Take a photo of a barcode or cover
ellelainey's reviews
2336 reviews
Kind of a Wolf by Machi Suehiro
5.0
Seriously cute!
I didn't realise at first - thought I probably should have, from the style of the cover art - that this was a continuation of Fox Colored Jealousy. However, it's written as a standalone, so you don't have to have read that first.
I loved everything about this - the redemption story, the hurt/comfort, the reappearance of other characters, and the gorgeous artwork. These two books will definitely be a feel-good re-read in the future.
I didn't realise at first - thought I probably should have, from the style of the cover art - that this was a continuation of Fox Colored Jealousy. However, it's written as a standalone, so you don't have to have read that first.
I loved everything about this - the redemption story, the hurt/comfort, the reappearance of other characters, and the gorgeous artwork. These two books will definitely be a feel-good re-read in the future.
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson
5.0
Funny, clever, insightful. It's like having your very own Swedish grandmother, life-coach, guru to walk you hand-in-hand through the process of getting your life into order.
I loved the computer file analogy, but there are so many useful little tips and anecdotes.
This was a joy to read.
Ne'ver by Victoria Kinnaird
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
~
Ne'ver by Victoria Kinnaird
★★★★☆
281 Pages
1st person, single character POV
TRIGGERS: mentions of bullying and homophobia, memory loss, parental death, mild violence and fight scenes
-
Ne'ver is an exciting, unique take on the classic tale of Peter Pan that explores the complexities of self, family and self worth.
Kinnaird has done an incredible job bringing a brand new take on a cult classic that has been remade and reworked numerous times in the past. That alone is no small feat, but to give a single character POV throughout - in Wes's pov - and still make Peter feel complex, interesting and viscerally real is the real masterpiece of the story.
Not knowing what Peter is thinking is practically vital to the story, like the single character POV, but it's so easy to leave him behind as a mystery, as someone the reader will never understand. Somehow, Kinnaird managed to skillfully avoid that pitfall. Peter was, from the very beginning, an enigma. But he was an enigma I wanted to unravel, to explore and see develop. And that's exactly what happened. The reader went on this journey of discovery with Wes as he slowly began to peel back the layers of this lost, lonely but brave boy, Peter.
Wes – Wesley Michael Andrew Darlington when he's in trouble – is a lovely nod to all the Darling family from the original story. He's fascinated by all he discovers in Neverland, his very name a hint at the original characters, even his grandmother is named Moira (possibly a nod to the Disney movie Hook).
There are so many lovely references to the original that it had that feeling of familiarity and coming home, even though this was an entirely new spin. There was "straight on until morning" for the second star on the right, Peter flying, and the Lost Boys, Smee and Hook, even a solid and lengthy appearance by Tinkerbell (renamed Tink in this story). It was so nice to mesh the old with the new.
Wes is openly bisexual, a bit of a loner who likes to disappear into the background at school. He lost his dad a few years ago, has dreams about their last family vacation to Ne'ver though there are blanks in his memory from that time. His mother is a hardworking, low income single mother, working as a nurse, often on night shifts. (My own mother lived this life for a while, though not in a hospital, and I can testify to how realistically it was portrayed here).
The story packs a punch from page 1, then takes it's time to establish Wes - where he is in life, how he's coping, how alone and isolated he is. Honestly, it probably could have been shortened, because it took 11% for Peter to first show up, but I can see Kinnaird's process and reasoning for the choices they made. And, to be fair, Peter was teased for a while before he made an on-page appearance.
The main concept for the story is that Wes went missing during a family holiday years ago, and has no memory of what happened during that time. We soon learn he'd crossed from Ne'ver to Neverland and the magic involved with leaving Neverland meant he lost his memories of his time there. Which is a problem. Peter needs to reclaim a necklace he once gifted young Wes, in ordering to save Neverland from Captain Hook... except Wes doesn't remember where it is!
For around 20% of the book, Wes and Peter search Manhattan for the necklace. Then they travel to Neverland around the 32% mark and search there. It did feel like it took a bit too long to reach this point, and with the book being called Ne'ver I thought it would predominantly take place there, but it actually only featured on page once.
However, by the end I understood the meaning of the title. Ne'ver was where Wes and Peter's story began and everything that happened there was the catalyst that brought them together - both in the past and in the present. Ne'ver is what pulled them towards each other, but it's what also risks pulling them apart.
In terms of characters, I really felt like Wes and Peter were equally fleshed out and explored, given equal weight within the story, despite the single character POV which can sometimes leave the character without a POV in the shadows. That never happened here, which was so important. We needed to feel connected to and curious about Peter, which was true. I loved them individually as characters, but I also loved their chemistry. It was soft and subtle, completely YA appropriate, but also acknowledging that they weren't kids anymore and at least of them was growing up into a man, aware of himself, his body and his feelings in a way that Peter perhaps wasn't or maybe didn't even think about.
