This is me writing a review of a book I didn’t like. Reading it won’t kill you, but I don’t recommend it. Here goes. To give her credit, Anica Mrose Rissi wrote a novel about something that is very hard to write about. In Almost Forever Maybe, Betts falls hard when she meets Aiden. The reader can see signs that the relationship is abusive and might get worse, but Betts does not. I’ve talked about, read about, and even done workshops about unhealthy relationships. I know common signs that I hope I could catch in my own relationship or of someone close to me. But, this book challenged that already weak confidence. Betts was so sure that Aiden was right for her. She didn’t listen to her best friend or her parents; quite the opposite, she started to isolate herself from them. Betts had a reason, an explanation for everything, even when Aiden, her boyfriend, hit her for the first time. The transition from bliss to abuse didn’t feel abrupt, which is important, but it also happens over two weeks, which is kind of insane. Overall, I feel like I learned something from Betts thought-process in reaction to Aiden. It felt real. It felt relatable and it forced me to face the possibility of finding myself in a similar situation in a way I hadn’t before. The writing itself was often inconsistent. At some points, it was strong and descriptive, but then it would go flat, or the message would become unclear. Overall, I liked the character descriptions. But, the dialogue was awkward and felt forced. Betts is a teenager, and like many YA novels written by adults, she wasn’t always a believable character. It’s one thing when something is exaggerated that adds to the story, but the details given of Bett’s high school were painted with child’s paint on cardboard. The teenager’s voices and speech all felt immature (apparently this author normally writers middle grade books). There were also two female characters Betts when to school with who did not have a purpose. She just hated them for no reason? These how-old-are-they-supposed-to-be-again characters go through some hard stuff. Betts best friend, Jo, was the only good character, in my humble opinion. Not only did she have a strong personality, she did all the right things to help her friend when she saw how Aiden was treating her and I like that she was shown doing that. Content warning for the book: two sort of detailed sex scenes. They were weird and didn’t need to be there, but they were. So, yeah, there it is. Proof that I don’t love every book I read. Note: I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator, Brittaney Pressley, did a nice job, given what she had to work with. Spoiler Alert: analysis of the ending below
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Update: includes details added to the synopsis's and small edits to mechanics. Originally posted 7/29/19. I read the first book in the “Rosie Project” series two years ago, adored it, and wrote a review on this website (click Read More to read it). This summer, I happened to see the two new books in the series on the shelf at the library. It was definitely a wonderful act of fate- I read them within a few days. On every page, the author, Graeme Simsion, surprised me and drew me in closer. I will probably re-read these soon. Overview of the series (slight spoilers) PS. All three of these books are amazing. The Rosie Project (Book 1) - Don Tillman (POV) is a socially awkward, but incredibly intelligent, genetics professor. One day, he decides that he wants to find a woman to be his life partner. It is a struggle, but when he meets Rosie, she changes everything. Trust me, you’ll fall in love with Rosie right alongside Don.
Simsion’s writing is nothing like anything else I’ve ever read. His stories are sweet, but also tackle heavy, emotional issues with grace. I definitely cried a few times. Each of his characters have strong, defining personalities. Don’s voice as a narrative is incredibly well-done and thought-provoking. I love these books so much and hope you read them soon.
