It should be said that Translations are tricky. Most times, they are not that great, they miss the point and style the author tries to convey. While IIt should be said that Translations are tricky. Most times, they are not that great, they miss the point and style the author tries to convey. While I've read a few, this one, I believe, expresses the author's intentions excellently because I loved this novel despite being geared towards a younger audience. The illustrations are also so insanely beautiful, the different ways in which the books come to life and illustrate the stories hidden inside of them. It's awesome.
The entire adventure is great, the passion both Juan and Catalina display towards helping uncle Tito to find the wild book and using clever ideas like their own interests to greet the book. I also loved the books themselves--the personification put into them, the way they had real, honest emotions and even got sick is such a beautifully written and executed. The story is extremely intricate and the in-depth descriptions it gives of the different rooms, like the shadow room and the stature room is also beautiful. Juan Villoro and Lawrence Schimel do a fantastic job with the writing and style (and so do all of the editors!). The story simply flows and reads off the page, it was hard to put this one down.
Luckily, the things that bothered me within this story are few. They pretty much all have to do with the ending. And looking at upon my notes, I do realize that this story is for a very young audience but still. I did not like the way it was so neatly tied up. It glosses over the good bits about Juan as an adult and how him and Catalina meet again or even after the summers ends. It's just too tidy for my liking. It would have been nice if they explained the wild book more in-depth as they decided to do with other books.
Nonetheless, this story is a lot of fun. It relies on other stories and the imagination in order to get across to readers and it's a light read. The characters are well-developed and I enjoyed reading all about their adventures, especially uncle Tito. I would love a story solely on him and his adventures in that beautiful library....more
This novel is just great. That's it. Everyone should read it. It has everything, explains solitude and what it means in different forms and h4.5 Stars
This novel is just great. That's it. Everyone should read it. It has everything, explains solitude and what it means in different forms and how it can be broken in different ways. It's just kind of beautiful, really....more
I know everyone is obsessed with hygge and whatnot. But this is a good book. It contains the fundamentals in order to create hygge for every occasion.I know everyone is obsessed with hygge and whatnot. But this is a good book. It contains the fundamentals in order to create hygge for every occasion. However, I had a lot of trouble with the rules and how much explanation was put into everything. The book mostly repeats itself so skimming though it is the best way to go about it....more
I've read Schwab's other story, The Archived and really enjoyed it so I was super pumped to read This Savage Song. But, like, no. S
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3 Stars
I've read Schwab's other story, The Archived and really enjoyed it so I was super pumped to read This Savage Song. But, like, no. So monotone, so unemotional, and just...sad. Pretty much, all I was thinking while reading this was:
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Nothing matters in the book. And by this, I mean I could not have cared less if the whole city got eaten by monsters. The characters are not well-developed, are extremely flat, and annoying. An example would have to be August himself as he's supposed to be watching Kate, understanding her tactics, and reporting everything back to his dad yet he doesn't (or rarely ever does) report a damn thing. He just waits for her to show up. Again,
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On top of this, the relationship between Kate and August is so fucking contrived which is pointless Since there is nothing to care about here.
But, I did like the setting. Schwab seems to spend ample amounts of time on world building, which is great because the setting is the best. Monsters! Crawling everywhere! No one is safe. I could completely believe it, feel the atmosphere of the things that go bump in the night, unfortunately, it quickly died because of everything else. Moreover, the only character I actually enjoyed was Ilsa because she is so strange yet cool and AHHH!! Picturing the stars all over her body is just so beautiful and perfect. But then again, maybe I don't actually like the character, maybe I like the idea of this character. Either way, I'm giving Schwab points for it.
This Savage Song is flat-out a 'meh' book. The characters are shit with Leo leading the pack. When he did anything, I took it all in without hesitation or emotion. Moreover, because of this, the plot twists are shit, the writing is okay, and the world is excellent. Although I do recommend this book, I also recommend to go into it with an open mind as you will most likely be let down otherwise....more
I wish I had patience. I also wish I was a fast reader. But I'm not and I just don't have the time to read a book that stopped at 8%.
I regret nothing.
I wish I had patience. I also wish I was a fast reader. But I'm not and I just don't have the time to read a book that I know I will not like. I was hoping for something good but didn't get it. I know I know I stopped really early but I know myself and I just can't do it....more
The writing is spot on, I must admit. It held my attention, lost it, and then snatched it right back up. However, that's about all it has going for2.5
The writing is spot on, I must admit. It held my attention, lost it, and then snatched it right back up. However, that's about all it has going for it. The characters are so...boring. I had so many questions for the relationship between Micah and Janie how they stayed friends, why hey stayed friends...I just...didn't get any of it. Also the pacing is off. I had no clue what I was reading, what I was supposed to understand. I loved how Zhang wrote this, I just wanted a little bit more information....more
Don't read this. If I could go back and unbuy this book and buy a different one, I would. Truly. This book starts off pretty awesome but quickly ends Don't read this. If I could go back and unbuy this book and buy a different one, I would. Truly. This book starts off pretty awesome but quickly ends up being petty and stupid. Seriously. Like just go watch Pretty Little Liars or something because those shows have better plots than this one. ...more
Look, let's just get straight to the point. Was I mad by the end of this book? Not quite. Did I still have a lot of questions, like how some loser conLook, let's just get straight to the point. Was I mad by the end of this book? Not quite. Did I still have a lot of questions, like how some loser conned more than two dozen people into giving him pretty much everything? Fuck yes. But more than that, I was disappointed. I felt so underwhelmed by every aspect of No Parking at the End Times, even during the parts where there should have been a lot of religious insight,fuck, any kind of insight, I got nothing. You're better off skimming a pamphlet on the 'New World' rather than read this book.
