Four stars I really liked the movie when I saw it a couple of years ago and I had been wanting to read the book. I got the opportunity to read it in myFour stars I really liked the movie when I saw it a couple of years ago and I had been wanting to read the book. I got the opportunity to read it in my English class. We all really enjoyed the stories Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny had to tell, and I truly think that it changed our view of other people. I think that this book was basically Katherine Stockett writing about herself writing a book about her life. But I think that is what makes the book more realistic. Authors only really write about things they know about and that adds a certain characteristic to the story that you can't get when you just write about something not in your area. I also think that I would have finished it faster by myself, but talking about it in class probably made parts clearer than if I read alone. It didn't completely blow my mind, but it was an eye-opener to life in the 60's. I used to think that I would want to live in that time, but now I'm not so sure. Would I also think horrible things about people who are just a different color if I had lived in that time? Or would I think the same way as I do now? I'd like to think I would be like Miss Skeeter, but I will never know. Thank you, Katherine Stockett, for writing a book that is both personal and realistic. I think that people should read this book because of the new levels of understanding it brings to those open to change....more
5 Stars I thought this book was amazing!!! I decided to read it for the 'slow burn romance' but it was so much more than that. I expected it to be like 5 Stars I thought this book was amazing!!! I decided to read it for the 'slow burn romance' but it was so much more than that. I expected it to be like other YA books, but it was so original. I don't have much else to say except that I want this book AND its sequel right now!!! That is the problem with reading a book right when it comes out! You have to wait for what feels like FOREVER to read the second one! Well done, Livia Blackburne!!! I loved it!!! -- Oh! I also love the cover.
2018 5 Stars --> My previous rating still stands. After reading it again, I can see hints and clues and fully appreciate the story that Livia Blackburne has sewn together. (view spoiler)[Every detail is precise and carefully placed, it seems, to match the story of Zivah and Dineas. I love how some of the descriptions she uses are words that are mostly associated with disease, as the rose plague plays a huge part in this book. AND I can not believe how well the author has thought out the differences and conflicts between the old and new Dineas. It is both amazing and unbelievable to see how well she intertwines the two to be different personalities that share the same body. My heart always breaks for Zivah. First, she earns her title and she is happy. But she quickly faces disease and can not help but succumb to the rose plague... To be confined in your own hometown and feel so distant must be unbearable. I feel so bad for her. And this is just a theory but I suspect that Zivah will fall ill to the fever in the next book. This clue is brought up several times in Rosemarked and I can see a correlation. Will Dineas fall madly in love with her and try to do all he can to help her????... I hope so. ;) (hide spoiler)] This is one of my favorite books. I truly appreciate all of the efforts that Livia Blackburne has put into this world and I can not wait to read the next book when it comes out in November. :)
November 2018 So. I HAD to read this one again because the book just came out 2 days ago! And now I am refreshed on everything that happened in the first book and ready for the second book to be in my hands! Honestly, this book is so well put together, I am in awe. I just can't believe how Blackburne made this story so artfully complex without any holes to tear it apart. This is actually the third time I've read this one, and seeing how my previous rating still stands after three times, it is so well thought out. Livia Blackburne, you are amazing! (And I'll probably be saying this multiple time in my review for Umbertouched so... get used to it. 😉😊😁)...more
