I read this aloud to my 7-year-old and 9-year-old on our vacation, and they both said they “loved it.” (The highest praise on their 3-star scale.) I will admit the sheer number of clever turn of phrases in this book is wild, and they enjoyed the silliness of Milo’s wacky adventure. Though the tension isn’t as high as in some of the other books we’ve read together, they were both still asking for more chapters each night. I imagine a watch of the movie is in our future and highly recommend for a read aloud with elementary schoolers.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Credit where credit is do. This one is *chef’s kiss.*
I read this one aloud to my 7-year-old and 9-year-old on our vacation. There was lots to discuss and learn about the Holocaust, WWII and what it means to be brave. They kept asking me to keep reading and in the end, they both said they “liked it.” (My kids rate books on a 3-star scale: I loved it, I liked it, or not for me.) It was a super fast read that kept us turning pages, and I definitely recommend it, especially if you’re looking for a read-aloud historical fiction that kids will both understand and want to talk about.
I’ve read quite a few writing craft books at this point, and I’ll be honest, quite a few of them are misses for me, but I really enjoyed this one. I’ve definitely been feeling a little lost in my author life, and this was *exactly* the book I needed. Bradbury’s writing is straight up mesmerizing, the descriptions of his journey, writing process, inspirations, and advice were fascinating, and in general, I think he gets straight at the heart of writing. I absolutely recommend it, but know going in, this is less concrete advice about how to write, and more about finding the balance amidst industry pressures and motivations – about centering on the art in our writing and ourselves.
A Favorite Quote: “The faster you blurt, the more swiftly you write, the more honest you are. In hesitation is thought. In delay comes the effort for a style, instead of leaping upon truth which is the only style worth deadfalling or tiger-trapping.”
Since this one has articles from various authors on the same topics, there’s a lot of repetition in this one. I don’t remember what “recommended writing craft books” list I found this on, but it wasn’t my favorite.
Favorite Quote: “The further you stray from reader expectation, the more obligated you are to explain how you got there.”
Still searching for the writing craft book I need in my life. I know it’s out there!
So I read Story by McKee and couldn’t really get into it, and unfortunately, I felt the same way about this one. A lot of these elements feel repetitive, and are illustrated through in-depth analysis of selected screenplays. Personally, I felt like it read like a super dry textbook without as many insightful nuggets as I would’ve hoped for. In general, the way the information is presented just didn’t really hit for me, but it could work for you!
Favorite Quote: “The more emotional people become, the shorter the words and sentences they use; the more rational people become, the longer the words and sentences they use.”
Honestly, finding a compelling writing craft book is tough. There are a few that I’ve loved… but I’ve tried quite a few at this point. Still, I’m always looking for ways to improve my writing, so I’ll keep at it!
I really enjoyed this heartfelt middle-grade fantasy! Going through a difficult time in her life, Lianna is an easy protagonist to root for as she untangles her late father’s legacy, comes to terms with her grief, and adapts to her new life. Her magical, birdlike Hombit companion is definitely a source of light and fun in the story, and it was a pleasure to follow them as they untangled some of the secrets around them. Told in a very classical style with a magical flavor and solid narration, I recommend to anyone looking for an enchanting middle grade story with undercurrents of mystery (especially for fans of Troy’s Lucky Diamond series.) Thanks so much to the author for the Audible ARC, and you can grab your own copy here!
A very quirky, light paranormal romance with zombies, vampires, witches, fae, and the lot. The narration was excellent, the voice was cute, and the world was interesting, but the romance felt very fast, and some of the ongoing jokes didn’t quite hit for me. Recommended for those looking for a quirky, light romance in a modern, paranormal world.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Honestly, I’m always on the look-out for more excellent zombie stories.
I think I should start by saying this premise won’t be for everyone, but if you’re willing to suspend your disbelief for a premise that’s a little out there, the characters are lovable, their chemistry is great, the voice pops, their arcs were satisfying, the audiobook narration is fantastic, they have peak sunshine/grumpy energy, there’s lots of spice for those who are into that, and overall, the found-family themes were super sweet. Recommended for those looking for a spicy romcom that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and I definitely plan on trying other books by this author.
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Full disclosure, I did end up trying the other books in this series and they weren’t for me, but I did like this one!
I love Ilona Andrews books but this one wasn’t my favorite. Though I liked the tie-in to the Innkeeper series, and I also like Elias’s POV, Ada was mostly by herself as she survived/explored the cave, and her parts dragged for me. Although there will be a sequel, this one had a satisfying ending and I did really like the concept, the world, and where the story seems to be headed, so I think will pick up the sequel when it comes out. Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a scifi survival story in an interesting world.
I’ve been on an Ilona Andrews kick, so I’m going through their backlist to see what I’ve missed. I got this whole series on Audible on sale, but I didn’t realize how short these books are. This is an enjoyable but rather simplistic sci-fi romance novella. 4 stars
Silver Shark (Book 2):
I downloaded the kinsmen series package deal thing since it was on sale on Audible. This was a cute, short sci-fi romance. The world-building and sci-fi elements were well-fleshed out for such a short book, but it left me wanting more character & romance-wise. Honestly I felt like this series walked so that the Innkeeper series & The Hidden Legacy series could run. Recommended if you’re looking for a short sci-fi romance. 4.5 stars
A Mere Formality (Novella that was part of the audiobook bundle):
Another fun sci-fi romance short story. Honestly, I felt like the Kinsman series was pretty consistent in tone, but I think my only criticism was that they felt too short to fully flesh out the characters and the romance. But they’re fun if you’re looking for a quick, light read. (Also I just noted that this says Koslov universe, but it was included in the Kinsman audiobook bundle. I can see how the universes are different, but the vibe was super similar.) 4 stars
Fated Blades (Book 3):
Weirdly, though this was the longest book the series (though still short), this was my least favorite of the series. To me, it felt more mechanical – the voice and character chemistry didn’t pop for me the way they do for me in most Ilona Andrews books. The romance felt almost like an after thought here, taking a backseat than in most of their books, and really only coming into play in like the last 5%. Also, I don’t feel like there was the humorous/bantery edge there usually is in their books So… this one wasn’t so much for me, but if you’re looking for a plot-driven sci-fi with a small side of romance, this might be for you. 3.5 stars
Overall Series Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’m an Ilona Andrews fan, but had mixed feelings on these – if you’re looking short sci-fi stories though, this may be for you!
Hayley Reese Chow 