A lavish historical drama reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.
Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of either a genius, or a madman.
Montgomery Laughton: a melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.
The hybrids: the fruits of the Doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.
All of them living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.
For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.
This was a fun read, and honestly I have yet to read anything I didn’t like by this author. She’s an amazing story-teller! I loved the way things developed throughout, and the descriptions of the hybrids.
At times I found Carlota a little irritating, but it was often during Montgomery’s chapters. She was a neat character, and given her age I can see why she would come across as childish in the chapters from Montgomery’s perspective. From her chapters though, you get a more complex character who is both trying to come into her own as an adult, but who desperately wants to live up to her fathers expectations. Carlota is not perfect, and she grapples throughout the novel with her feelings for Eduardo, her love for her father, and her friendships with Lupe and Cachito that as they’ve grown are now becoming more and more fragile. I love that she isn’t perfect, because it reflects on her anxieties of being the doctors perfect daughter, and it makes the events in the story that much more powerful.
Montgomery was one of my favourite characters because through his eyes you really take notice of the oddities of the doctors experiments. Montgomery is an outsider, being hired to come work there, so through his perspective the others that dwell at the peninsula are revealed. Some feared at first, but as time goes by a bond is formed between them. There were times when I didn’t quite know how I felt about this character, but he grows on you. He too is flawed in many ways, but no one in this story is perfect, and they all struggle with their own battles. Montgomery buries so much inside himself, and often comes across as a bit gruff, but it is clear when you read his chapters that this gruffness is merely a front to protect himself, just as the alcohol is his escape.
My other favourite character is Cachito. Absolutely the best. I adored this character from their initial introduction. His friendship with Montgomery is so sweet, and the loyalty he has to his fellow hybrids is heartwarming. That’s all I’ll say about him because I don’t want to spoil too much.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia does an excellent job of bringing the reader into this world, building a setting at Yucatán that is so clear and vivid, you almost feel as though you’re there in certain passages.
I think I would recommend this novel to those who enjoyed reading books like House of the Scorpion or The Daughter of Black Lake. Especially those who like historical fiction, with a fantastical twist. It isn’t a horror novel, although it is listed as one on Goodreads. The author has stated as such several times since the novels release, so I thought I would add that in my review. This is a historical fiction/fantasy novel.
When Becca transfers to a high school in an elite San Francisco suburb, she’s worried she’s not going to fit in. To her surprise, she’s immediately adopted by the most popular girls in school. At first glance, Marley, Arianna, and Mandy are perfect. But at a party under a full moon, Becca learns that they also have a big secret. — Goodreads.
Thoughts
This book made me think of Mean Girls but with a hairy twist. The artwork was absolutely gorgeous, but the overall story didn’t exactly meet my expectations. Of course, it was a fun concept, but Arianna, Becca and the other girls constantly obsessing over being skinny and Amanda being stereotyped as the mean black girl didn’t sit well with me.
I also felt Becca could’ve been developed more? She was the leading character but it was almost like she fell into the background. The focused seemed to be on Arianna and Marley despite being from Becca’s perspective.
I’d also like to point out that Arianna looks like Arianna Grande. Not sure if that was done on purpose but it did get a little chuckle out of me.
The friendship and then relationship that bloomed between Becca and Marley was sweet, but overall Marley seemed to be the stronger character. Off the bat, the reader can see her personality, how she fits in with the rest of the group and how she feels about them going around feeding off predatory boys whenever they turn.
Unfortunately Amanda’s disapproval of Arianna’s leadership, comes off as both anger and jealousy, when she states several times in the story that she prefers to be called Amanda, not Mandy–which is why I’ll be respectfully addressing her as Amanda during my review. She mentions this several times throughout the story and the other girls completely ignore her. Often Amanda sits quietly observing the others. Becca even seems to think Amanda dislikes her, as Amanda is often glaring at her and the rest of the group. When Amanda becomes more vocal about her opinions, she’s completely ignored by Arianna and the others…but I’ll try not to spoil anything. I just wish this character had been written with a little more care.
With that note, there were also several times where other characters made icky comments toward Becca about her race, and it wasn’t ever condemned or even questioned. It was clear that both Becca and Amanda were being mistreated but they just made up their faces at these comments being thrown at them. I don’t even recall Becca once thinking about how the other students talk to her. Even the comments about her clothes and her weight are unsettling.
