2.5 ⭐️ A very middle of the road kind of read for me. I think I had such high expectations and was so excited for it that my disappointment lowered my 2.5 ⭐️ A very middle of the road kind of read for me. I think I had such high expectations and was so excited for it that my disappointment lowered my enjoyment even more than it should have. I also think having listened to the audiobook didn't help because all though the voice actor had a different voice for all of the characters, there were some characters voices that really grinded my gears. Like nails on a chalk board! There was one character (I can't remember his name now) that every time he had a dialog, I thought It was an old lady and had to remind myself that it was in fact a man. Speaking of forgetting... That's another issue. This book didn't stand out to me much and can easily see myself completely forgetting everything about this book. If not, forgetting I'd read it at all. I do think this would be great for the age range this was intended for that enjoys spooky and magical books. This gave off major Adam's Family vibes and i did enjoy the tone and atmosphere of the book for that reason. So if your kid likes Adam's Family or anything in that sort of realm, this may be a good one for them. I also thought the ending was very heart warming and meaningful. And it was genuinely the best part of the book! The atmosphere and the conclusion was honestly what saved the book for me and kept me from giving it a lower rating. This just did not hit the mark for me and I'm really bummed about it. But I recommend if you pick this up, read it physically and don't listen to the audiobook. I think you'd get more enjoyment out of it that way, in my humble opinion....more
I unfortunately didn't care much for this one and feel that this one could probably be skipped. The only thing really interesting about this one is thI unfortunately didn't care much for this one and feel that this one could probably be skipped. The only thing really interesting about this one is that you find out how Wendel died and where he came from. There were also some mild mystery scenes that were interesting. But outside of that, just basic mundane things that teenagers do and experience. And I found myself a little bored through a good portion of it and was in a hurry for it to be over. There's nothing inherently bad with Lights. It's not a bad graphic novel. In fact the art work (just like in the first two) is absolutely gorgeous! I just found myself bored through a lot of it, sadly. And I wanted so badly to like this one as much, if not more than Delicates! ...more
By far my favorite out of the trilogy. Delicates covered so many important topics. And I think if you pick any of them up, it should be this one. You By far my favorite out of the trilogy. Delicates covered so many important topics. And I think if you pick any of them up, it should be this one. You may miss a couple of things from the first one. But most of it is talked about again in this one. So I think you should be fine to just read this one if you really wanted to. I really appreciated the discussion on bullying and what it feels like to be alone. And how those things can lead to being or feeling suicidal. No one wants to feel alone or like an out cast. And this teaches some important lessons on that. (Also obviously a trigger warning for suicidal thoughts and near attempt.) And I loved that by the end of this the moral was that its okay to be "different" and to like things that society don't consider the norm. It's okay to be unique and to be YOU. Because there's only one you in the world. And you are important.wveryone has something to add to the world and to the people around them. As someone who has had multiple family members and friends (myself included) either take their lives or have been depressed as well as some of them having been bullied at some point in their lives, I really appreciated the discussion on depression and bullying. Such an important little graphic novel and I think it could teach a lot of people that don't understand, what it feels like and why it's so important to be nice to everyone around you. Also, I must add that the artistry is absolutely GORGEOUS. I think it really added to the story/graphic novel. Beautiful story. Both in the art work and in the plot itself. ...more
East is a retelling of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon." Which I haven't read before. But given how much I loved East, I want to pick it's origiEast is a retelling of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon." Which I haven't read before. But given how much I loved East, I want to pick it's origin up and then reread East and pick up the sequel afterwards.:) I listened to the audiobook while baking sugar cookies on Christmas eve. And let me tell you, there isn't a more perfect activity, time or setting to read/listen to this book. (Although I do think I would have gotten even MORE out of this if I had been able to follow along in a physical copy. So I need to reread it regardless. But I still loved it any way!) Thanks to East, I realized hoe much I love artic adventure books. I never thought myself as much of an adventure book reader. But now that I know that I am, I'm looking into other snowy adventure books. (Any suggestions? ...more
I don't know what I was expecting this to be because it's literally what the title says it is. Emily's journal of her time finding different kinds of I don't know what I was expecting this to be because it's literally what the title says it is. Emily's journal of her time finding different kinds of faeries to make an encyclopedia of faeries....But I wasn't really expecting what I got. If you love faeries like I do, I think there's a good chance you'll really like this. I also liked it. Sadly, I just didn't fall in love with it like I thought I would and like I wanted to. Unfortunately I can't really put my finger on why exactly. The only thing I can think of is that although I love a good character in books, I'm primarily a plot based reader. And I found the plot drag. Especially for the first 2/3 of the book. Therefore I found myself getting a little bored here and there and had to listen to the audiobook for parts i order to speed up the time and ultimately getting to the exciting parts. However, because the first 2/3 of the book was slow, you really get to know Emily and Brambleby. The characters are very fleshed out and lovable. (Even though Brambleby can be infuriating at times. You cant help but to love him.) And