Juli's 2018 Musings

[Juli, Moderator]

Book #77 Begone the Raggedy Witches

4/5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

In this story, we get to know a parallel world full of witches and wizards. Mup wasn't aware that she, her mom Mam, and her aunty are witches until Aunty dies and Mam gets pulled back into the raggedy witch world where she has to face her own mother, the evil queen. This is a children's story of adventure, of friendship, of bravery, and of learning that not everything is as it seems. The plot is somewhat dark but the imagery is beautiful.

It took me a bit to get into the book. I found the naming scheme of the characters a bit annoying to be honest (Mup and Mam, for example, were hard to pronounce in the same sentence even in my head). But once I got the hang of it, I could dive into the plot, which ended up being fairly fast-paced. I specifically enjoyed Mup's interactions with the boy named Crow. They both behaved like children their age: full of naive optimism on one hand and full of rebellion against adults on the other hand. I am struggling to decide what age group this would be suited for. Because it being a bit darker, I was thinking it would be better for older middle-grade kids, but because everything sort of wraps up with a neat bow and things easily fall into place, it probably could also be read by younger children.

All in all, I think this will be a good series. Book 1 definitely got me interested.

[Juli, Moderator]

# 78 Crooked Kingdom

4/5 stars

What a solid book 2! I loved the six main characters in the first book and I still loved them in the second. The world-building is seriously genius, very complex, totally interesting and engaging, and leaves you wanting more. I am giving this book 4 stars only because I found the first story more suspenseful and gripping.

[Juli, Moderator]

# 79 Beowulf

4/5 stars

This is an epic story full of kings, heroes, monsters, dragons, battles, lessons learned, and death. I ended up listening to Seamus Heaney read this tale. I highly recommend this over reading it yourself. This is a story to be listened to! This is how the story would've been originally spread.

[Juli, Moderator]

# 80 Awesome!

3/5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Marvin and Woody are best friends. One day Marvin rescues another forest animal and becomes an instant hero. Woody over time feels neglected by Marvin and starts acting out. Will these two remain friends? Can they work through this phase?

This book was just so-so for me. I enjoyed the morale of the story and the plotline. The overall message is important and kids should learn that lesson. So, if that's what you're looking for, this is an excellent book. What makes me deduct stars are the illustrations. I just didn't connect with the style. When I think of forests and forest creatures, I want to see bold and strong lines representing mighty trees and whimsical themes representing the animals. This had neither really. The style was fairly cartoonish but the illustrator did not fully commit to this either despite the fact that Marvin takes on a superhero character (Awesome!) and a cartoon/graphic novel style could've been fitting.

[Juli, Moderator]

# 81 Sloth at the Zoom

5/5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A sloth gets delivered to the zoom rather to the zoo. The zoom is a place where every animal is fast and in a hurry. Sloth is trying to make friends but no one has time to get to know her until she meets Snail. Their friendship blossoms (slowly!) and eventually the other animals notice and decide to join them and finally take a break.

The story is darling. The illustrations are fun. I specifically enjoyed that Sloth tried to make a new friend every few weeks (sloths do everything slowly) and that it took her multiple pages to make her way from her branch over to a leave where Snail was sitting. The underlying humor surely will be entertaining to parents. The message of the book is great: take a break every now and then, not everything needs to be done fast. I can see this book becoming a staple in libraries, daycares, classrooms, and any place occupied by people who have a soft spot for sloths and their way of life.

[Juli, Moderator]

#82 Red Queen

2/5 stars

** spoiler alert ** Ugh I had such high hopes for this and even throughout the book I held onto it that this love triangle trope would not end like the typical triangle trope. Alas, it didn't.

[Juli, Moderator]

#83 The Astonishing Color of After

4/5 stars

Dali in Text Form. This was surrealist and dreamy. A book full of color and imagery despite the grey topic of depression and suicide. This is an important novel. It's weird and complicated. There are off twists and turns and many things don't make sense. Just like depression. Suspend your prior notions and just let this story happen to you.

[Juli, Moderator]

#84 Endless Night

5/5 stars

A very dark and complex Agatha Christie. This novel is so different from her other work I read. It's ominous. It's dark. There's evil. There's intrigue. It has elements of horror. The characters are some of the more complex ones she has written. This book definitely took me by surprise. Who knew Agatha Christie could write such Gothic tales????