I’m not saying that keeping quiet isn’t a realistic reaction, especially with people trying to fit and giving in to peer pressure. When I was in high school and I had classmates say some pretty icky stuff that I didn’t always know how to handle. Sometimes you’re so shocked by what is being said to you, that you have to sit there and process it. Sometimes you wonder if your feelings are even valid, or if you’re just overreacting…and I totally get that, but if that is what Becca and Amanda were grappling with, then it should’ve been shown more clearly. I get that this wasn’t exactly the main focus of the graphic novel, but regardless of that fact this book is a recent release from October 2021 it should at least acknowledge that racism is never okay, especially if those types of remarks are coming from so-called friends. I wish that there had been a moment where Becca has a moment of reflection or clarity upon hearing one of these gross comments. Even if it’s just a brief, “That hurt my feelings, but I wanted so badly to be apart of the Squad that I kept my mouth shut.” I felt this way about the unhealthy fixations with being thin. It was a lot…and I already know there are friends of mine who will require a trigger warning just for that. It didn’t sit well with me at all, and honestly at some point it should’ve been condemned, or at the very least contrasted with something else. Like Becca’s mom is obsessed with it, and all the girls are obsessed with it, and Becca is obsessed with it…at a certain point one of these characters could’ve said something. Even Becca could’ve questioned her mother’s obsession with her weight. Something as small as that, would’ve at least been better than nothing at all.
It was because of those elements I actually found it hard to enjoy the rest of the story. I mean, who doesn’t love reading a monster-girl revenge story? It had such a good premise, but it definitely didn’t hit the mark for me. Lovely artwork though.
And as always, just because this book wasn’t for me, doesn’t mean that it’s horrible and I wouldn’t recommend it to others. It’s still a cool concept, I just felt a few things took away from my reading experience.
Summary For the past six months, newly chosen Green Lantern Sojourner “Jo” Mullein has been protecting the City Enduring, a massive metropolis of 20 billion…
Summary Amaya, princess of House Amethyst in Gemworld, is something of a troublemaker. She and her brother have great fun together until a magical prank…
Well, seeing as how I get free ARCs every week or so, I thought I’d share how this works, as well as giveaway contests, book fairies, and free libraries.
ARCS
Now, I’d like to start off by clarifying what an ARC is, because not everyone is aware, especially if they’re new to the world of reviews. An ARC is an Advanced Review Copy or Advanced Reader Copy. These can either be eBooks, or print proof versions of of books that are coming out in the near future. They are not final versions, and are sent out in order for books to gain reviews and generate discussion prior to their release.
I get eBook ARCs through websites such as Netgalley, and ARC Reviewers.
With Netgalley, the more reviews you share on your blog, booktok, goodreads etc…the more likely you are to be approved for the most anticipated upcoming releases. It’s also a good idea to make sure that you fill out your Netgalley profile completely, so that publishers know exactly what type of books you are looking for. I often get approved for manga review requests, because I read, and review them frequently on my blog and Goodread’s account. The same goes for children’s literature. With Netgalley, there is also a time limit for completing these books. Most ARCs expire by the books release date, or the week of, and depending on the demand, it can be hard to get approved for popular requests without prior reviews on your chosen platforms.
ARC Reviewers has a smaller selection of books available, but it is much easier to get access to new releases. Usually there are 3-5 eBooks to choose from, with a limit of 20 copies for each book. There is anything from romance, to sci-fi on the website, and it is a great way to build your review roster so that you can get approved for ARCs from larger, more competitive websites like Netgalley. ARC Reviewers also does not have a request system in place, so anyone can download an ARC. This is perfect for people starting out, as these ARCs do not expire after a specific time period, and reviewers can add these books to their reviews on Goodread’s, and other platforms to build a following.
Now onto physical ARCs. Physical ARCs have become much harder to come by in recent years, especially with the pandemic. The most common way to get them, is to work for bookstores like Indigo or Barnes & Noble. Publishers will often reach out to these stores directly when they are are looking for avid readers, to review ARCs because it helps to boost sales upon release. If employees at your local bookstore always seem to have read the latest releases, it is because publishers like Harper Collins, Penguin and Scholastic are reaching out to them with free copies of books, sometimes months in advance. By working at a bookstore, book lovers can get access to great programs, giveaways and much, much more.
