**Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for providing me with the eBook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
I will say...kudos to Holly Jackson for taking such a daring and bold turn with this installment because it was a divisive choice since it's such a beloved series.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
SPOILERS
With that said, the thing the irked me about this isn't the thing that bothers a lot of readers. I understand people are upset because they feel like the favorites characters made choices that were not in alignment with who they have been presented to be and that would be very hard for a reader to accept.
Honestly, I'm fine with the twist into vigilante and revenge. It's the reasoning behind it that I'm struggling with. Pip twists reality in such an unnecessary way to fit her narrative. Ok, she doesn't trust the police. So she does, what she does. BUT come on, there was definitely enough evidence to get you off. JUST OWN THE FACT YOU'VE ENTERED YOUR VILLIAN ERA and take down Max. Trying to justify her choice because the police wouldn't believe her is just BS.
THEN, the breakup and cutting people off thing. WTF. Again, such an outrageous twisting of reality to create needless conflict and suffering. How many times did she talk about not wanting to miss out of every moment with her family and friends and then she self imposes it? Nah, doesn't work for me.
AND THE HEADPHONES. Really? Just say you dropped them on your run with your phone. You forgot them at an interview. You thought your brother had them. Literally anything besides what Ravi said. So dumb.
The LGBTQ+ rep in this made my queer heart soar.
A sweet love modern love story that many will see themselves in. I so appreciate that we had characters of color and also many different mental health struggles were addressed (including OCD, Anxiety and Depression).
Heads up: if you are squeamish about vomit being talked about, it occurs multiple times in this one.
I'm a huge fan of biographical graphic novels. It's an excellent medium for telling the story of a person's life.
I wasn't terribly familiar with Lugosi's personal life outside of a basic understanding that he struggled to break free of his horror persona and ended up in financial difficulties as so many any film actors of this age of Hollywood experienced.
As it turns out, I'm not impressed with Bela as a person. He was more often than not the creator of most of his struggles and seemed to refuse to take any responsibility for his role in them. I got the impression that he never grew out of the attitude that he was being wronged by others when in reality he was often the one causing harm to those around him and to himself. I found myself being quite exasperated by him throughout.
With that said, I still found it to be very interesting (especially learning about the different women in his life), and that the story had lots of detail that gave a nice well rounded view of Lugosi's life. The drawings were very well done and I would definitely check out more from Koren Shadmi.
***Thank you to Humanoids, Inc for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
Her poems about marriage are my favorite. They rip something in me open. Each one is 5/5.
A vivid, and powerful memoir that tells the story of a young Chinese girl who immigrates to America, but discovers terror and struggle that comes with being undocumented in a country whose language you do not speak and who does not provide resources or safety to those in her family's position.
Seven-year-old Qian arrives in New York City in 1994, after her father has escaped China 2 years before. Her parents were highly educated professionals, but in America they were reduced to working in sweatshops and other low-paying jobs that allowed them to remain in the shadows, with the constant fear of their illegal status being discovered hanging over them. Over the next 3 years, the stress and living conditions that their toll physically and mentally on everyone in the family.
This is a story of how secrets destroy families, how little is done to acknowledge or help those living in horrific poverty in the United States, the struggles that people of color have finding/keeping/discovering their identity in a country that holds whiteness as the ideal, and the resilience and persistence of those who work their whole life to break free of the outside forces that hold them down.
***Thank you to Doubleday Books for providing me with the e-ARC for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
What a fun ride! If you're a fan of the genre you will probably see many of the twists coming, but the journey is intriguing and will certainly keep you guessing because there is so much to unravel.
Well done Miss Feeney and the dual narration from Stephanie Racine and Richard Armitage was EXCELLENT.
4.5 stars and rounding up.
As someone who isn't part of the Church, I still found much of this book resonated with my world view and the importance of becoming involved in your community to invoke real change.
I found this to be a very insightful examination of the social justice call many people have found themselves experiencing over the past 18 months between the pandemic, police brutality incidents, and oppressive legislation that has been passed across the nation.
A lot of the examples in the book focus around homelessness, and I found it very inspiring to hear the different ways in which people have been helping those living on the streets not only get access to things they need, but also to be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
My big take away from this book is...find the thing that drives you to change and focus on that thing. We all have a role to play and we can't do everything ourselves. It takes a village, and you have to start your journey with that first step.
I'll leave you with these quotes:
“Find your inspiration. Unsurprisingly, many people who undertake social justice work have been affected personally by the issues they get involved in. It is incredibly powerful to see someone who has come out on the other side of addiction, step into the role of a counselor, or an advocate for someone else who is currently facing the very same struggles.”
“Your fight may be found in what makes you burn with frustration, or what lights you up with joy. Yet, even with a desire to help firmly in place it's natural to feel a bit nervous about the process of becoming involved in justice projects. My hope is to empower you to move beyond your fear.”