[Juli, Moderator]

#85 Stars of Fortune

5/5 stars

Mystical and magical. Of course, there's romance but it kinda takes a backstage in the book. I loved the friendships, the battles, the lore, and the evil queen!

[Juli, Moderator]

#86 Bay of Sighs

5/5 stars

I love the villains. This might be one of Roberts' most complex villain duos - the evil queen is dark, selfish, and vengeful. The half-demon struggles with human feelings like fear and feeling in over your head but also craves power and immortality. I love Annika's character. Her (superficial) innocence paired with her nonchalant practicality makes for entertaining reading.

[Elyse, Moderator]

Juli wrote: "#82 Red Queen

2/5 stars

** spoiler alert ** Ugh I had such high hopes for this and even throughout the book I held onto it that this love triangle t..."

Then don't read the rest. It doesn't get better per love triangle.

[Juli, Moderator]

#87 Island of Glass

5/5 stars

Dark magic and swords make for a good finale. I wanted more battle scenes but otherwise, this was again a fun and engaging read. I really enjoyed this paranormal romance series.

[Juli, Moderator]

#88 Faceless Killers

4/5 stars

Interesting case and still very relevant. I enjoyed this story. It as engaging and suspenseful. It felt real. It just was missing something but I can't figure out what.

[Juli, Moderator]

#89 Circe

4/5 stars

I loved this. I always enjoyed Greek mythology and this novel perfectly combined the old tales with modern fiction.

[Juli, Moderator]

#90 The Reckless Club

3/5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

In this story, we meet a group of misfits who have to spend their detention at an assisted living facility where they have to serve the elderly lunch, play boring games, listen to the same stories over and over again, have to put on a skit as the afternoon entertainment, and somehow have to write an essay about what they learned. None of the characters seem likely candidates for getting detention. Well, maybe one does. But what they all have in common is that they don't see any reason why they deserve what they got.

To be honest, the story felt a bit derived and cliché. It reminded me too much of The Breakfast Club although the kids are much younger. On top of that, the story development was slow. Very slow. I had a hard time getting engaged or starting to care. The author tackles really important topics like bullying and individual experiences and how they relate to experiences of other. Sadly though, that gets a bit lost. Some of the things that the kids say or express seems so grown-up that I found it not believable.

This book wasn't for me but it has a good lesson and overarching moral.

[Juli, Moderator]

#91 Dr. Jo: How Sara Josephine Baker Saved the Lives of America's Children

4/5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely little book! The illustrations are great and the story about Josephine Baker an important one to tell. I love that we have children's books to choose from that are educational AND empowering. This is something I truly appreciate now that I have young nieces. This is definitely a book I would love for them to read.

I hope this becomes a series. There are plenty of real-life people that we should use to inspire our children.

[Juli, Moderator]

#92 To All the Boys I've Loved Before

3/5 stars

I feel meh about this book. At times, it held my attention well and at others, I got so distracted I am not sure I even heard the narrator. I'll watch the movie and see what I missed.

[Elyse, Moderator]

Juli wrote: "#89 Circe

4/5 stars

I loved this. I always enjoyed Greek mythology and this novel perfectly combined the old tales with modern fiction."

I got this from Audible and am pretty excited to listen!

[Juli, Moderator]

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#89 Circe

4/5 stars

I loved this. I always enjoyed Greek mythology and this novel perfectly combined the old tales with modern fiction."

I..."


I think you're going to love it!

[Juli, Moderator]

#94 The Invisible Man

3/5 stars

I don't know. This was another meh. Really, the highlight was the narrator. Maybe H.G. Wells is just not for me?!

[Juli, Moderator]

#95 The Captain's Verses

5/5 stars

Just as I remembered - these poems are something special. I read them out loud this time and discovered new meanings and new favorite lines.

[Juli, Moderator]

#96 The Call of the Wild

4/5 stars

I remember reading this as a kid. I loved it then and I still love it now. This was a fun story to listen to.

[Juli, Moderator]

#97 The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories

5/5 stars

This is a wonderful compilation of fairytale-inspired short stories. They are dark. They are weird. They are beautifully written.

[Juli, Moderator]

#98 Welcome to Dead House

5/5 stars

Ever since moving to the US, I've been trying to read beloved children's books my friends have read. The goosebumps series has been on my list for a very long time. I loved this one. So fun!

[Juli, Moderator]

#93 The Pit and the Pendulum

5/5 stars

Still as good as always. Creepy and so visceral.