This year, I became a Children’s and Middle Grade ARC Ambassador for Scholastic. As an ARC Ambassador, Scholastic sends me physical copies of books to read and review for these specific age groups. On occasion I will also receive books in other genres I enjoy, outside of young readers, such as Science Fiction. I get around 2-6 books to read every few weeks and usually these books are sent to me a few months before the actual release date, but sometimes I will get a recent release to review as well. These reviews I post here on my blog, as well as on Goodreads. I will also share my reviews with my team members, highlighting which customers I feel would enjoy reading that specific book. I always aim to add a personal touch to my reviews, especially when I connect well with a book, as I want my review to attract readers to their next favourite book.
ARC Review Etiquette
One thing to keep in mind is ARC Review Etiquette.
What do we do with DNF’d books or low ratings, if the book hasn’t hit the shelves yet?
My rule as a reviewer is, when it comes to Netgalley, send a direct message to the publisher with my concerns about an unreleased book. In these cases I will choose not to leave a public review, because I don’t feel it is fair to the author, and their team to publically slam an unreleased book. I contact them directly out of respect for the people behind the book, in hopes that any concerns I had with the book would be addressed and corrected before the final version was released. The last time I did this, was to address the descriptions of POC in a debut novel I’d gotten an ARC for. I had been extremely excited to read the book, but once the POC character’s were introduced, I noticed a lot of problematic descriptions, that I don’t believe the author or publisher even noticed as potentially harmful. Unfortunately these issues were not addressed, and the book received poor reviews and ratings. As you might notice, I’m not sharing the title of this book out of respect for the author and publisher. I’ve never posted my review either. To me, if I didn’t even finish the book (DNF) I don’t feel it is fair to post that review publically until after the marketing campaign is over. Although this book has been out for over a year now, I feel there are enough reviews on it, which address the thoughts I expressed in my direct message to the editor and publisher before the release. All I’ll say about that situation is, that there are certain tropes, stereotypes and descriptions that definitely need to be retired, and hopefully the author’s next book is a success. As a reviewer I like to be mindful and will always spend time determining whether or not a public review is necessary. If I do leave a public review, for a book I didn’t enjoy, I like to be as polite as possible. You can still be kind, while providing criticism or sharing your opinion. I don’t like chocolate ice cream, but I would never say “this is trash!” to my sister, who absolutely loves it. Just because I don’t enjoy something, doesn’t mean someone else won’t. Sometimes, it just isn’t for you, which brings me to my next point: with low ratings, it is proper review etiquette to provide readers with an explanation, as it’s unhelpful to those who rely on reviews to simply see a 2 star rating, without any reasoning behind it.
Now, everything I mentioned above in terms of Review Etiquette is something that reviewers often debate when it comes to ARCs and book tours. I always reevaluate this whenever I read a book I wasn’t fond of, and try to take into consideration the people behind the book, the amount of work they did, and whether or not what I have to say is thoughtful and worth contributing to the conversation. To completely trash a book during it’s release month or even worse, on the release date is just seen as poor review etiquette, at least amongst reviewers I follow and admire. This is why at times, you’ll see videos made say, three to six months after a book releases titled, “books I DNF’d.” Everyone however, has their own approach to this, but I do encourage people to really reflect before posting a review.
Giveaways
Now onto giveaways.
How does one find book giveaways?
Well, there are many places to look. A lot of giveaways are hosted by authors, publishers, bookstores and even reviewers. I follow the newsletters of several of my favourite authors, and they will announce giveaways a couple times a year, especially for new releases or special editions of books. These can be incredibly cool, and it’s always nice to win free stuff. It’s also beneficial to follow author newsletters because closer to the holidays, they might offer neat treats to their fans. One author I follow gave away Halloween themed goodies, designed by an artist friend of theirs since their novel took place in a haunted mansion!
Author Kami Garcia recently did a giveaway on Instagram for bundles of her novels, and the DC graphic novel series she’s been writing based on the Teen Titan’s characters.
Publisher giveaways tend to be hosted on a variety of social media platforms. Sometimes they’re done in collaboration with specific booksellers, or authors. Other times, it’s just a fun campaign for bookish peeps to check out. Some publishers will also give away tote bags with book related goodies, and exclusive content. I usually see these giveaways on Instagram, but have stumbled across a handful on Goodreads and Twitter over the years. I recently saw a very cool giveaway for Heartstopper to celebrate the film adaptation!