2 stars I'm kind of like, "eh," with this book. It probably would have been different if I could have read the first book, but I didn't enjoy this one.2 stars I'm kind of like, "eh," with this book. It probably would have been different if I could have read the first book, but I didn't enjoy this one. Ok......... where to start? (view spoiler)[Ginny bothered me because... 1) Her name. She is supposed to be American, but her name is Ginny? I'm sorry but was anyone else thinking Harry Potter? I'm hoping that it is short for something that I missed because I didn't read the first book because otherwise, I feel like she should have a different name. 2) How wimpy she was. Now I know that is kind of harsh, but... She kind of earned it from me. When she told her friend about how this guy was basically blackmailing her and he told her to tell someone, she said that it wouldn't work to tell the police. There are a couple of reasons I find that wrong: a) Even if he didn't steal her mail, he is harboring it and not giving it to her. b) He is blackmailing her into doing something that she doesn't want to do. c) He is making her give him money in exchange for the experience from the last letter. This sounds like a stick up to me... and like a creepy dude. (Did I mention that he knew her address?) 3) She could never decide. She always felt hopeless and did what everyone else (by that I mean her pushy friends) wanted her to do, even if it wasn't the best option (like bullying). 4) She still liked Kevin after what he did to her. I know that it can be hard to break up but: a) They were never fully in a relationship. They were just 'a kind of something.' b) He is a horrible human being. Even if a blackmailer is blackmailing a friend and then turns out to be not that bad of a guy, you don't soak his clothes in a pile of snow. Even if you think that you're jealous or protective. You just have issues. 5) She should've known all along that she wanted to go back to London and go to school there. I mean she was always running there anyway. I'm just saying it is pretty obvious. (hide spoiler)] And... that is about it. It was fine to read while waiting on another book, but I'm not serious. That may be because I haven't read the series in order, but I don't think I will. Sorry....more
1 star I am greatly disappointed by this one's ending... Let's just leave it at that.1 star I am greatly disappointed by this one's ending... Let's just leave it at that....more
2023 Review I have been forced as of late to re-read the books I remember enjoying in high school days due to the dearth of anything well-written. This2023 Review I have been forced as of late to re-read the books I remember enjoying in high school days due to the dearth of anything well-written. This book is a part of that. Since, I've already discussed all of the ladies of A School for Brides in my review from 2017, I'll discuss the gentlemen (if you can call some of them that).
Mr. George Arbuthnot - He's the invalid who started it all. Having been injured (quite seriously, since he had to recover at the school for months) on his way to a famous hunting party and found by the school girls and their headmistresses, all he really does is heal up and get engaged to one of the girls - no spoilers!
Mr. Arthur Hadley - A friend on Arbuthnot, he comes to visit his friend and likely to find a wife at this girl's school. Unfortunately, his plans are impacted by his father. I wish we would have gotten a little more from this character...I would've like to know what he was thinking.
Mr. Henry Crabbe - He's a baron's son, I believe, and seems to be of good character. (view spoiler)[He's also perfect for Miss Asquith. (hide spoiler)].
Mr. Rupert Crabbe - (view spoiler)[I was very disappointed in him. Supposedly a reverend, he's also a man of science and would've been perfect for Miss Franklin if he'd been a man of better character. However, in the end, he doesn't act very "reverendly"-but don't worry! He ends up paying for it. And, I suppose, the book would've been a little too hunky-dory if all the ladies of age would've been married off. Maybe Miss Franklin will become a headmistress at the school and teach the sciences. That would be fitting. However, the guy missed an opportunity to be quite romantic. You see, I was hoping he was taking her notebooks to help her and publish her work in her name. That's the kind of guy she needed. (hide spoiler)]
Mr. Gideon Rasmussen - I didn't remember a thing about this book but was trying to give this man the benefit of the doubt. However, do not ignore your gut.
Mr. Godalming - A character from the last book, it was oddly nice to see him again in this book. (view spoiler)[And, of course, it was also oddly nice to see him finally find a bride at last. He didn't deserve one in the first book, but he was much redeemed in this book, and I approve of the match. (hide spoiler)]
You know, I'd like to read a continuation of this book with my idea of Miss Franklin in it and beginning with the young lady at the end-Miss Billing- and her exclamation that mirrored Miss Asquith's. It would be fun to have another go at it with new characters and circumstances!
I'll keep my rating the same. It took me longer to read and was less funny (though still charming) but had more thorough and planned moving parts and characters that I still think it superior.
