So before you go into reading this review, I just want to point out that there are two sections: the main review, and then at the end, there’s an updaSo before you go into reading this review, I just want to point out that there are two sections: the main review, and then at the end, there’s an update. I read this poetry collection for the first time in January 2019 and my feelings about it were ‘so so’. I read it for a second time in November 2020 and found it a little bit more enjoyable to read. The ‘update’ section at the end of the review are my thoughts after reading it for a second time!
She Must be Mad explores coming-of-age: the pain and beauty of love, the relief and the agony of turning from girl to woman, the isolation of an untethered mind and the power and subjugation of the body.
Charly captures the formative experiences of today’s young women from the poignant to the prosaic in writing that is at once witty, wry and heartfelt. Wayward nights out that don’t go as planned; the righteous anger at those men with no talent or skill or smarts who occupy the most powerful positions in the world; the strange banality of madness and, of course, the hurt and indecision of unrequited love.
For every woman surviving and thriving in today’s world, for every girl who feels too much; this is a call for communion, and you are not alone.
Honestly? I don’t know why I do this to myself. After reading the Women are Some Kind of Magic collection by Amanda Lovelace, I realised that contemporary poetry isn’t for me. I mean, yeah, I can relate to the poems on an emotional level, but the poems themselves never really grasped me. The same goes for She Must Be Mad.
I admire Charly Cox and her talent for putting her feelings onto paper, to showing the world these raw feelings. but when I finished reading the poetry collection, I just felt… ‘meh.’ There is a mix of prose and poems, detailing different events of life, and different feelings that women (or people in general) can go through and feel, and don’t get me wrong, some of the poems such as ‘All I Wanted Was Some Toast’, and ‘Kindness’ are ones that I really felt, and really relate to.
“Find the contented without the contention of giving away half of yourself And see that letting go isn’t giving in…” – Charly Cox, She Must Be Mad: Mesh of Kisses
There are four sections to this collection: love, mind, body, and age. I think I related to the ‘mind’ section more than anything else because Cox spoke of depression and anxiety, which are two things that I go through personally daily. I felt myself nodding along to what I was reading and agreeing with what she was saying. Sometimes, you just need other people to put into words what you’re feeling, I guess.
I think the main reason why this book is rated 3 stars and not any higher is because the rhyming sometimes seemed quite messy, and forced, which then took away from what would be a positive reading experience. I also that the prose style of writing didn’t really add anything to the collection, and that Cox should have just kept to the poetry style of writing.
“And now all I want Is for the history before us To erase in diluted drops…” – Charly Cox, She Must Be Mad: Doubletree by Hilton
After I had finished reading this collection, I looked at some other reviews on Goodreads, and many people had said that they thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook version and maybe that was my problem,? Maybe I should have listened to this instead.
UPDATE: Okay, so it’s November 2020 and I’m turning 25 in two days. I don’t know what made me do this, but I was looking over all of the poetry books that I had, just wanting to find something that I could connect to. I saw my copy of She Must Be Mad – remembered I hadn’t been a fan – and picked it up, sifting through the pages looking for a poem that would attract my attention. I got annoyed at myself for not taking the time to read it properly, so I turned to the beginning of the poetry collection and started reading it. Slowly. With a purpose. And I noticed that I could relate to a lot more poems (albeit still in the mind, body, and age sections, not so much the love section).
“you care so deeply that when you are full you feel you have no choice but to spit everything out. To excel in purging all that you are and all that you hate …” – Charly Cox, She Must Be Mad: Hospital Visits
I don’t know whether this experience came with the fact that I was nearly two years older than when I first read it, or whether I was just in a better mind space. Either way, instead of giving this book 3 stars, I’ve decided to up the rating to 3.75.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review...more
I had seen quite a lot of BookTubers talk about this book prior to its release, and the one thing that really captured my attention about this book waI had seen quite a lot of BookTubers talk about this book prior to its release, and the one thing that really captured my attention about this book was the cover. It has such beautiful gold foiling that shines and it's just gorgeous. The only problem for me was that I went into this book with low expectations. I don't really read a lot of historical fiction because of the connotations that are attached the genre (boring, long-winded...), but I think it's safe to say that I was positively surprised.
Growing up in her sleepy Cornish village dreaming of being a writer, sixteen-year-old Lou has always wondered about the grand Cardew house which has stood empty for years. And when the owners arrive for the summer - a handsome, dashing brother and sister - Lou is quite swept off her feet and into a world of moonlit cocktail parties and glamour beyond her wildest dreams.
But, as she grows closer to the Cardews, is she abandoning her own ambitions... And is there something darker lurking at the heart of the Cardew family?
As aforementioned, I went into this book thinking that I wasn't going to enjoy it. Historical fiction isn't my cup of tea, but since I had heard so many people saying good things about it, I decided that I would take the chance and read it. I was actually lucky enough to be sent an unsolicited copy from Scholastic, so thank you so much to them for sending me a copy to review.
“I found the Cardew House, a house full of shadows, and I knew, with a huge sense of relief, that I belonged there.”
- Laura Wood, A Sky Painted Gold
The premise of this book is pretty straightforward: a farm girl meets a bunch of upper-class people and ends up partying her summer away with them whilst also getting to know them for who they really are. And yes, it was straightforward, but it was so bloody entertaining. I read pretty much the whole book with a goofy smile on my face because I loved the characters and their relationships with each other, I loved the romance, I loved the banter, I loved the friendships... Everything about the characters was so well done. A Sky Painted Gold is written in the 1st person from Lou's perspective as she navigates her way through young adult life. Just as a side note, Lou has her 18th birthday at the end, and it made me feel so old... I wish I was still 18... Oh well.
I loved seeing the different family dynamics in this book as well. We see the family dynamic of Lou with her parents and her brothers and sisters (I loved her relationship with Alice), and then we also see the dynamic with the Cardew family and how their family is wrapped in secrets, but on the other hand, Lou's family is so open about everything.
"Candles in glass jars dot the lawn and hang from the trees, flaming torches have been dug into the ground, and a hazy, romantic glow hovers over the scene in front of me."
- Laura Wood, A Sky Painted Gold
I knew from the very first moment that Lou had a conversation with Robert that I would ship them. The banter between the two of them was amazing, and I thought that they had so much chemistry! Alas, he was already taken *sobs*. But still, every time they were together, they completely stole the show and took over the whole novel with their friendship, and I loved reading about it. The thing with Robert is that he is portrayed as an upper-class snob in all of the tabloids, but when Lou meets him, she realises how much pressure he is under to keep the family together, took look after his sister, and she realises that he's actually a genuine, down-to-Earth guy who just wants to live his life. I think I may have fallen in love with him myself... Oops.
One of the other things that I absolutely loved about this book was the female friendships. Caitlin and Lou were such amazing friends, and even though Caitlin was hiding a lot about her self from Lou, they were both still there for each other throughout the good and the bad. Outside of their friendship were other women such as Laurie and Elodie who would also be there for the other girls. There was no name-calling, not bitching... Just honest, and positive female friendships which YA definitely needs more of.
"There are dozens of people gathered on the lawn. Moonlight strikes the rippling water beyond, and the sky is simply bursting with stars, like great handfuls of silver sequins scattered on a swathe of black silk."