You can also type in #giveaways or #freebooks in the search bars of your favourite social media apps to find some neat stuff, however always be sure to read the details and guidelines of these contests carefully, and make sure that the host isn’t asking for anything sketchy in return. You should never be asked to pay a fee to enter a giveaway (unless it’s a raffle to raise money), or provide information such as your credit card.
One of the best ways to constantly find giveaway’s for books is Goodreads. I’ve entered lots of giveaways through the site, and recently hosted one for Vermin. It’s very easy for people to enter, and it’s also fun to scroll through and see what books are available. All that is required is a Goodread’s account, and Goodreads will of course send you a reminder to leave a review of the book once you’ve finished it.
Book Fairies and Free Mini Libraries
Earlier in this post I mentioned book fairies. Book fairies are very special, magical beings, who leave books around in public places for people to keep and take home. They are more common in the UK, and I’ve yet to catch a book fairy in action, however when I was little one often frequented my local Starbucks. Sometimes a book fairy will leave little notes or wrap the books to keep the contents inside a surprise for the reader! I heard a rumour that Emma Watson is actually a book fairy! Shh…it’s a secret though. The main goal of a book fairy is to provide books to those who may not have access to new books, but to also spread joy and the love of ones beloved stories to others. Perhaps one day I’ll meet one? Or…maybe I’ll find out I was one all along?
Lastly, free mini libraries. There are so many of these in my neighbourhood, and they’re absolutely adorable! The purpose of these is similar to that of the book fairies. Neighbours can take a book to borrow or keep, and can also leave books inside to share with others. It always makes me happy to see what books are in these tiny libraries, and it’s a lovely way to give back to your community. For those like myself, who are avid readers and constantly running out of space, it is also a wonderful place to donate gently used books to those who might not have access. I highly recommend visiting one if you get the chance, and if you have the means to do so, perhaps donate some children’s, middle grade and teen books to mini libraries located near under funded school districts. Some new parents, and young families may also appreciate seeing baby board books, and books for early readers as well! In my neighbourhood, people always donate children’s books, and the free mini libraries are close to the park. This is great because not everyone has access to transportation, but these are within walking distance of their house.
Another thing to keep in mind is that with book fairies, and free mini libraries, reviews are not a requirement. The goal is to merely share books with fellow bibliophiles, and to spread joy. I think that once I have a place of my own, I would love to set up a free mini library…perhaps book fairies will visit me? I’d love it if they did.
I hope that through my reviews you find stories that you absolutely adore, and that this post will also lead you to other ways to not only get your hands on a free book for yourself, but also introduced you to new ways to share books with your community as well.
I’ve been following up on the current book discussions, via articles, videos, etc., and I’m saddened that so many wonderful books are being wrongfully removed,…
Thank you to everyone who entered the Vermin giveaway contest on Goodreads! We’re thrilled to announce that we have our four winners, and I personally can’t wait to mail out their books.
Hosting a giveaway always seemed a bit scary to me, but I’m glad I did. I will definitely host another closer to the release of book two, so be on the lookout of that, if you’re interested.
Again, congratulations! I hope you enjoy reading Vermin, and thank you for entering the contest.
Did I also mention it’s free? That’s right! You can win a free, signed copy of Vermin this month! All you have to do is enter the giveaway on Goodreads!
Did I also mention it’s my birthday this month? Since it’s also my birthday, the contest winners will also be receiving an additional gift along with their book. I can’t wait to find out who wins! Best of luck to everyone!
Under the curse of Orochi, the great demon serpent reborn every 300 years, Japan has been shrouded in clouds for as long as anyone can remember…
The era of the samurai is at an end, and carrying swords has been outlawed. To combat the rising crime rates, an inescapable prison was built in the middle of Lake Biwa. When brothers Tenka, Soramaru and Chutaro Kumo are hired to capture and transport offenders to their final lodgings in this prison, they unexpectedly find themselves faced with a greater destiny than any of them could have imagined.
Thoughts
I really liked this first volume, and definitely had a few friends in mind who I knew would enjoy this series. My favourite thing about this volume was the relationships between all of the characters in this story, both past and present, and I’m excited to see these relationships grow throughout the rest of the series.
