PERFECT is a clean YA contemporary read with strong Christian themes.
First of all, I love the heart behind this story. Wood weaves a very realistic pPERFECT is a clean YA contemporary read with strong Christian themes.
First of all, I love the heart behind this story. Wood weaves a very realistic picture of a struggle I'm sure most people have faced—expectations, perfectionism, and the desire to display our "perfect" lives as an example. All things I've dealt with and could relate to, even though I'm not a PK like the main character.
PERFECT was short, but enough to pack a powerful punch. I immediately sympathized with the main character and was sucked into her world—of drama, of friends, of the expectations that came with being a pastor's daughter. There were multiple times in the story when I was astonished at how REAL the characters and dialogue felt.
And while I'm not a big fan of romance, I loved Joel + Gina's relationship. So sweet and heartfelt and clean.
While there were a couple discrepancies—a few spelling errors, unclear backstory about Gina's mom, and I was a bit confused by the sheer amount of characters—PERFECT was a gripping and beautiful story that I was compelled to read in one sitting, all while displaying a gorgeous and heartfelt message that I think more Christian girls need to hear.
Overall, a solid debut from Wood! And now I really want to get the next book in the series, DIFFERENT ... ...more
THE SNOW CHILD is a lyrical and potent story that connects with readers on a deeper level. As we follow the characters through the mysterious and brutTHE SNOW CHILD is a lyrical and potent story that connects with readers on a deeper level. As we follow the characters through the mysterious and brutally beautiful Alaskan woods, we discover themes of loneliness, love, death, grief, hope, and healing.
This book definitely isn't for everyone. For those looking for an exciting and thrilling read, this is not one of them. It's a slow, melancholy, and at times painfully gritty story, spanning years and years. Interspersed between growing character relationships is beautiful prose. This is more of the type of book you want to read slowly, to soak in every word.
The characters all held such depth. While I'm more of a YA reader, and I rarely read books from the point of view of an older character, I found myself sympathizing with both Mabel and Jack. The scenes with them and Faina and Garrett (as children) were just the sweetest. ...more
So confession: going into this book, I literally had zero context. I haven't read HWR, so all I knew was this was a contemporary-dystopian novel that So confession: going into this book, I literally had zero context. I haven't read HWR, so all I knew was this was a contemporary-dystopian novel that I've been wanting to read for a while.
So of course I was confused about halfway through. It's my fault, really - I should've read HWR first *facepalms* - but I didn't, and around the halfway mark actually started getting what was going on and the characters and all that. It IS possible to jump into this book with zero context, though it might be a bit confusing at first.
I find the world Riley crafted really interesting, hence the reason it's a cross between contemporary and dystopian. It's a world like ours, with abandoned warehouses and the White House - but with resistance groups everywhere. It created a really interesting dynamic that I don't often get with other dystopians I've read because of just how ... familiar but yet unfamiliar everything seemed.
I LOVED how the characters grew a lot throughout the story, especially Peter - it was super realistic considering he dealt with a lot of bitterness and unforgiveness - but at the same time I almost felt like the plot was a little ... lacking?? It could just be me, but I felt there wasn't a big goal they were all working towards, mainly little ones like rescuing (view spoiler)[ Raegan (hide spoiler)], uniting with their love interests, and searching for Linley.
But the relationships were sweet. As another reviewer mentioned, I really liked the focus on familial relationships & friendships amidst the chaos and brokenness of the world around them. Too often dystopians are focused on the world and destroying the government, so it was refreshing how Riley took a different approach to the worldbuilding and characters in this story.
So overall, if you're looking for a clean dystopian story with a unique but subtle twist that's mostly character-driven, I'd recommend UNITED WE FALL.
I received a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ...more
First of all, I want to clarify, I did not read this book out of my own volition. It was an assigned read for a book study, one that forces me to readFirst of all, I want to clarify, I did not read this book out of my own volition. It was an assigned read for a book study, one that forces me to read older books. Sooo. With that context, I was not expecting to like this book at all.
Buuuttt. While this book did rip my heart apart and shred it into a million bits, then proceed to stomp on it quite cheerfully, I actually didn't hate it! ...more
REMEMBER ME GONE is a tale about a girl who can return memories, her father who can take them, and the truths that threaten to destroy her world ... sREMEMBER ME GONE is a tale about a girl who can return memories, her father who can take them, and the truths that threaten to destroy her world ... set in the dry, vivid state of Texas.
I must say: if you love the blurb, you'll probably love this book. The writing style carries all the fast-paced, heart-racing impact of the blurb. And while I was daunted by its sheer length, the story itself was so intriguing that I actually didn't mind. In fact, I wanted more.
My favorite part about this book was the deep and thought-provoking questions it explored. How do memories define us? What are the consequences of choosing to bury bad memories, in pursuit of being a happier and more fulfilled person? What happens when memories are stolen?
While there were parts I didn't exactly prefer—the "new" romance between Lucy and Marco was stilted and came across as insta-love, the writing style seemed a bit fast, and some of the characters could've been better developed—in all, I'd say the good in this novel outweighed the bad. The only thing that made me hesitate to recommend this book on Quill of Hope is the unnecessary profanity. There was quite a bit of it, too, as well as underage drinking. However, I did enjoy this read because I felt the good/thought-provoking content outweighed the bad.
So overall, while I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to everyone, REMEMBER ME GONE is a beautiful and thought-provoking thriller with a gritty setting and interesting family dynamics....more
A helpful, short read on the importance of prayer. I really appreciated how the author backed up every point with scripture. The summaries at the end A helpful, short read on the importance of prayer. I really appreciated how the author backed up every point with scripture. The summaries at the end of each chapter are definitely helpful to anyone looking to implement their own one-hour prayer schedule.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a better understanding of the different types of prayer displayed in scripture, and how to implement it in their own lives.
