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readerlatte's reviews
178 reviews
Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
5.0
My Review: Out of the three books in this series I think this one was my favorite! I am sad that I did not get an epilogue which I am very sad about. I will say that what I got was one great journey that I will not soon forget. Although I prob. am not saying anyone's names right. This was such a story about a girl who found her destiny and her love and my god it was so good. If you are looking for a series about nuns who kick butt and gods/saints then check out this one.
Go Into This One Knowing: No Epilogue, No Love Triangle, No Cliffhanger (persay)
Go Into This One Knowing: No Epilogue, No Love Triangle, No Cliffhanger (persay)
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte
3.0
My Review: This one was ok for me but it could have been so much better. I really loved the main story of the book but my issues came when you were tossed into the POVs of the queens leading up to their deaths. It really made the story feel choppy for me. I wished I could have loved it but it just wasn't working. I really wished that the author (whom I loved her other books) would have summed up all the queens in the first few chapters then go on with the main story.
I really thought that the romance wasn't needed. It felt flat and rushed. I really loved Keralie but with being tossed back into the POVs of the queens I never really felt like we got the who perspective of her and Varin.
I think this one with the great world building will appeal to some but it really, in the end, felt like it had taken a lot of things from other young adult novels than just kind of twisted them just a little.
I really thought that the romance wasn't needed. It felt flat and rushed. I really loved Keralie but with being tossed back into the POVs of the queens I never really felt like we got the who perspective of her and Varin.
I think this one with the great world building will appeal to some but it really, in the end, felt like it had taken a lot of things from other young adult novels than just kind of twisted them just a little.
Life Is a Party: Deliciously Doable Recipes to Make Every Day a Celebration by David Burtka
5.0
My Review: My goodness this book about killed me when I started flipping pages. And I have to say that I have created a massive list of things from this title that I can not wait to make. Especially those Ancho Chile-Mexican Chocolate Cookies, those things looked divine!!!! I really loves how this book is split up via seasons and that each one really comes with a drink, appetizer, and then your main course and sides. As well as giving us stories about these people's lives. I loved seeing these two with family and friends and their kids.
These recipes could become household favorites very soon and I love that each one is way down to earth. When the title said doable recipes it meant it. I even think that kids could help so it could be something that the entire family helps out with.
These recipes could become household favorites very soon and I love that each one is way down to earth. When the title said doable recipes it meant it. I even think that kids could help so it could be something that the entire family helps out with.
The Art of Visual Notetaking: An Interactive Guide to Visual Communication and Sketchnoting by Emily Mills
4.0
My Review: I love this book about visual notetaking. It was so informative and had space for practicing the steps in the book. I do wish that it would have given more complete samples. But these really remind me of those infographic. I am excited to try and do some of these for the books that I read as I think that they would help me with keeping my thoughts in order to do reviews. And of course its so freaking cool looking!!! This would be great for all skill levels and I like that the author drops the hammer that you should keep all of your work. So that over time you could see how much you have learned.
I could see someone using this for school as well as for work. It just has so many applications. That the possibilities are endless.
I could see someone using this for school as well as for work. It just has so many applications. That the possibilities are endless.
American Panda by Gloria Chao
4.0
My Review: This was such a cute little book. I loved it so much but did have a few issues with it. I have to say that it was a little off putting to read about a set of parents that didn't get their daughter the glasses she needed. Many times during the story Mei talked about how she couldn't see something because of her bad eyes. If this is the real way this culture is for those families that are I fear for these children. How are they supposed to get this amazing education if they can't even see right?
Ok so my rage for glasses is now over. Other than that these parents were so in this story that it kind of makes up for all the other stories out there where the parents are not there. The other characters were great to. I really wished that Mei would have taken a hold of her own life and just told her parents how she really felt. There comes a time at an age where you just need to do what you want. You are almost an adult or you are one and its time to cut the cord.
The story itself was really good. There were a few parts that were kind of stagnate and I think this one could have been a little shorter. But all in all it was still a very cute story.
Go Into This One Knowing: Slight Child Abuse, Family Relationships, Overbearing Parents, Light Insta-Love
Ok so my rage for glasses is now over. Other than that these parents were so in this story that it kind of makes up for all the other stories out there where the parents are not there. The other characters were great to. I really wished that Mei would have taken a hold of her own life and just told her parents how she really felt. There comes a time at an age where you just need to do what you want. You are almost an adult or you are one and its time to cut the cord.
The story itself was really good. There were a few parts that were kind of stagnate and I think this one could have been a little shorter. But all in all it was still a very cute story.
Go Into This One Knowing: Slight Child Abuse, Family Relationships, Overbearing Parents, Light Insta-Love
Ask Me Anything by Molly E. Lee
My Review: First off this is totally a book for those who love hacking. It brought back memories of that old movie Hackers that I fell so in love with I think it was in the 90's. It also is a great story about sex education and how important it is. I think this one would be an amazing story for teens of high school to read. It is just so important especially in our day and age for this story to be told.
Schools need to get away from thinking of sex as evil. Telling kids just don't do it and start accepting it for what it is. Sex isn't the enemy miss information and people being to embarrassed to ask questions is the issue. I love the parts in this where Amber is talking to her mom. They are open and honest about sex and they are both better for it. Have an open policy with your kids about this topic (really any topic). I love that my daughter's know that they can come to me and talk about sex and anything else. It's not taboo, or shameful, or nasty, its part of life and more people need to accept that. Your kids will be safer if they can come to you with their questions.
