For one, I loved the cover. And trust me on this, guys, it's even MORE gorgeous in person. I may or may not have taI have mixed thoughts on this book.
For one, I loved the cover. And trust me on this, guys, it's even MORE gorgeous in person. I may or may not have taken a bunch of photoshoots trying to capture the sheer beauty of it. #noregrets
The story pulled me in from the very start, along with the enthralling beauty of Sara Ella's prose. I hurt and was confuzzled along with Eliyana. I sympathized with her self-doubt because of her face. The beginning set up a story—a story brimming with hope, self-acceptance, and confidence. At least, that's what I thought. And in some ways, it was the story I wanted. The story I needed.
But at the same time, as the story progressed, I just got more and more confused. Maybe it was just my night brain, but as hard as I tried to fit all the pieces together—it didn't click to me. Some parts I got, but the story seemed to speed up more and more and completely lost me along the ride. And the more I read, I found myself disliking Eliyana. And her love interests—she seemed to be simultaneously falling in love with both of them, and then unsure of herself, again and again. There was also some content I wasn't especially comfortable with—nothing inappropriate, but a bit suggestive. There was a bit too much romance for my taste. :P
As for the themes—there was a positive character arc, but it definitely wasn't what I expected. I felt like Eliyana brushed off the main thing that seemed to be such a big deal to her far too quickly.
However, even my confusion didn't stop me from enjoying the pretty prose and intriguing world. And that ending ... wow. Sara Ella is a really talented author in the way she spins mystery and intrigue into these pages. :)
Content warnings: Multiple kisses (one described), stabbing, blood, violence, mention of nude characters, suggestive content, mention of one character having multiple mistresses, mention of affairs, abuse ...more
OH MY GOODNESS this book is still so good. *grins*
First time reading ~ May 6, 2021:
I was not expecting Second time reading: ~ September 15, 2021
OH MY GOODNESS this book is still so good. *grins*
First time reading ~ May 6, 2021:
I was not expecting to enjoy SKYWARD as much as I did—especially considering I don't read much sci-fi and this book is quite long (long books always scare me for whatever reason XD).
The characters were by far my favorite part. I've seen these types of characters before—but the way the author made them all so unique and sympathetic with their own backstories was awesome. While I wasn't a big fan of Spensa at first because she seemed too much of a "tough heroine" stereotype—she gradually became more sympathetic and human later on in the story. I especially related to her personal struggles with identity and courage and being herself—especially when she didn't know who she was.
And oh my word, some of the things M-Bot said were hilarious. XD
The worldbuilding was amazing. I love how bits and pieces of the world were mixed in during dialogue/action scenes to convey a clear sense of the world without being info-dumpy.
The writing style was okay, in my opinion. It was pretty clear and simple to read—slightly reminiscent of middle-grade writing styles.
As for what I didn't like. . . the part with hearing stars was a bit unclear, and the whole mystery of her father's "cowardice" wasn't existent for a big part of the story (I feel like that only picked up until the end). I was also a bit confused about M-Bot and how she found him, and the whole thing with Rig (view spoiler)[ (how did he even sneak away to the cavern so much to fix M-Bot?) (hide spoiler)].
But overall, I was quite impressed. The worldbuilding was awesome, the MC's character arc was beautiful to watch, and the suspense of the story kept me flipping pages until the end.
I got a little ways in, and while this held an interesting premise, I wasn't at all pulled into the story. I was just waiting for thingsDNF'd for now.
I got a little ways in, and while this held an interesting premise, I wasn't at all pulled into the story. I was just waiting for things to happen, and they didn't. There was also a lot of telling, not showing, and middle-grade isn't really my thing.
Now, I'm sure it gets better, and I really do want to return to this book soon to give it another chance. But as I have a ton of books to read at the moment, I've just decided to DNF this and maybe come back to it later. :)...more
PUBLISHED. by Chandler Bolt is a great book on the basics of independently publishing with Amazon. It breaks down, little piece by little piece, each PUBLISHED. by Chandler Bolt is a great book on the basics of independently publishing with Amazon. It breaks down, little piece by little piece, each step of writing and then marketing your book.