What I did enjoy was the concept: how the familiar characters and places were revealed and the nice backdrop that was built for a modern retelling. I'm sure there is a demographic of young readers that would enjoy this, but I just didn't resonate with this book. I don't think YA romances is a genre I can enjoy, even if it's a retelling of one of my favorites.
I loved Georgiana in P&P, but in ACCOMPLISHED she's all consumed with navel gazing, self martyrdom, and low self esteem. She's completely oblivious to her privilege, judgmental thoughts, and complete self absorption that she can't even remember simple details about her “friends.” She blames all her problems on this situation with Wickham, rather than realizing that a huge part of the reason she's a social outcast is her own behavior.
At the end I was left with a sense of whiplash since it's not until the last few chapters when Georgiana finally has her character arc and begins the process of realizing and changing all the behaviors I previously mentioned. Her growth is at warp speed and appears to come overnight, which is always a frustrating thing for me as a reader.
I also couldn't stand the depiction of Fitz in this either. I didn't see any parallels between this modern sibling relationship with what I saw in P&P. The characters don't match the personalities I have in mind of the original story. Overall, this story just didn't do much for me and which is disappointing because I really wanted to like it.
***Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Wednesday Books for providing me with the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
This was a fun, horror romp, featuring a diverse cast of characters and lots of bad ass young ladies.
Very interesting world building for a standalone, that didn't stall the plot. Loved the humor and how it felt like a campy, teen movie.
It features a main character struggling with anxiety, and lots of positive LGBTQ+ rep and commentary.
Highly recommend for those out there like me, that don't tend to reach for horror, but who like clever, storytelling in the vein of teen sleep away camp comedies, but sprinkled with monsters.
Thoroughly enjoyed Frankie Corzo's narration. Look forward to hearing more from her.
***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
A few years ago I probably would have rated this higher. It reads like a film storyboard, and the illustrations are great, and the story while having a fairly predictable ending delivered on the Coming-of-Age crime story promised in the title.
I am not a huge fan of the cover art because to me it reads as Native American imagery, and it feels a bit appropriated. I don't know for certain whether Greg Ruth or Ethan Hawke have Native American ancestry, but I am very hesitate to support anything that alludes to any kind of Indigenous movement, spiritual beliefs, or characterizations that isn't written by an Own Voices author.
As for the story, if you are a fan of Tarantino, or slow burn western-esq action films that make a fast turn into violence then you will probably enjoy the arc of this book. It felt like it may have been aimed toward a younger audience, but I would recommend a parent read this before letting a younger teen read it.
***Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with the e-ARC for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
I really hated listening to every second of this. I kept waiting for it stop being so frustrating, and it only got worse the longer I listened. The main character's inner monologue and choices were INFURIATING. And I was able to predict every “twist.”
This is the 2nd Riley Sager book I've read, and I had a marginally better experience with that one.
(LOCK EVERY DOOR)
I'm ready to not pickup any other book from them after this though.
Harsh? Maybe. But both of these books were not enjoyable to me. They just made me angry.
3.5 and rounding up. Sense & Sensibility is my favorite of the Jane Austen books and this is a lovely re-imagining.
I listened to the audio version and found the narration by Cassandra Campbell very pleasant. I felt her distinction between characters was clear without being distracting.
I'd like to start by saying I am not the audience for this book as a mid 30s lady. Though I did enjoy the witchcraft element and the friendships of the supporting characters, there was just too much melodrama for my tastes. I felt there was a lot of promise, and I probably would have been more into it if I was a teen.
However, I was VERY surprised by the explicit sex scene considering the target audience, but I haven't read a ton of YA so I'm not sure if this happens a lot.
One thing I really struggled with was the nervous habit one of the main characters had of picking/chewing her nails/cuticles. By the end of the book I was dreading the description of it and found it very grating and uncomfortable (which I imagine was the intention).
***Thank you to Macmillan audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
This was pretty meh for me.
I kept waiting for something unpredictable to happen, or a big twist, but it just never came.
The characters are flawed (which was very promising) and there certainly are family secrets and drama, again something that usually draws me in, but I just felt pretty bored and exasperated by the whole story and the ending just didn't do anything for me.
I think most people would probably enjoy this one enough to rate it higher than I have.
Audiobook narration from Barrie Kreinik was good, and definitely helped me keep listening even when I was rolling my eyes.
***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
As someone who loves THE GREAT GATSBY, I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling from Jordan Baker's perspective. Natalie Naudus was an excellent narrator choice for the voice of Jordan Baker and gave a phenomenal performance.
I found Nghi's version to be just as compelling and heart-wrenching as the original.
The added BIPOC, queer and magical elements felt like they fell easily in line with the dreamy, enchanting quality that is evoked in F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing and storytelling style. Would have loved to seen even more of it, especially the magical aspect. Very intriguing.
It's been well over a decade since my last re-read of GATSBY, but so looking forward to diving into it after being swept up into the world again.
***Thank you to Macmillian Audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
When I requested this ARC I didn't realize that it was written by the same person who had also spoken in a video that I had watched during the BLM protests in 2020. That video was so impactful, and is something that I'm still thinking about 2 years later.
