Wrap Up #1

It's Middle Grade March which significantly pumps up my numbers. I have 9 books to review.

I picked up Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend which was a re-read. I enjoyed this just as much as the first time, maybe even more. I gave it 5 stars.

Then I picked up a childhood favorite Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt. This is the story of four siblings being abandoned by their mentally ill mother and their journey toward safety and survival. I love the characters, especially the oldest sibling Dicey who keeps her family together as they walk along the coast, trying to find a home. I gave it 4 stars.

I then picked up The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. This is a children's classic translated from French about a magical little boy who journeys to other planets. I found it really lacking in any plot and additionally, there is no character development or world building. Completely overrated in my opinion. I gave it 2 stars.

Next I checked out the graphic novel called The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag. This was a cute story about a magical community where boys are shapeshifters and girls learn witchcraft. The protagonist is a boy who wants to be a witch and the backlash he faces when he doesn't fit into his gender roles. I liked the message and the artwork was cute. I gave it 3 stars.

I decided to pick up something a bit weightier with Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. He help found the Equal Justice Initiative which helps get innocent people off of death row. He tells of specific examples of how poor people just don't get the representation which allows the legal system to railroad them. Additionally, he cites examples of how corrupt officials allow racial bias to convict an innocent man. This was a harrowing read but I'm glad to know there are programs out there fighting for people. I gave this book 5 stars.

On audiobook, I listened to Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. This is my second book by her and I've come to conclude I don't care for her stream of consciousness writing style. This is based on her childhood and is written in verse. I gave the book 3 stars.

Next I read The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman. This is a realistic fiction story about two related and close-knit families are living in the house and how one decision tears apart their relationship. The thing that tears them apart, wasn't much of a mystery. I basically guessed it within the first chapter but the author keeps heavily foreshadowing as if you don't know what it is. I didn't like that part of being spoon-fed. However, the brother characters were really well developed and grew over time which I enjoyed. I gave the book 3.5 stars.

Another audiobook I listened to was My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite. This was a short book about two sisters. One is very beautiful, floating through life, and also killing her boyfriends. The other is not attractive, working hard as a nurse and cleaning up her sister's messes. (literally) Things come to a head when the pretty sister starts dating the doctor the other has a crush on. The story was really engrossing but ultimately I felt there was little to no character development. The ending disappointed. 4 stars.

Lastly, I picked up The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Oh my goodness! This was an adorable paranormal retelling of The Jungle Book. A family is murdered but the little toddler escapes to a nearby graveyard. There he has ghosts and other paranomal folk who take him in and look after him. I loved this story so much and am eagerly wanting to pick up more Neil Gaiman. I gave it a rare 5 stars!