I find it a little funny that this is listed as shojo on Goodreads, because it gives me more of a shonen vibe given the art-style and tropes. This has happened with a handful of shonen series listed on Goodreads, which makes me wonder if it’s possible that they’ve been shelved this way accidentally? If this is in fact actually a shojo due to the minor romance subplot of the story, then I apologize, but also like that’s awesome, because I’ve never read a shojo like this in my life. I know this might be a weird comparison but I liked this, the way I loved Beyblade and Yugi Oh growing up…because the bond between these characters was already so strong from the beginning, and there are overlapping storylines that help build the world. I’d compare the romance subplot to something like Ray and Mariah (Rei and Mao in the Japanese version) in Beyblade. It’s just enough where it doesn’t pull the reader away from all the other things happening in the story. It raises the stakes! Plus the story was cute. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll leave it at that.
I had so much fun with this story, and loved the world building and characters so I gave it a full 5-star rating!
I think a better comparison than Beyblade would be a film like 47 Ronin, since it has that romantic element to it but it’s an action, adventure with fantasy thrown into the mix. So if you’ve seen that film, you’ll definitely like this manga.
About Fumi Oono, second-year high-school student. Stuck with the debts of her father, she needs a job—fast. While she did indeed manage to find one as a…
A dying boy A rebellious girl History poised to repeat itself
Left for dead at the side of the road in an outlawed town, Nicholas is rescued by a human girl. Plagued by fevered dreams and a lethal illness, Nicholas doesn’t know what to make of her kindness. If she knew what he was, death would be a merciful gift.
Rose takes it upon herself to show the boy hospitality, despite her uncle Roland forbidding her from going near him. She survived the brutal sickness and knows exactly what their guest is going through—he needs a friend.
Roland stands to lose everything when he discovers what Nicholas is. Dire circumstances force Roland to turn the boy into a test subject. However, in coaxing an old flame into helping domesticate the beast, Roland ends up in a cruel experiment of his own.
As Rose and Nicholas grow closer, Roland’s decision to keep the boy’s identity a secret threatens to bring history full circle. Can Roland guard two hearts as he struggles to keep the boy and his future alive?
This giveaway opens March 1st, and will run until the end of the month. Be sure to check out the novel on Goodreads!
Stacey is a little girl who loves words more than anything. She loves reading them, sounding them out, and finding comfort in them when things are hard.
But when her teacher chooses her to compete in the local spelling bee, she isn’t as excited as she thought she’d be. What if she messes up? Or worse, if she can’t bring herself to speak up, like sometimes happens when facing bullies at school?
Stacey will learn that win or lose . . . her words are powerful, and sometimes perseverance is the most important word of all.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
What a charming book! I absolutely adored the illustrations and the story. Both complimented each other perfectly. It’s such a pretty book!
When their train makes a 10-minute stop at the station in Jaipur, a young girl and her mother hurry to get in line for a cup of chai. While the girl waits for her mug of milky spiced tea, readers are treated to the sights, sounds, and smells of the Chaiwala’s cart. The aroma of ginger, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon sticks swirls in the air. Tea leaves rustle, milk bubbles, and the hot drink is poured back and forth until–clink!–the cups are filled and placed on the stand. With a biscuit and a rusk added to their order, it’s time to find a spot to sit and enjoy! Inspired by the author’s childhood visits to India, Chaiwala! celebrates the pleasures of taking time for food, family, and tradition–even for a brief moment. Illustrated in lively cut-paper collages and filled with scrumptious sensory details, this book is just like a cup of chai–warm, comforting, and good to the last drop.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I had the pleasure of meeting the author at work, when she came in and asked to sign some books for us! It was such a cool experience! I’d read the book prior to meeting her, and fell in love with the story and the beautiful illustrations. I highly recommend adding it to your bookshelf!
A funny, heartfelt, perfectly pitched story about misunderstandings and the importance of true friendship.
When a little girl thinks that her best friend James has been saying bad things about her behind her back, she takes action in the form of the silent treatment. As they go about their day and James tries harder and harder to get her to talk to him, they both realize that true friendship surpasses any rumor… or misunderstanding.
