So he stared straight ahead, not looking back, and trusted that his girl would be okay. And that this was only the beginning of their true Happy List
So he stared straight ahead, not looking back, and trusted that his girl would be okay. And that this was only the beginning of their true Happy List together.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ // 5
Twelve-year-old Jody Zuber loves to make lists. And for her top one, she wished for a dog. On her birthday, that is what she gets. A big, fluffy, husky mix named Happy. But another reason she loves to make lists? It helps to have ten things she loves about every place she lives, considering that her family moved a lot. However, her peaceful and serenity life ends abruptly when her dad, a Marine, is sent to Honolulu, Hawaii and they go with him.
That’s when the bombs happened in December 1941. Suddenly, Jody, her older sister by one year—Peggy, Happy, and their mom are sent to a safer place in San Francisco. But her dad stays behind, serving as part of the U.S. Military after they announced to enter the war. But after so many changes, how can Jody cope? When his dad asked for her to lead team Zuber? And most importantly, as team Zuber is slowly falling apart?
Full of richness and powerful messages, this realistic historical novel will make an impact for readers of all ages. And, of course, it’s simply perfect for dog or animal lovers, history fans, and anyone who needs a reminder that although there might be difficult times, you will always be able to push through it.
P.S. I listened to the audiobook version so my reaction might not be the same if I were to read it!
Things I loved:
★ Happy’s POV - Realistic, adorable, yet empowering. Reminds us yet again that sometimes we don’t deserve animals!
★ Peggy - Although her and Jody’s sister relationship is full of flaws, it was yet again realistic and smooth. There is a visible change of arc and she’s such a morally-gray and relatable character—just like all the other characters.
★ Reference from real Pearl Harbour survivor, Joan Zuber Earle - Make this book so authentic and easy for me to imagine. My heart was really pounding when they were being attacked and sent away! The historical events are also very realistically portrayed.
★ Fast-paced - Although it might be occasionally slow, it is still very enjoyable, especially in audiobook format.
★ Jody’s first-person-POV - I often don’t enjoy first-person, especially in Middle Grade novels. However, Jody’s POV was so engaging and after just a few pages she advanced as a relatable, morally-gray, and a round character. I got to become her and experience and see things through her lenses, which makes this book even better.
★ Tension and emotion - Tension builds off so well and it’s all so immersive yet satisfying. And even though we knew from history what is yet to come, it was still nerve-wracking in a way!
★ The Fountain of Youth - Raises questions and adds intrigue. An awesome way for readers to take a little break from all the World War II things going on. And we really get worried about Happy, too, and if he is really going to stop aging after the drink.
★ Good themes explored - Such as friendship, sistership, family, and dealing with scary times (in the world and at home)!
★ Representation of diverse perspectives - At first, Jody was reluctant when she and Peggy were staying with another family, since their maid was Japanese—and it was the Japanese who bombed Pearl Harbour. However, she came to realize that the maid, Hana, wasn’t scary at all like she feared. Instead, she is very nice and keeps her secret about Happy. Moreover, when she returns to school in San Francisco, there’s a Japanese classmate whom she feels bad for, since she got sent to a camp. Which also makes us learn to not stereotype—whether it’s for the Japanese or any other!
★ Operation Happy - Another reminder to treasure your pet, for they will not live forever! And, of course, to spend as much time as you can. Perhaps, the list will help both you and your dog cope with a difficult time as well!
★ Narration - And, of course, the narration! I thoroughly enjoyed it, which I didn’t expect. This is actually my first time listening to a full-length audiobook
There is little that didn’t work quite as well for me, and they were all related to the writing. The story and characters are honestly so fun to read about, and my time is definitely put into good use. Especially when I can listen when I’m doing other things such as taking a walk or simply eating lunch.
Anyway, something that could’ve been better was, first, like I mentioned before, I loved Jody’s first-person perspective. However, Happy’s point-of-view is actually in third person, even though I, personally, would love for it to be first-person. Also, the narrative starts off pretty repetitive, and sometimes transitions are pretty rough. Lastly, there lacked 1940s aspects, since it felt really like a modern time except the war element.
But overall, I really enjoyed it. I’m excited to read some more historical fiction like this, and I will always think back on Happy and Jody’s adventures! :)
Thank you to NetGalley and Zonderkidz for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!...more
I have never read a book so realistic, yet depressing at the same time. This is the finish-in-a-sitting kind of book, and although Wow... What a book!