2017 Review 5 stars! I really enjoyed this one! It was refreshing, in a very 17-1800's British way. I enjoyed the first, but I believe that this one is better. Patrice Kindl did well with Keeping the Castle, but this one felt more evolved somehow. I can't put my finger on it, but there is something different about this one that wasn't in the first. I loved all the girls or students, especially... Well, ALL of them! You can't choose one to like the best! There's... (view spoiler)[1) Miss Asquith- later referred to as Emily. This girl was frowned upon for being the daughter of a gin distiller and having an overactive humor and/or imagination. I loved her for it. She was dramatic in a way that makes it humorous. 2) Miss Franklin- later referred to as Rosalind. Rosalind has an eye for education and nothing else! Even a young man with equal interests! Her curiosity for science is something that the headmistresses don't understand but realize is important to her. It made me chuckle that she was horrified that one of the other girls would stop her study of Italian to get married. 3) Miss Evans- never referred to as Ariadne, but that is her name. She has ideal interests, and while we don't talk about her often, she does play the role of the eldest and the example for the other girls. She feels it is her place to scold the other girls (mostly Emily and Miss Victor) and keep up the reputation as a young, respectable lady. 4) Miss Crump- later referred to as Jane. I felt soooooooo bad for Miss Crump! First, she is very introverted and it takes coaxing to ask her to complete any task, but this is because of a very, very, very sad background that just about breaks your heart. And then you become so worried about her! I wished that at moments I could have hugged her small little body to make her feel better. 5) Miss Mainwaring- later referred to as Cecily. Her aunt is a high up lady in society in Lesser Hoo, who cares very dearly for her niece's love-life. (Read the first book Keeping the Castle to learn Mrs. Fredericks' story.) Miss Mainwaring is very kind, even to the point of hiding her own feeling to benefit others. I believe that Miss Mainwaring is a very good friend. 6) Miss Pffolliott- sometimes referred to as Millicent. I believe that this girl is brave. Her story is shocking for the time period and could ruin her reputation, but takes the risk to learn more. I stuck by her throughout the story, wondering what would happen to her. I take her side totally in the end. (hide spoiler)] I think that is all the girls. All of the stories of these girls pull together and make a humorous and loveable romance novel that I totally recommend. Thank you for writing this book, Patrice Kindl! It was very enjoyable!...more
2023 Review I was rereading middle school, and then, because I'm afraid of books I haven't read yet (I have a perfectly good reason: 90% of them have f2023 Review I was rereading middle school, and then, because I'm afraid of books I haven't read yet (I have a perfectly good reason: 90% of them have failed me), I was looking through my read books here on Goodreads when I spotted this one. I though, "I remember really liking that one!" So, 6 years later and renting it again from my library (I made myself rent instead of buying it and being disappointed by my past self - it's happened before), here we are today.
My thoughts: The beginning of the book is still a little slow, and I think it can be hard to get into because, while you're expecting a historical and Austen-esque novel, the vocabulary still kind of throws you for a loop. (Especially if the last book you read was about a girl's spy school being infiltrated by the boy's school.) YET... I was able to smile to myself and chuckle in my head from the first page. It's funny -one just has to understand the context and give the author time and pages to do some world building. This time around, I don't think I liked Althea as much, but that was mostly because she's a little too focused on money, but luckily she redeems herself in a nice character arc from start to finish. HOWEVER, (view spoiler)[ I did NOT remember the Castle falling to pieces. It's hinted, but it still threw me for a loop. It made me a little sad, but it also made room for Althea to let the Castle not define her. She was always on the hunt for a wealthy guy just to save the Castle and her family's inheritance and reputation, but once it was gone, it was clear that the Castle was something actually holding her back and confining herself to certain ideas about marriage (the kind without love) that aren't really healthy. (hide spoiler)] This one made me intrigued enough to reread the second book because I could have sworn (view spoiler)[Lord Boring and Althea's cousin (hide spoiler)] didn't actually stay together at the end, but I guess I was wrong, maybe? Anyway, I think I'll order from my library A School for Brides next.