Why? Because nothing happens. And when something does happen, it's 77% into the book, where no shits are given anymore. Don't get me wrong, I love a good build-up, leaving room for nothing but suspense however this is ridiculous. And when you pair a boring book and awkward writing that's full of unnecessary words, well, the outcome isn't pretty. Moreover, for a novel that has so much on the Now, there's almost nothing on the Then part. The book is mostly surrounded on the decisions that Abigail's father has made and still making, how his mistakes have caused the family to lose greatly. So when I was reading and found close to nothing, honest to God, nothing on what made him switch gears and decide to listen to Brother John, I couldn't help but scream. Adding onto this, the characters aren't fleshed out. Abigail, I could understand for the most part because I could relate to her but only to a point. Halfway done, I stopped caring about her as well as the other characters. They just don't stick out, especially Brother John, who is supposed to be this magnificent man sent down from God. Obviously he's not but I did not see the appeal of him. He always gave generic answers, didn't read any fucking verses from the Bible despite always having it on hand, and all around, didn't even act like he was really into it. As a con artist you have to at least fake to have your heart in it, this guy gave no fucks. Now, does that sound like a man two relatively responsible adults with two children would give everything to? It doesn't to me, I still don't understand where Bliss was going with him.
Nonetheless, there are some mediocre things that I didn't mind. One of them being the Before chapters albeit short and mostly pointless because they tell only snippets of what happened, of how they got to California rather than giving the whole picture.
No Parking at the End Times might have been great since most books about the Rapture don't really go into after the 'event', only about two weeks later. What made me even more disappointed is the fact that the beginning is so good. Like, guys, it's so good. It's intense, mysterious, and exciting. I was giddy with pleasure (that died like two or three chapters later). Would I recommend this novel? No, like I said before, I got more information from a pamphlet, hell, even the damn internet than I did on the actual Rapture, or on anything religious. This should tell you something about how badly this book is written when I have to complain multiple times about the religion aspect of it. And I don't even like religion.
I am far too lazy to actually explain what's wrong with this book while reading only 8% of it. So, if you really wanna know, go r[image]
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I am far too lazy to actually explain what's wrong with this book while reading only 8% of it. So, if you really wanna know, go read Blythe's or Gillian's review.
I actually don’t know what to say about this one. It’s not a bad novel, it’s just…childish. Or at least it is during the beginning. Emmy and 3.5 Stars
I actually don’t know what to say about this one. It’s not a bad novel, it’s just…childish. Or at least it is during the beginning. Emmy and Oliver’s relationship has this huge ten-year gap because Oliver’s kidnapping and I think this is why I had such a hard time liking the story. Since he left when they were still little children, it just picks up where they left off. It’s all, “Emmy does this” and, “Oliver does that.” If stuff like this doesn’t bother you, it’s actually a great novel that’s very sweet, however if it does, maybe just skim until the middle.
Or even skim the first chapter because it’s the summary only more in-depth. Oliver left, there was a note, Emmy misses him. And although the story is Emmy’s, I feel like there should have been more to it. Like, Oliver talks about his life, about what he did during those years however, it’s hard to truly picture it since he only says snippets and then that’s it. I did feel for him and his pain however, I wanted to know more so that I could relate more to him. Also, the blow-ups that happen between Oliver and his mother happen too quickly. As a person who has gone through bad shit and seen my friends go through bad shit, parents just aren’t that quick to ground people over small things. Another thing that’s lacking is the town. Like, what town? There is no town. I didn’t get the small feeling of people watching his every move, the ‘think this way,’ or anything. It just fades into the background so whenever Emmy mentions something about their town, it’s always confusing because WHAT TOWN IS THERE?!
But Emmy & Oliver is a sweet novel. The characters are strong and witty, especially Drew who honestly killed me every time he opens his mouth. The relationship between Emmy and Oliver is cute. It’s more of a friendship than anything else and I enjoyed reading about it. I also liked the relationship between Oliver and his father. It’s not your typical one, it’s a strange and realistic relation between two people who need time to figure out their feelings. I got that and I loved it. One of the best relationships ever. The small in between chapters that tell of secrets and memories between Emmy and Oliver also helps paint the picture of how close these two were when they were younger. It put me in a memory of my own childhood where I would always make up weird sayings that only my friends and I understood. Actually, now that I think about it, I don’t think any of us actually knew what we were saying to each other but we still understood, deep down.
