jenbsbooks's reviews
2129 reviews

I happened upon this book at a thrift store, when shopping for my Little Free Library. I recognized one of the authors (Jason Reynolds - Long Way Down). It had good reviews. It was mentioned in my recent read [book:The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading|193767144]. None of my boys are really reading right now ... but this would be one I'd recommend to them. Just some things to think about. A little bit of basketball besides. 

I had this in all three formats - audio, kindle (from the library) and physical. I still can't understand why physical books so often don't have a Table of Contents. That was the case here. In the audio and kindle copy, there was a chapter listing - chronological chapters listed in Kindle but not audio. This covers one week (which I don't know that I really would have grasp on my own, but it's something that stands out in the TOC). Each day gets a listing, and we get one chapter each from our two MCs ... Rashand and Quinn. In audio, there were two narrators. The voices were distinct in the writing (I'm assuming that each author wrote one of the boys?) and in the narration.  I appreciated the reading group guide included at the end of the text copies (physical book and Kindle). 

I went with the audio for the most part. I did stop a few times to find my spot in the kindle copy to highlight and make notes. Definitely a lot of things that could be discussed in a class or bookclub. 

The only thing is that here - we/the reader KNOW that Rashad is completely innocent. We get to see HIS mind ... so it makes it so much easier for the reader to say "oh this is awful" when IRL ... we might be more like so many of the onlookers, making judgements based on skin color, clothing, etc. Stereotypes exist because they have some basis in reality. I remember the movie "Crash" which addressed racism and how some stereotypes do repeat, and other times can be completely inconsistent. 

This was interesting to get the POV of Rashad, and his family ... and of Quinn, a white boy in the same school class who partially witnesses the scene and has a connection to the police officer involved. That would be one complaint I had about the book ... we never get real resolution as to Paul. What happened with him, if he ever could come to the realization that he was wrong, to address the rage within him.

There was proFanity (x39)  

I discovered this book after reading [book:The Language of Butterflies: How Thieves, Hoarders, Scientists, and Other Obsessives Unlocked the Secrets of the World's Favorite Insect|51997587] ... which introduced me to Maria Merian. Some of her history and art. I wanted to learn more. This book was available from the library - while a physical copy IS the way to go, so many wonderful illustrations, and tidbits of text in Maria's own hand (calligraphy), and photos and side topics ... there was an audiobook. Audio is easier for me (I can listen while doing other things) so I did go with the audio to get the information/text, and then I sat down with the book. It is always interesting to me to "reread" and see if I really absorbed all the text via audio. I felt like I did here. It was a quick, reread/skim as I looked at everything audio hadn't been able to include. Which is a lot. I also appreciated the presentation. Audio had done as well as it could have including everything, but it felt a little disjointed (why are we suddenly talking about witches?) and in print, it was easy to see that it was a separate section, addressing just that topic.

I really loved the set up ... the table of contents. Paralleling Maria's life with that of a butterfly.
Chapter 1: Egg
Chapter 2: Hatching
Chapter 3: First Instar
Chapter 4: Second Instar
Chapter 5: Third Instar
Chapter 6: Fourth Instar
Chapter 7: Molting
Chapter 8: Pupa
Chapter 9: Enclosing
Chapter 10: Expanding
Chapter 11: Flight
Chapter 12: Egg

Then there was a wrap up "A Woman in Her World", and Author's Note, and a Timeline (included in audio), Quote Sources, Bibliography, For Further Reading, Acknowledgements, Image Credits, Index.  

So really complete - a ton of information. It was presented very well, easy to read and understand and follow. In the book The Language of Flowers there was a photo of the author of the book and a researcher looking at "an original copy of Maria Sibylla Merian's hand-painted tome on the insects of Suriname" and I love how it shows the SIZE of the book, which is so much larger than I would have thought. Really made it real for me.

5* as this is a book I ended up purchasing for my home bookshelf. It's one I'd encourage others to read, one I'll refer back to. Love the illustrations and information. 

