Very intriguing, but this young woman is either very naive, deluded, or oblivious (perhaps all three). The last part of the book gets dark pretty quicVery intriguing, but this young woman is either very naive, deluded, or oblivious (perhaps all three). The last part of the book gets dark pretty quickly and ends pretty abruptly....more
This is the first volume in the Monstress series by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda. The plot is very engaging and the illustrations are absolutely wondeThis is the first volume in the Monstress series by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda. The plot is very engaging and the illustrations are absolutely wonderful.
I've never been really into Fantasy tales, but this Steampunk Fantasy saga has me hooked for sure!The story's plot is very dramatic and starts off in a very eye-opening way. The illustrations are filled with violent scenes, so I would recommend it for young adults. It continues with, Monstress, Vol. 2: The Blood, and I'm really looking forward to reading that one soon.
Merged review:
This is the first volume in the Monstress series by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda. The plot is very engaging and the illustrations are absolutely wonderful.
I've never been really into Fantasy tales, but this Steampunk Fantasy saga has me hooked for sure!The story's plot is very dramatic and starts off in a very eye-opening way. The illustrations are filled with violent scenes, so I would recommend it for young adults. It continues with, Monstress, Vol. 2: The Blood, and I'm really looking forward to reading that one soon....more
Great story about growing up, making friends, attending a new school, and, of course, experiencing strong allergies to furry and feathered pets. The iGreat story about growing up, making friends, attending a new school, and, of course, experiencing strong allergies to furry and feathered pets. The illustrations are wonderful, the narrative is relatable, and I think this book will appeal to young readers....more
Dark and disturbing, but very engaging. I am a big fan of Neil Gaiman's stories.Dark and disturbing, but very engaging. I am a big fan of Neil Gaiman's stories....more
This is a sweet story about a middle school-age girl who is navigating the end of old friendships and the beginning of new ones. The narrative has a lThis is a sweet story about a middle school-age girl who is navigating the end of old friendships and the beginning of new ones. The narrative has a lot of ups and downs that children can relate to and the illustrations are colorful and cartoonish....more
This is exactly the book I needed right now. I'm caring for my parents now and my mom is in the final stages of dementia. How long she'll still be witThis is exactly the book I needed right now. I'm caring for my parents now and my mom is in the final stages of dementia. How long she'll still be with us is uncertain; what is certain is I lost the mother who raised me, cared for me, and brought me up to be the woman I am years ago to this terrible disease. Who remains is a shell of her former self, and I get mere glimmers of what was only occasionally.
So, I have been in mourning for awhile, even though her heart continues to beat. The advice in this book is, of course, given with the idea that the mom has died, but most of the thoughts are relevant to my situation.
I appreciated the warmth and humor and it makes me want to tell our girls right now how much I love them. So hold on....
Ok. I'm back.
Overall, this is a heartwarming ode to mothers and daughters and is a great way to pass on wisdom to the next generation. I loved the recipes as well as the philosophy. I loved this book so much, I read it again as soon as I finished it.
interesting quotes:
"DAY 21: Take a hike Your parent's death is nature's way of breaking the shocking news that it's your turn next. I think of it as being next up on life's diving board, preparing to jump or be pushed into a bottomless, unfathomable pool. This should not come as a surprise but somehow it does, and when you lose someone close to you, it may hit you with surprising force. This is not a day for swimming. Go for a walk in the woods instead. Think about the raccoons and bears and foxes who live and die there. They aren't the least bit worried about life's diving board, and after awhile you'll get used to the idea, too. Why go on if we all just die in the end? There's a great reason. If you knew you were going to live forever, imagine how much time you'd waste. Amazing things can happen when there's a deadline looming." (p. 32)
"DAY 45: Say thank you A lot of people have probably done nice things for you since I died. Write each one a thank-you note. Death is uncivil; thank-you notes are civil. Expressing gratitude forces you to focus on living people who care about you rather than on the enormity of your loss." (p. 36)
"DAY 320: Stop doing stuff you hate to do Make a list of things you hate to do. Immediately stop doing at least two of them." (p. 50)
"DAY 3,000: Talk to your kids about death Cleaning and dressing the body, digging the hole, etching the stone. We used to be more connected to death. Now we are shielded from the reality of it, which adds to our unease. Our culture, our families need to talk much more about death. In the same way you greet a new life you ought to honor a deoarting life." (p. 90)
"DAY 3,500: Make beauty The world will disappoint you. You'll be stunned by war, intolerance, hate, greed. You'll want a quick solution, but there isn't one. Try to counter those wrongs by putting forth something positive, however small." (pp. 92-93)
"DAY 4,000: Think of me unexpectedly Memories will come to you in waves, unbidden. Grief isn't the only byproduct of a death. And death isn't just subtraction. You're left with a treasure of memories that can be triggered by sights, sounds, smells -- a record of how my life enriched yours." (pp. 94-95)
"DAY 8,000: Redefine happiness ...I see happiness as contentment with what you're doing right now. That may be nothing at all, or something ambitious, or something in between. It's a sense of not wanting to be anywhere else." (p. 106-107)
"DAY 14,000: Make a duck-it list ...Sitting and reading a good book, drinking tea, talking a walk with you. For me, those were lufe's best moments. Things to avoid until you die - DUCK-IT LIST • Bucket Lists • Working with or for mean people • Self-loathing • Being wishy-washy • Being afraid to say something honest • Being purposefully unkind • Relationships that are full of conflict • Friends who drain your life force • 'Should'" (pp. 118-119)...more
This book chronicles the journey that the author took from being born in Nigeria, to living in Russia, to moving to Canada and discovering his passionThis book chronicles the journey that the author took from being born in Nigeria, to living in Russia, to moving to Canada and discovering his passion for ice hockey. It also highlights the racism, isolation, and trauma he experienced being one of the only black players. This is a very cautionary, but uplifting story that shows how more needs to be done to combat racism and support social justice initiatives....more
This is the second book I've read in this series of ten. My daughter owns them all and loves them, but I haven't been as eager to read them all. This is the second book I've read in this series of ten. My daughter owns them all and loves them, but I haven't been as eager to read them all. ...more
My oldest daughter got all ten of the books in this series at the Fairfax County Public Library's teen book festival several years ago and she fell inMy oldest daughter got all ten of the books in this series at the Fairfax County Public Library's teen book festival several years ago and she fell in love with these books.
I wasn't as eager to dive into zombie lore, but I changed my mind after an incident where she lent out the books to a friend close to a year ago and feared she'd never see them again.
Once we'd retrieved them, her enthusiasm for the story and the way the events were portrayed in the different books persuaded me to give them a chance..
Because the books occur basically simultaneously, she said that there's not one particular order in which you are supposed to read them, so she is picking them out for me to read and I started with this one.
I can see how the simultaneous nature of the events makes it challenging to see the whole picture and I suppose that it's not until you've read all of them that you can grasp the myriad complexities of the plot and characters.
So I am still quite in the dark about all of the goings on, but I really enjoy it so far.
I didn't realize until I went to post this review that the books are based on the original ,"Night of the Living Dead movie. I think I've seen part of it before, but I don't remember the plot (other than zombies, duh). I will have to watch it to compare.
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