Also, I have not read any of it, but Graeme Simsion has other writing published. He has two other novels, as well as short stories and plays. Where do I start? Ibi Zoboi might be the most amazing writer of all time. I’m not exaggerating- okay, maybe I am, but she’s really, really good. After the first chapter or two, I realized the book was heavy with exposition. But, hear me when I say that I hadn’t been noticing it. Ibi wove the details of the character’s family, world, and mind in flawlessly, it flowed like water into the action of the book. The writing, overall, gave my this feeling: imagine you are carrying a heavy-but-not-terribly-heavy cardboard box around. It’s big, but fits perfectly in your hands, and against your body. Dust slips off, but you keep walking forward. It is a constant reminder as to what you are doing, what you are tasked with- bringing this box to its destination. The writing was strong and held its own, I couldn’t stop reading it. Zuri’s (1st POV) was incredible. She is a 17-year-old badass, black Haitian-Dominicana with four sisters and two parents and a landlord that everyone called Madrina (“godmother” in Spanish). She has opinions and biases and mistakes and dreams. The writing made her feel real, like she was talking to me. She was strong and her voice matched it and- I want to meet Zuri! She grew up in Bushwick, a neighborhood in Brooklyn or, as she calls it, just the hood. She loves the tight-knit community and the music and the people and the bookstand on the corner. The story begins with a family moving in across the street. The thing is, the house they are moving into didn’t used to be there. It used to be a beautiful, collapsing, rotting, old house, but now it’s a brand-spanking-new mini mansion that does not fit in it at all. Neither does the rich family that comes along with it. Will Zuri clash with the new boys next-door? Oh, you bet she will- she never backs down from a fight. But, what happens when it turns out to be something else? I don’t want to sound like a broken record, okay? but, I cried. I finished it in the car, just as I got to the house, and I for sure screamed. I definitely worried my father. The book just left me with so much emotion and so much to mull over that I didn’t know where to put it. I didn’t know how much I was going to be able to relate to Zuri, it ended up being a lot. Now, I worry I don’t have much credibility left, as a reviewer- mostly given to the fact that I get really excited about pretty much every book I read- but you have to read this one. Trust me, you won’t be able to put it down. If you're anything like me, you will laugh, cry, want to scream (and then maybe scream), but just don't forget to breathe. Ibi is telling an important story here. She’s telling the story of a character that doesn’t often have a voice. A story that is too often forgotten. It’s one of those books that I can’t stop thinking about. I listened to this Rosamund Hodge fantasy novel on audiobook (narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden) and the character’s voice still sings in my head, weeks later. I keep stumbling around in my mind trying to remember the plot over and over because it gets more interesting every time. I didn’t think much of the book when I started it, I just needed something. The review that popped up under the book’s synopsis that I didn’t read, said that it fell along the archetypes of Beauty and the Beast. And while I see that resemblance, I think it does the book a terrible injustice. Arcadia is led by the demon king. They call him the Gentle Lord. Those foolish enough can make deals with him, as one does the devil in other stories, but he always requires a heavy price. Nyx’s father made a deal with him before she was born. He and his wife weren’t able to bear children, so he went asking for a son to carry on his name. Instead the Gentle Lord offered him twin girls, if and only if, he gave one of them up to marry him when they turned a certain age. Now, that “sacrifice” was Nyx. And so the story starts. Everything she has ever believed about her world will be turned upside down. Those moments are the kind that leave my mind whirring; the idea of good and evil, about ever being able to draw the lines. Times that show the power of truth and how missing even one piece of it can skew your whole understanding. Nyx was born and raised to marry a monster, given the weight of being the only one who could save the world. She thought that made her callous, but it didn’t, not like it could have. She still felt compassion and saw beauty in horrible things. She knew true forgiveness. This was a tale laced with hints of Greco-Roman mythology and new ideas of what lies in the darkness. To say it is merely a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, is to ignore deeper messages inside the pages. Nyx comes face to face with a demon, the thing humans get told horror stories about, the thing she has trained to kill, and doesn’t flinch. She tries to learn all that she can about him and his mysterious castle, and doesn’t stop even when those truths don’t match what she has been told all of her life. I would put this book on the shelf of fantasy/ romance/ fiction for older YA readers. It is dark and, at times, disturbing to the point of feeling trippy, but not horror or all depressing. Powerful shifts between character voices and fascinating setting that I’ve never heard before, very much descriptive enough to visualize. There is so much more I could say on this book. I could go on about how it's funny and surprisingly sweet, but I guess you'll have to read it yourself to find out. Underrated. I love the characters! The story of this family makes me just laugh out loud and is also very sweet. It’s mostly about various people coming to the house, meeting the family, and being freaked out; all the while, none of them notice a thing because to them, they are normal. I’m not quite sure how to describe them, but I’ll try. I definitely recommend watching some of their stuff, 100%. There is a TV show (1964) with 2 seasons on Hulu and a movie (1991) on Netflix. Theme song: They're creepy and they're kooky/ mysterious and spooky/ they're all together ooky/ the Addams family/ Their house is a museum/ where people come to see 'em/ they really are a scream/ the Addams family/ Neat/ Sweet/ Petite/ So get a witches shawl on/ a broomstick you can crawl on/ we're gonna pay a call on/ the Addams family!