I expected this book to also go into a bit of the process of writing your novel, but it seemed more geared toward nonfiction/memoir writers. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but as a fiction author, some of the tips on writing/titling weren't as helpful to me. In all, I think this book is more helpful for the marketing/launching aspect rather than the writing craft ("blank page") aspect.
I don't necessarily agree with ALL of the resources mentioned, and some of the info seems a bit outdated (like, not all Fiverr cover designers charge only $5).
In all, this book is a great starting point for those looking to one day indie publish and market with Kindle Direct Publishing, but be aware that it's more toward nonfiction/memoir writers. So read with discretion if you're a fiction writer....more
This book challenged my thinking in so many ways, and helped me see the areas I was lacking in my walk with Christ. Francis Chan's writing s4/5 stars.
This book challenged my thinking in so many ways, and helped me see the areas I was lacking in my walk with Christ. Francis Chan's writing style was straightforward and easy to understand, which I really appreciated. I especially loved the end of each chapter, where the author encouraged the reader to go to God and talk to Him.
There were a few aspects theology-wise that I didn't agree with—some of which are mentioned in other reviews. I also think the book tended to focus solely on how terrible we are/how good God is, rather than His "crazy" love for us. We are told about how wonderful He is, but we aren't told about how much He loves us—instead, we are told we are terrible people and when we mess up in life, we are disgusting to Him. Which yes, it is true to an extent—but I would have loved more of a focus on God's overwhelming love for us and how He cares about a relationship with us, even though we've done nothing to deserve it.
I also didn't really prefer the focus on how we should be serving Christ by giving to the poor, going to Africa, giving up our houses, etc. While those are all amazing things that some people are called to do, I feel like there are other ways to serve Christ with our time that the author failed to give examples for in this book. Sometimes serving Christ means reaching out to that family member, restoring that broken friendship, forgiving those who have hurt us, and in all, asking God what He wants us to do. Some people are called for different things and some are called to serve right where they're at, and that's okay.
In all, though, I think the main things I had problems with were just the things the author didn't say, rather than what he did. And I have no doubt Chan has a genuine heart for Christ, so of course I'm just critiquing the book, not the author. ;)
But other than that, this book is really, really good. I highly recommend it to those who are serious about Christ, who are looking to serve Him with their lives. It's both remarkably inspiring and thought-provoking. There are so many amazing parts of this book that will most likely challenge your thinking as it did mine....more
I saw this book in a bookstore and it brought back memories of reading this when I was about ten or so, so out of nostalgia, I bought it.
Read this booI saw this book in a bookstore and it brought back memories of reading this when I was about ten or so, so out of nostalgia, I bought it.
Read this book in TWO sittings. Overall, it was definitely a fun read, even though it's middle-grade (and definitely not in a writing style I'm used to!). The main characters were fun, though I didn't find myself connecting with either of them (probably because I can't relate, and probably because they're also way younger).
The main thing that bothered me was how shallow the theme was. Maybe I'm missing something, but I personally love middle-grade books with deep themes, like PAX by Sara Pennypacker or ORPHAN ISLAND by Laurel Snyder. Ones that make me think.
Unfortunately, BOOK SCAVENGER wasn't really one of them. The main overrunning theme seemed to be books and the importance of them/how valuable they are (besides the subplot of friendship/being a good friend). Which, it was fine because it fitted the overall style of the writing and book, but I just wasn't a fan of how shallow it was. As in, there wasn't much depth to it.
But one thing that hasn't lost its nostalgic feeling is the Book Scavenger game. It's a very creative idea, certainly. ;) I could write more on what I love about it, but I won't for the sake of making this review short.