We had our own "research" ... happened to catch a monarch laying an egg, and we watched the caterpillar grow. We witnessed the incredible enclosing. We missed the emergence. https://youtu.be/9idqQEF4CSM?si=ln71ezkmcZDD7OME

I'd heard quite a bit of buzz on this one. Had a bit of a wait to get a library copy. It's one I didn't really look closer at (didn't read the blurb) to based on the cover image, I think I was expecting a little more of a fun summer/beach read. I wasn't quite ready for murder!

It was probably better for me, this NOT having a tagline with "the murder mystery with a twist" because then I tend to take it as a challenge, second guessing everything and everyone.  I don't know that this had a twist per se ... although (as with most "realistic" reads, it pushes the suspension of disbelief some.

SPOILER

While I could buy the theft ring set up by the employees ... it seemed a bit of a stretch that they would jump to quickly and easily to premeditated murder. There IS a difference between ripping someone off, and killing them. That's a line that is difficult to cross, even for those already breaking the law. And then to have so many people in on it! Charlie, Garrett, KJ, Cedric, Madeline. You'd think that ONE of FIVE people would have had second thoughts, would have been stressed enough to go to the police and make a deal before it happened. And, it's hard to get away with murder, right? And here, there's five people in on it. And then to have Garrett go so ballistic that he decides to take out two other people? Just a regular kid who's grown up on the island is actually this big murderer?  I also really felt like the Hudson storyline got dropped ... so Ric basically killed that kid back then. As Traci and Whelan find out, they are just happy to have "answers"? Was there any talk of getting Ric arrested? That's why Whelan  came ... just gonna let that go?

Okay, probably best not to think too much about it. I enjoyed the story while it was going, it's more thinking back on it after it ended that I struggled the most. 

It was a bit of a challenge at the start ... 3rd person/past tense ... in the minds of multiple characters.  There's a prologue, when Traci was young. Chapter one is Traci's POV. Chapter two is Parrish. Chapter three is Olivia (last name Grayson - name I note). Chapter four is Shannon. Chapter five is Felice. Chapter six is KJ.   Chapter eight is a flashback to 2002.  Chapter 11 is Garrett.  Chapter 17 is Whelan ...

Bare bones Table of Contents - just the chronological chapters (75 of them). While there were headers in the above mentioned chapters (introducing characters, their backstory), these aren't included on the TOC. 

I went with the audio edition, but had the Kindle copy on hand too. The narration was good, although many of the girls sounded SO young and cartoonish (the narrator does voice cartoons - including Ash in Pokemon). There was a Q&A with the author/narrator after the book which I went ahead and listened to too. 

Content: ProFanity (x24) - some slight sexual content (mention of rape), drinking/drug use ... and of course murder.

Closer to a 3.5 for me on reflection. 

I found a few physical copies of this book ... I can't remember if it was a library sale or a thrift store. Intended for the Little Free Library, I checked reviews, and saw they were quite high, so I figured I'd give it a read before putting it in the LFL. I've found quite a few great books this way :)

Audio and Kindle copy were readily available from the library, so I had this in all three formats. The text copies (Kindle and Physical) had an author's note, which was NOT included in audio ... and it really added a lot for me. The cover has the "inspired by a true story" and the author's note explained that, and I really appreciated having that extra info. It should have been included in the audio. 

This reminded me just a bit of [book:West With Giraffes|56449476] ... with an older person telling a wonderous tale from the past, featuring a unique animal. There were two timelines ... the present, which is 1st person/past tense (did we get her name? Mom/Nurse) and the past, Lizzie telling her story, to Mom/Karl. That reminded me a bit of [book:White Bird|42898923]. 

I don't always comment on covers - the paperback/kindle cover was fine (the elephant, a person trudging through the snow). The Audible cover was my favorite, more of a silhouette (Karl on the elephant's back, mother/Lizzie and Peter). The audio cover in Storygraph also has Karl on the elephant, but I really love the silhouette version. 