Morticia is probably the most sensible person in the house. She is married to Gomez and they are completely in love. Wednesday and Pugsley are her children and she wants them to have all of the opportunities life could offer. Life’s not all lovely thorns and singing vultures you know. *cutting the flower part of her roses and leaving the thorns* Morticia: Children, what are you doing? Wednesday: I'm going to electrocute him. Morticia: But we're late for the charity auction. Wednesday: But, Mother... Morticia: I said no. Pugsley: Pleeaaaase? Morticia: Oh, all right. Gomez is sporadic, to say the least. He smokes cigars, stands on his head to relax, crashes elaborate train sets, and some sort of gambling on the stock market(?). He respects his wife immensely. They dance and support each other through everything. [about Morticia] I would die for her. I would kill for her. Either way, what bliss. [in court] They say a man who represents himself has a fool for a client. Well, with God as my witness, I am that fool! Gomez [searching for Wednesday]: Fan out. Pugsley, head for the dung heap. Mama and Morticia, the shallow graves. I'll take the abyss. Lurch, check out the bottomless pit. Fester? Uncle Fester: [from a window] Up here! Gomez: Fester, you take the ravine, and the unmarked, abandoned well! Uncle Fester: Somebody should stay behind in case she comes back. Gomez: Good man. Good thinking! Grandmama: Then who'll take the swamp? Gomez: *Thing taps his shoe* That's the spirit, Thing. Lend a hand. Let's go! Puglsey is the oldest Addam’s child. He isn’t as big of a character as the others, mostly bouncing off (meaning in scenes following) his sister. Wednesday: Pugsley, sit in the [electric] chair. Pugsley: Why? Wednesday: So we can play a game. Pugsley: What game? Wednesday: It's called, "Is There a God?" Pugsley: Ok. Wednesday: *switches a lever* It has to warm up. Pugsley: Why? Wednesday: So it can kill you. Pugsley: I knew that. Morticia: *walks in* Children, what are you doing? Wednesday: I'm going to electrocute him. Morticia: But we're late for the charity auction. Wednesday: But, Mother... Morticia: I said no. Pugsley: Pleeaaaase? Morticia: Oh, all right. Wednesday is the youngest of the family. Very matter-of-fact, unexpressive in the most terrifying (but hilarious) way. She is easily my favorite character. She has a strong sense of self and is not afraid of anything or anyone. [when asked about her Halloween costume] This is my costume. I'm a homicidal maniac- they look just like everyone else. [her and Pugsley are selling lemonade on the side of the road] Girl Scout: Is this made from real lemons? Wednesday: Yes. Girl Scout: I only like all-natural foods and beverages, organically grown, with no preservatives. Are you sure they're real lemons? Pugsley: Yes. Girl Scout: Well, I'll tell you what. I'll buy a cup if you buy a box of my delicious Girl Scout cookies. Do we have a deal? Wednesday: Are they made from real Girl Scouts? Nobody gets out of the Bermuda Triangle, not even for a vacation. Everyone knows that. Honorable mentions: Uncle Fester - lives with the rest of them. Funny and goes to their torture, I mean “play,” room to relax. He can generate electricity, eg. light a light-bulb by sticking it in his mouth. Lurch - the family’s Frankenstein-monster-like butler who plays the piano rather nicely and comes at the (deafeningly) sounds of a gong that shakes the house. Thing - the hand that travels between boxes in the house and has quite the attitude . Yes, just the hand. Grandmama - obviously a witch.