- Laura Wood, A Sky Painted Gold
Overall, this was such an enjoyable book, and I'm really glad that I took upon Scholastics offer to read it. It DID take me a quite a while to read (I started reading it in July, and finished it beginning of August), but that's just because I have had so much life stuff going on that I've hardly had the time to read or DO anything! For more information on this, read my July wrap up, and also my August wrap up.
But ANYWAY, I thoroughly urge everyone to read this book if you are looking for a cute, quick contemporary read, that also discusses the darker themes of death in the family and the racism of the 1920's. What a beautiful, beautiful book...
Trigger warnings: suicide, death in the family, racism, the use of the word 'gipsy' as a slur, alcoholism
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review...more
I'm kind of getting into the groove of reading poetry lately... Maybe it's because there's a lot of it being published that's aimed at teenagers and yI'm kind of getting into the groove of reading poetry lately... Maybe it's because there's a lot of it being published that's aimed at teenagers and young adults, maybe it's because I fancy something a little bit different. I don't know. Nevertheless, I was intrigued by this poet that had come by way - R.H Sin. Apparently, he is a very well known poet with many fans saying how his contemporary poetry is magical. I was eager to see if I agreed.
There are moments when the heart no longer wishes to feel because everything it's felt up until then has brought it nothing but anguish. In She Felt Like Feeling Nothing, r.h. Sin pursues themes of self-discovery and retrospection. With this book, the poet intends to create a safe space where women can rest their weary hearts and focus on themselves.
She Felt Like Feeling Nothing is written in the same category and style of Lang Leav and Amanda Lovelace - contemporary poetry talking about love, loss, abuse and finding yourself whilst journeying through life. People have said that this type of poetry is 'Tumblr spacing' poetry and whilst some people love it, and some people hate it, I'm not quite sure where I fit in on the scale. I don't love it... I don't hate it... I think it's ok. It's not my favourite style of poetry, I like poetry that sounds more musical, more classic. Not something that reads like a normal sentence. I like rhymes and structure.
“she realized that wanting him meant losing herself she realized that she couldn't save her own soul because her hands were too busy holding the hand of someone who no longer deserved her energy”
― R.H. Sin, She Felt Like Feeling Nothing
The structure of She Felt Like Feeling Nothing is pretty straightforward, with simple writing, not punctuation and just line breaks. As with other poets like Leav and Lovelace, there are aspects in Sin's collection that will be triggering for some individuals. Sin's writing is raw and brutally honest, not shying away from the emotional turmoil of abusive relationships.
Don't get me wrong, the poems within this collection were heartfelt, and I did actually tab quite a lot because there were loads that I could relate to, but this type of poetry doesn't intellectually stimulate me. They make feel emotional, sure... Because I've been through a lot of what contemporary poets are writing about, but I like more of a classic style of poetry. I can definitely appreciate how much work and effort and emotion go into writing a collection like this, but unfortunately, this style of writing just isn't for me.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review...more
I had heard so many good things about this book, and I kept seeing it on the buy one get one half price section of Waterstones. So when I saw it on NeI had heard so many good things about this book, and I kept seeing it on the buy one get one half price section of Waterstones. So when I saw it on Netgalley, I instantly requested it and luckily, I was sent it! As soon as I had downloaded it, I started reading it straight away and it took me three hours to read - in one sitting.
Jade believes she must get out of her poor neighborhood if she's ever going to succeed. Her mother tells her to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. And Jade has: every day she rides the bus away from her friends and to the private school where she feels like an outsider, but where she has plenty of opportunities. But some opportunities she doesn't really welcome, like an invitation to join Women to Women, a mentorship program for "at-risk" girls.
Just because her mentor is black and graduated from the same high school doesn't mean she understands where Jade is coming from. She's tired of being singled out as someone who needs help, someone people want to fix. Jade wants to speak, to create, to express her joys and sorrows, her pain and her hope. Maybe there are some things she could show other women about understanding the world and finding ways to be real, to make a difference.
This is 100% a 5 out of 5 star book. Everything was just absolutely perfect apart from one small thing: the beginning was quite slow. However, after the first few chapters, we become really involved in Jade's life and the struggles that she has to go through on a daily basis: it was the story of a black teen girl, who's also an artist and also just trying to find her place in the world and be proud of who she is. It's about her LIFE.
One of the things that I loved about this book was that Jade was an artist who specialised in creating gorgeous collages. Her goal in life was to travel the world, and in order to do this, her plan was to get a scholarship. She is offered a place in the Women to Women group - much to her chagrin - but she learns to enjoy the group and really make it her own.
Some other things that I loved about this book was that there WAS NO ROMANCE, which was brilliant. I think that's real important to show that you don't NEED to be involved in a romantic relationship to be successful. Instead, there are views of family and friendship, and it was just really, really nice to see a coming of age story without any love interest. There was also some epic mother and daughter relationship scenes where her Mom was helpful, and then not helpful, and the whole relationship could be frustrating. But hey, who said getting along with parents was supposed to be easy?
I don't know what's worse. Being mistreated because of the colour of your skin, your size, or having to prove that it really happened.
- Renée Watson, Piecing Me Together
I also loved Jade's character development and how she learnt to speak up for herself and talk to the Women to Women group about what SHE wanted to learn. Watson also conveyed the fear of society that Jade had to go through every day because she was black, and I really do hope that other black teens read this story and take on the message that they do not belong in the background and their voice really does matter! Another great matter of representation in this book was that Jade describes herself as thick, showing a body-positive character who is comfortable in her own skin.
Watson does an amazing job of creating a character who stands up for herself, who decides not to give up on what she wants in life and who also has great f/f friendships who love and support each other. This book is very much character driven and the developments in which every single character goes through.
If you haven't guessed already, I absolutely loved this book and urge everyone to read it!
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review...more
Last year, I read Emily Williams' debut novel, Letters to Eloise and it became one of my best reads of 2017. She contacted me a couple of weeks ago, aLast year, I read Emily Williams' debut novel, Letters to Eloise and it became one of my best reads of 2017. She contacted me a couple of weeks ago, asking whether I could read her new novel that's coming out on February 14th 2018 and I jumped at the chance. I was so excited that I emailed her back straight away saying 'yes', and as soon as Williams had sent me the book, I started to read...
Rafferty Lincoln doesn't like horses. Not one bit. But when the popular high school girl of his dreams, Liberty Ashburn pulls him into a world of lead ropes and horse brushes, who is he to say no?
Except this isn't any old horse. This is the missing racehorse, Profit's Red Ridge. The horse Rafferty and three of his friends are hiding from the world. And Liberty Ashburn isn’t just any ordinary high school girl. How far will Rafferty go to win her over?
The first thing that I'm going to say about this book is that it's not as good as Letter to Eloise BUT it's still a very very good novel. Rafferty Lincoln Loves... is aimed more at a young adult audience whereas Letters to Eloise was aimed at a more adult audience. However, the one thing that is similar between both novels is that Williams really knows how to punch your gut with emotions. As LTE, this novel really played with emotions when it came to the characters, especially Rafferty and Liberty. At first, I loved them, then I hated them, then loved them again... It was a see-saw of emotions. All of the characters with RLL were deeply flawed which made me connect with them on a huge level. I hate it when YA characters don't have any flaws because c'mon, there is not one single individual on this entire planet that does not have any flaws. Rafferty and Liberty messed up. A LOT. And at times, Rafferty and Lincoln could just be plain horrible with how they treat each other, especially when they start rumours about each other and spread them around the school. I really really hated them for that, but at the end of the day, even though it's horrible to admit, that DOES happen in reality in high school. Which is a shame but Williams knows how to capture the reality of young adulthood in her novels.