A quick read - one I'd recommend to most anyone, my boys. Good historical aspect. I've heard of animals in zoos being put down before (The Zookeeper's Wife), and while tragic, it does perhaps seem necessary during war, if the locales are bombed. Animals would either be trapped to die slowly, die in a bombing (again, perhaps injured and slow) or get out and be wild in a city already struggling after a bombing.  The author's note tells of a news story he heard, which was the basic premise, a zookeeper bringing home a young hand-raised elephant, rather than having her put down. It was in Ireland, but the author changed the locale to Germany, to open up that perspective (as the same ordinance was true at zoos there). It IS interesting to get the POV of the common German people ... who are just trying to live, to whom the British/Russians and Americans are the bad guys, bombing them. 

Single narrator, but the "voices" were so different, that I don't have my usual complaint of "maybe it would have been better if there had been two narrations."  The first is just "American" in accent (although there were a few strange inflections) and then Lizzie's story was a very pronounced German-accent pronunciation. Almost too much so. At times it was a little difficult to understand. 

Completely clean - G rated. 

This is one that I heard good reviews on - one I put on hold without even really looking at what it was about. Silly me, as I started, I hadn't realized this was non-fiction! With the multiple narrators and first person (present tense - why all present tense, most talking about memories seems like past tense would be more natural) it was reminiscent of [book:The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11|43821581], although a much lighter topic here. 

I liked this ... but it was rather repetitive. Not too surprising, as different people in similar situations may have similar experiences. So much emphasis on buying local, supporting the local businesses. I admit, I'm an Amazon gal ... it's just so easy and the best prices. If this book was trying to make me feel a little bad, it was successful, but I also am cheap and don't drive much. Several situation with book banning/limitations/challenges ... so we know how librarians feel (we heard it four or five, or more, time here). I thought the middle grade story "Ban this Book" really got the point across in a clever and creative way, even if it didn't address LGBTQ and race concerns as much. 

It was fun to recognize many of the titles mentioned, loved and recommended. Books that are on my TBR (All American Boys). I cringe a little whenever I hear ANYONE say "you'll love this, I guarantee it" as some librarians/booksellers seemed to do, and is said sometimes on the FB groups. I would never dare say that, no matter how much I loved something. I know people are so different, you can guess, and say "I loved this, and I think you'll like it too" ...

I must admit - I'm a Table of Contents snob. I like to have all the information easily accessible. I like to be able to move between formats, from audio to Kindle to physical book (I had the first two from the library with this one). There were five sections ... they had headers, but they weren't helpful at all, just general "book" statements (1.To be a bookseller, you have to play detective 2. I could talk about books forever 3. I can't imagine what people do without books in their lives  4. It doesn't matter what you like to read, as long as you love to read 5. Just one more chapter please, just one more chapter). There were individual sections/headers in each part, and even though I don't really know these people (other than Judy Blume) I think I would have appreciated a list for the contents (Chapter 1: Alexis Sky - Bookseller Chapter 2: Lorrie Roussin - Middle School Librarian ...) If I wanted to go back and re-read the Judy Blume chapter, or the one about the prison librarian ... I'd have to flip through the whole book and search to try and find it. 

There was a lot of talk about Covid and the pandemic ... I recently set up a Little Free Library in front of my home, and talking to other Stewards in a FB group, it's been interesting to hear how the little libraries handled Covid (were they more popular because everything else was closed, or were people, both "customers" and "librarians" too nervous?  Were wipes and sanitizer added/used at the little libraries?)  I think a collection of stories about "books during Covid" would be interesting! How many authors made digital offerings free, how libraries/bookstores handled it (quite a bit was talked about here, mixed in with everything else). 

James Patterson gets some good press from the interviewees ... coincidence? Irony? :) It was fun getting a peek at some of the booksellers contacts with authors, and the positive experiences. I know many get uber excited about having a signed copy ... am I the only one who wouldn't really care about that? 

