Malcolm is like my favorite person ever, and I don't appreciate this writer for putting him and his sweet little moth in so much DANGER.Malcolm is like my favorite person ever, and I don't appreciate this writer for putting him and his sweet little moth in so much DANGER....more
I learned from this book: Death is simply one more part of life that we'll all experience one day, one way or another. It's what we do until then thatI learned from this book: Death is simply one more part of life that we'll all experience one day, one way or another. It's what we do until then that matters. ...more
Let's just say it's been a very long time since I have found myself this ridiculously immersed in a story. Let's just say it's been a very long time since I have found myself this ridiculously immersed in a story. ...more
So I accidentally fell head-over-heels in love with this book.
Recently I read The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by VaSo I accidentally fell head-over-heels in love with this book.
Recently I read The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Valente, and I thought it was pretty much perfect, (as you can see in this casually self-promoted review, if you would like.) Well. This one was even better, which is saying a lot. 5 Things About The Glass Town Game
1. The writing is gorgeous. I'm convinced it is actually made out of magic and I would like to go live in it, thank you. I love Valente's writing so, so much. If I could live in it I would. I like it because it's magical and descriptive without being so verbose and dense it's aggravating. (Dramatic, I know, but I get annoyed by aggravatingly verbose writing.) Here are some of my favorite snippets:*
Hatred felt like the terrible burning lye soap they used for laundry splashing up onto her heart instead of onto her hands.
Well, I would have said books, too, you know, but books are just obvious. That's like saying you like air!
Charlotte's lies spooled out like perfect, silken thread, and whatever they touched stuck together fast.
I should like to love someone who makes me feel the way I feel when the thunder storms on the moors.
You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at last, the one that ends in joy.
Okay, I'm going to stop now before I quote the whole book or start crying again. But seriously. The whole book is a work of art and PLEASE you need to dive in and get lost in the writing too.
*All quotes are from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication blah blah etc.
2. This book is, admittedly, a tiny bit strange. Okay, um, maybe more than a tiny bit. This book is strange and odd, but I actually think that is one the best things about it. I'll admit I was a little lost for the first couple hundred pages BUT that was because a) I was suffering a major reading slump and b) I was really overwhelmed with school and wasn't letting myself take time to enjoy reading. But! I finally broke out of my reading slump two days ago, and I read 300 pages of this book in one sitting and loved every single word, so I don't think this book was too weird that it wasn't enjoyable. I liked the weirdness and the whimsy. This book isn't odd in a weird way; it's odd in a happy, carefree, whimsical way. It made me feel happy. But do know that this story is, well, different; there are talking suitcases and wooden soldiers and a Napoleon who rides a rooster. A lot of whether you like this book will depend on just how much whimsy you can handle.
3. This book is loaded with metaphors and little Easter eggs that were SO FUN to find. Like all the metaphors about the Napoleonic battles and England. And the way the author discusses death. Another fun thing was seeing famous figures from throughout literary history pop up. The way the Valente portrayed Jane Austen was hiLARIOUS and I am still laughing. We also see Lord Byron who is this brooding eleven-year old poet who quotes himself and falls in love with Emily Bronte. It was all so much fun. At one point there is this cute little exchange:
No, Ellis - Emily! I would love you! I would be your husband!"
"I'm ten!"
"So?" shouted Lord Byron desperately. "I'm eleven! Emily, my darling, don't be so dramatic. You would be a Baroness, and dance every night, and never want for a single thing!"
4. The characters were phenomenally developed. I'm not an expert on the Bronte kids, but I've read (most of) Jane Eyre and I loved Wuthering Heights, so I know a little bit about Charlotte, Emily, Branwell, and Anne. I think the author did a perfect job of showing us a way they might have been when they were all little. Charlotte's character felt like a person who could grow up to write Jane Eyre, for example. Plus it was SO COOL to see how their magical adventures in Glass Town would affect their books - and lives - later on.
5. This book feels really old, even though obviously it is not. The writing style and story style reminds me of the classic Victorian fairytales, like Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan and The Secret Garden. It's not like it's dense or hard to read like classics sometimes are; it's like it's timeless and like it's been here forever. There's just something magical about feeling like you're reading something that was written 100 years ago.
One more quick thing: This is a middle grade book, but I think adults would like it just as much (or maybe more) as the target audience. I know I like it much more now than i would have at age 10-12. That's not to say kids won't like it, I just think this story has the potential to resonate deeply with anyone, even though on the surface it may just look like a kid's book....more
I just read and adored Julie Berry’s The Passion of Dolssa. So of course I was super excited to read this one right away!!