I have never read a book so realistic, yet depressing at the same time. This is the finish-in-a-sitting kind of book, and although you may not be pulled in at first, I promise you will.
This is the kind of book I go out of my way to avoid, and in some ways, this wasn’t my type of book, But what surprised me was how realistic this was; every detail, wording, character. This feels like a whole new genre, An Na’s own genre.
Sure, it was slow-paced at first. There’s some Korean words that might stump readers. You didn’t get why it had meanings until the end, but when you do, a sudden rage of backstories floods over you, with so much emotions combined. This book has so much Korean culture, and after you read this book, I guarantee you will learn a few Korean words, culture, and experience the life of a girl and her family through your own eyes.
It’s very magical how An Na writes the progress of age for Young Ju, and her brother. You seem to be growing with them, and do not realize they had been so young before.
This was the saddest book I have ever read in my life, and I think it “emotionally scarred” me! Don’t worry, I usually stay away from these types of books, but this holds so much wisdom, perspective, human nature, and the whole experience of growing up.
I can see why it is not as famous as some other books, but it definitely should be a lot more known. In other words, this is an underrated book, and you should definitely try this to experience things you will never do, and find yourself living a different life. :)...more
I want to do something, right here, right now, to shame them, to make them accountable, to show the Capitol that whatever they do or force us to do is
I want to do something, right here, right now, to shame them, to make them accountable, to show the Capitol that whatever they do or force us to do is a part of every tribute they can’t own. That Rue was more than a piece in their Games. And so am I.
The Hunger Games was a long anticipated book series. I have forever heard recommendations upon reviews of the masterly-spun story that captivates one mind after the other. Upon reading this book, I was meticulously dissecting the book—and it was such a joy entirely to do so! However, with my extremely high standards of a proper novel, this one won’t be the book I seek to learn from when writing my own stories…
Now I truly realize that it’s almost unfair to be commenting on this book from the lens of a writer rather than a reader. But truly, as a reader this book was not undistinguished. I did find myself turning page after page, unable to put a stop to the story that’s unfolding… But therein comes a problem that is perhaps subtle and hidden by the dramatic ending, and the two scenes that were notable—a feeling of immense emptiness. Personally, it may also be the mundane romance that pushed me further away. (view spoiler)[There were increasingly blurry lines between Peeta and Katniss, which threw me off quite a bit! (hide spoiler)] The romance simply wasn’t done well—it relied much too considerably on the plot (which we will also dig into later).
Yet it is certain that the book kept me turning the pages robotically. There were layers upon layers of anticipation for what was to happen next. From the inciting incident, (view spoiler)[when Katniss had volunteered, to the end of the book when Katniss returned home (hide spoiler)]. Especially during the Games, there was so much tension and possibly—all on the sake of survival which seemed unlikely, yet hopeful. The dystopian setting was, well, dystopian. It explored all the classic elements of dehumanized citizens, intrusive surveillance, propaganda, distorted perceptions of happiness, and even the despondent yet hopeful protagonist. One of my favorite aspects was found in the crushing cruelty of Panem. Mostly, Katniss’ defiance and small act of rebellion. I feel this in my community, and I find many things unjust as someone who’s outcasted and befriended many who have also been ostracized without true reason. The conformity is real and thriving, yet putting a stop to this is difficult.
And of course, the part that was truly done well was Katniss’s personality. I don’t mean her backstory or her inner conflict, but how she is. She’s a headstrong character, but incredibly courageous, resilient and noble. In a society where females are continuously thrust upon stereotypes, Katniss exemplifies the challenging of traditional gender roles. And I do think we all see some of her in us, making her relatable and realistic to an extent (but again! Lacking in some aspects.) Indeed, I do wish that I know Katniss personally. And I feel that we can become great friends.
However I do understand the premise of this book being like a blueprint, but it’s not really an argument to it being written sort of poorly. Besides basic points such as grammatical errors and weird phrasing, this book felt more like a first draft than a completed and not to mention acclaimed novel. What truly made me realize this was how plot-driven this way, making this book feel so hollow and empty. Especially as I continued to make notes on the margins, noticing repeating cycles that prompt this whole book. It’s what I named the Cycle of Action Turning Pages.
