❄️ 2018 Book Reviews Week 1:
January 1st- 7th, 2018 ❄️
Book 1: Zen Pencils: Creative Struggle
by Gavin Aung Than
Read Jan 4th- 5th, 2018
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This was a very inspiring collection of cartoons that went along perfectly with the quotes from many inspirational artists, musicians, writers, and scientists. Each quote stood out to me especially from those that I admire myself. Another great addition to each of the quotes was the little biography that came after each one so that you could learn about each of the people a little more. There were quotes from Vincent van Gogh, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Mary Shelley, Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, and so many more.
What really stood out in this book though was seeing many of these very famous people express how they worked past their creative struggles. Beethoven using his music as a way of getting past his loss of hearing, Mary Shelley getting over writer's block, and so many more.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Book 2: Weave a Circle Round
by Kari Maaren
Read by Eileen Stevens
Listened to Jan 4th- 5th, 2018
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I had no clue of what to expect from this book before I started listening to it. When I had first heard about this book a few months before it came out, I had read the synopsis and it intrigued me. This is about a girl named Freddy who really does not want to be noticed by anyone. She lives with her divorced mother, little sister Mel, stepfather Jordan, and her step-brother Roland, who brings more attention to himself and to her that she could ever possibly want because he is deaf.
They live next to a house that is always described as the house on Grosvenor Street. This is a house that is known not to keep its tenants for more than a few months at a time. Then one day two people move in. Two extremely odd people, Cuerva Lachance and Josiah. Freddy, Mel, and Roland go over to the house after they hear a crash and find the two strange new neighbors but also hear more voices in the house that freak them out. Over the course of the next few weeks, Freddy is followed by Josiah. She and her siblings are part of a bigger picture than she can even imagine and the adventure she goes on with Josiah is more than she could have ever expected.
I will say that there were a couple of times that I wished that there was more to the descriptions but I believe that there was a major reason for this in the plot. We are just as confused as Freddy is throughout this plot and learn about what is going on as she does. The more Freddy learns the more we are able to and that really made me connect with her as a narrator. There are pieces to the puzzle of Cuerva Lachance and Josiah from the very beginning of this book. I loved learning along with each of the characters and also seeing everything come into play later on in the story. This was a neatly woven plot that I could not get enough of. Though it is a bit crazy at times. Everything paid off for me in the end and I cannot wait to read this book again to see some of the other hints that I missed when I first read it.
When I first read the title I knew that I recognized the name from somewhere but was not sure from where. It is actually an important part of this story that was a really cool piece of this overall puzzle and I will not mention it here because it is really cool when you realize it.
One of the overarching messages in this book is growing up. Freddy learns a lot about herself throughout the course of this story but also about her family. She really does grow from a girl that does not seem to care much about others around her. I really hope that Kari will continue her story somehow in the future. I know that I will read it.
Eileen Stevens’ audio narration of the novel develops a feeling of unease that matches perfectly with how Freddy feels throughout the narrative. She creates a distinct voice for each of the characters. This builds the world of the story around the characters that will immerse the reader in Freddy’s world. It will not only keep the reader interested but will have them wanting to find out the mystery of what is really going on with Cuerva Lachance and Josiah.
I cared for each of these characters and really enjoyed how complicated and also how heartfelt this story could be. To me, this was a great debut novel and I cannot wait to see where Kari goes from here.
*I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
They live next to a house that is always described as the house on Grosvenor Street. This is a house that is known not to keep its tenants for more than a few months at a time. Then one day two people move in. Two extremely odd people, Cuerva Lachance and Josiah. Freddy, Mel, and Roland go over to the house after they hear a crash and find the two strange new neighbors but also hear more voices in the house that freak them out. Over the course of the next few weeks, Freddy is followed by Josiah. She and her siblings are part of a bigger picture than she can even imagine and the adventure she goes on with Josiah is more than she could have ever expected.
I will say that there were a couple of times that I wished that there was more to the descriptions but I believe that there was a major reason for this in the plot. We are just as confused as Freddy is throughout this plot and learn about what is going on as she does. The more Freddy learns the more we are able to and that really made me connect with her as a narrator. There are pieces to the puzzle of Cuerva Lachance and Josiah from the very beginning of this book. I loved learning along with each of the characters and also seeing everything come into play later on in the story. This was a neatly woven plot that I could not get enough of. Though it is a bit crazy at times. Everything paid off for me in the end and I cannot wait to read this book again to see some of the other hints that I missed when I first read it.
When I first read the title I knew that I recognized the name from somewhere but was not sure from where. It is actually an important part of this story that was a really cool piece of this overall puzzle and I will not mention it here because it is really cool when you realize it.
One of the overarching messages in this book is growing up. Freddy learns a lot about herself throughout the course of this story but also about her family. She really does grow from a girl that does not seem to care much about others around her. I really hope that Kari will continue her story somehow in the future. I know that I will read it.
Eileen Stevens’ audio narration of the novel develops a feeling of unease that matches perfectly with how Freddy feels throughout the narrative. She creates a distinct voice for each of the characters. This builds the world of the story around the characters that will immerse the reader in Freddy’s world. It will not only keep the reader interested but will have them wanting to find out the mystery of what is really going on with Cuerva Lachance and Josiah.
I cared for each of these characters and really enjoyed how complicated and also how heartfelt this story could be. To me, this was a great debut novel and I cannot wait to see where Kari goes from here.
*I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Book 3: Whichwood
by Tahereh Mafi
Read Jan 4th- 7th, 2018
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From the time that I first heard that there was going to be a companion book for Furthermore, I was really excited. I loved the whimsical descriptions, the characters' relationships and personalities, and the wonderful setting. I knew going into this book that it would be dark and I was ready to see what Tahereh Mafi would do in a different setting. This was just as interesting and thought out as Furthermore but I felt that it was too dark for the age group that this is being marketed too. I believe that middle-grade readers can read darker books but this even made me a bit disturbed at times. From the weird scenes with bugs to the dead bodies (especially with certain scenes at the end). What I thought was going to have a dark feel like for instance the original Grimm fairy tales, had scenes that I don't believe some kids should read.
I would also like to talk about the characters and their relationships in this book. For most of this book, I had a hard time really getting attached to the main character, Laylee. I can understand why she was so detached from the world around her, especially with the life that she was dealt. But that did not make her any easier to get attached to enough to want to read from her perspective. We also get Alice and Oliver back from the first book. Their relationship and friendship with Laylee and another boy named Benyamin was an important part of this story and its overall message. The healing power of friendship is something that is great to teach younger readers.
The narration I believe is one of the most interesting parts of both this and Furthermore. Also, I enjoyed reading the footnotes for other information about the plot.
I believe before going into this book that you should definitely read Furthermore because a lot of the focus is on events from that book. Yes, the narrator does explain this in the plot and footnotes but I feel that you will miss out if you don't.
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