When I picked this title up on sale from Bookoutlet.ca, I was mainly attracted to the beautiful cover art and the idea of a cute and funny ghost story. I'm not sure what I expected from a book with a phrase like 'Rest in Popularity' on the cover, but this book definitely surprised me with it's take on how the system of life, death, and the afterlife might work. Because it's a middle grade sort of book, it didn't take long to read, and having read it, I don't regret picking it up. But if you're looking for anything more than a little humor and a cute take on a serious topic, this might not be the book for you. Let's discuss further the thoughts and opinions I have regarding the Tonya Hurley novel, Ghostgirl.
The first thing I noticed was that this book wasn't particularly well written, which some people might put down to the age group this book was aimed at, but I'd have to disagree with that. There are some extremely well written books that were meant for teens and children upon their release, such as Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, so that isn't a good reason in my books. And even though this book is clearly not meant to take itself too seriously, I would have liked to see characters with more dimension, and a plot with more emotion attached to it, than what we got in this book. One thing that was redeeming about this read was the author's take on what happens in the afterlife, which I found to be quite interesting. It was fun exploring the idea that someone who dies in high school has to stay in high school until they complete their unfinished business. It was very Casper the Friendly ghost, and I appreciated that aspect entirely, as a fan of Casper and ghost stories in general. However, I do think that it would have been a more effective story had the rest of the book; the characters, story line, relationships; been as developed as the world building seemed to be. After I decided to overlook the fact that this book was written in a somewhat underwhelming fashion, I was able to see a lot more of the good things that this story had to offer. For example, there was some excellent dark humor, which I found to be quite amusing. I hardly ever laugh out loud at something I am reading, but this book had me chuckling along with it quite nicely. One thing I'd like to point out is that the humor, while obviously dark, edges on young adult, so keep that in mind. A few of the jokes definitely struck me as being aimed at a more mature audience, and so make sure that your child is mature before you hand them this book. Otherwise, I thought the humor was one of the best parts of this novel, and I'd pick up the next one just to see if there were any more good jokes inside. At the end of the day, this book was only okay, and it didn't leave a lasting impression on my emotions or my memory. It was a fun and quick read that cleansed my palette and prepared me for my next emotionally tumultuous read, so I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in a comedic bit of fluff between their serious literary excursions. Storytelling: 3/10 Characters: 5/10 Themes: 6/10 Entertainment: 4/10 Overall: 4.5/10 Thanks for reading, blog lovers, and don't forget to leave a comment and share this article with a book loving friend. Read on! Tru~xoxoxo
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Writer’s Gym has helped me in so many ways and I am grateful to have picked it up. This review is intended to share the benefits I have discovered, in hopes that maybe it can be helpful for you as well. The best thing about this book is that there are articles throughout where real writers share their experiences and lessons. They are invaluable and fascinating pieces of work. To get insight into another writer’s creative process is especially useful when they’re sharing it specifically to teach you how to get better. At the end of the articles there are exercises that are meant to help you become more skilled in your craft. This book has exercises that are useful for writers at any level. Whether you've been writing for months or years, there are projects and tips that will be useful for you. I’ve done a number of the training exercises that occur inside this book and I have found that my writing has improved. Also I have also found that these exercises serve as fun project warm ups. Sometimes before I begin writing I feel a little stiff, like I need to get my creative mind juiced up before I start into the meat of what I’m working on. Having a book like this which I can flip through to find a warm up exercise has improved my creative process and allowed me to become more efficient and more effective when writing. I highly recommend this book to any writer who sits down at their keyboard feeling like they need to get their juices flowing before they write. Another great quality of this book is the recommended reading at the end of each chapter. The books that are listed inside are not only informative and useful, but genuinely entertaining and important. I am the kind of person who loves to have books I can read to become more knowledgeable and more skilled. Inside Writer’s Gym, there are many different suggested titles that are helpful and insightful for the aspiring or experienced writer. It’s awesome to have a book like this nearby when I am looking for my next informational purchase. Also it builds trust in the writer knowing that she lists other reputable titles that I might be interested in. At the end of the day, I feel this is a companion book that I will be turning to indefinitely. I can see myself going back to these exercises and articles time and again, no matter how much experience I eventually acquire. When you’re an artist, there’s no end to the journey to become better at your craft. Having a piece of literature like this beside you is an incredible resource which can inspire you and help you become the best you can be. I give this book 10 out of 10, because I don’t see myself ever truly putting it down. If you’re like me and you desire to become a better writer, I highly recommend this writer’s companion as your next purchase. Cinder By: Marissa MeyerSynopsis: "Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future." This best seller was on my TBR list for way too long before I picked it up a couple of months ago. As soon as I saw this title pass through my GoodReads recommendations, I knew I needed to read it, as the synopsis alone has my name written all over it.