The cycle seemed super forced. Whenever I got a bit bored, there was something new to happen. And it worked interchangeably, because the Games needed to be entertaining to the audience in the Capitol. And of course, also the readers. There were sudden rises, (view spoiler)[like Muttations making it harder for them to survive (rather than something about the characters…), sudden fire for Katniss, Peeta’s injury (hide spoiler)], and so, so much more to count. Really, everything followed this pattern. Except for the (view spoiler)[befriending of Rue (hide spoiler)], which was sincerely driven by Katniss’ reminder of her younger sister, Primrose. And (view spoiler)[Rue’s death (hide spoiler)], which not only acted as a turning point of the story and made Katniss realize the injustice, but also contributed to the dystopian theme and prompted us to read because we care about the characters, not about the plot. There was always, always a conflict, many times very small, but life-threatening or engaging. Then we want to find out what happens, but because it’s driving the characters not because it’s stemming from them. This ultimately made this book feel so hollow—and for sure it is, because essentially it’s lacking the heart of the story. Honestly, this cycle is more psychology than actual writing technique. This is aptly what caused the fall of the book for me.
I also have to point out (though less significant) that this book was written in an overly simplified way. There weren't any worthy subplots—and yes, the (view spoiler)[Peeta-Katniss (hide spoiler)] one wasn’t worth it and did not contribute to anything at all; it was only a splatter of paint adding to the trope, a tactic drawing readings in. I predicted so, so many things that were going to happen. And some, I would argue, were not as creative as what I had imagined. Truly, many times the author literally seems to run out of things to write about to draw readers in… That’s also what prompted the cycle we previously talked about.
Now we have to talk about the absolute lack of inner conflict thus emotional depth, also caused by the cycle. Because truly, I did not connect with the characters. Sure, Katniss was hungry, starved, and fed her family. But this was driven by plot, by the cruelty of Panem and District 12. Sure, she loved her sister dearly, but where was the emotional connection? I just couldn’t find it. And it did not affect the stakes of the book in any way. And sure, Katniss and Peeta would rather sacrifice themselves for the other, dying viciously together, but it felt more like an act. And, whatever genuine connection they had couldn’t just carry the book. At least not for me.
Lastly, where did all of this take us? What’s the deeper message, the theme? I thought and thought, researched and explored, but it did not make sense. You can say something is the theme, but the book doesn’t give it much significance. It doesn’t truly expand upon the dystopian society, or the difficulties of survival. The theme doesn’t drive the story, because plot is driving it forward. Not characters. And characters, as all of us writers know, give the deeper meaning to the book.
This book was compelling, but immensely plot driven. It was unpolished, and lacked emotional depth and a deeper meaning. And thus, it felt hollow. Just another story.
However, I have to recognize the morally-gray characters; and especially Katniss, she is truly memorable. The setting was truly vivid. The descriptions did it for me, the prose was perfectly arranged most times; putting myself in Katniss’ shoes was surprisingly easy.
But truly, I was captivated sometimes. And the world and characters that were created could immerse readers. It wasn't a true fail, but under a writer like, for instance, Soman Chainani, I do think this book would be awesome. However, Suzanne Collins provided this book with touches no others could muster. I mostly enjoyed dissecting this book, annotating like a writer is amazing. And who am I to critique this book? I’ve got so much more to learn about writing—I’ve just started, anyway. This book really provoked me to think deeply, and I will be eternally grateful for that. And, of course, I’ve got a lot more thinking to do… My journey with this book doesn’t just end here. In a way, this book was so much more impactful than other books I’ve enjoyed.
So, although I didn’t like this quote in the beginning, I do realize we’re all playing a Game. I’m in my writing Game right now, haha. So…
May the odds ever be in your favor.
Immediate Thoughts: 3 / 5 Stars Finished it in 3 days, wow! I'm still processing- Woah. But I won't really let the ending tip its balance. I came with high expectations, and I left with uncertainty. I'm willing to read Catching Fire, though. I do want to see if it gets into more things :) P.S. I loved annotating this one! Even if I'm kind of just analyzing the story arc, it makes it so much better....more
Here we are! Exile! And then you think… Exile? Oops. Sorry, if you’re a predictor, that was a small spoiler, but you probably already know. But why shHere we are! Exile! And then you think… Exile? Oops. Sorry, if you’re a predictor, that was a small spoiler, but you probably already know. But why should you read this? I mean, the first book is definitely enough for some people. Personally, I craved it, and to get you wondering more… A non-spoiler summary is coming up for ya!