ARC - I think I've always said "ark" in my head, here it was pronounced letter by letter ... A, R, C (benefit of an audiobook). The name Carnegie came up a few times ... all but the last time (male narrator) were pronounced with the American pronunciation (Car-nu-gee) but that last one was the original Car-NEG-e.  The word "route" was pronounced "rowt" ... which is how I tend to say it, but it's "root" 98% (a percentage I just made up but seems correct) of the time. 

So I liked this, didn't love it. I'll remember parts and pieces. I actually stopped and switched to a novel a couple of times ... more because I could than because I was bored. Easy to stop and start because it's not a continual story, just little peeks into some book lives. 

So, I liked this. I didn't love it (as I did this author's The Wishing Game). There were some times I was a bit confused; there was THE STORYTELLER jumping in between chapters, giving little tidbits and insights. There was a prologue to start (15 years before). The first 15 chapters are in the "real" world, then it's through the wardrobe, or the following the red crow through the door to Shanandoah. There were some flashbacks, some of Jeremy's history. The scenes shift from Rafe/Jeremy to Emilie's story before they come together again, split up again.  There is a map in the text copy (a pdf accessible with the audio edition) ... I still struggled a bit to follow everything that was going on. There were things I loved, but many that I didn't feel like I really absorbed. 

I didn't find many of "my" words I notice ... a couple smirks, one scowl ... snuck (instead of sneaked). One instance of proFanity. A m/m relationship is a major storyline, while there's nothing at all explicit, this book may not be for anyone who doesn't want to cheer on a gay relationship. There is some domestic violence as well.  Lots of fantasy creatures (mermaids, unicorns, "bright boys") a pet rat, swords and arrows, queens and princes and knights ... it was good, there were "ah" moments, but I just don't know how memorable it was. 

I had both the audio and the kindle copy, borrowed from the library. Newer release, so it was a bit of a wait and juggling to get both at the same time. 

4.5 stars ... I did really like this and I think I'll remember it. I just did a quick pleasure read. I'm sure if I was reading for bookclub or school, and took more time, made notes, delved deeper, I'd likely up the appreciation for it. 

I went with the audio, read by the author. I had the Kindle copy and physical copy too. I was actually glad to have all three. Audio is easiest to help me get through a book (I have much more ear time than eye time). I love Kindle to quickly search, make notes/highlights ... generally a Kindle edition is the most up to date (as it is easily updateable). Here though, the physical copy had a new forward that wasn't included in the audio or kindle copy, and it had some very interesting information (parallels between the author's life and the story, etc). It also had discussion questions, which I appreciate. 

The first person, past tense, being read by the author, really gave this a "memoir" feel at first. I did a quite double check even though I was 95% sure this was fiction. It just had that feel of someone telling their own story. Basic chronological chapters (25 of them) ... I wished a bit that the extra info ... December 2001 header for chapter 1 ... what was the date when Chapter 2 went back to the beginning? Chapter 10 was March 1981 - a change in the story, as Amir and Baba are leaving. Chapter 11 is the 1980s in California. Chapter 14 is June 2001. Chapter 16 is another change ... the POV shifts to Rahim Khan telling his story.  I got a little confused at this in the audio and wondered if it was any clearer in print ... no, it wasn't. Would a header have been too disruptive? Have it be in italics? In audio, I almost wished for a different narrator just for that chapter, to make the different POV more distinctive.  As far as a TOC, and the physical copy doesn't even have one at all ... I would like these distinctive chapters noted so if I wanted to go back and re-read Rahim's chapter, I could look at the TOC and know where to turn to, rather than having to flip through all the pages until I found it. In "chapters" in audio were completely different (first lines), which is pretty much useless. If I lost my place but remembered I had just started chapter 19 ... that help me at all in the audio TOC.  Yes ... I have Table of Content pet peeves ;) 

In the audio - there were times when there was a very long pause (perhaps in the text, when a _______ divides sections within a chapter). They were too long though, I'd think I'd bumped my phone and turned the book off. 

