KJK Reads

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Prequel, Novella, Thriller, Mystery Thoughts: This is quite a short and fast paced book that has an interesting plot. At just 136 pages I thought it could be a good introduction to Slaughter’s work but I think I may have to try another to make a fair decision. I did like the strong independent female character of Charlie as while she is able to look after herself she still has people who love and care for her rather than her having to do it all alone. Flora and the story winding around her keeps you guessing a little and she’s definitely a complex and interesting character. However, I did feel that the nausea and what it indicated felt like an overdone cliche and that the story itself feels a little unresolved but hopefully with it being a prequel a lot of the bits that felt unresolved will be handled in The Good Daughter book. Favourite Quote: “There was nothing more torturous, more lonely, than being iced out by a gaggle of teenage girls.”

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Poetry, Disability Thoughts: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This poetry anthology contains a broad range of disabilities, including invisible and rarer ones and I was happy to find one with my disability as it’s rare but I felt so seen. I liked the note on disability and identity at the beginning, especially as person first or disability first is a hotly debated topic in the community with some being offended by one or the other so we’re aware we may see both and it lets those who will be upset to make the decision straight off whether they want to continue or not. I also liked the photo and mini biography being there with the poem instead of all at the end as when that happens I often find myself having to flick back and remind myself what’s going on with my condition impacting memory, which makes it inclusive. However, having the poem origin before we read the poem itself is different and it kind of ensure...

Rating: 5 Stars Themes: Young Adult, Race, Fiction Thoughts: I absolutely devoured this book. I knew from the off this was gonna be a deep and intense book and it didn’t disappoint. Jerome is so mature in his actions caring for his family when alive and at the same time we can see him acting his normal age when he gets frustrated with it all. I’ve seen kids behave like that myself so Jerome feels like a very real child of that age in those circumstances. It’s interesting that we see so much about the family of the cop who shot him, especially the daughter but I can see how some may interpret it a little like it centres the sympathy of the perpetrator a little too much. Although I personally did like the angle it took with that in terms of the purpose of these Ghost Boys and the reason why we need to see a lot from Sarah and the cops perspective. I liked that it flipped back and forth between dead and alive as it built up the tension and also reminded us just how young and innocent Jero...

Rating: 4 Stars Themes: Young Adult, Horror, Supernatural Thoughts: This is my first Night House Files book and it looks like they’re a really cool concept. The book is somewhat mixed media with interviews and document clips being included to build up the world and emphasise the classified and coverup nature of the story. I liked that these are printed with shading behind like they were really extra pages added to the written script provided. The images were well done and added an extra creep factor when the villains were pictured. It was actually surprisingly creepy for a book I found in the teen section so probably for older teens but it was really well done and impressive.

Rating: 3.5 Stars Themes: Graphic Novel  Thoughts: This is a surprisingly deep and cute book. From the back of the cover (not the same blurb as goodreads) it sounded like something funny and maybe quirky and the first chapter fit in with it. However, as the story unfolds we see Frankie navigating the world around her and figuring out who she is in relation to an absent father with the support of her friends. I liked that between Frankie and her friends many minorities were represented so it can help many kids who feel different and don’t feel represented in the stories they read. The ending was really sweet and I’m kinda intrigued as to what’s coming next for Frankie. The illustrations themselves are great and there’s some more things to see the longer you look at them.  Favourite Quote: “Honey, there’s nothing wrong with being different. In fact, it’s the best thing you can be!”

Rating: 3 Stars Themes: Childrens Fiction, Rhyming  Thoughts: A cute rhyming story showing how reading can be used in daily life to promote reading to children. Favourite Quote: “For a boy so little he knew a lot because he would read every chance he got.”