Book reviews for thrillers are always harder since I don’t want to spoil anything. This one kept me reading and questioning who was lying and how the Book reviews for thrillers are always harder since I don’t want to spoil anything. This one kept me reading and questioning who was lying and how the truth would come out. The ending had some plot holes that made it not feel as satisfying. I also wish there were more flashbacks to explain what happened the night Zoe went missing. ...more
This middle grave novel in verse is for your young nature lovers. Finn and his best friend Rabbit are obsessed with nature, especially after their smaThis middle grave novel in verse is for your young nature lovers. Finn and his best friend Rabbit are obsessed with nature, especially after their small town is ravaged by wildfires. They’re dedicated to do whatever they can to “save the forest!” and help foster in a new season of regrowth.
The characters are so well done, the story balance well between action and introspection. The messages of saving our planet and facing adversity with resilience are great.
I found myself confused at parts while reading. The novel in verse is a tricky format, and I think some things were not always explained and the action sometimes jumped from scene to scene. All dialogue is in italics instead of quotation marks, so I had to really pay attention when a character began speaking or when a conversation was happening. Although novels in verse are touted as great for struggling readers, this one may need to be for readers with stronger comprehension because of the inference skills needed.
If you’re looking for a book that has positive queer rep and includes numerous gender identities and sexual orientations, this is for you. Characters If you’re looking for a book that has positive queer rep and includes numerous gender identities and sexual orientations, this is for you. Characters include a Transboy, Transgirl, Bisexual , Pansexual, and Nonbinary person.
I personally felt like the story was trying to do too much with too little world building and explanation. The main character, Indu, is rescued from a moon as a child and still has a telepathic connection to the moon. He lives in space for a while with his new adoptive mom then returns to earth to join his new family include a step dad and two step siblings. The rest of the story focuses on Indu trying to acclimate to a new culture and embrace himself in the face of prejudice.
How was a child alone on a moon? How does the telepathic connection work? How did the moon have an embodied presence to visit Indu? Why did all the kids/teens have queer identities but the adults were all in heteronormative pairs? What time period was the story set in? Why was the conflict introduced and resolved so easily and quickly?
The emotion was strong, the Indonesian culture was interesting, but it mostly just felt forced to me. ...more
This one is billed as a romcom but it goes much deeper, exploring grief and starting over.
Bennet Taylor lost her firPassion Project by London Sperry
This one is billed as a romcom but it goes much deeper, exploring grief and starting over.
Bennet Taylor lost her first love to a car accident and starting over is hard. She’s not ready to date, but Henry Adams isn’t ready to just let her go after they meet. They begin a “passion project” and the goal is to try one new thing each week to try to get Bennet’s passion for life back.
The story gets flirty, dramatic, exciting, and frustrating. I really loved watching the two MCs relationship develop and seeing how Bennet grows and processes. The miscommunication plot device is used in a frustrating way, but it’s not a deal breaker for the whole book. Definitely check it out if you enjoy the deeper romcoms like Abby Jimenez and Emily Henry. ...more
Achievement Unlocked! You just discovered a Hilarious & Absolutely Ridiculous Sci-Fi Adventure Loot Contents: * +10 to Binge Reading Capabilities * +7 tAchievement Unlocked! You just discovered a Hilarious & Absolutely Ridiculous Sci-Fi Adventure Loot Contents: * +10 to Binge Reading Capabilities * +7 to TBR Pile * +5 to Explosive Laughter * -3 to Emotional Stability
Bonus Perk: Royal Decree from Princess Donut – All readers must pick this up immediately
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was a surprise in the best way! I laughed the entire time I was binge reading it. It starts kind of basic plot-wise. You get lulled into thinking this will just be a slapstick fluffy action book. BUT the background explanations and conspiracies start coming in about halfway through and they are SO good.
Just know that this will NOT be a crowd pleaser. The humor and subject matter are very niche. But if video games, RPGs, sassy Persian cats, aliens, Hunger Games level conspiracy, and a man without pants all sound interesting to you, then you should definitely give this one a try!
This is a short, straightforward guide to how to read the Bible. The length (144 pages) makes it very accessible, but there is SO much wisdom packed iThis is a short, straightforward guide to how to read the Bible. The length (144 pages) makes it very accessible, but there is SO much wisdom packed into these pages. Bible reading is "not just information, but transformation."
Platt uses personal stories, Bible verses, and acronyms to guide readers into good practice for reading and analyzing the Bible. He explains the history of the Bible and its different genres. He also explains how to actually sit down with any book of the Bible to begin reading and studying. These ideas are completely accessible and understandable for new believers, but there is also a lot of wisdom for more mature believers. It would be great for personal study as well as to apply in a group Bible Study setting.
He breaks Bible reading down into 4 basic steps: 1. Meditate and Memorize 2. Apply 3. Pray 4. Share
Each step is presented with those personal anecdotes, as well as Bible verses explaining why the step is beneficial and where Jesus recommended it in Scripture. Although I had heard of most of this before, I can't say that I'm applying it yet. This book was a great reminder to slow down, go back to basics, and really dive deeper into the study of scripture. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a believer or interested in learning more about Bible analysis. ...more
I just finished. Wow!!! So many twists - some that were random, some genius - happened at the end that I’m still processing. If you want a page turninI just finished. Wow!!! So many twists - some that were random, some genius - happened at the end that I’m still processing. If you want a page turning binge read, this is it!
SUMMARY: Elizabeth May is trying to escape from her past. Wrapped up in a “Satanic Panic” witch hunt as a 5 year old, she just wants to be done with her old hometown and the cruel teens who called her Devil Girl well into adulthood. Now as a traveling nurse, she hops around to different towns and goes by slightly different identities - Beth, Liz, Betsy. Her carefully structured life starts to fall apart as a stalker shows up who seems to know about her past and is intent on exposing everything.
MY THOUGHTS: This one had me speed reading to see what would happen next, but I didn’t feel like I had enough “hints” for some plot points to feel believable. The tone of the book also seems to shift a lot - from romcom, thriller, psych suspense, slasher, mystery, and back again. It was hard to predict and fun to fly through!
Heads up - There are definitely some content warnings to be aware of if you’re a squeamish reader. ...more
This is a highly thematic/metaphorical middle grade novel in verse. Since this one was more metaphorical, it was a bit more confusing at certain partsThis is a highly thematic/metaphorical middle grade novel in verse. Since this one was more metaphorical, it was a bit more confusing at certain parts. It was still really touching and emotional. Each generation can build up the next or contribute to toxic skeletons/ghosts in the closet....more