Words I note - Scowl, roil ... proFanity (x4) as well as a really crude sexual statement, and rape, abuse and murder. A couple of statements I highlighted "Every woman needed a husband. Even if he did silence the song in her."  and "It wasn't meant to be, or, it was meant not to be."  Interesting thoughts on theft (that it covers ALL the sins) and 650+ saved quotes here on Goodreads. I love looking over the quotes that others have saved. 

I liked the repetition/imagery with the kites, the cleft lip, etc.  I don't know that I really understood or will remember everything. I even struggled a bit with the names of Amir and Ali (I have this thing where I remember the first letter, but not the name, so had to turn to the book to clarify which was our MC and which was Hassan's father). I don't know that I really felt like I learned a lot about Afghanistan, as I sometimes feel like I really discover new things in some historical fiction. This, being in the 80s and 2000s, isn't really historical, although at times it feels like a different world than the one I was growing up in during those same years. 

I plan on reading the other books by this author, but not back to back. 

I liked this. I went with the audio edition (kindle included in KU) and I have a physical copy for the Little Free Library.  This had a definite fairy tale feel, with a far away land, a curse, a witch, a swamp monster, a dragon ... ironically all the latter are not the "bad guys" at all. It's the leaders/elders of the community and the Sister Ignatia. The sorrow eater.

I loved the chapter headings ... they all start with "In which" (reminds me of the Friends episode title "the one where ..." and [book:Harris and Me|570633] did it too) and gives a tiny tidbit about what is included in that chapter. Chapter 5: In Which a Swamp Monster Accidentally Falls in Love :)  Some were a little long, but I was sad that the audiobook in Libby didn't have the chapter headings in the Table of Contents there. I was lucky to have the Kindle copy in addition to the audio. I love looking over all the headings at a glance. 

It's 3rd person, past tense ... except for some short chapters, all in italics in the kindle copy. In audio, I wished the narration was a little more distinct in voice. The writing is distinct - it is first person/present tense, and it's like we are hearing one side of a conversation, a mother, talking to her child. Those pop up a few times throughout the book. The rest of the book alternates between other characters ... Grand Elder Gherland, Antain, Xan, Luna - once she is older. We also get some look into the minds of some non-humans ... Glerk and Fyrian. Both voices were SO CUTE in audio, but also in the writing itself. Oh, I loved Fyrian! Little Luna's voice was cute too. The story moves from the town, to the woods, and back to the town ... POVs of "the madwoman", Sister Ignatia, the Sorrow Eater, Ethyne. 

There was some definite anxiety as some things started to come together. I wasn't sure I followed everything exactly, but while I enjoyed this, I am not sure if I want to spend time re-reading. I am ready to move onto something else. 

Just a funny - I was chatting about how some words get noticed (I have my list). One lady mentioned the word "thrum" and "roil"  ... I notice "roil" (it wasn't in this one) and couldn't remember hearing thrum. Then I heard it! And I looked it up, and it had been said five times earlier in the book too, but I hadn't noticed them until the word was brought to my attention. No smirks here ... four scowls.  No proFanity of course. 

I'd heard rave reviews about this ... and I was easily caught up in it. It's one that I did as a quick pleasure read. I think if I was reading it for book club, or for school, it's one I'd take more time on, delve deeper. There's a lot there for discussion and consideration. I absolutely acknowledge that would likely bump it up. As is, I made some notes/highlights (there are many saved on GoodReads). It's definitely a book I'll remember reading. I reread Huck Finn just a couple years ago (an in-depth look, as I was helping my son with his school class). While I think someone COULD read this without having a knowledge of Huck Finn ... I think it's better with an understanding of the original. One can see the contrasts so much more. 

I went with the audio edition, and the narration was very good. It starts off with "The Notebook of Daniel Decatur Emmett" ... which are basically lyrics to songs. These are all "patter speak" in delivery. If reading, I'm pretty sure those preface pages would have been ones I'd just give a quick glance at, but not read word for word. In audio, it's said word for word, and it went on a little (a lot) long.  There was more singing (patter speak) later in the book. I think I would have enjoyed hearing it actually sung in the audiobook. 