I also loved that the underlying storyline of this book was about horses. Now, I'm not a big fan of horses, but I can appreciate them and it was a different plot to read about than normal YA novels. Sure, RLL still had the same YA themes running throughout (coming of age, realising who you are as a person, working through personal troubles), but no matter how little or well the characters got on with each other, they always pulled together to look after Minty, the horse.
One of my favourite characters in this book was Dexter. I loved how sweet he was with Minty, I loved how he would always try and sort out any crinkles in the friendship group and be (sometimes) be the mediator in arguments, and I just loved how brave he was. It was so sad to see him go through all of the trouble at high school and my heart just bled for him. He was such an innocent human being that I wanted to give a massive hug and just protect from the cruelty of the world. Alas, that's not possible. Also, it wasn't clearly stated in the novel, but I had the feeling that there were some feelings between Will and Dexter? I don't know if anyone else got this impression, but it was definitely there for me when I read it.
Overall, this was a fantastic second novel from Williams. Even though I had a bit of a hit-and-miss relationship with Rafferty and Liberty, I still enjoyed reading their story. Williams just proves that she is an incredible writer that can seam together different characters lives and teenage problems brilliantly. Her writing keeps improving and I cannot wait to read more of her work!
If you love YA, then you NEED to give Raffety Lincoln Loves... a read!...more
the witch doesn't burn in this one is Amanda Lovelace's second and highly anticipated poetry collection in her 'women are some kind of magic' series. the witch doesn't burn in this one is Amanda Lovelace's second and highly anticipated poetry collection in her 'women are some kind of magic' series. Carrying on in true Lovelace fashion, the witch doesn't burn in this one explores women's rights, and how they are oppressed within society.
The witch: supernaturally powerful, inscrutably independent, and now—indestructible. These moving, relatable poems encourage resilience and embolden women to take control of their own stories. Enemies try to judge, oppress, and marginalize her, but the witch doesn’t burn in this one.
the witch doesn't burn - in my opinion - is way better than the princess saves herself in this one. TWDBITO explores the ancestry of women and focuses more on a woman's relationship with herself rather than physical or emotional abuse that she may have suffered. I am in no way saying that Lovelace talking about physical and emotional abuse is boring/rubbish, because it isn't, it's just that I can relate to TWDBITO more than the princess.
Whilst I was reading this poetry collection, I bookmarked so many poems that really captured my heart. By that I mean the poems that I could really relate to, not in a broad sense because that would have been nearly every single one, but the poems that seemed like they came right out of my autobiography. And there was a lot! I wish that I could share with you all of the poems that I loved, but in order to do that, you should just go out and buy the collection, otherwise, I would be writing down nearly every single poem in this blog post. But I've picked out a couple for you that really sum up what this poetry collection is like:
over the span
of centuries
animals evolve to
survive their surroundings,
so
what happens
when women
finally
learn
to
throw
back?
(this.)
(this.)
(this.)
(this.)
and then there's this one, which I absolutely love...
women
learn
to sense
what who
danger
looks like
just
by catching
another
woman's eye
from across
a crowded
room.
- survival
I have heard (and read) a lot of debate surrounding this type of poetry, with people calling it 'Tumblr spacing' and saying that anyone could do it and get published. My answer? Do it then. Try and see how easy it is to put your deepest and darkest secrets down onto paper and turn them into fluid yet snappy poetry that people across the world can relate to. It's hard. And anyway, what is the definition of poetry? It doesn't have to rhyme or look a certain way or talk about a certain subject. Poetry can be/look/sound anything that you want it to be and modern poets have done exactly that; Amanda included.
I think the whole reasoning behind why I thought the second collection was better than the first is because it focused on women empowering themselves through joining together, like the women's marches. I loved that Lovelace included politics in her poetry and it was nice to see recent problems being included. It meant that I could really relate to the poetry and 100% understand what Lovelace was on about because she was using contemporary examples.
I can't wait for the third poetry collection to come out, and the title of the third on is the mermaid doesn't lose her voice in this one. I can't wait to see what else Lovelace has to offer.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review...more
Like The Northern Lights and The Subtle Knife, I listened to The Amber Spyglass on audiobook where Philip Pullman narrates his own books alongside a fLike The Northern Lights and The Subtle Knife, I listened to The Amber Spyglass on audiobook where Philip Pullman narrates his own books alongside a full cast. If you're going to listen to anything on audiobook, I definitely recommend this trilogy because of how well it's narrated, maybe not due to how good the book is though...
Will is the bearer of the knife. Now, accompanied by angels, his task is to deliver that powerful, dangerous weapon to Lord Asriel - by the command of his dying father.
But how can he go looking for Lord Asriel when Lyra is gone? Only with her help can he fathom the myriad plots and intrigues that beset him.
The two great powers of the many worlds are lining up for war, and Will must find Lyra, for together they are on their way to battle, an inevitable journey that will even take them to the world of the dead...
“People are too complicated to have simple labels.”
― Philip Pullman, The Amber Spyglass
This was... an okay(?) finale. I don't know... When I finished it, I felt a sense of relief because I had listened to about 16 hours of the audiobook (not in one sitting) and I was glad to be able to move on to something else. I reflected on what I had read and there were a few things that I really did enjoy about the book. I really liked the multiple perspectives s so that we could find out what was going on in the different worlds whilst Lyra and Will went on their quest. I also started to like Will's character ever-so-slightly. When the book had finished, I still didn't completely like him, but I guess it was a start. It was so much better than the other two book, there was more detail, but less rambling which was brilliant because the previous two books had a lot of waffle and sometimes, I just got bored. Not in this one though!
I just had so many problems with it. Which is a huuuuggge shame because The Amber Spyglass is most people's favourite book out of the trilogy. It's definitely not mine, mine is The Northern Lights. Let me just share my list of problems with you:
1) This book was way too long. About 100/150 of the pages weren't needed so a lot of waffle could have been cut out.
2) I HATE HOW LYRA NOW FULLY LEANS ON WILL! uggghhhhh. In the first book, she was this independent child who did what she wanted, when she wanted and she answered to no one but herself. She leads a number of adults to go and rescue children, she spoke to an armoured bear... ALL BY HERSELF. But then WIll comes along and ruins everything and now Lyra is all like 'Help me, Will', 'Oh, Will...' and 'Oh, Will! Whatever shall we do?'. NO. GIVE ME LYRA BACK FROM THE FIRST BOOK.
3) Why do all of the villains get forgiven? Hello, yeah excuse me but Miss Coulter was an amazing villain, she was just brilliant. But now, she suddenly loves Lyra and would do anything for her, and then she gets redemption for being evil? Ummm, no. I want bad guys til the very end. Same with Lord Asriel. He was a non-loving, stupid, horrible father and overall human being who was given redemption. Nope.
4) The ending was just awful. That's all I'm going to say about that.
5) The explanation of dust was stupid.
6) Pullman once described this trilogy as an anti-religious series. I'm sorry but everything about this book screamed religion to me. The redemption of evil, the land of the dead, the afterlife, the all-knowing, the creator... Everything had positive religious connotations.
7) Lyra and Will do the dirty. Aren't they like... 13/14?
8) I think there are more things that I didn't like but my head is way too full and busy to even comprehend them right now.