Sophie Foster’s life is supposed to be easier. With her newfound home, her best friends, a lifeguard, and a new year at Foxfire as a level three. Once again, what she experiences is nothing she wants, but her adventure brought her closer to so many different people, and even a mysterious alicorn that can reset the timeline of the Lost Cities. As Sophie and her friends develop, Sophie realizes she must make sacrifices for the ones who sacrificed themselves for her, and connects furthermore with everybody she knows.
Well… facts first! But before that…
⭐⭐⭐⭐. 8 5 (Rounded up to five) I did it again! I nitpicked. But trust me, you’ll definitely see why after this review.
First things first, the writing and cliché can definitely be considered as one. Breaking it down, the writing style was pretty much okay. Although there are still clichés, there were not as many as the first book. I have to say, though, for me this was pretty much predictable, but it’s so much fun experiencing it.
Secondly, we have our plot and details. Our life-saver, and game-changer. But the mood in this book wasn’t the best, and I was getting tired of people collapsing for no reason and everyone crying eighty percent of the book. I get it, (view spoiler)[*people’s minds are breaking, people are dying,* (hide spoiler)] You are scared because you are the chosen one and have a million times more adventures than everyone else. However, it was overdramatic, and it made me depressed and uncomfortable reading it. Then again, at the same time it was amazing. It’s such an emotional rollercoaster, and whatever the author is trying to make you feel, I guarantee that you do feel it. Like you’re not reading, but experiencing it altogether. And you feel so pulled in that if anyone distracts you, (view spoiler)[*it’s pretty much like performing a mind break and getting distracted* (hide spoiler)], you basically go crazy. It’s a good book, but not the best at the same time. Congratulations, you are about to read a chaotic book with wild rides after another.
Last not certainly not least, the heart of every book, the characters and the theme. Wise note here, what the characters are struggling with is the theme of a book. In this, Sophie is struggling with too many things, and often I feel pretty tangled. (view spoiler)[*Some of them include searching for a way to save Alden and Prentice to repay them.* (hide spoiler)] If somebody asked me “What’s the theme of this book”, I'd definitely have to think for a while before speaking, because it was not specifically clear. I think mainly it was to help others like they did to you (repay them), and don’t give up and try to keep searching for an answer. The characters developed perhaps most through this book, and I didn’t think they did a lot in the first book. Everybody was trying to accept the truth, trying to trust people, trying to help people, and trying to repay them with respect and empathy. Small themes like do what’s right, stand up for yourself and others, and trust are also common in this book. For me, I think this would be a pretty, or even the most important book of this series, and definitely the best so far. Anyways, without further ado, let’s get straight into the spoilers summary section! Read at your own risk—
(view spoiler)[Sophie Foster can’t help but struggle with devastating nightmares about her kidnappers in black cloak. When she is out with Grady and her new goblin bodyguard, Sandor, trying to catch another animal, Sophie sensed the animal and used brain pushes to fasten her speed. When they finally discover it, Sophie realizes that it is an alicorn-who can reset the extinction timeline to reproduce with the only other alicorn left-and is nervous and lonely. She promises the alicorn that they could be friends with her telepathic skills, and realized when she is brought to Havenfield that the alicorn, Silveny, could not only transmit her name, words, but also images and sensations. Not to mention, Fitz could too. Starting level three, Sophie is “unfortunate” to be an inflictor, who can inflict pain on people with her negative emotions, and the only other inflictor is Bronte, a council member that would do anything to get her Exiled and suspended. He suspects that Sophie is “malfunctioning”, and that it was the reason why Sophie got headaches when light flashes, and why people can communicate and transmit inside her mind. The more Sophie thinks about it, Sophie realizes that to her dismay, Bronte might be correct for the first time. Meanwhile, Alden takes Sophie to Exile and tries to perform a mind break on Fintan, who the councillors suspects set the Everblaze. He needs Sophie to pull him out from the broken mind and get him back to the real world, which he believes is also what the Black Swan meant in a message to Sophie. In the process, Fintan uses his ancient power to block memorization and burn Alden at the same time. Although they learned that he did help set the Everblaze, Alden collapses and hits his head on the ground, opening a deep wound. Sophie finds