4.5 stars rounding up for how much I enjoyed it. Upper middle grade, genuinely spooky, Halloweeny. Didn't love the "now you're grown --> romantic feel4.5 stars rounding up for how much I enjoyed it. Upper middle grade, genuinely spooky, Halloweeny. Didn't love the "now you're grown --> romantic feelings" at the end....more
Meh. 2.5 stars rounding up because I did end up reading the whole thing in one sitting!
Still laughing at the random moment when they've just done lotMeh. 2.5 stars rounding up because I did end up reading the whole thing in one sitting!
Still laughing at the random moment when they've just done lots of magical stuff and are dealing with demon possession in this alternate "magic is everyday and not a secret" universe and a character is like "here's Polysecure, read it!" ...more
I think my friend Jessica Werner said it all in her review: "She did, in fact, expect the Spanish Inquisition." I think my friend Jessica Werner said it all in her review: "She did, in fact, expect the Spanish Inquisition." ...more
Loved the representation and all the supportive, accepting family love. The exposition in the first half really dragged and I'm not sure the plot realLoved the representation and all the supportive, accepting family love. The exposition in the first half really dragged and I'm not sure the plot really held together? Not really for me but I'm hoping it's for other readers....more
I have a feeling this one is/will be super polarizing, but it was a win for me! I felt like I couldn't tag for funny without also tagging for sad... bI have a feeling this one is/will be super polarizing, but it was a win for me! I felt like I couldn't tag for funny without also tagging for sad... but I didn't want to not tag for funny, since there were specific moments that made me laugh out loud.
Sweet, quirky, not too saccharine for me, and I got sucked in immediately after not having had that experience for a while. Not for everyone but a really great little book for the right reader....more
Awwww. I loved that the characters felt like remarkably believable teens in 2024, especially the way they stepped up for each other and clearly had acAwwww. I loved that the characters felt like remarkably believable teens in 2024, especially the way they stepped up for each other and clearly had access to a lot of Tumblr therapy lingo (in an endearing way). So much teen media feels like a throwback to mean 80s movies, and it drives me bonkers because I see that so rarely in real life.
Loved the friendships, loved the passion for the newspaper, and v v v much loved the adults. A charmer....more
Meh. I liked the AYPE setting and the specificity of Seattle! And I'm always into it when my students rec books that Rec'd by Hazel (color and tree).
Meh. I liked the AYPE setting and the specificity of Seattle! And I'm always into it when my students rec books that they love - although this wasn't for me, clearly it was for them.
Totally not for me, though. From the first page, this was unrelenting whump; Wilhelm was the ultimate woobie (https://fanlore.org/wiki/Whump). Needed much tighter editing, dragged on, hardly any character growth, and honestly it was hard to appreciate any of them by the time we got to the big-action ending. 2.5 stars, rounding down for how much I wanted it to be over. ...more
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