Would I recommend this book? Yes I would because it’s focused on more than just romance and I love that about books. Although the execution at times is sloppy and annoying, it does get its footing and tells an amazing story about time. So, yeah. Go pick this one up it’s cute and sad and summer friendly....more
Growing up as a kid, I would watch some classics with my sisters. It was our bonding time and I loved it. The fact
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3.5 Interesting Clouds!
Growing up as a kid, I would watch some classics with my sisters. It was our bonding time and I loved it. The fact that The Accidental Highwayman is compared to The Princess Bride grabbed my attention at once! I love that movie! And in a few ways, this novel is like that movie (sorry guys! Haven't read the book!). There's a ton of action, helping the story stay interesting and on point with the potential of never-ending danger. The different types of mythical creatures that Kit and his friends face are all creative and unique.
Despite how fun this novel is, The Accidental Highwayman has a lot of info-dumping that only drags out the story. I found myself skipping a bunch paragraphs because they went on and on and on about random crap. Kit, the protagonist is adorable, however, he sounded more like a ten-year old boy than a sixteen year old one.
Still, Kit and Morgana's relationship is beyond adorable. It's a roller coaster of emotion, them constantly getting angry with the other yet trying to move forward. I felt for them and their little crushes! In addition, the little notes in the margins are great and makes the story feel realistic because I don't know phrases and words used in the 19th century and getting summaries on them helped me understand. The illustrations are beautifully done. Tripp knows how to artfully draw readers in with his visuals. I kept skipping the pages, looking around for the pictures, the full ones that have so much detail and so much emotion, and then I would gawk at them all before returning to the page I was on.
The Accidental Highwayman isn't a bad book. It does have a few similarities to The Princess Bride with the action, the friends and foes and I loved it. Still, it does feel a bit odd with the abundance of information and the characters feeling too young and things working out just...too well in some cases. I recommend this story to anyone looking for something sweet and fun, with great illustrations, an old yet well described setting and love when the good guy wins! (Sort of). I'm so tempted to go watch every classic movie with villains in it now...hhmmm....more
I'm in love with Hannah Moskowitz. I love her writing, her characters, the way that I feel like I personally know her solely from reading her books. II'm in love with Hannah Moskowitz. I love her writing, her characters, the way that I feel like I personally know her solely from reading her books. I feel like she puts a lot of herself into her stories. Not Otherwise Specified isn't... a bad book by any means. But it is a what the fuck just happened ? kind of book. From the setting to the dialogue, all the way to the fucking cover I just...
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I don't think I ever encountered a book by an author I loved that has had info-dumping, but Not Otherwise Specified has it to the max. I'm not even kidding. Sure there are a lot of witty comments that make some of the several info-dumping parts bearable but just barely. Also, the dialogue is really bad. It's all cookie cutter edge with 'he says' or 'I say' 'she says'. They say a lot of shit, I get it. Now make it interesting by adding actions. And I don't know if it's just me but all anyone talks about are eating disorders and theater and a dash of the LGBT community thus making the characters not as fleshed out as I would have liked. I got bored quite easily reading this one because I was waiting for something out of the ordinary. It didn't really come. Anyway, the relationship between Bianca and Etta is so crazy and unbelievable that I had a hard time taking to it. Bianca barely talks and somehow, she's clinging to Etta for dear life after like a month? Of course these scenarios happen, but I'm sorry there's just so much planning that could have made it seem realistic. Bianca has too much to lose (I think) to just allow Etta into her life instantly.
Still, this is Hannah Moskowitz and after a while, the random-all-over-the-place-but-not-really-I-don't-know writing didn't stand out so much to me. In addition to this, Etta is such a handful, not only for the secondary characters but for readers as well but I liked her for the most part. She's loud, confused, happy, and pissed off. I liked her because of how strong she is and how strong she makes the other characters. The struggle that goes on in the story is so true. She tries so hard to work on herself, so hard to get her old friends back, to get healthy, to get in really that I felt for her. It's so hard to really 'fit' in somewhere and I felt as if Etta is the memory for all of us, because I'm sure that everyone has felt like a sore thumb at least once in their life.
Let me say it again: I love Hannah Moskowitz and I believe that this love for her has made me second guess my thoughts on the book. I really want to believe that I got a faulty copy because it just didn't work for me. Especially the cover, just looking at it makes me mad not because of the person on it, but just the fact that the publisher probably paid a lot of money for something that looks thrown together in ten minutes. It's poorly photoshoped, poorly lighted, and just all around, poor colour choices. I know for a fact, they could have done better. But anyway, yes, I think I would still recommend it solely because it is Hannah Moskowitz and she's awesome but Not Otherwise Specified is not that great. It's a solid, 'meh' book with 'meh' characters and a 'meh' setting....more
I hate how I can't categorize this book properly. It's not extremely serious however, it's not a light read. It's cute but then it's forced. I just caI hate how I can't categorize this book properly. It's not extremely serious however, it's not a light read. It's cute but then it's forced. I just can't find the right words to express how I feel for this book. Although I enjoyed the comics and the friendships, I didn't like the romance or the writing. And quite frankly, I had a hard time connecting with Andrew just because of the fact that he draws everything out to the extent that caring is asking far too much of me. Anyway, it's a 'meh' type of novel but then it's not because it's more. I'm not sure, review to come soon. ...more
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