Cinderella is of course the main story arc that this book imitates, and although the similar themes and characters are obvious to anyone who is familiar with said fairy tale, this book definitely takes that story and shapes it into something unique in itself. I have never read anything quite like this imaginative tale before, and even previous to finishing this first installment of the series, I knew this book was going to be a new favorite. If you love fairy tales, magic, mystery, sci-fi, romance and fast paced development, this is definitely a book I would recommend for you. The book starts off by dropping you in the middle of a futuristic New Beijing, and right from the get-go you're pulled into an intriguing universe and enchanted completely by the rich characters and layered storytelling. I wasn't sure how good the writing in this novel was going to be, since this is Marissa Meyers debut work, however I was pleasantly surprised by her talent and I can't wait to read the rest of the series. This novel garnered an overall rating of 9.5 from me, and that is definitely a rave review. I am not the kind of person who normally reads books over again - I like to read things once and move on - however I could actually see myself reading this book again, which seems to me like a bit of magic all on it's own. Storytelling: 10/10 Characters: 9/10 Themes: 9/10 Entertainment: 10/10 Overall: 9.5/10 My final thoughts - would buy again - this is a sci-fantasy lover's dream that will keep you immersed in thought about the story long after you've closed the book. Happy reading! Tru~ Synopsis:
“Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories—they're dangerous! Full of unexpected twists and turns, Artemis Fowl is a riveting, magical adventure.” When I first added this book to my library, I wasn’t sure what to expect from it. As far as I knew it was a work of children’s fiction which many people had read and talked about, but no one seemed all that crazy over these days. Finally, after some deliberation, I decided to pick this book up and read it, since it had been sitting on my TBR shelf for months. Trying to go into it with an open mind and no expectations was the way I decided to go about it. In the end, I was extremely pleasantly surprised with what I found inside this little gem, so here I am reviewing this story, which has quickly become a favorite of mine. My favorite part about this book is that it appeals to so many age groups. Everything about it seems to want to reach out to as many different kinds of readers as possible. First you have the combination of fantasy mixed with modern day, which is a type of genre crossover that I think a lot of different readers can appreciate. Then you have your incredibly young anti-hero, who can be said to be both the protagonist and antagonist of his own story. You’re introduced to a unique family setting, which can appeal to people who have non-traditional families themselves. And these qualities, combined with excellent writing and story development, laid the ground work for this book to become one of the most memorable reads of the month of March for me. The best part of this book for me was Eoin’s ability to add a fantasy element to his world, which is supposed to be just like reality, without having me suspend my disbelief all that much. The magical occurrences are well explained, without being overly complex, which makes this book easy for children of all ages, as well as adults, to enjoy thoroughly. Another excellent element added by Colfer was the little innuendos that made this book really enjoyable for a young adult reader like me. Every once in a while Eoin would add a little joke or detail that it was obviously placed there for the enjoyment of an older reader. That was something I was quite appreciative of and it made me think about what a great book this would be to read with your kid. Despite this being a book that is clearly directed toward younger readers, there are so many mature elements, and it is such a rich tale of intrigue and good vs evil, that I land firmly on the side of this being a story for all ages. In the end, I gave this story a 5 star rating on Goodreads, and I am really looking forward to reading the next installment. If you have been looking for a lighthearted read that can tickle your adult side while also speaking to the kid in you, I highly recommend Artemis Fowl #1 as the next story you pick up. Read on Readers! ~ TruBeauty |
What?Blog posts, articles, reviews, lists and more. When?
July 2019
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