If you're looking for something with deeper themes, I'd recommend PAX. But if you're the intended audience or love the simple nostalgia of middle-grade (and books!), I'd highly recommend this book. ...more
This book was really insightful. Definitely need to come back to this when I start outlining, and hopefully by then, I'll be able to write a more in-dThis book was really insightful. Definitely need to come back to this when I start outlining, and hopefully by then, I'll be able to write a more in-depth review. :)...more
~DISCLAIMER: I received a free ARC copy from the publisher in exchange for an HONEST review~
SHADOW by Kara Swanson is truly a memorable read, one that~DISCLAIMER: I received a free ARC copy from the publisher in exchange for an HONEST review~
SHADOW by Kara Swanson is truly a memorable read, one that remained with me long after reading it. I read this in literally two sittings, it was that good.
The author's writing style is spectacular, matching the setting of the story perfectly. The characters were vivid and lifelike, and while I didn't like all of them (Paige was a bit. . . off to me), I loved the Peter + Claire relationship (despite not being a big romance person :P). The author spun the basicness of human nature, the war against the shadows and light, into this 300-page novel—hence the title. And it was done very well, in my opinion.
As for what I didn't like. . . besides Paige, and besides not really being emotionally connected to most of the Lost Boys, (view spoiler)[ or caring when Nibs died (though that could be because I didn't read DUST (hide spoiler)] I feel like some aspects of the story dragged a bit, where there wasn't super clear conflict, and I was kind of just waiting for something to happen. However, that only happened in little parts of the story, so it wasn't enough to make me stop reading.
But how this author took the classic tale of Peter Pan and spun it into THIS is just. . . amazing. The story blew me away with its twists and kept me flipping pages until the end. I wanted these characters to be okay. I wanted to see them keep reaching for the light.
Definitely a must-read for fairytale retelling readers (but read DUST first, it'll make much more sense XD)....more
This book is one of my absolute favorites of all time. LINCOLN'S MOTHERS, a biographical novel mainly based on facts, sheds light on not only Lincoln'This book is one of my absolute favorites of all time. LINCOLN'S MOTHERS, a biographical novel mainly based on facts, sheds light on not only Lincoln's mother and stepmother but also the events and customs in those times. The writing style is gorgeous, and so were the descriptions. I love how the author shaped Lincoln's mothers' personalities in a way that I could easily picture who they were as people, but without a whole lot of telling. Truly priceless. Don't let the old-fashioned cover scare you away--or how old this book looks--it's really a beautiful read you will not forget....more
DNF, not because the book was bad, but because it wasn't applicable to me or my writing situation at the moment.
But I will most definitely come back tDNF, not because the book was bad, but because it wasn't applicable to me or my writing situation at the moment.
But I will most definitely come back to it later (hopefully in a couple months when I start drafting my novel). Definitely some great insight within these pages—though small content warning for profanity, though mainly in dialogue examples and not the actual writing....more
A while back, I went into this book expecting a read on how to create unique characters and was minorly disappointed. Well, couple-year-younger me, yoA while back, I went into this book expecting a read on how to create unique characters and was minorly disappointed. Well, couple-year-younger me, you clearly weren't reading the title right. XD
After a re-read, I've concluded that this is a really good book on character arcs and story structure without being dry or boring. K.M. Weiland's author voice still shines through!
A few aspects were a bit confusing, but the questions at the end of every chapter were tools that I'll definitely be using for a future novel.
Overall, a great read for anyone who's interested in writing strong character arcs, and. . . *checks title* "uniting story structure, plot, and character development." ...more
A really insightful book that takes readers through each step of starting a business using the skills they already have. I appreciated all the real-liA really insightful book that takes readers through each step of starting a business using the skills they already have. I appreciated all the real-life examples and Langemeier's entertaining writing voice....more
Becoming Miss Knight was a short read I was able to finish in one sitting.
I haven't read The Dressmaker's Secret or Ivy Introspective before, so I wasBecoming Miss Knight was a short read I was able to finish in one sitting.
I haven't read The Dressmaker's Secret or Ivy Introspective before, so I was coming into this novella with no context at all. However, the author's voice pulled me into the story, and the characters' personalities were very vivid to me. Though it was short, this book was filled with little moments that I really loved (and Nettie is officially my favorite character ;)).
Reading this novella and being introduced to the characters and setting really made me want to read the other books in the series.
Overall, a fun, short read with meaningful lessons and memorable characters. ...more
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