lisaluvsliterature's reviews
4123 reviews

The Song of Orphan's Garden by Nicole M. Hewitt

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I was so excited to get the chance to read this debut novel by one of my favorite fellow book bloggers early! I don’t read a ton of middle grade books anymore since I switched from being a middle school teacher to a high school librarian. But occasionally I’ll give in and give them a try. It’s kind of interesting that both of the middle grade books I’ve read this year were also novels in verse, as I don’t tend to read a lot of poetry or novels in verse either. However, just like the one I read earlier this year, but in a completely different way, this one was a winner for me as well!

The characters were definitely ones that I was rooting for, especially as we see both sides of the story. We see how both have been led to believe things about the other side based on what they’ve been told. And as younger children, well, 13 years old I believe, that is a time when kids start to look and see maybe things aren’t exactly as they’ve been led to believe by their parents or other adults in their lives. When they start basing their opinions based on their own experiences and making or wanting to make their own decisions.

Lyrianna is on a desperate mission to get her brother to a garden to be healed. And she’s heard of the Orphan’s Garden, where no payment or fee is required and supposedly only orphans are called to it. It is so much tension and being on the edge of the seat while reading hoping that each obstacle can be overcome even in this cold, hard world.

Then there is Brob, which I love the full name, Brobdingnag – which I know that word thanks to The Big Bang Theory, lol. Perfect name for a giant! His family has been turned away from their own garden and lives thanks to what their king has decided is a betrayal, a failure by Brob’s father. They are sent away. And Brob remembers the garden he created when he was separated from his parents a long time ago, and he heads there to show his parents what he’s done and maybe help them to secure favor with the king again.

Of course there are children there that he has to get rid of, human children or tinies as they are called. But soon after getting rid of them, he realizes that maybe he needs them to keep the garden going and not having it turn into the winter blight that surrounds the garden. Together they all come to work together to save it. But then there is danger in either his parents bringing the giants back, or possibly the humans coming to take the garden for themselves. The final battle is one that will be won but not without some losses.

As I said, a wonderful tale that I can’t wait to share with the middle school librarians I know. And I’m so proud of Nicole for creating this wonderful story!

If the Shoe Fits by Laurie LeClair

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 7%.

Just was t getting into it

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

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adventurous emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Double Pucked by Lauren Blakely

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 19%.

It's not that it's not good. I just am not feeling it right now. There was a time when these types of romances (mfm) were what I was all about reading. Now, I think I just need more than the sexy parts and more story then what I was getting with this. But for the newer to this genre people, or those who still are into it, this one is definitely worth it!

How to Get a Life in Ten Dates by Jenny L. Howe

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.

So I liked the other book I read by this author and was excited for this one. I don't know if I just wasn't in the mood or what, but it wasn't hitting me in a way that I cared whether I kept reading or not. So I decided to DNF and move on. Other people might really like it though, like I said I liked the last one I read, so you might still read it if you liked her other stuff.

For One Night Only by Jessica James

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

As this is a debut author, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’m not always a rock star romance reader, but this one hit the spot! And I’m kind of excited that when I went to find the Amazon link, it looks like maybe, just maybe, this might turn into a series and we can get some HEAs for the other band members?

I loved that Caleb had gone home and become a teacher. Such a totally different career compared to being a rock star. Valerie and the others had all pretty much gone onto rock star adjacent jobs, or at least still with some music or fame/celebrity aspect to them. Valerie however seemed to not be doing as well as her latest show was in danger of not being renewed for another season. Not to mentions people on the show, ex-boyfriends especially, were using her – badmouthing her – on social media but really just to help their own images. So it definitely made me sympathetic to wanting to see her be able to get ahead.

While both Caleb and Valerie had issues with family – specifically their mothers – at least Caleb’s for the most part at least somewhat cared and wasn’t taking advantage of him. But Caleb also had sisters to be there for him or for him to have a reason to be there for them. Valerie really had no one for the most part. Not to mention most everyone kind of blamed her for the band’s break up. But while Caleb kind of blamed her for why he left partly, he also knew he was in a way just as much to blame for the breakup because of how he left.

Their reunion and subsequent rekindling of their relationship, even as they pretended it was just fake-dating to help with the concert was a really fun, yet emotional journey to go along with as the reader. I got to know the both of them so well, and developed both a love and hate relationship with the other members of their band. Enough so that as I mentioned above, I would love to see the rest of them get a story! Of course something had to happen to make things blow up even as it seemed they could maybe get back together, both as a couple, and maybe even the band. And even with how it seemed to totally be blown up and what a crazy way to just walk off once again, it made sense for the history between all of them, and what was hanging on the line with their former company and the contract they found an extra copy of.

In the end I like the way it all worked out. How everyone came to figure out how they really felt and how they made it up to the ones who needed that. As someone who is a major superfan of a group from my high school years, New Kids on the Block, and I consider myself a Blockhead, it was fun to read about other superfans and their much better nickname of the Glitterbugs. In fact I loved the background story on the name of Glitter Bats! I really enjoyed this story, and hope to read more by this author in the future. Especially if it is another one set in this same world!

The Stocking Was Hung by Tara Sivec

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funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced