Such a short read, but so, so fun! I really loved getting these glimpses at Pip's crowd before we get to the main book, getting to see more in depth lSuch a short read, but so, so fun! I really loved getting these glimpses at Pip's crowd before we get to the main book, getting to see more in depth looks at how her brain works, learning just what exactly made her pick the Bell case for her project. The idea that the murder mystery dinner game's solution was "too easy" and obvious, and that perhaps the most obvious answer isn't always the correct one... well, she was certainly onto something there, huh? Plus, we get a really good little foreshadowing moment there at the end (well, especially that one - there were several little foreshadowing moments throughout the novella, really!).
Overall, a great addition to the series, I think. A lot of lore and background info on this group of friends and Pip's logical line of thinking that really add to the story that was told in book one!...more
This was one of the books I was most scared of picking up, because The House in the Cerulean Sea was so wonderful and I wanted a sequel about Arthur aThis was one of the books I was most scared of picking up, because The House in the Cerulean Sea was so wonderful and I wanted a sequel about Arthur and Linus and the kids meeting David so bad, and what if I built it up into this amazing thing in my head and then it was a let down? That's happened so many times.
I'm so happy to say this was not one of those times.
What a beautiful sequel. What a wonderful story. Getting to dive into Arthur's mind this time around and all the trauma he's held since his childhood - while still not losing the first book's charm and hilarity and love, and getting to see the family grow - is such a gift.
I'm sure I'll have more to say about it at some point in the future, once I'm able to stop happy crying....more
Look, I think Kaitlyn Hill's brand of cute and funny romcoms are just exactly my speed, alright? I loved Love From Scratch — and some of the importantLook, I think Kaitlyn Hill's brand of cute and funny romcoms are just exactly my speed, alright? I loved Love From Scratch — and some of the important conversations brought up within about harassment within the workplace and being an online persona dealing with hate / parasocial relationships — and this book followed that same sort of path.
Please appreciate that unintentional-at-first-but-I'm-keeping-it pun.
Anyway! This time our backdrop is a survivor type reality show, but we also get a lovely look on how grief can sneak up on you when you least expect it. How it's an important part of you that is okay to share with people close to you. How anxiety doesn't have to completely control your life and make you weak. And I know maybe that sounds heavy for a romance book, but I promise that it didn't feel that way while reading it. Did I get a bit misty-eyed when Natalie would talk about her grandmother or Finn about his dad? Sure. But they were always in the context of looking back fondly on these memories full of love, so the context wasn't really sad. I promise, this book doesn't come off feeling overly sad (and I've been super sensitive to that stuff since losing my grandfather and have tried my hardest to avoid books with heavy topics, so take my words with a little weight, at least!).
The daily challenges for the reality show aspect of this were super fun to read about as well. I loved watching Natalie get to be in her element with horseback riding, or Finn acing the trivia challenge, or Natalie helping a "rival" contestant with a challenge that she was scared of to pay back that team helping her previously — and seeing beautiful friendships bloom out of that. The adventures were both entertaining and heartwarming so many times!
Kaitlyn Hill really does just have a special touch when it comes to feel-good romcoms, and I'm always going to be on the lookout for her books in the future. (Plus, cool to see that this one tied back into Love From Scratch in the tiniest way too! I haven't read Not Here To Stay Friends yet, though I have it downloaded and hope to get to it soon, but curious to see if that ties in to either of these as well! Love when authors make their own tiny 'cinematic universes', if you will.)...more
Well that was certainly a wild ride! I definitely had an idea about who it was in the end and was half right, at least! Looking forward to jumping intWell that was certainly a wild ride! I definitely had an idea about who it was in the end and was half right, at least! Looking forward to jumping into the prequel and second book soon-ish to see what else could possibly be going on in this universe....more
Percy is a dork, but he's our dork. (Read as: These are just as much fun as I remember them being - all these stories told through his eyes!)Percy is a dork, but he's our dork. (Read as: These are just as much fun as I remember them being - all these stories told through his eyes!)...more
This will always be one of my all-time favorite books now. I have never read a better reunion storyline, I swear. Anyway, these full cast productions This will always be one of my all-time favorite books now. I have never read a better reunion storyline, I swear. Anyway, these full cast productions continue to be way too much fun. Glad the next novella is only a few days out from its adaptation being released!...more