“I stopped believing there was a power of good and a power of evil that were outside us. And I came to believe that good and evil are names for what people do, not for what they are.”
― Philip Pullman, The Amber Spyglass
Soooooo. Yeah... Those are my problems. To be honest, the series went downhill after the first book. The first one was my favourite and then The Subtle Knife was ok and then this one?!! Just. No. I am planning on reading The Book of Dust just because it's about Lyra before she went to Jordan College, so THERE'S NO WILL! WHOOOOOOO! Which means that we'll hopefully get more of Lyra being her independent self and not relying on stupid Will to do everything.
Sorry for the ranty, bullet points. There was just a lot about this book that I had to get off of my chest. If you enjoyed The Amber Spyglass, then I'm jealous. I really wish that I did, but there were just too many factors that I had a problem with. But at least I've read the series now and I can say that I've read it, and it just wasn't for me....more
As I did for The Northern Lights, I listened to The Subtle Knife on audiobook. I binge-read this trilogy; I just couldn't get enough of the charactersAs I did for The Northern Lights, I listened to The Subtle Knife on audiobook. I binge-read this trilogy; I just couldn't get enough of the characters and the story and I was constantly on the edge of my seat.
Lost in a new world, Lyra finds Will—a boy on the run, a murderer—a worthy and welcome ally. For this is a world where soul-eating Specters stalk the streets and witches share the skies with troops of angels.
Each is searching—Lyra for the meaning of Dark Matter, Will for his missing father—but what they find instead is a deadly secret, a knife of untold power. And neither Lyra nor Will suspects how tightly their lives, their loves, and their destinies are bound together... until they are split apart.
I didn't like Will. There, I said it. Please don't hate me. I don't know whether it was the voice actor of the character or the actual character in itself, but I just found him obnoxious and arrogant. In The Northern Lights, Lyra did everything by herself and was strong-willed and independent, and then, in The Subtle Knife, she meets Will and then starts relying on him. She lets Will do things for her and I just couldn't deal with it at times. Where was the strong, independent young girl that was a role model for young female readers? We were left with a girl who relied upon a boy. And part of my soul just died.
The Subtle Knife definitely suffered from second-book-syndrome. It seemed like a filler book; a bridge between the first and third. I mean, the idea of the knife was amazing (a knife that can cut between worlds? Count me in) but there just seemed to be a lot of running and not much story going on.
“The sight filled the northern sky; the immensity of it was scarcely conceivable. As if from Heaven itself, great curtains of delicate light hung and trembled. Pale green and rose-pink, and as transparent as the most fragile fabric, and at the bottom edge a profound and fiery crimson like the fires of Hell, they swung and shimmered loosely with more grace than the most skillful dancer.”
― Philip Pullman, The Subtle Knife
What I did like about this book was that it sometimes moved away from Lyra and Will's adventure and concentrated on the side-characters and what they were doing back in Lyra's world. Was it necessary to the overall story? I didn't think so at the time but in reflection, I definitely think it was necessary. It showed you the build-up to the third book, it portrayed the political tension - a behind-the-scenes if you will.
This book builds upon the religious themes of the first book and talks about the goal of 'killing God'. I can imagine this whole trilogy being opposed back when it was first released due to this anti-church point of views and at times, I found this back story very interesting. But then at other times, it seemed a bit too much. I mean, c'mon! It's supposed to be a middle-grade trilogy. I cannot imagine a middle-grade individual reading this trilogy and understanding the themes of this series and the underlying messages being sent (I know that this is a massive generalisation of middle-grade children, but you get my drift).
Overall, this book was okay. Like I said before, it was a filler book and definitely suffered from second-book-syndrome. I've already started listening to The Amber Spyglass, but I'm only fifteen minutes into it so I haven't formed an opinion on it yet! Just keep your eyes peeled for a review on the final book, which should be up in the next couple of weeks (hopefully!)...more
I first read this book when I was about twelve and I just couldn't get into it. It wasn't the type of book that I liked to read and I remember the sizI first read this book when I was about twelve and I just couldn't get into it. It wasn't the type of book that I liked to read and I remember the size of the book just made reading it so much harder. But I finished it and never even thought about reading the next two. But ten years later, and I found myself returning to the world of Lyra, polar bears, daemons and witches. This time, I listened to it on audiobook (which is also narrated by Philip Pullman), and I found myself engrossed.
Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford's Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe.
He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems. Lyra sets out for the top of the world in search of her kidnapped playmate, Roger, bearing a rare truth-telling instrument, the alethiometer.
All around her children are disappearing—victims of so-called "Gobblers"—and being used as subjects in terrible experiments that separate humans from their daemons, creatures that reflect each person's inner being. And somehow, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are involved.
21-years-old and I've finally read this classic middle-grade novel. And to be honest, I can completely understand why my 12-year-old self didn't understand what was going on. The whole book is basically a metaphor for God. It has a lot to do with religion (but it's not thrown in your face, it's just in the background and a running theme throughout), there's a lot of philosophical questions and theories being thrown about, and there's also way too many long and boring conversations. Obviously, being 21, I can understand these themes and conversations a lot easier than ten years ago but that didn't stop those long, boring conversations being long and boring. There are plenty of times where unnecessary conversations were taking place and I feel like they could have been cut out to make the book shorter, which also means that it would be making it more accessible for the younger audience.
“You cannot change what you are, only what you do.”
- Philip Pullman, Northern Lights
However, I did love all of the characters, especially Lyra. She was such a fierce young girl who wouldn't let anything stand in her way of her quest, and I also admired that she did get emotional and cry when things were going wrong and getting too much for her. This emotion added so many layers to her character because I'm tired of reading about female protagonists who are strong and warrior-like and badass, who show no emotion and think it's weak to cry. That is not sending a positive message to the young boys and girls out there reading those types of stories. So having a 12-year-old protagonist that is brave, daring, yet loving at the same and also cries and isn't ashamed of it is refreshing.
I also loved the character of Iorek Byrnison. I don't even know why. There's just something about his character and the way he looks out for Lyra that I just completely fell in love with. There were loads and loads of character within this book, and sometimes it was hard to keep up with who was who, but you get used to it quite quickly and learn to love them all. Apart from Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter. God, those two characters were just hateful. I really liked Lord Asriel at first, but as the book went on, the hate started to seep in and by the end of the book, I loathed him. Marisa Coulter was just an evil human being from page one.
“Human beings can't see anything without wanting to destroy it."
- Philip Pullman, Northern Lights
The plot itself was very intriguing. I liked the idea of the massive adventure to the North and how there were other plotlines underneath the main one that was woven in subtly to create this elaborate storyline and world. The ending messed me up BIG TIME. I was not ready for anything that happened during the last 50 (ish) pages. So as soon as I finished listening to Northern Lights, I listened to The Subtle Knife. I just had to find out what happened.
There are parts of this book that didn't work well... Which is why this book is 3.5 stars. I didn't like how Lyra spoke to Iorek towards the end of the book. She kept calling him "my love", and "my dear". HE'S A POLAR BEAR. And also... YOU ARE TWELVE! Which 12-year-old calls ANYONE those terms? No one. And don't think any 12-year-olds were calling people that 20 years ago, either. So I have no idea what was up with that.