[Andrea, Moderator]

Juli wrote: "#92 To All the Boys I've Loved Before

3/5 stars

I feel meh about this book. At times, it held my attention well and at other..."

I thought the movie was great! The characters were so spot on for me. I did love the books though so that might be why I enjoyed it so much.

[Juli, Moderator]

#99 Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

4/5 stars

This is one of those books that you have to read because it's too bizarre to describe. Best is to just let the words wash over you. There were times where I had no clue what the author was talking about. But one thing is sure, the writing is intense, beautiful, weird, and creative. The story seems very autobiographical.

[Juli, Moderator]

#101 Manga Classics: The Stories of Edgar Allan Poe

5/5 stars

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, Edgar Allan Poe stories are made for Manga. 1) Reading from the back of the book to the front seems so Poe already. 2) Manga artwork is unusual, odd, and powerful - all things you can say about Poe's writing. 3) Manga gets at the essence of a tale.

This collection of Poe's work transformed into Manga is amazing. I flew through the book and was disappointed when I came to the end (which here is the beginning). I wanted more. I need that book in my collection. I want to re-read it often. Seeing Poe's words illustrated created an eerie atmosphere. I felt urgency. I felt fear. I felt dispair. This was the perfect reading experience.

[Juli, Moderator]

#102 Something Wicked This Way Comes

4/5 stars

What a coming of age story! What a way to deal with a mid-life crisis! The horror genre never ceases to surprise me. Bradbury writes with such grace. He uses allegories and metaphors so well. He creates an eerie tale full of spooky characters. I think this is a great read right around Halloween. It deals with human nature and our fears and anxieties in a very poetic way.

[Juli, Moderator]

#103 Uncommon Type: Some Stories

5/5 stars

This is an amazing collection of short stories. Tom Hanks is a talented, insightful, and nuanced writer. Each story mentions a different typewriter but otherwise, they range in topic from SciFi to contemporary. I loved reading this book.

[Juli, Moderator]

#104 Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders

4/5 stars

I just adore anything Neil Gaiman. When he reads his stories it's like a fantastical lullaby. His voice is so soothing. I could listen to that forever. This collection of short stories is, as usual, weird, at times gross, magical, and very adult. I've read a few of them prior to this but there were plenty of new ones to hold my attention. I played the audiobook while I worked so I probably missed some parts but hey, that's what a re-listen is for!

[Juli, Moderator]

#105 The Crossover

5/5 stars

Wow. Just wow. This story messed me up a little. I was not expecting that. The poetry is perfect and so powerful. This needs to be on every middle and high school library shelf.

[Juli, Moderator]

#106 Three Fates

5/5 stars

I thought I had read this one before I joined Goodreads and thus had marked it off. Well, lemme tell ya. I hadn't read it and I am glad that a reading challenge prompt made me look into that. This is a great Nora Roberts novel. It's like one of her trilogies wrapped into one book. I love when she combines mythology and romance. I love when she has strong female and male characters and I love, love when the villain is a woman!n So there ya go, read this one if you're at all interested in Nora Roberts' work.

[Juli, Moderator]

#107 Born in Fire

4/5 stars

Beautiful descriptions of Ireland. I really enjoyed this story. The main characters aren't my favorite couple but Roberts outdoes herself with the imagery of Ireland.

#108 Born in Ice

5/5 stars

Ireland and love!

I loved this story. I love the couple. And I loved the imagery of Ireland, which came through twofold - Roberts' writings of the main splot and her protagonist's visions of his book.

#109 Born in Shame

4/5 stars

An intense ending to the trilogy. Roberts also dives into some Irish folklore here. I liked this couple a lot. I liked their story. It was fierce and mystical. I just wish there were more descriptions of Ireland, the countryside, the cliffs, the weather, the landscape, and the people.

[Juli, Moderator]

#100 Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

3/5 stars

This was neither great nor terrible. I love Pride and Prejudice. For this adaptation, I was hoping for a lot more zombie action.

[Carol]

Juli wrote: "#107 Born in Fire

4/5 stars

Beautiful descriptions of Ireland. I really enjoyed this story. The main characters aren't my favorite couple but Roberts..."

Looks like you are in a "Nora Roberts" run... Have you read her new book Year One? I really liked it. It was my first Nora Roberts book. And to make things even better... there is going to be a sequel!

[Juli, Moderator]

Carol wrote: "Juli wrote: "#107 Born in Fire

4/5 stars

Beautiful descriptions of Ireland. I really enjoyed this story. The main characters aren't my favorite coupl..."

