Reviews written by CJ Redwine, Editor
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 4.0 | |
| Writing Style | 3.0 |
Entertaining!
What I Loved: The world building in this book is simply flawless. From the evolved language to the setting to the customs of a society 400 years in the future, every single second felt absolutely believable to me. I really appreciated that the author put so much thought...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot/Characters/Writing Style | 5.0 | |
| Illustrations/Photos (if applicable) | 5.0 |
Good Fun!
This is just the kind of book kids love. Two trolls, Grunty and Grouchy, live together in the most disgusting mess they can possibly manage and have one bumbling adventure after another. Kids will be drawn to the messiness (saving sneeze snot in a snot jar, using eggs for ping...
| Overall rating | 4.5 | |
| Plot/Characters/Writing Style | 4.0 | |
| Illustrations/Photos (if applicable) | 5.0 |
Heartwarming
What I Loved: The storyline reminded me a bit of "Are You My Mother?" which is a staple around this house. Only in this story, the eggs don't realize their mother is missing, and it is up to a friendly Brontosaurus to save the day. I love that the bronto...
| Overall rating | 3.0 | |
| Plot/Characters/Writing Style | 3.0 | |
| Illustrations/Photos (if applicable) | 3.0 |
Underwhelming
What I Loved: The author keeps the story focused and simple, which makes it accessible for pre-school readers. Using the familiar game of hide & seek also keeps the story accessible, as does the inclusion of so many fun animals. I also really loved that the chameleon is disguised on...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Creative & Compelling
It isn't often that a book really takes me by surprise with an original concept. What's Left of Me did exactly that. Even better than an original concept is the beautiful, compelling writing. I don't think there's anything about this story that I didn't appreciate and enjoy. The...
| Overall rating | 3.5 | |
| Plot/Characters/Writing Style | 3.0 | |
| Illustrations/Photos (if applicable) | 4.0 |
Not Another Goodnight Moon
Maybe it isn't fair of me to judge this book against Goodnight Moon, but I purchased it to read to my toddler simply because it was written by the same author as Goodnight Moon, and the titles sounded similar enough to lead me to expect that it would be the...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 3.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
A Fascinating Premise
Throne of Glass has all the right ingredients for a fabulous fantasy series. There's murder, betrayal, a scary king, otherworldly interference, court intrigue, and of course, romance. It's epic! Things I loved: The world! I could see every scene so clearly, and we get to travel from the...
| Overall rating | 3.0 | |
| Plot/Characters/Writing Style | 3.0 | |
| Illustrations/Photos (if applicable) | 3.0 |
It Was Ok
This is a fast-paced comic that reminded me of a bit of Diary of a Wimpy Kid (nerd w/nerdy friend who want to be something more and are bullied) but with the super power/government experiment twist and with far less charm and humor. Of course, in a comic aimed at...
| Overall rating | 4.5 | |
| Plot/Characters/Writing Style | 4.0 | |
| Illustrations/Photos (if applicable) | 5.0 |
Goosebumps for Younger Readers
When Jace and his dad stop off in a strange town and buy a few things from a garage sale, they have no idea what they've brought home. Soon strange and dangerous things start happening, and Jace has to quickly figure out which item is cursed and how to get...
| Overall rating | 3.3 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 3.0 | |
| Writing Style | 3.0 |
Familiar Ground
I'll start out by saying I'm a fan of a well-done dystopian, and I love a dash of Big Brother thrown in as well. Because of that, I've read a LOT of dystopian/Big Brother type books. Maybe that's why from the first page, this book felt very familiar. It's a...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Plot | 3.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
Great Narrator, Not So Great Suspense
I recently purchased this book because my local bookstore was having an amazing sale on summer reads and this one has a stellar blurb from Stephen King. I should've paid attention to the fact that the blurb was for the author's entire body of work and not just this one...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
A Lovely Story
When I was in middle school and high school, I used to devour historical fiction by Janette Oke. I must have read the Love Comes Softly series twenty times. Ms. Gwyn's debut reminds me of Oke's stories: well-developed characters with distinct agendas, careful attention to historical detail, and a sweet...
| Overall rating | 4.3 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
Fast-paced Adventure
In the aftermath of a huge volcanic erruption, the world is in chaos. Food is running out. Ash covers everything and people must wear masks to keep their lungs clear. And as the situation deteriorates, it becomes survival of the fittest, the most resourceful, and those who are willing to...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Loved It
I loved The Giver and this book reminded me of that story in many ways. The way the Society controls all the information, the Big Brother aspect, and the way fear is used to motivate obedience are all familiar hallmarks of a dystopian book and Ms. Condie builds her world...
| Overall rating | 3.3 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 3.0 | |
| Writing Style | 3.0 |
Didn't Quite Hit The Mark
THE DESERTER is another ambitious addition to the Bone World Trilogy. As is the case in THE INFERIOR, the world building is meticulous and epic in scope. I can truly say that the author has pushed the envelope to create something new and distinct. Two separate societies, cannibalism, nanotechnology ......
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