2017 Review 4.5 stars My thoughts: (view spoiler)[I thought that this book was really good. In the first couple chapters, I felt like it was boring until... (drum roll) Lord Boring and his friend Mr. Fredericks came into the picture! Right away I liked Lord Boring but then felt sorry for Fredericks because it seemed like he liked Althea. I knew that he had sent all the people to fix her family's home and the puppy. I mean who didn't see how Fredericks was the one to send the puppy?! HE WAS THE ONE THAT COMMENTED ON THE PAINTING OF THE PUPPY!!! OF COURSE, he was the one who sent it. While I had my doubts that Althea was right about him being poor, I believed her. I was blown away by how rich he was. And then I thought about how different the proposals in the beginning and the end were. She wanted Godalming's money in the beginning, but when asked by Mr. Fredericks, she didn't care. She obviously loved him, especially when she was freaking out about him when he was late to come for her and Miss Vincy. I agree with how they think of Boring now: weak of character and unworthy of a beautiful woman who is lovely, on the inside and out, and smart. And how he tried to tell her he wanted her instead of her stepsister! The nerve of that guy! I would have slapped him if I were Althea. I also liked that the end pulled all the loose ends together that were laid out for us to see in the story. (hide spoiler)] I believe that Patrice Kindl did a very good job on this one. It is the first I have read of hers, and I am excited to read the next of this series and her other books....more
This was a pretty good book. I mostly expected quick chick-flick romance from this book, but I was wrong. I should have known better based on the authorThis was a pretty good book. I mostly expected quick chick-flick romance from this book, but I was wrong. I should have known better based on the author and her other books, but I didn't expect this one to be so deep and thoughtful. But it was and it made me think about how I would feel about some of the things the character was facing. 3.5 stars on this one....more
So... I think this one gets a solid 3 stars. This is because I was disappointed. I was expecting a romance from the first book and did not get it, but thSo... I think this one gets a solid 3 stars. This is because I was disappointed. I was expecting a romance from the first book and did not get it, but that book had terrific characters. And this one... I just couldn't connect. I felt so bored throughout the story, even though it seemed like I should have felt excited. For me, the action only just started on page 314. And my favorite parts were from the view of the demon. I was greatly disappointed with the ending too. How did she wake up? It was such a blur, that I can't really remember. I was very well written, the cover is beautiful, and it is a thorough world, but I just wasn't feeling connected or engaged with the characters and the story. Sorry. OH! And I felt like this book could have ended before the halfway mark. The demon even said HOW to end the curse, but the characters always had an excuse that I couldn't really understand but it made sense to the characters because of reasons....more
This book was so good! I loved how it was written and I can't wait to read the second book! There is only one thing that I can't quite understand... HowThis book was so good! I loved how it was written and I can't wait to read the second book! There is only one thing that I can't quite understand... How does the ending lead to the second book? It seemed resolved, so I don't really see how this ending can help another book start. Okay, so I just read that the synopsis of the next book and I can sort of see how there can be a second book. Still excited to read the next book! I think that I will give this book 4.5 stars for that one point. Otherwise, it was amazing and so INTENSE! Loved it!!...more
I thought that this was a fun book! Especially if you have seen either the movie or the series about Paddington! I loved how things were very similar I thought that this was a fun book! Especially if you have seen either the movie or the series about Paddington! I loved how things were very similar and I feel as though some of the chapters were episodes from the series. Loved it! Oh! And I felt like I could almost hear Mr. Cury yelling, "Bear!" It was fantastic! ...more
2 stars I thought I recognized the name of the author, but ignored it. I ordered it from my town's library and realized that this is the same author wh2 stars I thought I recognized the name of the author, but ignored it. I ordered it from my town's library and realized that this is the same author who wrote the book The Night We Said Yes, which I didn't exactly enjoy. I decided to take a chance on this one. Warning! There could be spoilers. (view spoiler)[I liked Maude until she started going against her original morals. And that she judged her friend for doing the same. I thought that didn't make any sense. I mean the author tries to make it forgiveable by saying it was so they could 'find themselves,' but I'm not buying it. If you truly believe in something you wouldn't change it, you'd stand by it. That's a fact. And later, she meets her grandma. Her grandma gives her this sketchbook her mother had and Maude puts it under her arm. Why would you do that if you are so desperate to find out about anything about your birth mom? What I think I would have done if I were Maude: Hold the book front cover up, rub the spine, and trace the front with my finger. And then at the first moment alone, I would flow through the pages, breathing in all the drawings. (hide spoiler)] Over all, I was disappointed and believe that this is not a must read. Sorry... ...more