A classic childhood situation is brought to life with humor and poignancy with energetic illustrations by Matt Myers and a simple, telling text by Liz Rosenberg.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I read this earlier today, and thought it was a very sweet story. I definitely loved the ending and the illustrations were very pretty. I especially liked the use of the paint splotches throughout, and how they were incorporated onto each page. I thought this was really neat, and it helped compliment the text. I think this would be an excellent book for elementary teachers to add to their classroom libraries, as it deals with friendship, misunderstandings, and what it means to be a good friend. I thought how James handled the situation with his best friend was fantastic, because although he doesn’t know what’s upset her, he does everything he can to cheer her up…and that was just incredibly sweet.
Valentine’s Day is coming, which means showing the ones you love how much they mean to you, so Tiny has decided to make the perfect Valentine for his best friend Pointy.
But as Tiny discovers, making a Valentine isn’t easy. It might take a few tries—until Tiny realizes the best Valentine might have been there all along.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Awwwwwww! Okay, this book was too cute. I love the illustrations, I love the dinosaurs. It’s just a perfect book. This was the cutest thing ever!
Doug the slug needs a hug. But who wants to hug a slug called Doug?
Snuggle up with lonesome Doug on his search for love in this completely charming picture book which shows that you just never know when love might come flying by… (And which introduces an unsuspecting world to snail superstar, Gail!)
A warm and endearing rhyming text by Rachel Bright (Love Monster, The Lion Inside) is perfectly paired with funny and fabulous illustrations by Nadia Shireen (Good Little Wolf, Billy and the Beast) in this adorable future classic.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Upon completing this adorably funny book, I informed everyone at work that they need to read this book, and recommend it to absolutely everyone. It’s hilarious, it’s cute and that Snail has glasses. I don’t know what else to say other than I love Doug, Doug the Slug. Someone give Doug a hug. I needed this book in my life.
Grub is a lonely racoon. Rumbling in the trash. Looking for food.
Seed is, well, a seed! Patiently waiting in the trash. Hoping someone will plant it.
When the two finally meet, they realize they might be able to help each other! Grub has just one big question first: What will Seed grow? Could Seed grow Grub’s favorite food, mouthwatering cheeseburgers? Seed isn’t sure what a cheeseburger is exactly, but . . . maybe!
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
The seeds butt on the back made me laugh, which is why I decided to read the book. I also love that a seed and a raccoon became friends. As someone who used to adore catching raccoons trying to get at my grandparents tomato plants when I was little, I thought this book was incredibly fun. The illustrations were wonderful–my favourite being the one where the sun is a giant cheeseburger–and I instantly fell in love with the characters. What a cute book!
To his friends at Greycliff Academy, Kirby seems to have it all: charm, brains, and a lucky streak that won’t quit. He’s also the notorious hero creating the snarky videos “7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up,” which expose just how dumb adults can be. Why would any kid want to become one of them? But there’s also a mystery about Kirby. And when his best friend, Raja, finds out his secret, Kirby, Raja, and their friends have to grow up fast and face the world head-on. – Goodreads
Thoughts
I definitely enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to older Middle Grade readers (around 12) to early teens. It was funny, and filled with charming illustrations. I also thought the characters were hilarious. I found some parts of the story had a few plot holes, but I thought perhaps this was because there was a sequel? If this graphic novel does have a sequel I kind of wish the big reveal came then, versus in book one. Overall it was entertaining, and Kirby and the rest of the cast were really great. I’m hoping they will have more adventures. One thing that I will note is that some of the language used in the book, might not fly with some folks, which is why I think it’d be more suitable for the older half of the 9-12 age group. For example, I wouldn’t let my niece read this right now, and she’s in grade 5. I don’t think the words were anything too major…sadly I can’t recall the ones that stood out to me, but still it did catch me off guard, since I haven’t come across “swear words” in a middle grade book for a very long time. I believe one of the words was turd, which isn’t a big deal, but there was another that I know wouldn’t fly with some parents/teachers, and I wanted to note that here just in case. Based on the themes of the book, I think this would be a great for anyone in the 8th grade. I laughed a lot at the jokes, and had my heart strings tugged a bit here and there as well.
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I’m giving this book 4 stars because although I liked it, I feel like there was so much room for character development. I liked all of the characters, and the dynamic between them but at times they felt a little flat and certain plot points were glossed over. I still really liked the story though, and I think it has definite TV/book series potential! If there is a sequel in the works I’ll definitely check it out!
About Sequel to Shannon Hale’s award-winning graphic novel memoir, “Real Friends”, this new graphic memoir picks up where “Real Friends” left off. As Shannon grows…
Ardin Patterson 