Maybe that's one of the reasons why I would have loved to see the ending a bit more fleshed out, because I wanted to see how that looked, where it took the characters and what the changes were. We got to see so much of Wes's growth on page, and it would have been nice to give more time to that older, wiser and more independent Wes.
Are there any negatives? Some small pacing ones that are really just my personal preference. I felt like it took a bit too long to explore Manhattan before getting to Neverland, that the ending was rushed and could have benefitted from being fleshed out for a few more pages and made into it's own chapter. Other than that, I enjoyed the journey and the characters, and if Kinnaird ever wanted to revisit Ne'ver, I'd be happy to go on that journey with them.
-
Overall, I enjoyed the story Kinnaird wove, taking the fabric of a classic and reworking it into a modern story, completely independent of it's predecessor. If you had never heard of Peter Pan before, you would have no problem seeing this as a separate entity, entirely capable of standing on it's own world building. But for those of us who grew up on the story of Peter, Tink and Hook - whether the Disney original, the Robin Williams gem or the book - there's enough borrowed magic in the world building to make it feel like coming home after a really long time away. There are pieces of my childhood in these pages, and of the childhood that many teens/young adults are living right now.
Where most Peter Pan retellings are about exploring Neverland, Kinnaird shows us a glimpse of who Wes is *before*, who Peter *could* be as a regular human, then risks showing Peter being completely out of his element. Only then do we get to see his confidence and comfort from being in Neverland. That was a big risk, but it paid off by offering a truly unique and clever take on who Peter is as a person. He stopped being a kid who never learned to grow up, and became someone who had hurt, lost and was alone; an outsider who didn't know how to live any other way; someone who had something worth fighting for, something he couldn't bear to lose.
Ultimately, Ne'ver is a story about reclaiming what was lost, finding where you belong and discovering the strength inside to make the right choice for yourself. It's about growing up, not growing up, finding your strength and purpose, and learning to stand up for yourself and others. Ne'ver is about fighting for what's right, for you and the people you love, even if that hurts or seems selfish.
-
Favourite Quote
"I was looking at him, picturing our goodbye so clearly that it hurt to breathe, and I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave without him."
"I knew there was nothing that could scrub Peter from my mind and my heart completely. He'd always be there, in the shadowed corners of my soul, just out of reach but as much a part of me as everyone else I've loved. Like my dad, he'd be tucked away in a box, buried treasure."
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
~
Ne'ver by Victoria Kinnaird
★★★★☆
281 Pages
1st person, single character POV
TRIGGERS: mentions of bullying and homophobia, memory loss, parental death, mild violence and fight scenes
-
Ne'ver is an exciting, unique take on the classic tale of Peter Pan that explores the complexities of self, family and self worth.
Kinnaird has done an incredible job bringing a brand new take on a cult classic that has been remade and reworked numerous times in the past. That alone is no small feat, but to give a single character POV throughout - in Wes's pov - and still make Peter feel complex, interesting and viscerally real is the real masterpiece of the story.
Not knowing what Peter is thinking is practically vital to the story, like the single character POV, but it's so easy to leave him behind as a mystery, as someone the reader will never understand. Somehow, Kinnaird managed to skillfully avoid that pitfall. Peter was, from the very beginning, an enigma. But he was an enigma I wanted to unravel, to explore and see develop. And that's exactly what happened. The reader went on this journey of discovery with Wes as he slowly began to peel back the layers of this lost, lonely but brave boy, Peter.
Wes – Wesley Michael Andrew Darlington when he's in trouble – is a lovely nod to all the Darling family from the original story. He's fascinated by all he discovers in Neverland, his very name a hint at the original characters, even his grandmother is named Moira (possibly a nod to the Disney movie Hook).
There are so many lovely references to the original that it had that feeling of familiarity and coming home, even though this was an entirely new spin. There was "straight on until morning" for the second star on the right, Peter flying, and the Lost Boys, Smee and Hook, even a solid and lengthy appearance by Tinkerbell (renamed Tink in this story). It was so nice to mesh the old with the new.
Wes is openly bisexual, a bit of a loner who likes to disappear into the background at school. He lost his dad a few years ago, has dreams about their last family vacation to Ne'ver though there are blanks in his memory from that time. His mother is a hardworking, low income single mother, working as a nurse, often on night shifts. (My own mother lived this life for a while, though not in a hospital, and I can testify to how realistically it was portrayed here).
The story packs a punch from page 1, then takes it's time to establish Wes - where he is in life, how he's coping, how alone and isolated he is. Honestly, it probably could have been shortened, because it took 11% for Peter to first show up, but I can see Kinnaird's process and reasoning for the choices they made. And, to be fair, Peter was teased for a while before he made an on-page appearance.
The main concept for the story is that Wes went missing during a family holiday years ago, and has no memory of what happened during that time. We soon learn he'd crossed from Ne'ver to Neverland and the magic involved with leaving Neverland meant he lost his memories of his time there. Which is a problem. Peter needs to reclaim a necklace he once gifted young Wes, in ordering to save Neverland from Captain Hook... except Wes doesn't remember where it is!