This was a really good book. 4 stars. I felt like Wing was a strong character, the writing was easy to picture, and the story was very sensitive in a wThis was a really good book. 4 stars. I felt like Wing was a strong character, the writing was easy to picture, and the story was very sensitive in a way that made it beautiful. Wing has these two, sort of like, imaginary friends, a lioness and a dragon. I'm guessing that these are both parts of her personality, based on her ethnicity. But the friends only come out in her times of need. So perhaps that is when she most relies on herself. An interesting book to interpret. Happy reading! ...more
Five Stars! Like all the other books that Wendelin Van Draanen has written! Am I right? Okay, down to business. At first I... 1) Didn't really like Wren.Five Stars! Like all the other books that Wendelin Van Draanen has written! Am I right? Okay, down to business. At first I... 1) Didn't really like Wren. I couldn't figure her out and she did such horrible stuff that I thought I would NOT like her. 2) I wanted to know why her parents hadn't done anything sooner, and then why they choose to totally send her away for about 2 months without her knowing. 3) How come her sister Anabella acted the way she did with Wren. And... 4) Do they actually have camps like this is real life?
Now I... 1) Feel like I can understand Wren. She held back her feelings, even from herself, for a long time that I felt in the dark while reading. But as you witness her story, slowly you can feel how she changes. Little by little, but a lot altogether. 2) Her parents, I guess, didn't realize how far things had gone until it was too late. For them, it was the only option. Sending her to this pricy camp was their last chance to turn things around with their own daughter. And if they had told her about it, who knows what Wren would have done? She probably would have run sooner than at the airport. 3) I think that what was wrong with Anabella and Wren's relationship was that after their family moved, they no longer knew how to talk to each other. Sometimes when something life-changing like that happens, you don't know how to tell someone that something is wrong. And... 4) If there are really camps like this in real life, I hope that all the people who are enrolled come out with the same positive outlook on life and can feel strong enough to change like Wren was able to. It can be tough, but as Wren experienced, the fire inside has to start somewhere. Use Wren as your guide. Be strong! There is ALWAYS someone there to support you! Even if you think there isn't.
I love how this book didn't seem that deep at first, but if you think about it, the meanings totally change. Thank you, Wendelin Van Draanen for writing this book! I have learned a lot from Wild Bird and I want to say that I hope this book will soon sit next to Flipped and my other favorites!...more
3 stars Only because it had deep thinking involved. But I didn't really like it. The world was very well set up, but I thought that Jonas and his groupma3 stars Only because it had deep thinking involved. But I didn't really like it. The world was very well set up, but I thought that Jonas and his groupmates should have been older before receiving their jobs. And for an eleven-year-old to have a dream like that???? The only part that I felt moved was when they were releasing one of the twin babies. I am a twin myself, in fact, I am the smaller one. If this society were real, I would have been the one released if my sister and I were identical. Thank goodness we're not! But it made me think a little, about how unfair people can be when they think that we can't make certain choices for ourselves. I can honestly say that I am glad 'sameness' isn't real. Another thing I just thought of: If this society was really based on 'sameness,' couldn't the twins have both lived because they were identical? Something for me to think about for when I come around to this book again. I can't say that I really understood it, so maybe reading it a second time would help, but later....more
This is the second book of the Stoker & Holmes series and I think that they are still a good read. Sometimes the second book isn't as good as the firsThis is the second book of the Stoker & Holmes series and I think that they are still a good read. Sometimes the second book isn't as good as the first one, so I was like, "Oh, boy." At first, I couldn't get myself excited. Then the action started to happen and it was great! If anyone is going to read these books, I definitely recommend reading it with a British accent. If you can't think one, read it out loud! It is so much funnier when you read it like that and it kind of gets you in the 1800's British mood. I should have done that earlier in the book... I think that I would have enjoyed it much more....more
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