*Disclaimer: I received a free ARC copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.*...more
I feel bad for not rating this higher, especially because the aesthetic was lovely and the story was completely clean (which is rare for an adult bookI feel bad for not rating this higher, especially because the aesthetic was lovely and the story was completely clean (which is rare for an adult book), but I did struggle to relate to the characters and felt they weren't as deeply developed beyond their own grief.
However, I really enjoyed the imagery and the themes of darkness vs. light, and maybe I'll be able to better connect to the characters when I do a re-read....more
A sweet story written in verse, exploring a very real conversation with young children in a classroom setting. It was a short read, as I finished it iA sweet story written in verse, exploring a very real conversation with young children in a classroom setting. It was a short read, as I finished it in one sitting. :) ...more
Seeped in a magical setting, beauty, and HOPE, SET THE STARS ALIGHT swiftly climbed my "favorite historical fiction reads" list and made it to the verSeeped in a magical setting, beauty, and HOPE, SET THE STARS ALIGHT swiftly climbed my "favorite historical fiction reads" list and made it to the very top.
This book is SO GORGEOUS. Imagine the aesthetic of ANNE'S HOUSE OF DREAMS in a historical + contemporary (dual POV) setting, combined with beautiful prose.
In my mind, that equals perfection.
It's the type of book that reminds me of HOME. Of hope, finding all things lost, and discovering soul-friends in seaside towns. With a bit of Earl Gray thrown into the mix.
Okay. My fangirling aside, the only way to arrange my thoughts is in a comprehensive list. So here we go. ;)
- The characters. Okay. DASH. He and Lucy's relationship was so priceless, in a way that they teased and joked with each other like siblings, but he was also so caring and sweet and thoughtful. The other characters were also extremely relatable and lifelike—from Sophie to Juliette. They all seemed so REAL—something that I feel is really hard to nail in fiction.
- The writing style. It was purely gorgeous, just like Amanda Dykes' novels always are. 'Nuff said.
- I love how the author wove the setting into the story in a natural but still compelling way. I felt like I was right THERE with the characters, in the caves and Lucy's house in the hill. But at the same time, the descriptions weren't laborious or boring—instead, they were delicate and deliberately placed.
- The pain. I have no idea how Dykes manages to weave such emotion into her stories, but they always shine through. I HURT right along with Frederick. I could feel his need to make up in some way to Juliette and Elias. I could feel his guilt and pain.
- The themes. This story combines a gorgeous starry aesthetic with meaningful, heartfelt themes of hope, love, and sacrifice, all dealt with in a Biblical way. While there was Christianity mentioned in this book, it didn't come across as preachy.
Overall, if you're a fan of soulful stories like me, I cannot recommend this one enough. READ IT. You won't regret it. ...more
While this isn't exactly my type of novel simply because of the length and the fact that I don't read much romance, I thoroughly enjoyed the deep themWhile this isn't exactly my type of novel simply because of the length and the fact that I don't read much romance, I thoroughly enjoyed the deep themes that Dykes dealt with in this book. There is so much rich depth to this story that remains with me long after I finished the last page....more
Still just as poignant and beautiful as the first time reading! Despite not being a big romance person, I hardcore ship Ivy an Re-read; November 2023
Still just as poignant and beautiful as the first time reading! Despite not being a big romance person, I hardcore ship Ivy and Jordy and am constantly in awe of the way Kell portrays the nuances of relationships with realism and authenticity.
Original Review; December 2021
I read this book weeks ago, and yet I still haven't forgotten it. Put simply, it's that amazing, and it deserves every single shining star. Seriously.
Somehow, Kell manages to weave a story full of such heart and depth that every character and situation you come across in this story feels so real. From Ivy's struggles with her faith, the prejudice against Ena, and Jordy's temptation, I related to each one of these characters' internal turmoil, and the lessons they learned resonated deep within me. Somehow, Kell manages to write these characters so well, they feel like LIVING SOULS dealing with the messy brokenness of the world.
GUYS. It's really these type of books the world needs, the ones that you don't just walk away from thinking "this is a good story" but that actually leave us with a seed of an idea, a piece of heart that will remain with us for a lifetime.
Also, can I just say that the romance is so good?? Like, I can't even. There were times where the actions of both characters left me shaking my head and thinking that, as Kell puts it, these really are "two fools falling in love" haha, but I love how it was based on something deeper than just attraction. And it took a while � the first half of the story was a bit slow � but now that I think about it, that was actually for the best because it showed how most of the story focused on Ivy and Jordy's journeys of faith, rather than the romance. There was so much growth happening for the two of them, and it was wonderful to see.
Kell's distinct writing style comes through strong in this novel � with all its wittiness and spice with a touch of humor. Going into this book, I was minorly afraid that Ivy's POV would change that, but while the tone was slightly different than it was in AHF and Alice's POV, it struck a perfect balance of consistency and newness, and I loved it.
There's a lot more I could say about this book, but instead, I'll just say: READ THIS. It doesn't matter whether regency romance isn't your thing � it definitely wasn't and isn't mine � but there are so many amazing things about this story, I was utterly blown away.
CONTENT WARNINGS: a few not-described kisses, alcohol consumption, suicidal thoughts, mentions of temptation
I received a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ...more
Okay, confession time. I read this book purely because of the gorgeous cover.
(Not exactly true, though. I also read it because I love fairytale retelOkay, confession time. I read this book purely because of the gorgeous cover.
(Not exactly true, though. I also read it because I love fairytale retellings. Don't tell anyone, though. I'm supposed to be that girl who never touches fantasy with a 64-foot pole. ...more
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