what with it being set in the snow, it made for some very atmospheric, comforting and cozy vibes. This really is the perfect book to cuddle up with next to a fire with a warm beverage, a blanket and watch the snow fall outside. Seriously the most perfect winter book that ive read so far! I actually really got along well with the actual writing style of the book too. I loved it, actually. I found the writting style to be very beautiful and elegant. Which really added to the whimsy and cozy vibes of the book. Heather Fawcett has a phenomenal writting style! So this is a good book! I think it just came down to getting bored of the lulls in the book and that hindered my intrigue and enjoyment of the book. This is obviously a personal preference thing. Because I can see why so many people love this book and can see many other people who haven't yet read it, loving it as well. Maybe even becoming a new favorite for a lot of people! However, I enjoyed the characters, atmosphere and writting enough that I am curious to give the second book a shot. And hopefully because I loved those aspects of this book, I'll love the second one even more. ...more
One of my favorite things about Lindsay Currie's books is that she covers parts of history that are "lost" or "forgotten" and maybe you haven't heard One of my favorite things about Lindsay Currie's books is that she covers parts of history that are "lost" or "forgotten" and maybe you haven't heard of before. However, I don't want to share which part of history this covers because I feel like it would spoil the book. And I think it's better going into this one blind. I will say that this sent me into a research frenzy afterwards and am extremely interested in the topic. I have a feeling many others will be intrigued by it also. This was by far my favorite out of the 3 books I've read of hers. And although I'd recommend any of her writings, if you haven't read anything from her before, give this one a try. If Found Us was thoroughly creepy. Had I read this as a kid I would have been extremely spooked and I loved it! It has tons of spooky scenes filled with vivid imagery that genuinely sent shivers down my spine. The only issue I had with this one is that there was a minor plot hole. The ghost is described as not having eyes and his mouth sewn shut. I waited the whole book for an answer as to why he would appear that way and nothing... maybe I missed something there? And if I did, please feel free to clear that up for me because I'm a little lost with it haha. It admittedly made for some down right spine tingling imagery. But there was just no explanation for why he appears like that or how it happened and I was a little bummed out by that. Because most of the intrigue for me was fueled by that in particular. ...more
The Sisters Grimm is about two girls, Sabrina and Daphne, whom jump around from foster home to foster home after the strange circumstances that lead tThe Sisters Grimm is about two girls, Sabrina and Daphne, whom jump around from foster home to foster home after the strange circumstances that lead to their parents disappearances. They finally land in the home of an elder woman whom claims to their last living relative. Their Granny Relda. Who also claims to have connections to real life Fairytale creatures and beings (and relations to the Grimms Brothers.) Sabrina has a hard time believing this, keeping her guard up, until a giant kidnaps grandma Relda and her friend Canis. The girls are thrown into this unknown world on their own to figure out how to get Granny Relda and Canis back. This was a really fun read and found it to be quite the page turner. Even for something that's meant for an age range much younger than me. I genuinely think this is a book that people of all ages can enjoy. And would be a good book to read as a family to your children. This reminded me a lot of Fablehaven by Brandon Mull and the popular TV show Once Upon a Time. If you've seen/read those, I think you'd really enjoy this one. This is FILLED with every character from every Fairytale you can think of. Even some that are lesser known. There's definitely a lot more characters in here than just the Grimms brother characters. I had a lot of fun bumping into them all and getting to interact with them (as much as you can through a book.) It genuinely felt like reading a modern Fairytale and made this book so whimsy, magical, thrilling, enjoyable and an action packed, page turning read. I will definitely be continuing the series when I get around to it. And if you haven't picked this one up yet and enjoy middle grade and Fairytales? Do yourself a favor.:) So much fun and such a delight to read!...more
Only about half the jokes were good or funny. The ones that were funny (or should I say "punny?") Actually got me. But they weren't anything ground brOnly about half the jokes were good or funny. The ones that were funny (or should I say "punny?") Actually got me. But they weren't anything ground breaking. They are worth reading and a fun, quickly and easy to get through type of read though. Took me maybe 10 or 15 minutes to read it. But add all that together, I think 3 ...more
I haven't had much time for reading the last few months so it was nice to find an audio book that was easy to keep up with while I was doing other thiI haven't had much time for reading the last few months so it was nice to find an audio book that was easy to keep up with while I was doing other things. I have enjoyed all of Jennifer McMahon writings that I've read so far and this one was no different. I find possession stories (especially with a possible psychological twist) to not only be really fun but also the most likely to actually scare me. While this didn't full on scare me or give me nightmares, (that's a rarity for me) there were some parts that legitimately made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. And I think any book that can give you any reaction, but especially a strong reaction like that, means it's doing its job and its doing its job well. I will admit that I saw a few of the twists coming. There were some easily predictable things in here. At least for me. But take that with a grain of salt because I read a lot of horror and kind of knoe what tropes and twists to expect and look for. There were still a couple surprises that still got me though.:) As for the ending, I can see this ending being one that you either love or hate. I think if you're the kind of person that doesn't like endings to be wrapped up and tied with a nice bow and enjoy some what open endings, you'll like the ending to this. If you don't, you may not be as happy with it. For me, I feel torn with the ending. I'm angry with how it ended but also can't deny that it was a great ending for a horror novel. It leaves you feeling angry, defeated, sad... again, a book the brings up any strong emotion is a good thing right? Lol. So I can't be that mad about it. Just bummed about the situation. However, one last thing that I thing should be mentioned... If you have a sensitivity to animal cruelty like I do, please tread carefully if you choose to pick this one up. It wasn't as graphic as some other animal cruelty scenes that I've read, but it was still a little upsetting. So please be forewarned......more