All The Truth That’s In Me iI just read and adored Julie Berry’s The Passion of Dolssa. So of course I was super excited to read this one right away!!
All The Truth That’s In Me is very different from Dolssa. The format is really unique; the book is told through Judith’s perspective in a series of very short chapters that jump back and forth in time. And it’s also told in second person past tense. I honestly wasn’t sure how I’d feel about all of that, but I ended up loving it!! I felt like the narration style worked super well with the story and Judith’s character. But, be aware that it can feel choppy at time, and if you hate second person tense this might not be for you.
I love, love, loved Judith. We really learn a lot about her throughout the book. Like I said, a lot of the book is told in flashbacks. Because of this style, we gradually learn about her motives and the way she’s changed, and all of that information makes her choices and actions in the present so compelling.
I also loved the romance. Mostly because I totally have a crush on Lucas!! I think I had hearts in my eyes every single time Judith talked about him. Which, since the book is literally speaking *to* him, was a lot. It was great xD. I thought their relationship developed in the most perfect way!! It was slow; it took so, so long to build (which is the best kind of romance in books, I think) and it was sometimes heartbreaking, and just ugghh there were so many emotions. Lucas has the best characterization.
I also thought it was great how all the characters had such clear motives. A lot of these motives were very twisted, from the kidnapper and the (almost) religious fanatics to the mother who shuns her child because of what has happened. I just thought they were so well thought out! Every character stood out, and I can still remember most of them even though it’s been like two months since I read the book.
All The Truth That’s In Me is technically pretty slow in terms of plot. but it’s super addicting! I was sucked right into the story, and I could not wait to keep reading it. The whole story is pretty harrowing, actually, but I LOVE the way it works out!! I won’t say too much about that because I’m too lazy to deal with spoiler tags, but Judith is awesome and the way the story builds up to a super awesome climax is awesome. That is all xD.
Julie Berry’s writing is so beautiful. I just love her style: elegant and flowing without being too verbose. I don’t actually know how to describe it xD. It’s great. You should read one of her books and see for yourself.
The setting of the book was really interesting, too! I like how vague it was. The story is obviously set in the past, but we don’t know exactly where, or exactly when. This might seem weird, but for some reason it really worked! It definitely made Judith’s sense of being trapped a lot more real, and all the tension felt stronger.
I honestly don’t know why this book isn’t more popular! I can’t wait to read another book by Julie Berry. I’m just annoyed that she hasn’t released another yet xD!...more
A while ago I fell head-over-heels-in-love with Cat Winter's debut, In The Shadow of Blackbirds. Now, that love is being rivaled by this brilliant, beA while ago I fell head-over-heels-in-love with Cat Winter's debut, In The Shadow of Blackbirds. Now, that love is being rivaled by this brilliant, beautiful, magnificent, amazing, wonderful... (shall I stop??) book.
Because WOW. AM SO IN LOVE. RIDICULOUSLY IN LOVE.
Cat Winters does such an amazing job at combining historical fiction with supernatural elements. Blackbirds wove a story set during the Spanish Influenza with ghosts and seances and spirit photographers. This one is about the Women's Suffrage movement, and is effortlessly combined with hypnosis.
I love how the character's struggles are subtly illustrated by the supernatural elements. In Dreaming, Olivia is hypnotized and is suddenly able to see the world "as it really is." So now, instead of seeing people, she sees them as monsters that illustrate who they are and the roles society has forced upon some of them. But it's so well done it never feels fake or cheesy.
But I think my favorite part of this book was Olivia. She has such a vivid personality, and I loved how mature and kind she was. I also love the unbelievably sexy (almost) French hypnotist. I mean, what more does a book really need? I was also amazed at how well the author portrayed the complicated relationship between Olivia and her father, who really is a tragic, sympathetic character, no matter how horrific he appears at first. Really, though, all the relationships and characters, even the barely-mentioned SIDE characters are so well developed it's unbelievable.
And then there's an almost - love triangle that was so PERFECT. (This is coming from someone who would rather die than read another YA love triangle, by the way.) But this one was just so unique and amusing, and really not like other love triangles at all. It is clever and entertaining and hilarious at times.
There was also a slow - burn romance that doesn't end the way you'd expect. It didn't end the way I wanted it to, but that's okay, because it ended the right way. (But I am a sucker for bittersweet endings, so...)