a warm nook and pulls him back. When they were exiting, Sophie finds Prentice, who Alden is guilty of helping to perform the mind break. He believes that he is innocent and now he is “useless”, his mind broken. Sophie, however, insists and travels into Prentice’s broken mind, while also discovering clues of the Black Swan, from which she believes they might be trying to help after all. However, when they were about to use the staircase to go up from the underground, Sophie mentions Prentice, while he faints again. Little did she know, it was guilt that made him lost his mind, but lost and broken are two different things. Little by little, things got better… Well, that is until during the Foxfire celebration, and after Sophie sees Wylie, Prentice’s son, and points him out, Alden is lost again. However, this time it’s more than just losing his mind, his mind is broken. He can’t do anything but lay on bed and groan. Fitz, Sophie’s friend, starts to blame everything on her malfunctioning brain. Everything is a mess, and Sophie can only sleep with the help of Silveny’s calm sensations she transmits, while the alicorn repeats “Calm”. After clues and clues, Sophie finally decides to repay Alden and Prentice for everything they’ve done to her, and travels with Keefe, her friend and an Empathy who Silveny adores, to the Black Swans cave with clues. She drinks a bottle of Limbium, which Sophie is extremely allergic to because of her malfunction, with a needle stick never tested before to fix her malfunction. Sophie knows the sacrifice is worth everything they did for her, and thankfully wakes up to see Keefe and Silveny, as well as Mr. Forkle, Sophie’s strange “human” neighbor, who rescues her and Dex from the kidnappers. As they exit out, however, a huge net traps them and Silveny. Turns out the kidnappers are back with five of them this time and Sophie suspects that they were only after Silveny. But due to this, Silveny injures her beautiful wings, and will be unable to perform the sixteenth year celebration to cheer the Elvins up after Alden’s announced “death” and DNA tree planting at the Wanderings. Surprisingly again, the Black Swan started to take care of it while they teleported home with Sophie’s newfound ability, another one. At home, Sophie finally returns to Everglen to try and heal the broken Alden but just before she does that, Della and Bianca embrace her while Fitz confesses that he is not mad at her, just blaming her, when he should blame the world instead, the real thing he’s mad about. He makes sure to let her know before Alden’s mind gets fixed, so that she knows that it’s a thank-you for only her help and endless searching and sacrifices. At last, at last, Alden’s mind is repaired due to the perfectly-functioning Sophie now. Silveny is also slowly healing while Sophie connects more with her friends. It’s finally what she’s looking for, and she is more than ready to fight back. (hide spoiler)]
Thank you so much for reading all above, and I hope you find it very helpful. Your time is not wasted, I promise, and I believe you should definitely try this if anything above sounded interesting to you....more
This book to me seemed as one of the most loved and well-known books amongst the YA fantasy genre. However, it was a YA fantasy, which typically folloThis book to me seemed as one of the most loved and well-known books amongst the YA fantasy genre. However, it was a YA fantasy, which typically follows all the clichés and is quite cringe. I noticed that only a few people were neutral towards this book, but mostly it’s a hit or miss. It is unfortunate, but for me, this book was a miss.
There’s a lot of reasons why, but I decided that I will just be giving a short review on my opinion. The first; while there are a few chapters that excites me and engages me, 90% of the book makes me sleepy. No kidding. Ask me about the book, and I’ll say ‘Well, I only remember a quarter of it…’, because that’s fairly true. The characters have little to no development, and I have no care for any one of them. The world building was something I enjoyed at first, but it just turned into a giant mess. The romance sucked, and I found a lot of scenes inappropriate for YA. I’m kind of emotionally scarred here!
And… There's the plot. It was, as Judy from Zootopia would call it, ‘Blood, blood, blood’! I know that’s not completely relevant, but my point is that the plot was just like a lot of the history and war things mixed with bullying with magic and swords. The fake world adds to the plot, but it gets super boring and I think a lot of people were going for the vibe in particular. I have nothing against that, but everyone has different tastes. The plot is fast, but it seems so slow. It’s also plot-driven, and everything doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
But in conclusion, this book just wasn’t the right fit for me. Like a lot of other books, I could see why someone might adore this. However, since it wasn’t the right book for me, I think a two star would be fitting....more