Nora Roberts is kinda my guilty pleasure. I've read tons and tons of her books. I have not picked up Year One, yet, but I've heard great stuff about it.

[Juli, Moderator]

#110 The Picture of Dorian Gray

4/5 stars

The rise and fall of a young man. This story had intrigue, gossip, social commentary, an evil pact of some sorts, darkness, deceit, and growing up; all neatly packed in a Gothic horror novel. This classic tale was at times long-winded and tedious to read and at others gripping and suspenseful

[Elyse, Moderator]

Come Sundown will be my first Nora Roberts book! Starting it sometime next week on audio.

[Juli, Moderator]

Elyse wrote: "Come Sundown will be my first Nora Roberts book! Starting it sometime next week on audio."

I quite liked that one. I remember it being gripping and a quick read.

[Juli, Moderator]

#111 Supernatural Tales

5/5 stars

This collection of Gothic short stories was magnificent. Vernon Lee aka Violet Page is a wonderful and eerie writer. She has a knack for setting the scene. Her imagery is spot on. My favorite stories were 'A wedding Chest' and The Legend of Madame Krasinkas'. The former was heart-racing. The snippets of diary entries made for the perfect medium to tell the tale. My heart quickened as the story unfolded. I needed to know what was happening next. I loved the darkness of the events. I loved that the protagonist was driven by scholarly curiosity at first and by gut-wrenching need in the end. The latter was just too damn real. It was the perfect way of dealing with a sentiment we have all felt 'I don't feel like myself anymore, who am I?, what is happening to me?'. Brilliant!

[Elyse, Moderator]

Juli wrote: "#111 Supernatural Tales

5/5 stars

This collection of Gothic short stories was magnificent. Vernon Lee aka Violet Page is a wonderful and eeri..."

Ooooh sounds really good!!

[Juli, Moderator]

#112 Welcome to the Show

3.5/5 stars

This collection had some great stories and some duds. All in all, I enjoyed the book but I wish there would've been a more equal distribution of quality. The duds weren't badly written, the plot was just weird or didn't make any sense. All authors featured here are talented writers. I don't know how these short stories were compiled but I think maybe reading and editing as a group could've ensured that things would've been more equal, specifically since all stories had one central theme.

[Juli, Moderator]

#113 One Hundred Years of Solitude

2/5 stars

So, I've said this before and I say it again. This is my nemesis book. I've tried to read it at least four times, falling short of finishing every time. I don't know why. I should love this book. It's full of sarcasm, commentary on humanity and societies, witty phrases, nonsensical plots, and weird characters. I completely understand how Garcia Marquez won the literary Nobel. His writing and imagination are fantastic. Yet, I just don't get this novel. I listened to it this time and obviously, I was able to complete it but I don't know if I truly heard all the words. It feels a bit like a cheated the system to conquer this goal. I'll probably give reading this book another shot in the new year. For now, I am counting it as done!

[Elyse, Moderator]

Juli wrote: "#113 One Hundred Years of Solitude

2/5 stars

So, I've said this before and I say it again. This is my nemesis book. I've tried to read it ..."

I haven't attempted it yet. I own Love in the Time of Cholera but haven't read that yet either.

[Juli, Moderator]

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#113 One Hundred Years of Solitude

2/5 stars

So, I've said this before and I say it again. This is my nemesis book. I've trie..."

I heard that that one is easier to read than One Hundred Years.

[Juli, Moderator]

#114 City of Ghosts

5/5 stars

Eerily beautiful and oh so haunting. I loved this story with its odd characters and peculiar events. This is a wonderful middle-grade read.

[Juli, Moderator]

#115 Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe

4/5 stars

This was really cute and very charming. I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed Debbie Johnson's writing. Never underestimate a fluff novel! If you're looking for a cozy Christmas read with relatable characters, lots of pop culture references, and a lot of heart, this book is for you.

[Elyse, Moderator]

Juli wrote: "#114 City of Ghosts

5/5 stars

Eerily beautiful and oh so haunting. I loved this story with its odd characters and peculiar events. This is a wo..."

CW is adapting it! And aging up the characters to college-age.

[Juli, Moderator]

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#114 City of Ghosts

5/5 stars

Eerily beautiful and oh so haunting. I loved this story with its odd characters and peculiar events...."

Oh, I am going to have to check that out! Though I really like that Schwab wrote this book for middle-grade. We need more horror/paranormal/spooky novels for that age group.