Kimberly's writing is accessible and compelling, much like the video was.
She lays out the systemic issues at work, and counters them with changes that can and should be made in order to move the country forward.
This is a great primer into educating yourself about the obstacles and harm that Black folx in the USA have endured, and yet despite all that they still are making strides to rise above and making a positive impact on culture, the community, and country.
The last third is targeted to a Black audience and gives practical tips to help them thrive even within circumstances that try desperately to hold them back. The biggest take away from that section is just how important it is to build generational wealth. It creates a lot of stability and advantage that just hasn't been achievable for so many because of systemic racist policies and actions.
Would definitely recommend both the physical and audiobook.
Kimberly's narration holds your attention and the passion you read in the words is even more powerful when she speaks them.
***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review
I listened to the audiobook version, and thought Karen Chilton gave an outstanding performance and I would highly recommend giving it a listen. I found the storytelling to be very compelling.
Brenda aka Breezy, gives an account of her childhood, how she ended up as a sex worker, her struggle with drug use, and eventually when she got straight and off the streets.
I found this to be a very raw, no holds barred reading/listening experience that may be difficult for many, especially anyone who may be triggered by the subject matter. However, I think it's incredibly important to learn about sex work and addiction from those who have lived experience with those things because every path is different.
***Thank you to Macmillian Audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
A powerful memoir about parenting, dealing with the effects of your childhood as an adult, transitioning and the struggles of LGBTQ+ parents.
Krys's incredible honesty about all of these topics was very relatable. I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by the author. It's always hit or miss as to whether I will enjoy an author reading their own book, but in this case, I felt like I was reading Krys's journal and it was nice to hear their voice telling me the story.
I do think I would recommend a physical copy of this book over the audio simply because of the writing style. It switches back and forth from first person narrative to speaking to someone else as if in a letter/reflection regularly and I found it a bit jarring every time it happened and scrambling to figure out who was being spoken about. There are also some legal documents near the end that would have been easier to absorb the contents of if I were viewing it rather than listening.
***Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
This was a quick, cute read about two teenage boys and their friendship and possibly more romantic relationship. I definitely got some mild Heartstopper vibes from this.
I felt a bit lost/confused with Wataru's reactions and thoughts a lot of the time, and it would have been great to get a bit more introspection on how they were feeling since the story was essentially from their point of view.
If you are into queer, highschool, friends to lovers stories, then this will be right up your alley.
***Thank you to Kodansha Comics for providing me with the e-ARC for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
At the heart of it...this is a story of betrayal.
Ethel Rosenberg was betrayed by everyone in her life, from her family and husband to her government and country, and at the end of the day, despite all that she lost, she courageously stood firm in her beliefs and I deeply admire her for that.
Going into the book, I knew just a passing account of what happened, and found that the education I received in school about this story was severely lacking.
I would HIGHLY recommend reading this book. It's so important to understand history, and to realize the parallels to what is happening today in 2021, particularly with the lengths government officials will go to mislead and distract the public from the bigger picture and instead create a scapegoat, especially when a woman is involved.
The audiobook was very engaging, and I thought the narration from Orlagh Cassidy was very well done.
***Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley from providing me with an ARC audiobook in exchanged for a honest review.
This has the recipe for everything I like in a domestic thriller.
A main character with a past, a partner you may not be able to trust, a creepy home atmosphere, and cliquey neighbors.
However, while I didn't dislike our protagonist, her choices were exasperating. Overly trusting, and needy to be liked and loved. A difficult combo to read and root for.
Didn't hate it, didn't love it. If you like the genre, it's an easy, quick read.
The narrator Olivia Dowd was lovely, and her narration also was understandable at 1.25-1.5 speed.
***Thank you to Macmillan audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
3.5 rounding up
This is the first police procedure I've listened to since early 2020, and despite having always been a fan of the genre, I really struggled with this given the nature of everything that has happened the last 18 months. I think it's a solid police mystery if that's your thing.
Kathleen McInerney gave an excellent performance and if I ever get into the series, I know I will enjoy listening to her narration.
The rest of my review is going to contain spoilers and my issues with the book, so beware.
SPOILERS
I'm jumping into a series as a first time reader, with no attachment to these characters, and while I found Kate very likeable, her inherent biases and the responses by other cops were incredibly frustrating, and potentially triggering to a reader.
Defending questionable police behavior and dismissing the claims of women who were deemed unreliable is difficult to root for. She also struggled with believing anything negative of anyone who chose to stay in the Amish life and even upheld/justified their patriarchal mindsets.
In the end SHE believes the victims which I want to acknowledge as a credit to her character. But I just found the whole story to be a lot of justifying of other officer's actions and clearly I am not in the right headspace for this book at the moment.
So long story short, even if you are a fan of police procedurals, you may want to consider keeping this one on the shelf until you are ready to deal with cops not wanting to believe their fellow officers are capable of using their position of power to hurt others.
***Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.