Also, as aforementioned, there are quite a few rambling parts in this book where there are unneeded conversations between characters and where the science just got a bit boring. Don't get me wrong, I'm really interested in science, but when it goes on for 400-odd pages, it can get a bit much.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book, and the positives definitely outweigh the negatives - which is why I am already halfway through The Amber Spyglass - a week later. I'm glad I re-read this as I have no idea how middle-grade children can read this and fully appreciate it. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong......more
If you read my review of volume one of this series, you will know that whilst I (kinda) enjoyed it, it was too much of a fast-moving storyline with noIf you read my review of volume one of this series, you will know that whilst I (kinda) enjoyed it, it was too much of a fast-moving storyline with no character connection. I was hoping that volume two would flesh out the characters a little bit more, and that we would stop in one time for a little bit longer so that I could get used to the world, rather than moving around really quickly so that I get whiplash.
After surviving the strangest night of their lives in the Cleveland suburb of Stony Stream, intrepid young newspaper deliverers Erin, Mac, and Tiffany find themselves launched from 1988 to a distant and terrifying future... the year 2016.
What would you do if you were suddenly confronted by your 12-year-old self? 40-year-old newspaper reporter Erin Tieng is about to find out in this action-packed story about identity, mortality, and growing older in the 21st century.
Collects PAPER GIRLS #6-#10
I know I was hoping for all of those things, but I didn't get them. I again got LOADS of time travel that happened really quickly, not really that much character development (but we got a little bit so I'll take small wins where I can get them), and there are so many bloody characters that I don't know who are the good and who are the bad guys.
One of the things that I did enjoy about this volume was that we explored TWO Erins. Yes, that's right. Teenage Erin runs into 30-something Erin and it's cool because we get to witness some of the paradoxical things that happen during time travel.
Young Erin doesn't seem impressed with who she grows up to be but it was still nice to see the two of them talking, and there is this amazing moment where young Erin meets her grown up younger sister, and it was just so cute. However, there is a little thing where the older Erin is seen taking some medication by younger Erin, and then younger Erin says something like 'great, I'm going to grow up to be clinically insane'. This is just a paraphrase, not the EXACT wording, but it is something like that. Whilst I didn't really feel that bothered about sentence (and I do suffer with depression, anxiety and OCD, so I can talk about the rep here), I know that some people were bothered by it, so if you suffer with mental illness and want to carry on reading this series, then just be weary of this when going into the second volume.
“The world is a terrifying place, more than I ever realized. But if I had my whole life to do over again, that's literally the only thing I'd change. I'd stop being so afraid of other people.”
― Brian K. Vaughan, Paper Girls, Vol. 2
To be honest, I'm still not THAT attached to the characters. I do feel more attached to Erin, but i think that's because her character is explored more throughout the story, so I'm looking forward to seeing more of the other characters and what their story is.
AND, another brilliant element of this volume is that it's set in 2016 during the presidential elections and there is a sign that says VOTE FOR HILLARY and then the girls start talking about how there might be a woman president and how exciting it is. I wanted to cry for them... No, girls. You do not get a female president, you get a Oompa Loompa instead...
Overall, this was slightly better than the first volume, but I'm still really confused about the whole story and what's happening, I'm confused on which side something of the secondary characters are on and to be honest, I just want a solid storyline for a couple of volumes, not something that jumps around a lot. I know that this is about time travel, but I think that this theme can still be explored whilst STAYING IN THE SAME PLACE FOR A BIT!
I am going to carry on reading the series, because I am intrigued as to what is happening and I do want to learn more about the girls....more
Yes, I'm back reviewing the next volume in the Paper Girls series. If you haven't read my reviews of volume one and two, then definitely check those oYes, I'm back reviewing the next volume in the Paper Girls series. If you haven't read my reviews of volume one and two, then definitely check those out before you read this review, because there may be some small spoilers.
Newspaper deliverers Erin, Mac and Tiffany finally reunite with their long-lost friend KJ in an unexpected new era, where the girls must uncover the secret origins of time travel... or risk never returning home to 1988.
Collects Paper Girls #11 - #15
I just still don't know what the bloody hell is happening... We're on volume 3. Surely Vaughan wants the reader to at least have SOME idea of what is going on. Or does he want us to be lost throughout the whole series? Even though I don't know what's going on, I am still intrigued, but volume 3 springs up even more questions with no answers, and no resolution. There doesn't seem to be an end goal in mind. With many novels/graphic novels/films/tv shows, there is an end goal. Even at the very beginning. The writer always states what the end goal is going to be and then the rest of the story is how the characters get to that end point. What Vaughan has done with Paper Girls is completely throw that idea out of the window. There is no end goal which means that there can't even be a story arc because there's no ending for that arc to get to.
Anyway, you get the idea about why I'm so mad about this series so let's just move on... The stars of this volume are KJ and Mac and we see the two of them go on their own little adventure which is nice because one of the things that I said in my review of volume two was that I wanted Vaughan to explore a couple of different girls and not just concentrate on Erin. Throughout this volume, KJ faces anti-semitism remarks (so trigger warnings for that) and also misogyny (as do all of the girls).
There are so many pop culture references in this volume, IT'S CRAZY! I picked up on Hitchiker's Guide and Stephen King and then Calvin and Hobbes. I know that there were probably loads more, but I wasn't born in the 80s so I have no clue *shrugs* There was also some teenager moments which I really really enjoyed reading. KJ starts her period and talks to Mac about it, and then there is also a scene where KJ sees herself kiss Mac (in the future, I think (?) I don't really know).
I don't really know where this issue sits in my ranking of the volumes. I know that volume 2 is probably my favourite, so I'll just put volume 1 and 3 tie with each other. This was just a crazier volume with no solutions. It just feels like Vaughan is pulling random ideas out of a hat instead of having - like I said before - a clear end goal and I think that is what is really bringing this series down.
Volume 4 comes out in April, so I'll read that and see if it gets any better. I've bought the first 3 volumes, so my bank account is pretty much invested in this series. Might as well carry it on......more
AHHHHHH! THIS IS MORE LIKE IT! This was so much better. The storyline kicks off again and we see more of Lea's character when it's just her on her ownAHHHHHH! THIS IS MORE LIKE IT! This was so much better. The storyline kicks off again and we see more of Lea's character when it's just her on her own and when she's not with so many other people.
Accompanying Psyche Maimon to the Loft to fetch her sketchbook, Lea is inadvertently thrown out by Guy Caraindon. She loses her temper at such high-handed treatment and causes a scene that ends up thrusting her in the social media limelight. Fame, she discovers, has many drawbacks.
I'm still confused about all of the characters and the relationships between them. I know that the character of Psyche is in the series quite a bit but I have no clue who she is and what her relationship is with the rest of the characters. That for me, slightly lets this episode down but it wasn't a major problem as most of the episode centres around Lea.
I thought Lea's reaction to being thrown out of Guy's mansion was absolutely hilarious. She just started mouthing off because her feelings were hurt. I do think that she can be a bit childish but I just found it funny, because she was throwing so many insults his way and she did the thing where she communicated with him through a friend. So she wasn't directly talking to him but still getting her message across. I thought that was so funny.
"As I was learning, people were far more multifaceted than what first met the eye."
- Sonal Panse, The Sunshine Time S1E7
There was also some character development for Billy towards the end of the episode. He actually starts being nice *shocked*. I think I was just reading with my mouth agape. I didn't know that he had a single nice bone in his body because he's always being so sarcastic towards Lea.