Explicit; would rate R for sexual content. TW for homophobia. A graphic novel where, essentially, two stories are being told, simultaneously. Clementine comes to a house, in the first scene, to collect her ex-girlfriend’s old journals. Emma, the girl, recently passed (reason unknown) and wanted Clementine to read them. And read them she does. They cover the entire story of their relationship, and give insight into her thoughts at the time. The past told in narrative and the present that Clementine lives in, blend together in that way that time can do.
TW: abuse, child abuse, homophobia This book is tearing me apart. As soon as I “picked it up” (I read it as an ebook) I was hooked. I didn’t want to stop, but I kept having to because I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. It’s that intense. Somehow the wording feels simple, just readable, in a way, but the story is not. The weight of the book sat on my throat the entire time, barely letting me breathe. It’s amazing. Summary: (Here goes, this might suck, but I’m trying so hard to avoid spoilers.) Evan keeps his head down. He keeps his worlds separate. His family and house stay far away from school and his friends. 1. His family looks perfectly normal to the outside world. They are a quiet Greek family who go to church every Sunday. His mom hates him and isn’t quiet about it, only ever seeing him as a disappointment. His dad is always at work, and isn’t much help at home anyway. Dark secrets lie behind those doors. 2. School is okay, until things with his best friend change. That turns into something beautiful, but the hate they get is not. 3. He draws to keep himself sane. This is the best book I have read in a while. I picked it out randomly and was blown away. Angelo Surmelis writes from a place of truth in his own life, which makes it all the more devastating. He tells a painfully raw story that taught me a lot. Please read this if you can. I’m out of words. PS. You will cry. I have always been amazed with this style of plot structure; the idea of a story within a story. Beth Goobie paints you a picture about a girl named Maddy. For English class, the project was to collectively finish a novel. Every student has to give at least 300 words, and some put more effort in than others. It is fascinating how the story the characters create echo greater themes Maddy faces in her own life. Trigger warning: rape: The spring before the book starts, Maddy Malone was gang raped. She knows who three out of the five guys were, even though they wore masked, and finds out who the other two were later in the book. The night doesn't pause in haunting her. She has not spoken a word to anyone. Even when she drops art and doesn’t speak to her parents like she used to. She can’t talk to her older sister anymore and her life doesn’t feel like her own anymore. Will she find the courage to speak up about her own pain? Should she? Or should she take the pain she was given and deal with it? This novel narrows in on a lot of issues. One I found consistently powerful was about by standers. Knowing about different groups of secrets gives you a perspective that feels very raw. The author reminds you of how important your actions are even if you did nothing. That you are no more innocent. I didn’t expect to get much from this book, but I think it’s going to stick with me for a while. I recommend giving pause if some of the mentions in this book will trigger you (rape, self-harm, suicidal ideation, bullying, and sexual harassment). All together this story is worth knowing because it speaks up for people who may not be able to. Pretending something didn’t happen, just because it makes you feel better, doesn’t make the situation go away. And it sure as hell doesn’t help the victim, no matter the scenario. I was at a gay prom and there were too many references to this book. I just had to read it. So I did. And it was amazing. I could not put it down! It was so personal; uncensored and honest. You have to open your mind to read this- let go of judgements and enjoy the ride. Charlie writes letters to an anonymous person who only goes by the name "Dear friend." He learns from his two new friends: Sam and Patrick. He started smoking and got into drugs. He learned about sex. He learned all the wrong things in all the right ways. He got asked out by a girl named Mary Elizabeth and they went to a dance together. He didn't kiss her then, not later either. She talked a lot. It was alright, but Charlie got drunk and messed it all up. That seems to accurately describe most of his life. There isn't much of a plot. It is life. It shoves a character, someone you can relate to, flaws and all. They