Alli the Book Giraffe

Hello readers! It’s the last WWW Wednesday of January. I had an unexpectedly hectic month, so I haven’t read as much as I’d like. However, I am happy with what I’ve managed to finish.

I finished a book last night that I didn’t expect to get to so soon in the year, so let’s talk about it!

If you don’t know, WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme created by Taking On a World of Words where you share what you have read recently, are currently reading, and will read next. You can do this EVERY week, or as often as you like.

I have been having a crazy month, so I still haven’t finished Amari and the Great Game. I have 100 pages left and intend to get to it by the end of the month.

I can’t exactly explain why this one isn’t quite as strong as the first book, but I still enjoy it. Part of it, I think, is that multiple plots are happening at once, which makes the story feel a bit crowded.

First, we have the Great Game, which didn’t get as much attention as it should have. Given the trials in the previous book, I feel like the author could’ve done more with it. The main plot this time is a time freeze that Amari is trying to solve, while also facing discrimination due to the type of magic she has. With so much happening, some storylines, like the Great Game, feel like they could have been saved for another book so they could get the attention they deserve.

Looking ahead, I’m not sure if I’ll continue the series. Reviews I’ve seen for book three say that while book two had too much going on, book three feels rushed, so I’m a little hesitant to commit, though I still want to finish this one. Let me know if you’ve read book three! I’d love to know your thoughts.

Half His Age is Jennette McCurdy’s first fiction novel. It came out on the 20th, so I didn’t expect to get it from Libby so soon.

This one follows Waldo, who is a teen girl with a crush on her teacher. A lot is going on in her life with her single mom, who doesn’t pay much attention to her, her very pessimistic outlook on life, and this crush she can’t understand.

I have a LOT of thoughts about this book. First, I don’t think the author should’ve narrated the book. I found it confusing because the main character is very similar to her in tone. She also talks very fast, which was a little jarring. I usually listen at 1.75 to 2x speed (depending on the book), and I couldn’t do it for this one.

I remember when I heard of this book, I thought it’d be similar to My Dark Vanessa. Like that book, there are sexual experiences between the main character and the teacher. But the tone wasn’t the same.

The entire relationship is initiated by the 17-year-old, making the teacher seem like a victim. He even repeatedly tells her no and is drunk for some of it. I was really uncomfortable because I felt sympathy for him, even though he is clearly the adult and should’ve set boundaries. The book frames the teen as being in charge of the dynamic, while the adult just goes along with her wishes, and I don’t think that works.

I don’t understand what McCurdy was trying to accomplish with this story. What is the takeaway from it?

I’ve picked Amulet book, which I believe I mentioned in the last WWW Wednesday, and The Good Samaritan by John Marrs. I’ll need to get to Amulet soon, since I should be heading back to the library in the next few days.

John Marrs’ newest book, Dead in the Water, was also released in January. He is definitely becoming one of my favorite authors. I’ve read five of his books now, and I always read his newest releases. I was planning to read Dead in the Water next, but Goodreads says that The Good Samaritan has some crossover events and characters with it, so I’m going to read that one first.

I find it so hard to give you guys a description of a John Marrs book I haven’t read, because the synopses are always so vague. This one follows a woman named Laura, who I believe works for a suicide hotline. Even though she’s there to help people, her own life is miserable, and she wants the people who call to die. I’ll let you know more once I’ve read it!

I’m also excited to finally dive into Amulet, since I’ve heard great things about the story and I’ve seen Kibuishi’s artwork in another book. I got a taste of it in a Brandon Sanderson picture book, and I’m looking forward to seeing more here.

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Happy blogging and bookish adventures! 📚🦒✨

This post was created by Allison Wolfe for www.allithebookgiraffe.com and is not permitted to be posted anywhere else.

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