I did feel for Lea though. She just doesn't seem to have the best luck, to be honest. With her altercation with Guy filmed, she had to deal with so many questions from friends and family if that was her or not, and you could tell that she was so embarrassed and just wanted to curl up and cry. Jeez, I felt so sorry for her. But I'm sure she will bounce back in the next episode, she always does!
Overall, this episode was so much better than the couple previous ones, and I'm glad that the storyline is back on track. I look forward to reading how Lea continues to handle her unwanted fame!
Disclaimer: 'The Sunshine Time' is a serial novel. The episodes need to be read in sequence. This is not a standalone novel. Please be aware of this.
Each episode will be published on a fortnightly schedule (that is, every two weeks). At present, 30 episodes are planned for Season 1
This episode was sent to me by the author for an honest review. ...more
It has been so long since I read episode 5 of this charming episodic novel, that I had to go back and read episode 5 again. Episode 6 carries straightIt has been so long since I read episode 5 of this charming episodic novel, that I had to go back and read episode 5 again. Episode 6 carries straight on from the happenings of the previous episode and focuses more on the family dynamic between Billy and Lea.
Leaving Drumont's Bar without meeting Guy Caraindon, Lea has the misfortune of discovering a new pimple and encountering an aggressive taxi driver, who turns out to be an N.S.A.P. supporter.
Ok, so one of the biggest plot points of this episode was the political fights between the N.S.A.P taxi driver and the S.C.P political party supporters. I'm still not 100% certain about the politics of this story but I'm hoping that I get to learn more about it as the novel progresses.
"Jopie, who had outed herself to me as a rabid feminist, had glowered at her mother and muttered that finding a husband wasn't her principle goal in life. She actually intended to have a career. Getting married and especially to someone who cared so much for outward appearances was not exactly at the top of her list."
- Sonal Panse, The Sunshine Time S1E6
Whilst reading this episode, it just cemented my thoughts about Billy. I hate him. He is SO annoying. Everything that came out of his mouth, I just wanted to shove back him. I don't know why his mother and Lea's mom doesn't just give him a bit of a slap. I mean, he still probably wouldn't shut up but he just needs to be taught a lesson. He's just the most sarcastic, teasing, gobby character that I think I have ever read about... I felt so sorry for Lea that she had to keep putting up with his teasing about the spot on her nose and about her and Guy Caraindon.
Now that I'm six episodes in, I've realised that it's probably best to read the whole series in one sitting rather than in segments like I have because I've soon noticed that all of the episodes aren't all as strong as each other. But then that got me thinking... If you split any novel into episodes and reviewed each episode separately like I am doing, you're always going to get parts that aren't quite as strong as the previous. I think that's one of the negatives about writing a novel in episodes like this.
I think the highlight of this episode was definitely when the taxi driver started mouthing off about his political party and got taken down a peg or two by the S.C.P supporters!
Disclaimer: 'The Sunshine Time' is a serial novel. The episodes need to be read in sequence. This is not a standalone novel. Please be aware of this.
Each episode will be published on a fortnightly schedule (that is, every two weeks). At present, 30 episodes are planned for Season 1
This episode was sent to me by the author for an honest review....more
I am absolutely in love with Brian K. Vaughan's Saga series. I genuinely cannot get enough of it, so when I found out that Vaughan had written anotherI am absolutely in love with Brian K. Vaughan's Saga series. I genuinely cannot get enough of it, so when I found out that Vaughan had written another graphic novel series about teenagers who deliver newspapers and then get sucked into time travel, I was all here for it.
In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.
Collects Paper Girls #1-5
Boy, was I disappointed... I know that it's only the first volume, and I know that Vaughan is only setting up the characters and leading us into the whole 'what's going to happen' feeling, but THIS PLOT DID NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. Once I had finished this volume, I DID go straight onto the second volume to see if anything was revealed and to see what happened, but the first volume just really left me confused.
However, the plot was unique, which is what Vaughan is known for. It was weird, fun, the art style was very colourful and definitely reminiscent of the 80s. I know that the graphic novel states that it's set in the 80s (in the beginning anyway), but I just loved the MAJOR 80s vibes that this gave off, with the clothes, the hairstyles, just everything...
I just wanted to grow up fast so everything would finally be good, you know? But truth is, life was actually way better back then. Turns out, the older you get... the more everything just turns to shit.”
― Brian K. Vaughan, Paper Girls, Vol. 1
I think that the one thing that really let me down about this (other than the confusion) was that so much happened in such a short amount of time. Some more world-building was definitely needed. This is what Vaughan just does SO WELL in his Saga series: the world building. Albeit, the first few volumes of Saga were action-packed, but Vaughan still took the time to build the worlds we were visiting and to make sure that we felt a connection to the characters. I didn't see (or feel) any of this during Paper Girls. It's definitely more of a plot-driven story as we aren't given chance to really get to know the girls, we're just thrown in the deep end of some time travel plot.
I do just want to point out though, that there are some slurs against LGBTQIA+ individuals and I fully recognise that these words were used to mirror the social context of what it was like to live in the 80s, but I just wanted to point it out in case people are going to be seriously hurt by the words that are used. (And I don't want people's feelings to get trampled on!)
Overall, this was an ok start to the series. It was definitely full of action, but it didn't give us time to connect with the characters (which I'm hoping will come later on in the series) and I do think that it jumped into the time-travel storyline a little bit too quickly. But other people seem to absolutely love this series, so I'm definitely going to carry on reading it, just so I can find out what actually happens so I can have myself some answers....more
Upon receiving this book, and after reading the synopsis, this was the kind of book that sounded like something I would absolutely love: magic, familyUpon receiving this book, and after reading the synopsis, this was the kind of book that sounded like something I would absolutely love: magic, family, and adventures. It seemed like the perfect read and I couldn't wait to delve into it.
Luke Mountfathom knows he is special. He is told so by everyone he knows. His parents are special too - they are the keepers of the House of Mountfathom, a magnificent stately home where the wrong door could take you to a far away land, and strange animals appear to stalk the grounds at midnight. The house is his home - but it is also the headquarters of the Driochta, a magic-weaving group of poets, artists, politicians, and activists charged with keeping the peace in Ireland. They have many powers, but Luke's idyllic existence at Mountfathom cannot last.
When I first started reading this book, I was so confused. The writing style seemed very disjointed and it was very hard for me to follow the plot; there were also many characters introduced at a time which put me off. There just seemed to be something about this book that put me in a massive reading slump for a good couple of weeks, and if you follow me on Goodreads, you will know that I was tempted to DNF it. However, I powered on through, and I'm actually quite glad that I did.
"Be glad for what we have! We should never get used to being in the world - it is a gift, and we should be aware every moment of the uniqueness of our lives and the newness of now. For it is a only fleeting thing, this world."
- Nigel McDowell, The House of Mountfathom
The plot didn't pick up until about 62% of the way which isn't good at all. That's more than half the book where I felt bored. I think the book was building up towards the end fight scene that the Drichota have because as soon as the tension started building up, the book started to get so much better and I didn't feel like it was a chore to read it. But, like I said, this didn't happen until 62% (ish) of the way through.
I also didn't feel very much for the characters. There just seemed to be no reader-character relationship that was being built. What surprised me, was when a character called Killian was introduced. He quickly became my favourite character because he seemed real. He didn't put on any airs and graces and just said whatever was on his mind. Also... was it me, or did Killian and Luke seem like a couple? I just shipped them both so hard from the moment the met each other.