And this is another slow-without-being-boring book in terms of plot, which is my very, very favorite kind of book. So if you like quiet, multilayered plots that develop over time, Cat Winter's books are for you. That being said, however, it's all still very entertaining.
Nothing I could possibly say could recommend this book enough, guys. Please, go do yourself a favor and read it. Pretty please?? You'll thank me, I promise....more
What can I say? It was perfect and you all need to read this book. RTC ` ` ` ` ` Um...so... I maybe checked again today. Just to look at it. ~~~~~~~~ Edit: IWhat can I say? It was perfect and you all need to read this book. RTC ` ` ` ` ` Um...so... I maybe checked again today. Just to look at it. ~~~~~~~~ Edit: I am so excited for this book I check this page literally every week to make sure it's really not going to be released until October 10. And I'm so excited for this book I'm not even embarrassed about that. This is going to be great. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I need this in my life right NOW....more
4.5 StarsJodi Lynn Anderson is one of my very favorite authors. TigerRead again 3/18/19. Still my favorite
**Warning: this text may contain spoilers**
4.5 StarsJodi Lynn Anderson is one of my very favorite authors. Tiger Lily is my favorite YA book, and that and The Vanishing Season both made me cry.
Her writing is so beautiful, her stories so bittersweet. After reading this I felt sad... but not in a bad way. More like how sometimes you feel lonely when you remember a good memory. Or when something happens that you know is right, but it doesn't make it any less melancholy.
I'm honestly not sure how to review this. I'll try though. *sobs*
As always, each of her characters were so well developed. Which is pretty amazing, as this book is under 300 pages. I got a clear sense of who each person was, and the intricacies of their personalities, motives, and hopes. I thought Adri's development in particular was fantastic. She started out so closed off and lonely, and throughout the book slowly starts to feel okay letting people in.
I'll admit I didn't like her at first. But she grows sooo much.
And then she leaves. And while this was the right ending, it didn't make it any less bittersweet.
I should really stop being surprised by these PAINFUL endings. All of Anderson's books are like this. *sniffles*
I really enjoyed Catherine's journal and Lenore's letters as well, and their individual stories were so sweet and compelling and the way they connected was really well done.
One important thing to know about this book is that there really isn't a plot. Nothing happens. But this book isn't about what happens. It's about relationships, romantic and friendly and familial, and the tiny moments that can change a life forever.
I did feel like Lenore's and Catherine's characters lost a lot of their development the second half of the book. Or maybe they just changed? Either way, I definitely preferred the first half. The second half was still so good, just not AS good. If that makes sense.
Also, didn't like how SHORT this book was. I want more!! I need more!!
But really, the shortness really makes this book powerful. The ending leaves a lot to the imagination, much like real life.
Would you pay $10 for Eternal Life? You Can at the Electric! Midnight Shows Only!"
That quote makes clear both the title and the ending of the book. My emotions are too muddled to discuss it clearly, but it is really poignant and compelling.
And that was a terrible review. But the FEELS. Ugh. Maybe I'll reread this closer to the release date and write a more coherent review...
Also, think it's time to reread Tiger Lily. Because apparently I need more emotional agony in my life.
**Thank you to the publisher for the review copy....more
We always find it difficult to forgive our heroes for being human.
It's official. Frances Hardinge is my favorite author. And that is saying a lot
We always find it difficult to forgive our heroes for being human.
It's official. Frances Hardinge is my favorite author. And that is saying a lot. Every time I read one of her books I become completely immersed in her world. Her writing is so vivid and so deep, for lack of a better word.
In Verdigris Deep (no, it is not called Well Witched. That title and that cover are abominations.) each character is flawed and complex. I love how Ryan and Chelle, but Ryan in particular, grow throughout the book. They learn more about themselves and others. They become stronger. They develop into, well, them. And Josh is fascinating. What caused him to do what he did? Is it his family life? His personality? A mix of the two? And the sunglasses played into the story so subtly and so wonderfully.
This setting is not like Hardinge's others. It is more contemporary, but still has fantastical elements, and I'll admit I wasn't too excited for this one. It's her second book ever, and I was worried it just wouldn't be as good. I needn't have worried. The magic is strange and wonderful, just like always.
The ending was touching. And it made me think, which is always a plus.
I hear she's writing another book to be published this fall. It. Cannot. Come. Soon. Enough. ...more
Lenna • Sugar Dusted Pages
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