Big thank you to St. Martins Press and the author for the audio copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own! Thank gosh for audio boBig thank you to St. Martins Press and the author for the audio copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own! Thank gosh for audio books! I recently started a new job and audiobooks have been saving me as far as keeping up with my reading and reviews! And it definitely helped me make it through this book....more
Sooo... This is the first book I've actually had time to read in over a month, the first i read for the year 2023 and the first book of my 2023 "ReadiSooo... This is the first book I've actually had time to read in over a month, the first i read for the year 2023 and the first book of my 2023 "Reading My Friends/Families Favorite Books Each Month" reading challenge! Little bit of a rocky start to it though, unfortunately. I should start off by saying this wasn't inherently a bad book by any means at all. But the first third of this book was just So....more
This book wasn't the most terrifying ghost story. But the book did keep me interested and entertained throughout. It was about a 3 star book for me unThis book wasn't the most terrifying ghost story. But the book did keep me interested and entertained throughout. It was about a 3 star book for me until thr last quarter of the book when everything started wrapping up. The ending was a 4 star for me... The message in Wait Till Helen Comes is both heart wrenchingly beautiful as well as heart WARMING. A stunning little book that's perfect for young children. (Especially if they like ghost stories.) It has its spooky moments but it isn't anything terrifying, gruesome or that would keep anyone up at night. Very sweet book! I'm conflicted on the rating for this though. I think for me personally it's a 3.5/ high 3 star book :)...more
Kendra and Seth go to stay at their grandparents house while their parents are away on vacation. They're not very happy with the idea at first. But onKendra and Seth go to stay at their grandparents house while their parents are away on vacation. They're not very happy with the idea at first. But once they start exploring the property, they notice there's something very off about the premises. Why does grandpa have so many strange rules?And where is grandma? Where is she REALLY? Having always had an affinity for mythical creatures and a relation to the author, I've been interested in this book since it came out when I was in the 6th grade. And I'm kicking myself for not picking it up sooner! I can't believe it took me 17 years to finally read it. I think had I read this in middle school, I would have loved this even more than I do as an adult. And admittedly have "FOMO" because I feel like this would have been a big part of my childhood. ...more
It's cute books like this that remind me of not only why I love books in general but why I love middle grade specifically. This is such a sweet book thIt's cute books like this that remind me of not only why I love books in general but why I love middle grade specifically. This is such a sweet book that discusses why and what the importance is of remembering history and your family history. This also discusses topics of feeling lonely and the importance of friendships and family. And it has some excellent poc representation that I loved seeing in middle grade. And I'm so excited for other little kids to get to see themselves represented in. There were a few things that were a little predictable from the get go. That being said, there were also some nice surprises that I didn't see coming and throughly enjoyed. The predictability is seriously the only negative critique I could think of. And honestly, with a middle grade I think that comes with the territory some times. Ans there were still pleasant surprises. So even that isn't necessarily "negative." I just loved this book and all that it stands fir. (I seriously listened to the entirety of the book in one sitting in just a couple of hours.) This was a very much needed, great treat! P.S. If you're looking for a spooky middle grade this Halloween season, I recommend picking this one up! :) Thank you so much to the publishers for an audio ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!...more
I appreciate that although I'd recommend reading the first book first, you could technically start with this one and have an understanding of what's gI appreciate that although I'd recommend reading the first book first, you could technically start with this one and have an understanding of what's going on. Each book is set in a different location with a different plot. The main thing you'd get from starting with the first one is the understanding of the characters personalities and adding more to the mystery as to why their parents dropped them off with their aunt and are going to all these spooky locations. I didn't like this one quite as much as the first one but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe it was because I listened to it on audio. Maybe I need to go back and read it physically. Even so, I still enjoyed the writting style and the plot. And I still, of course, adore the characters! These are such cute and fun gothic, spooky books that are perfect for spooky season. Or any season really! I said in my review on Wretched Waterparks that it reminds me of Tim Burton and that still holds true in this book. I love gothic literature and Tim Burton so much that I think that adds to my love of these books. If you're a gothic lit or Tim Burton fan like I am, I think you will enjoy these books as well. Although, I really do recommend these books for everyone! I hope you decide to pick these up and give them a try. So worth the time and the read!...more
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