Another thing that I liked was that there were a handful of gorgeous illustrations at the beginning of each part of the book. I remember them catching my attention every time and I would be looking at them for about five minutes.
There also seems to be an air of politics and class systems that surround this book. We are given an insight into the upper-class lives of the Mountfathoms and how they get to live in luxury. But, when we are introduced to Killian - who is from an area in Ireland that is in poverty - we are introduced to another aspect of the world, and I am really glad that we were because I was getting pretty bored of reading about how good the lives of the Mountfathoms were. The story also got better at that 62% because of the politics that were introduced. We were made aware that the lower-class families of Ireland wanted a change and were sick of the class system and of living in poverty. I thought it was very interesting how McDowell incorporated that into a middle-grade novel.
Overall, I didn't think that this book is the greatest. I know that I've put it in the category of 2 stars, but it's probably 2.5 stars, that ending just made me bump the rating a little bit. I'm not even sure if I recommend it or not - I mean, obviously, there are people out there who might love this book so hey, go ahead, give it a read and tell me what you think. Do you agree or disagree?
I would also like to take the time to say a farewell to the author: Nigel McDowell who passed away shortly after writing this book. I know that he was a much-loved author and I hope that he is in a better place.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
When I was sent this book, I didn't really know what to expect because of it being categorised as a middle-grade novel. I haven't actually read that mWhen I was sent this book, I didn't really know what to expect because of it being categorised as a middle-grade novel. I haven't actually read that much middle-grade (maybe 2 or 3), so I never know what I'm going to get. See You in the Cosmos is Jack Cheng's debut middle-grade book and when I heard it was about space, I couldn't wait to start reading as - when I was younger - I used to be obsessed with all things to do with the universe!
All eleven-year-old Alex wants is to launch his iPod into space. With a series of audio recordings, he will show other lifeforms out in the cosmos what life on Earth, his Earth, is really like. But for a boy with a long-dead dad, a troubled mum, and a mostly-not-around brother, Alex struggles with the big questions. But for a boy with a long-dead dad, a troubled mum, and a mostly-not-around brother, Alex struggles with the big questions.
Where do I come from? Who's out there? And, above all, How can I be brave?
Determined to find the answers, Alex sets out on a remarkable road trip that will turn his whole world upside down . . .
When I looked at the first page of this book, I noticed how different the format was; the chapters were the day-to-day recordings that our main character - Alex - does whilst he is going on his epic journey. And that's exactly what this book is: an epic journey. He travels from state to state, meeting new friends and finding things out about himself that he never knew.
I loved the character of Alex, he felt so raw and vulnerable because of his age, yet he had this maturity that surrounded him and a sense of humour that sometimes made me cry with laughter. Sometimes it wasn't even his sense of humour that made me laugh, it was his naivety, the fact that he was eleven and he wasn't aware of certain things. Talking about characters, there wasn't one character in this book that I didn't like. At first, I really didn't like Ronnie but as the book progressed, he underwent some fantastic character development and I loved him by the end of the book. Terra was also just fantastic. I cannot fault her one bit. All she wants to do is help out and look after everyone, she wants to love and nurture everyone around her and the way that she looks after Alex is so incredibly heart-warming.
"Sometimes the clouds inside my head get big and gray and swirly and then I hurricane through my eyes."
- Jack Cheng, See You in the Cosmos
Even though this is a middle-grade novel, the book - very subtly - has an underlying young adult theme of mental illness, loss and finding yourself among all of the haziness of life. I felt like Cheng wrote the voice of an eleven-year-old perfectly as not once, did I feel like the character was older (or younger) than he actually was. I love how he was always being kept in the dark because of his age, but he felt like he was responsible enough to be told everything. It's the exact feeling that eleven-year-olds feel in reality as well.
Towards the end of the book, we are slowly given the answers to the questions that Alex has been asking himself from the very beginning and the ending is just perfection. I cannot fault it at all.
This is a fabulous book that I urge you to read as it will not disappoint. There is brilliant writing, awesome characters and a fascinating plot that will have you keep turning the pages until you finish the book and you realise that you've been there for five hours reading and it's 3am. This is a definite binge-read.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review ...more
Now this is more like it! Episode five contains what I love the most about The Sunshine Time - drama, romance, Lea being a badass protagonist and the Now this is more like it! Episode five contains what I love the most about The Sunshine Time - drama, romance, Lea being a badass protagonist and the humour. If the rest of the season can be like episode five, then I will be a very happy reader!
Visiting Drumont’s Bar, a shady cabaret, to listen to the indie folk band Moon-Web and to, hopefully, retrieve her sketchbook from the clowns, Lea Chantry is amazed to run into acquaintances from the train.
This is definitely what I wanted after reading the first couple of amazing episodes! The pace was definitely on the right track; it wasn't too fast and it wasn't too slow. I loved the grungy description of Drumont's bar and I loved that Lea's mom went with her! I can just imagine her mom sitting at the table, looking around her and making a face at anything weird or dirty that she might see. Just picturing it made me laugh.
I loved how Panse brought some familiar faces back into the fold; I was scared that the old characters would be forgotten about and we were going to be introduced to new characters all the way through. But no: The Countess came back which I was happy about because I absolutely loved her when she was on the train with Lea and I loved how she went along with Lea's story. It made the relationship between the two of them seem so sweet.
“We have no business squatting on other people’s land and we have only ourselves to blame if they take a dim view of it. I mean, c’mon, what would you do if someone barged into our house and just took it over? How would you react? Are you going to say, welcome, intruders, take it all, we’ll gladly confine ourselves to the bathroom. That is, until you want us out of the bathroom as well. Then we will happily kill ourselves and leave you to deal with our bodies as you please. Is that what you would say? Of course not. You would make a complete ruckus. So why are you surprised when other people do the same?”
- Sonal Panse, The Sunshine Time S1 E5
The identity of Pumpkins is also revealed and I was so shocked! I genuinely didn't see that coming!
There was a tiny amount of filler dialogue half way through whilst they were waiting for the band to come on stage but in reality, that's what a gig is like: you talk to the people you're with and the people around you whilst you eagerly wait for the performance.
I cannot wait to read episode six. At the time of writing this, episode six hasn't been released but as soon as it is, I'm definitely going to reading it!...more
Like episode three, episode four just didn’t seem to have any pace; it yet again, seemed to be a filler episode, forty five pages that seemed to be buLike episode three, episode four just didn’t seem to have any pace; it yet again, seemed to be a filler episode, forty five pages that seemed to be building up to a bigger event.
Back in the welcoming bosom of her family, Lea Chantry is horrified to discover that her clown suitor forgot to return her precious sketchbook, and finds herself engaging in the usual fuzzy familial conflict with her grandmother, Maia, and her cousins, Billy and Isolde.
Episode four was very very fast-paced; it was the dialogue that was fast; it was like watching a tennis match, it was just back and forth all of the time between the characters. There were also so many characters that were introduced that I had to keep a note on my phone to as who was who. One weird thing that I did notice was that Billy and Isolde are Lea’s cousins and half way through the episode, Panse incinuates that Isolde has got feelings for Billy. Reading that just felt so strange. They’re cousins! I felt so confused that I emailed Sonal and asked her if this insinuation is what she meant when writing it. She replied saying:
“Lea and Isolde are first cousins. Billy is their fourth cousin – they share great-great-great-grandparents. Which means, legally and genetically speaking, they could get involved if they wanted to”
Hmmmm…. I would still find it weird I guess. I don’t know… The word ‘cousin’ is still being thrown around so I guess the connotations that come with that word is what is putting me of this flirtation.
