Preamble
I don’t usually post tiny reviews. However, this year I’ve been making at least a few notes on everything I read. So, here’s a compilation of some of those little notes to make one ‘regular’ length review post. Titles link to Goodreads.
MG Reviews
The Sisters of Straygarden Place by Hayley Chewins
I received a free copy from the publisher via Netgalley.
- Did not work for me at all 😑
- Haphazard worldbuilding that has no purpose or backstory or context (probably my main gripe, as someone who loves fantasy)
- Felt like there was no point to the story – no point ‘in’ for the reader, nothing to connect with or relate to
- One dimensional characters whose sisterly love is supposed to define them, I guess, but I didn’t feel it
- Sounds more suspenseful than it actually is
- The ending definitely threw me for a loop – is it setting up a sequel?
- Well, maybe I completely missed the mark. Let me know if you read this so we can compare notes…
- Out next Tuesday (13 Oct.) from Candlewick Press
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
- The second book I read this year where a kid is reading Reynolds’ Ghost 💛 A sure sign that Ghost is destined to become a new classic!
- Marks handles what could be a complicated or painful topic (wrongful imprisonment) with grace and deft.
- Overall, a solid contemporary read. But it reminded me that my first love is speculative fiction and I should really stick with that.
YA Reviews
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
- One of the first books I read during quarantine back in April
- Would have DNF’d around 200 pages if I hadn’t known my access to books would be limited going forward (usually DNF by 40 pages in, so shows how mixed my feelings were on this title)
- A lot longer than I prefer, and very slow. Story is largely told through flashback ‘memories’, which is a less active style than I’m used to.
- Not into the romance at all, which unfortunately makes up a large chunk of the book. The plot is fairly simple beyond that.
- The writing style is unique, in a sort of dreamy way. It didn’t grip me like, say, McLemore’s prose dose.
- Strong exploration of living with a parent with depression
- ★★ for me personally, but more objectively closer to ★★★★
The Deck of Omens by Christine Lynn Herman
- If you enjoyed The Devouring Gray, you’ll enjoy this (though maybe not as much).
- Justin and May’s dad kind of came out of nowhere. Wish there had been more of him in the first book.
- I 🧡 Isaac and Violet
It was early October, and the trees had started to show it. The forest was alive in the way things could only be when they knew they were dying, every leaf shot through with a color, drinking through the air with points outstretched like it was trying to touch the sky one last time before being crushed into the dirt. He had always thought the autumn leaves were at their most beautiful in their final days, as if reminding the world that they should be mourned once they drifted to the ground.
The Deck of Omens, pg. 62
Crossover Reviews
Come Tumbling Down by Seanan Mcguire
- Adult title but has YA appeal.
- Not my favourite Wayward Children book. The story’s spread a little thin between all the characters.
- Everything with everyone was GREAT but I am greedy and want to see more of each precious bean.
- Grateful for plenty of Jack, though.
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
- YA title but has upper MG appeal. I’ve seen Hardinge’s titles equally referred to as YA and MG. I usually call them MG, but this one is more clearly YA.
- Second book by Hardinge with a male protagonist
- 💙 Hardinge’s distinct style (evocative yet clear and practical, characters vividly brought to life), which somehow improves with every book
- Feat. one of my favourite tropes: a secondary world in which something widely accepted is not as it seems and the final reveal of the truth properly shocks you
How do you feel about writing itsy bitsy reviews? Have you read any of these titles?
I love short reviews but I never do them. I should start though! You’ve definitely made me curious about Deeplight😁
I think I might do more posts like this in the future! Deeplight is a stellar spec fic read; I think you would enjoy it if you don’t mind YA.
I love Frances Hardinge and the fact that she is hard to define. I think some of her books are upper MG and some are lower YA. Deeplight I would agree is YA. It was really a fantastic read. I love how vivid Hardinge’s worldbuilding is and how many of her characters are morally dubious, maybe not heroic at first glance.
Yes! Deeplight really stands out. I’ll be looking forward to whatever she writes next.
I know! I always get excited when I see a new Hardinge book come out!
Love these shorter reviews. I need to work on not being so wordy with mine 🙂 Deeplight is a new to me book but I do enjoy Hardinge’s books so I’m going to add it to the TBR.
Thank-you! I thnk I might more of these in the future… I’m sure you will love Deeplight if you are already a fan of Hardinge’s.
I wish I could do short, bullet point reviews on occasion, I am overly verbose and it’s tiring LOL. These are great!
Thank-you! I’m glad folks are enjoying them, haha.
I enjoyed From the Desk of Zoe Washington, too! I also thought it’s not the type of thing I usually read, but it was so thoughtful, and I did like how the story handled a difficult and complicated topic.
I love short reviews! I can get a feel for a whole bunch of books in a short time. Although, I also love long reviews. 🙂
I often try grouping books together with the intention of writing shorter reviews (partly to save myself time when I’m feeling behind, which is almost always), but I don’t seem to be good at it. They always end up almost as long as my regular reviews, and then I question why I’m doing it in the first place. Haha!
Thanks for reading! This was my first time writing such tiny reviews, but I also write ‘brief thoughts’ reviews. Sometimes I have the same problem with those – I start to write what I think will be a short review and then find myself with a full length post, haha. But I don’t mind! If you have lots to say, I think a fuller review is more useful than a forced short one. 🙂
True!