felt real and raw. My favorite was Charlie's older sister. She was a mess. She had an abusive boyfriend who she stayed with for too long. She was insecure and used to using a destructive offense as a way to protect herself. She was bitter and sad, and yet she put trust in her brother. She loved him so much. And that touched my heart. And in that moment, I swear we were infinite. I've never read a book with such a distinct point of view. Graeme Simison writes with a different pen that makes you need to read what's she's written. Don Tillman has Asperger's, but like most adults with the condition, he has no idea. So he begins his story giving a talk for his friend on the subject. Then the book takes a turn and he decides he needs to find a wife. The perfect wife. And he thinks that he can determine this all through a complex algorithm shaped into a questionnaire. This questionnaire should be able to sift out any unwanted candidates. Then in walks a woman who gets all the answers wrong. Could she be enough to get Don out of thinking that this was the best way to find a wife? Hilarious and charming, this book will take you on a romantic journey! It made me smile and I hope you read it so that you can get the same reaction! Cynthia VoightSad, infuiating, humorous, wonderful, crazy. Jeff's father is a proffesser who doesn't really know how to be a father. Jeff's mother pretends to love Jeff and I'm sure she does. But she lies and leaves and sort of goes crazy (in my opinion). Jeff finds comfort in music, even though it was something his mom did. And the very strange family of the Tillermans. He does a lot of crazy stuff like rowing to an island and sleeping on the beach, coming back and sinking the boat on purpose; or riding the same roller coaster or and over. I recommend this book for middle schoolers who like a true, heartfelt, touching, sad story. OTHER WORK BY CYNTHIA VOIGT:
Emmy just thought they had defeated the evil Mrs. Barmy forever. But no, now's she's back... a rodent. Will Emmy get stuck a rat forever because Sissy is sick? Or will she win a beauty pageant, recuse five tiny girls and save all of rodent kind? ****- (4 stars) *Emmy And The Home For Troubled Girls is by Lynne Jonnell, fun artwork by Jonathan Bean. I would recommend this book for 3rd - 5th grade. It isn't a very hard read. It is the second book in it's trilogy (the first is Emmy and the Shrinking Rat, the third is Emmy and Rats in the Belfry). I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure, magical-science (sort of..), secrets or the connection of not knowing what you want and trying to be "like every one else". "Look at that creepy lookin' kid over there."- "did you see him?"- "*wow*". Yup, this is my everyday life.I am August, I think myself as a normal boy, but other people don't see me that way. I have a... "slightly different" face And now I have to go to middle school. ~August Hi, I'm Via. I am a normal not very popular high school girl. The only thing that makes me different is that my brother looks a little different... yeah, different. ~Olivia The first time I sat down with him at lunch and talked to him, I admit I was a little nervous. August face is a little weird... but he's really an awesome guy! ~Summer There are even more characters waiting for you in the book of Wonder! Wonder is an amazing story. It made me feel happy, sad and I really felt some feeling. Wonder by R.J Palico is a book I recommend for you (4th-6th graders)". If you like touching stories, stories with 'more than one boring plot', stories with different points of view, I think you'd like this book. This is a book I think a lot of people would like. I give it ***** (5 stars)! It is a great book and I think everyone should read it!!! ***** (5 stars) At first I was shy, but then I didn't want to leave. I had done so much that summer, seen Harris get into so much trouble. I had seen Glennis thwacked him too many times. I had gotten kicked by cow, wrestled by a rooster but mostly I watched: Harris practically get electrocuted, thrown off a horse he jumped onto, swing on a old rope like Tarzan, throw corn at my head and do so much I can't count it. I almost forgot, then there's Louie and buzzer... and Nuet... and Clair and well everybody else on the farm. Harris and Me is by Gary Paulson. I recommend this for a bit older readers maybe 4th through 6th grade. But my librarian reads it every year and she still thinks it's hilarious. I think it's for anybody above the grade of 4th. It has some mildly inappropriate humor, just a very tiny bit. I think Harris and Me is just one of those laugh out loud books! |
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