“Family is everything!” he always said when he went overboard with sentimentality. “If you don’t have family, what do you have?”
– Sonal Panse, The Sunshine Time S1E4
Episode four was slightly better than episode three, but not that much better than I can give it four stars instead of three; there just wasn’t enough happening in it for me to do that. The points that made it better than the previous episode was the banter between Lea and her family; she is so outspoken and she just doesn’t care. She doesn’t feel like she should suppress her opinions which I think is awesome and her Mom is so used to it by now that she doesn’t see the point in even telling Lea off. #goals
I’m also very very intrigued to see if Lea does actually get her sketchbook back from Pumpkin (the guy who proposed to her in episode three), and if she does end up meeting him again, I can’t wait to read it because their chemistry was amazing....more
In episode three of this serial novel, I felt like a lot didn't really happen. It seemed like a filler episode and 40 pages where Panse was building tIn episode three of this serial novel, I felt like a lot didn't really happen. It seemed like a filler episode and 40 pages where Panse was building the foundations for when Lea first sees her family.
Arriving in rain-lashed Alsalem, Lea Chantry is rescued from luggage overload by three clowns and receives a marriage proposal from one of them.
Lea steps off the train and is about to meet her family at her new university home when she meets three guys dressed up as clowns. The boys are full of jokes and are constantly trying to make Lea laugh. This part of the episode is hilarious, fast-paced and adorable. One of the clowns feels like Lea is the girl for him and proposes because he thinks that he won't find anyone like her again.
After that happened, the story seems to drag and I couldn't really follow the story. I don't know whether this was because my parents had the radio on and all I couldn't concentrate or whether I was just really confused. The latter half of the episode was Lea in a taxi and then bumping into her brother.
“Deserve it? Are you serious? What did I ever do to you?” “To my people.” “I didn’t do anything to your people either. You can’t blame me for what other people did or continue to do."
- Sonal Panse, The Sunshine Time S1 E3
As you can see from the quote above, some of this episode delves deep into social issues which was very interesting to read.
This wasn't my favourite episode so far; I miss the simpleness that was the first two episodes. There were hardly any characters; the storyline was simple and the pacing of the episodes was perfect. However, now that Lea has arrived at her destination, I'm worried that Panse is going to throw all of the characters together to 'get the story going'. I don't want it to be rushed, but it feels like that's the way that this is going.
We shall see...
Disclaimer: 'The Sunshine Time' is a serial novel. The episodes need to be read in sequence. This is not a standalone novel. Please be aware of this.
Each episode will be published on a fortnightly schedule (that is, every two weeks). At present, 30 episodes are planned for Season 1
This episode was sent to me by the author for an honest review....more
This one of my most anticipated releases for the entirety of 2017. After reading Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley, I was eager to get my hands oThis one of my most anticipated releases for the entirety of 2017. After reading Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley, I was eager to get my hands on her new book: Our Own Private Universe. I was excited because I read that this book was about a bisexual, POC, fifteen-year-old, who goes to Mexico with the church. So already, there's a lot going on here: we have a black girl, a bisexual protagonist who wants to explore her sexuality and it's set in Mexico where there are religious aspects to it. After finishing it, I realised that I was slightly disappointed. *lengthy review ahead*
Fifteen-year-old Aki Simon has a theory. And it's mostly about sex.
No, it isn't that kind of theory. Aki already knows she's bisexual—even if, until now, it's mostly been in the hypothetical sense. Her best friend, Lori, is the only person who knows she likes girls.
So when Aki and Lori set off on a church youth-group trip to a small Mexican town for the summer and Aki meets Christa—slightly older, far more experienced—it seems her theory is prime for the testing.
But it's not going to be easy. How can you tell if you're in love? It's going to be a summer of testing theories—and the result may just be love.
I hate insta-love when it just doesn't work... in The Sun is Also a Star, insta-love works beautifully, but in Our Own Private Universe, it's like INSTA-INSTA-INSTA LIKE. Not even one chapter goes by and Aki is looking at Christa and developing a crush on her. I mean I know that there's being thrown into the action and everything but jeez... This was quick.
BUT! Once the romance kicked off, it was so adorable. I loved how Aki and Christa were around each other and I loved how both of them were exploring their sexuality properly for the first time. We read how Aki is constantly getting butterflies and getting tongue-tied around Christa; she's constantly looking for her in a crowd just to get that millisecond of pleasure.
This book posed a lot of questions about lesbian sex. How do you have sex? What do you do? How does it feel? What do I need? All of these questions are brought up and answered throughout this book which I think is brilliant, as Talley is raising awareness that there is not just hetero sex. However, as brilliant as it was, it almost felt like I was reading a leaflet that I would find in the NHS clinic, it was very factual but put me off slightly as I thought that there must be a better way to incorporate these facts into the book. However, I will say that it's awesome to see an author promote safe sex; it's very refreshing.
I also wasn't expecting those sex scenes! I loved how Aki and Christa's friendship and the relationship was growing but I forgot that they were only fifteen - Christa is slightly older, so I'm guessing she's sixteen? The scenes that Talley described in the book were very descriptive and although in no way did I feel uncomfortable about the actual sexual content; I did feel uncomfortable about the age of Aki. I do believe that it's 100% okay to recognise your sexuality at any age and I believe that it's ok to explore your sexuality but in this mad rush like Aki did? It almost felt purely sexual. I wish the butterflies would have lasted for longer, I wish the friendship building was longer.
“Frankly, it's self-evident. As people of faith, it's our duty to love everyone, the way God loves everyone. There's no reason why any one group is less deserving of love - either the love of a church community, to the love of a family - than any other.” ― Robin Talley, Our Own Private Universe
The one thing that really bothered me about this book was all of the lies. Lies seemed to be coming out of every direction and it just really irritated me. I'm not on about hiding your sexuality from your parents; or hiding big, personal problems from people, but when it's really petty things like how Aki won't tell Christa her favourite song? C'mon... All of the lies that Lori told as well, I was so angry at her for most of the book and I just wanted her to stay away from Aki. The whole book was pretty much full of secrets and lies that I nearly got whiplash from a number of sudden things that happened.
However, the positives of this book were beautiful. I loved how the protagonist was black (finally!), I love how the whole book just focuses on sexuality. I think it's brilliant. I love how there were multiple LGB characters and I loved how the whole story was set in a church environment. There's so much backlash in today's society that religious people despise LGBT individuals and the generalisation of their beliefs; this book shows that people not everyone within the church community is close-minded and they will support you. I also loved the big debate that the church had at the end to do with important issues that are parallel with today. I love how they spoke about gay marriage, immigration and healthcare.
I loved how Talley subtly told the audience that we need to care for one another; it doesn't matter what religion you are, it doesn't matter what race you are, what sexuality you are; we all need to come together and stop the horrible forces that want to bring cultures and sub-cultures to the ground.
This is a very good book and although it's not as good as Lies We Tell Ourselves, it tackles some important issues, it's a diverse read and Talley's writing never fails to entertain.
Disclaimer: thank you to Harlequin for sending me a copy of Our Own Private Universe in exchange for an honest review...more
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