Because I didn't read this for a class or book club ... I would have really appreciated some discussion questions included in the Kindle copy (I grabbed it as well as the audio, I like to have my books in both formats). I know I could likely find some online - I may have to look. Lots of discussion possibilities. Right in the second chapter, as Jim gives the children "language lessons" actually defining how they regularly talk to each other (more educated) and how they "slave talk" around the masters, referring to it as being bilingual, two separate languages, "translating" not just an accent or way of speaking.  "The more they choose to not want to listen, the more we can say to one another around them." Even today - I remember the Grey's Anatomy episode where Miranda teaches her son how to deal with a police encounter (don't talk back, make sure your hands are visible, etc). Some of the "don'ts" here in the language lessons (never speak first, don't make eye contact, let them name the trouble) "White folks expect us to sound a certain way and it can only help if we don't dissapoint them." " ... the better they feel, the safer we are."

Of course black concerns are a major part of the book, here addressing the most simple idea of being in one place as slave, being a free man in another. The reasons WHY the North is against slavery "How much of the desire to end the institution was fueled by a need to quell and subdue white guilt and pain?"  The absurdity of the performances in blackface ... a black man pretending to be a white man pretending to be a black man (Victor/Victoria - a woman pretending to be a man posing as a female impersonator). The educated Jim who can read and write and has imaginary conversations with great authors ... "Which would frighten you more? A slave who is crazy or a slave who is sane and sees you clearly?"  "I had never seen a white man filled with such fear. The remarkable truth however, was that it was not the pistol, but my language, the fact that I didn't conform to his expectations, that I could read, that had so disturbed and frightened him."

Religion was another topic ... "There's religion but there's no God ... Religion is just a controlling tool they employ and adhere to when convenient."   Interesting thoughts on reading/writing as well ...

I'm not sure if I cared for the twist regarding Huck and Jim's relationship ... I don't remember much about Huck's mother to figure out how possible that could have been. 

There were three parts, with chronological chapters that restarted in each section. First person, Past tense.   No proFanity, but 69 uses of the N word. 

I grabbed this as it was included in KindleUnlimited, text and audio. It had high ratings (4+) ... unfortunately, it didn't live up to four stars for me. There was SO. MUCH. SMIRKING. I had just come off a book that had a lot of smirking, so I was already irritated with the word. Here, the characters smirked 41 times ... and that's about 40 times too many. 

Contemporary romance ... 1st person/present tense, with SIX points of view. There are the three siblings, Ford, Cooper and Palmer, and then a love interest for each (Larkin, Nora, Beau). The chapters were labeled, and in audio, there were six different narrators. That's both good and bad. It IS needed, as they are all 1st person, they need their own distinct voices. But then as the characters are together quite a bit, we/the listener, get Ford's narrator doing Palmer/Cooper/Nora, etc, and Cooper's narrator doing Palmer/Nora/Ford, etc., and Nora's narrator doing Palmer/Cooper/Ford ... that's always an issue with dual narration, but here, with SIX narrators and a lot of overlap, it was a little hard to keep things straight. 

This had quite a bit of proFanity (I forgot to do a 'count' and my KU subscription expired), and explicit sex. I'd mentioned this book to a neighbor (because she has a son named Ford, which I hadn't heard as a name before) and she had said she'd put it on her to read list ... I need to give the spice/language heads up, and ... it's a little icky to have your son's name in a sex scene (I have a Cooper myself). 

It was pretty predictable as far as the romance ... you know the siblings are going to get together with Larkin, Nora and Beau. There is some humor along the way, but SO much bickering between the siblings. The SOs struggled with it, and so did I (and so did many others, glancing at other reviews).  

There were other family issues (the two boys started off as foster placements, then adopted. Some things that had happened that had never been talked about. Situations with aging parents) and I'll admit that I really liked how things came together in the end. I just don't know that it was enough to leave the book as a positive memory (the smirking is still first and foremost in my mind). I didn't have any notes/highlights, not really one I'd recommend, not one I want for my bookshelf.  Those are things that can push a rating up for me. 2.5*