Look, I know. Believe me, I know. I read these too often. BUT. In my defense... I'm listening to these GraphicAudio versions as they come out now, okaLook, I know. Believe me, I know. I read these too often. BUT. In my defense... I'm listening to these GraphicAudio versions as they come out now, okay? They're cool experiences! Don't get me wrong, Kevin R. Free simply isMurderbot in my mind, but I also cannot deny that these are just downright fun. David Cui Cui is also a great Murderbot, and the sound / voice effects and added music and battle sounds are just a totally new way of experiencing these stories, and, well... let's be real, I'll take any opportunity (/ excuse) to listen to these again....more
Well, THAT was super fun and super cute. For such a new book, this felt so nostalgic, coming back to a quest with the original trio! Plus, all the talWell, THAT was super fun and super cute. For such a new book, this felt so nostalgic, coming back to a quest with the original trio! Plus, all the talk of Annabeth and Percy's future together? Jokes about her having Sally as a mother-in-law?? Please. My heart can't take it!...more
I love absolutely everything about this book. 10/10, will totally read again. Awesome magic system, big found family vibes, a really sweet couple, andI love absolutely everything about this book. 10/10, will totally read again. Awesome magic system, big found family vibes, a really sweet couple, and a wild adventure - what more could you need?...more
Once again, a really cool experience. I'm so, so used to the Recorded Books versions that this is such a fun new thing, like a shiny new toy. Loved haOnce again, a really cool experience. I'm so, so used to the Recorded Books versions that this is such a fun new thing, like a shiny new toy. Loved having ART voiced by a woman, for a cool difference from the voice I so love for it that Kevin R. Free does. Looking forward to the rest of this series slowly coming out in these audio drama formats!...more
This was such a weird and cool experience! The effects, background noise, soundtrack, and full cast made this feel so radically different than the traThis was such a weird and cool experience! The effects, background noise, soundtrack, and full cast made this feel so radically different than the traditional audiobook. I will say that I like the traditional audiobook more (not only because Kevin R. Free just is Murderbot in my mind at this point after so many listens, but I think that version also does a better job of emphasizing certain words for context in the dialogue that were missed in this version), but I am absolutely picking up the rest of this series in this audio drama format. So glad to see these books just getting even more love, because they have my whole heart and deserve so much more love than they currently get....more
Yeah, no. Absolutely not. I made it to around the 25% mark and hated pretty much every second of this experience. It's excruciatingly boring, with allYeah, no. Absolutely not. I made it to around the 25% mark and hated pretty much every second of this experience. It's excruciatingly boring, with all this focus on the minutiae of the World's Fair (the votes on where to have it, the long debates over the budget, etc.); the jumps between the Burnham and Holmes sections aren't clearly marked at all, to the point where it gets confusing; and there's like 80% more story about Burnham for the tiny 20% we get to see about Holmes. Don't bother even trying with this one....more
Well, that was cute! Very Princess Diaries meets What A Girl Wants, which is a movie I love and used to be all wistful about as a kid who grew up not Well, that was cute! Very Princess Diaries meets What A Girl Wants, which is a movie I love and used to be all wistful about as a kid who grew up not knowing her father at all. My only qualms really were that the romance felt a bit insta-love-y, but even still, I'm such a sucker for the enemies to lovers, grump & sunshine pairing that I enjoyed the ride way too much anyway!
No plans to read book two, though, if I'm honest. A lot of reviews said there's a dumb love triangle as one of the main plots, and that just isn't my jam. Happy to leave things off here with this hopeful, happy ending!...more
I finished this a couple of days ago and forgot to mark it done, whoops. But that was such an interesting dive into internalized biphobia and the struI finished this a couple of days ago and forgot to mark it done, whoops. But that was such an interesting dive into internalized biphobia and the struggles of / pressure to come out and community gatekeeping - with the added bonus of a nicely diverse cast! This definitely was modeled after Albertalli's own... pressured, to say the very least, coming out experience, and it really made me want to just give her a hug? Anyway, terrific book. We all dislike friends like Gretchen, that is all. ...more
Well now. That's the second epilogue in a day to make me sob, but in a very different way than the last one. That HAS to be a set up for a third book,Well now. That's the second epilogue in a day to make me sob, but in a very different way than the last one. That HAS to be a set up for a third book, and I need it so badly now....more
Okay, this absolutely deserves all the hype it's gotten. 10/10,one of the coziest hugs of a book I've ever read, and I already miss the characters. 10Okay, this absolutely deserves all the hype it's gotten. 10/10,one of the coziest hugs of a book I've ever read, and I already miss the characters. 100% will be rereading again. I can definitely see this becoming a comfort reread, especially since it's only a few hours sped up on audio....more
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