So this week, I only have one book to review! Geez. But I'm hoping to get on a more responsible schedule this week and get back to books.
What I Read This Week:
Boy Nobody by Allen ZadoffMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Free ARC received at Rochester Teen Book Festival.
My rating for this book is kind of complicated. I picked up the ARC knowing that it was outside my usual preferences, but thinking it looked interesting enough to give it a shot. For me, personally, this would be about a three-star read. I stayed interested enough to finish it, but I was right: it's not exactly my cup of tea. However, I would LOVE to see this on classroom and school library shelves; I think many of my students would get really into it. The high stakes adventure and short chapters are a combination that will lure even reluctant readers to give it a shot and to keep turning pages. So, for that reason, I have to say this is worth at least four stars.
If you like stories with lots of action, suspense, and mystery, this will likely be one you'll enjoy. (And I think it would make a great beach read--the writing is simple and gets out of the way of the plot, and as I said, the chapters are short and sweet.) If I liked it enough to finish, I can imagine that people who typically enjoy this genre will really enjoy it.
View all my reviews
My TBR pile isn't getting much attention right now either. Have fun binging on the fun stuff! I'm sure you deserve to kick back and relax now that the school year is done!
ReplyDeleteThanks :) I'm actually finding that my days are getting pretty full: housework projects I've put off, writing, running, and soon a lot of planning for next year! But I really love that I get to control my own day. I just need to figure out how to get the most out of it.
DeleteI made a trip to our public library yesterday and discovered a whole YA section (on the mezzanine) that I didn't even know existed. Goldmine! I took out a bunch of books from there, plus there's my overflowing TBR shelf in my office... I really need to get some serious reading done.
ReplyDeleteHigh stakes and short chapters? Yeah, I could see that appealing to students, too.
Awesome! I love seeing libraries that have really embraced the growth of YA. My neighborhood library here has a smallish YA section, but it's VERY well-curated so I can always find something there. But when I stopped into my library back home, I found the YA section really hadn't changed much since I was growing up! I'm glad you have a decent section at yours.
DeleteI've read a few books recently for which I had a similar reaction: 3 stars for the fact that the writing was good, and I read to the end without getting bored or annoyed--but it really wasn't my genre, or it didn't really grab me in a special way. However, I could see how fans of that genre or style could really get into it.
ReplyDeleteIt's making me re-think my use of stars on Goodreads. I'm toying with the idea of only giving stars to some books--five stars for best of the best, four stars for best of the genre, and just review everything else without stars. It's tricky, because I know star averages on Goodreads are often used as shorthand for how good a book is, so I feel bad awarding a lower star rating just because something isn't my cup of tea. At the same time, there's no way to really "objectively" rate a book--it's way too personal!
DeleteI like to have some kind of consistency, so I give 3 stars to a book that is technically fine, no major plot holes, competent dialog, etc., but just doesn't grab me, or isn't in any way compelling. If there's something about the book that raises it above the norm--good characters, particularly good dialog, good writing, a well-executed plot--then it gets 4 stars. If I'm so taken in by the story, or the writing, or the novel as a whole that I'm blind to any technical faults, then it gets a 5 star review. If the novel is the first in a series, and I don't care to read the next, the highest it will get is a 3.
DeleteI don't know if that helps you, Jess, but just FYI... :)
I hadn't heard of this one until someone pointed me to the (high-production value) book trailer. I'm not sure this is my genre, but I'll keep it in mind!
ReplyDeleteI am such a slow reader right now--it's frustrating me. More hours in the day, please!