For around 20% of the book, Wes and Peter search Manhattan for the necklace. Then they travel to Neverland around the 32% mark and search there. It did feel like it took a bit too long to reach this point, and with the book being called Ne'ver I thought it would predominantly take place there, but it actually only featured on page once.
However, by the end I understood the meaning of the title. Ne'ver was where Wes and Peter's story began and everything that happened there was the catalyst that brought them together - both in the past and in the present. Ne'ver is what pulled them towards each other, but it's what also risks pulling them apart.
In terms of characters, I really felt like Wes and Peter were equally fleshed out and explored, given equal weight within the story, despite the single character POV which can sometimes leave the character without a POV in the shadows. That never happened here, which was so important. We needed to feel connected to and curious about Peter, which was true. I loved them individually as characters, but I also loved their chemistry. It was soft and subtle, completely YA appropriate, but also acknowledging that they weren't kids anymore and at least of them was growing up into a man, aware of himself, his body and his feelings in a way that Peter perhaps wasn't or maybe didn't even think about.
Maybe that's one of the reasons why I would have loved to see the ending a bit more fleshed out, because I wanted to see how that looked, where it took the characters and what the changes were. We got to see so much of Wes's growth on page, and it would have been nice to give more time to that older, wiser and more independent Wes.
Are there any negatives? Some small pacing ones that are really just my personal preference. I felt like it took a bit too long to explore Manhattan before getting to Neverland, that the ending was rushed and could have benefitted from being fleshed out for a few more pages and made into it's own chapter. Other than that, I enjoyed the journey and the characters, and if Kinnaird ever wanted to revisit Ne'ver, I'd be happy to go on that journey with them.
-
Overall, I enjoyed the story Kinnaird wove, taking the fabric of a classic and reworking it into a modern story, completely independent of it's predecessor. If you had never heard of Peter Pan before, you would have no problem seeing this as a separate entity, entirely capable of standing on it's own world building. But for those of us who grew up on the story of Peter, Tink and Hook - whether the Disney original, the Robin Williams gem or the book - there's enough borrowed magic in the world building to make it feel like coming home after a really long time away. There are pieces of my childhood in these pages, and of the childhood that many teens/young adults are living right now.
Where most Peter Pan retellings are about exploring Neverland, Kinnaird shows us a glimpse of who Wes is *before*, who Peter *could* be as a regular human, then risks showing Peter being completely out of his element. Only then do we get to see his confidence and comfort from being in Neverland. That was a big risk, but it paid off by offering a truly unique and clever take on who Peter is as a person. He stopped being a kid who never learned to grow up, and became someone who had hurt, lost and was alone; an outsider who didn't know how to live any other way; someone who had something worth fighting for, something he couldn't bear to lose.
Ultimately, Ne'ver is a story about reclaiming what was lost, finding where you belong and discovering the strength inside to make the right choice for yourself. It's about growing up, not growing up, finding your strength and purpose, and learning to stand up for yourself and others. Ne'ver is about fighting for what's right, for you and the people you love, even if that hurts or seems selfish.
-
Favourite Quote
"I was looking at him, picturing our goodbye so clearly that it hurt to breathe, and I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave without him."
"I knew there was nothing that could scrub Peter from my mind and my heart completely. He'd always be there, in the shadowed corners of my soul, just out of reach but as much a part of me as everyone else I've loved. Like my dad, he'd be tucked away in a box, buried treasure."
All About My Two Dads by Roji
5.0
This is the most ridiculously adorable thing I've ever seen.
- Strong MCs
- Supportive parents
- Realistic baby raising!
- Gorgeous artwork
It's got everything!
It challenges some pretty heavy topics, like adoption, being gay parents and how others treat them, being abandoned and unloved as a child, absent mother, coming out etc. It's all done with incredible sensitivity and awareness, woven into the story of Hiro growing up.
It challenges both sides of arguments, like how it can be problematic praising gay parents for doing well, but also how being a good parent doesn't just come naturally to women or straight couples either and everyone deserves praise for doing their best. It challenges how people can speak thoughtlessly, even if they themselves are often used to correcting others who speak thoughtlessly to them, because everyone makes mistakes and has unknown biases or expectations and preconceived notions from growing up that they're often unaware of. As long as we're mindful of how we speak and act, and we take notes of our mistakes and prejudices when they crop up, and accept responsibility to grow from those mistakes, then we can all do better and grow together.
A beautiful feeling good story with an important message. Make your own "normal" and do your best.
Best of the year contender!
Twittering Birds Never Fly, Vol. 6 by Kou Yoneda
4.0
Wow! That would actually have been such a good ending!
The Yakuza's Bias 2 by Teki Yatsuda
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Funny and quirky. It's a really cheesy plot but so much fun.