Rosh ~catching up slowly~’s Comments (group member since Mar 06, 2022)

Rosh ~catching up slowly~’s comments from the Aussie Readers group.

The Twelve by Liz Hyder

Liz Hyder doesn't go wrong even when she is writing YA.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Brenda wrote: "Welcome back Rosh!!"

Thank you, Brenda!!! 😁💗

Karaoke Queen by Dominic Lim

Worked much better than I had expected!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman

This worked well for many readers, but I couldn't stand the contemporary timeline. The historical timeline saves the book.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Bright I Burn by Molly Aitken

Based on the story of a woman in thirteenth century Ireland who was the first to be condemned as a witch. Had great potential but the writing approach was a bit too experimental. Might work better for Booker-style lit fic lovers.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

An Astonishment of Stars: Stories by Kirti Bhadresa

A short story collection with BIPOC women in the lead. Interesting but a mood read.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

Great cover, good concept, poor execution.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Two middle-grade graphic novels. One based on a true story, one an adaptation of a full-length novel.

1. Lost at Windy River: A True Story of Survival by Trina Rathgeber

Needed a bit of finetuning, but good to know an inspiring true story.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

2. The Great Turkey Walk: A Graphic Novel Adaptation of the Classic Story of a Boy, His Dog and a Thousand Turkeys by Kathleen Karr

Very cute, but with some serious themes.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Olaf and Essex by Patti Calkosz

Very much an outlier for this middle-grade novel. Didn't like the writing at all.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

My Year of Casual Acquaintances by Ruth F. Stevens

A contemporary drama with a middle-aged protagonist and an episodic writing style. Interesting!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Rhino Keeper by Jillian Forsberg


90% readers have rated this 4 stars or more. I am in the immediate outlier range with my 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Aesop's Fables: A New Translation


Good, but repetitive after a point. Might work better if read at random, which I did not have the luxury of doing as it was an ARC.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Merriest Misters by Timothy Janovsky

A bit like Tim Allen's The Santa Clause movies, but with a gay couple at the helm. Could have been memorable had the couple not been so whiny.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer

A historical Gothic mystery. Could have done better but not bad at all.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Brown Women Have Everything: Essays on (Dis)comfort and Delight by Sayantani Dasgupta

I absolutely loved this anecdotal memoir. (Slightly biased as I too am a brown woman, but for the first time ever, I felt like I read about someone like me.) A good option for those who like OwnVoices nonfiction works.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Two graphic novels, one for kids and one for adults. Both amazing!

1. Rise of the Halfling King by David Bowles

A retelling of a Mesoamerican myth, adapted from the author's nonfiction book on Mexican mythology. A great book for middle-graders.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

2. The Library Mule of Cordoba by Wilfrid Lupano

Set in 976 AD and focussing on a librarian's attempts to save some books from being burnt. The approach is fun but the underlying issue is quite serious, and still relevant. This is for older teens and adults.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Suspension Bridge by Anna Dowdall

A literary crime novel about varied bridges, both literal and metaphorical. Unusual!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers

An entertaining middle-grade novel with a dog as the protagonist. If you have access to the audio version, do check this out on audio. Ethan Hawke has done an outstanding job bringing Johannes the dog to life.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Good People: Stories From the Best of Humanity by Gabriel Reilich

For those who like uplifting nonfiction anecdotes like the 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' series.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

We Carry the Sea in Our Hands by Janie Kim

The start of the book was shaky but the second half redeemed it, and how!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...