Another part of this book is about rape. So be warned, Amber goes through a lot of PTSD (lightish vs. other books about this topic.). But I think the author did a wonderful job with the micro flashbacks and Amber talking about it. Another great message in this story is that it doesn't matter if you are a girl or a boy rape is rape and no means no. My best advice about going out and parting is to always make sure your drink in moderation (if you drink at all). Know your limits!! And always do the this rule of thumb! It might sound lame but it will keep you safe.
Drink Rules: 1 Alcoholic Drink, 1 Glass of Water, 1 Snack or some kind of food, wait a minimum of 1 hour before you repeat this cycle. This gives your body enough time to to start breaking down the alcohol in your system.
One letter that Amber answered in this story is about a girl who is forced to change her shirt because she is showing to much skin. However the boys are allowed to go shirtless. This reminded me of an issue that was going on at a local high school here a few years ago. Girls were singled out and told that they could no longer show their collarbones. Which is so stupid. I totally agree with what Amber told the girl to do that to use her social media and her voice. Because we as women and girls are NOT a distraction.
The story itself was great. With all the elements it had the only one I kind of had an issue with was Dean. Don't get me wrong he was an awesome boy but I found myself just not enjoying his chapter as much as Ambers. By the end of the book I did warm up to his part of the story and it really started to unfold and made more sense since it gave us information that we wouldn't have known. So when it all went down we already knew who knew what.
There is just so much to say about this important novel. But I just do not have the words to say it all here. This is just one of those stories that you need to read. Buy it for your daughters and sons and your schools and libraries!! Get it into the hands of teens because that is where it will do the most good.
Go Into This One Knowing: Dual POV, Sex Education, Hacking, Attempted Rape (PTSD Flashbacks), Doesn't Shy Away from Hard Topics,
Schools need to get away from thinking of sex as evil. Telling kids just don't do it and start accepting it for what it is. Sex isn't the enemy miss information and people being to embarrassed to ask questions is the issue. I love the parts in this where Amber is talking to her mom. They are open and honest about sex and they are both better for it. Have an open policy with your kids about this topic (really any topic). I love that my daughter's know that they can come to me and talk about sex and anything else. It's not taboo, or shameful, or nasty, its part of life and more people need to accept that. Your kids will be safer if they can come to you with their questions.
Another part of this book is about rape. So be warned, Amber goes through a lot of PTSD (lightish vs. other books about this topic.). But I think the author did a wonderful job with the micro flashbacks and Amber talking about it. Another great message in this story is that it doesn't matter if you are a girl or a boy rape is rape and no means no. My best advice about going out and parting is to always make sure your drink in moderation (if you drink at all). Know your limits!! And always do the this rule of thumb! It might sound lame but it will keep you safe.
Drink Rules: 1 Alcoholic Drink, 1 Glass of Water, 1 Snack or some kind of food, wait a minimum of 1 hour before you repeat this cycle. This gives your body enough time to to start breaking down the alcohol in your system.
One letter that Amber answered in this story is about a girl who is forced to change her shirt because she is showing to much skin. However the boys are allowed to go shirtless. This reminded me of an issue that was going on at a local high school here a few years ago. Girls were singled out and told that they could no longer show their collarbones. Which is so stupid. I totally agree with what Amber told the girl to do that to use her social media and her voice. Because we as women and girls are NOT a distraction.
The story itself was great. With all the elements it had the only one I kind of had an issue with was Dean. Don't get me wrong he was an awesome boy but I found myself just not enjoying his chapter as much as Ambers. By the end of the book I did warm up to his part of the story and it really started to unfold and made more sense since it gave us information that we wouldn't have known. So when it all went down we already knew who knew what.
There is just so much to say about this important novel. But I just do not have the words to say it all here. This is just one of those stories that you need to read. Buy it for your daughters and sons and your schools and libraries!! Get it into the hands of teens because that is where it will do the most good.
Go Into This One Knowing: Dual POV, Sex Education, Hacking, Attempted Rape (PTSD Flashbacks), Doesn't Shy Away from Hard Topics,
Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto
1.0
My Review: I wanted to love this one so much. I mean the cover was just so pretty and I love stories about sisters, magic, and magical creatures. But I have to say that this one started out pretty well with some info dumping but the author started out with this being done in a way that I wanted to learn more. But the closer I crept towards 60 pages I just found myself wanting to skim the pages because it was just dragging so bad. After that I was just kind of done. The dual POV wasn't right for this story if you ask me. I would have much rather had the story all in Veronyka's as I was really interested in her part of the story and really didn't care about the other guy who I have to say wasn't even in the description of this title. So that was kind of weird.
For me I really just wished that this book would have been faster.
Go Into This One Knowing: Dual POV, Slow Plot, InfoDumping
For me I really just wished that this book would have been faster.
Go Into This One Knowing: Dual POV, Slow Plot, InfoDumping
Tree of Ages by Sara C. Roethle
1.0
I really wanted to love this. It starts out with a girl who was a tree who turns into a girl and I was like YES PLEASE!! This is like totally new and fresh. But, shortly after that this book started going downhill. I could get behind her going to where she was being pulled to and I really loved all the characters but the story/plot itself just wasn't working for me. At one point they have to put their trip on hold because all of a sudden there is a plot twist that really just made this one fall apart.
This is the issue that I have with indie books some are really good and then you get the ones that failed to really work. I think that if the author went back and did some major edits and just cleaned up the pacing etc. That this could be an amazing title. But as it sits for at least me it just failed to give me what I was looking for.
This is the issue that I have with indie books some are really good and then you get the ones that failed to really work. I think that if the author went back and did some major edits and just cleaned up the pacing etc. That this could be an amazing title. But as it sits for at least me it just failed to give me what I was looking for.