What am I reading today?

Superluminous by Ian De Haes

Total read in March thus far: 35

Listen with me

I had some concerns going into Mortal Engines, primarily regarding genre. I was concerned that it would be hard to follow or maddeningly complex. Those concerns were quickly dismissed by the characters that fill this universe. While the plot wasn't especially innovative, I was blown away by these characters. There are no simple villains or heroes. The villains all have complex motivations and prove to have redeeming values. The heroes realize that they aren't always right, that even "good guys" can find themselves making decisions that hurt other people. I'm especially admiring of Hester. Seldom do we see female characters with heavy scars, driven solely by revenge. These are elements given almost exclusively to male characters.

As far as narration is concerned, Barnaby Edwards does distinct voices for major characters and lends emotional emphasis to the lines. He successfully blends into the story, so it becomes entirely about the plot and not at all about his voice.

If you have any fondness for sci-fi, especially books with a dystopian vibe, give this one a listen.

What am I reading today?

Silverworld by Diana Abu-Jaber

Total read in March thus far: 34

What am I reading today?

Alien Nate by Dave Whamond

Total read in March thus far: 29

What am I reading today?

Micah McKinney and the Boys of Summer by Nina Chapman

Total read in March thus far: 25

Book review - Pop Flies, Robo-Pets and Other Disasters

Title: Pop Flies, Robo-Pets, and Other Disasters
Author: Suzanne Kamata
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: A Talent for Trouble by Natasha Farrant
                      Skateboard Sibby by Clare O'Connor
Rating:

interesting

Summary (provided by publisher): Thirteen-year-old Satoshi Matsumoto spent the last three years living in Atlanta where he was the star of his middle-school baseball team—a slugger with pro potential, according to his coach. Now that his father's work in the US has come to an end, he's moved back to his hometown in rural Japan. Living abroad has changed him, and now his old friends in Japan are suspicious of his new foreign ways. Even worse, his childhood foe Shintaro, whose dad has ties to gangsters, is in his homeroom. After he joins his new school's baseball team, Satoshi has a chance to be a hero until he makes a major-league error.

My opinion: I like that this isn't your standard story of culture clash. This isn't a spoiled American kid learning about Japanese culture. This is a kid who lived in Japan, moved to the US for a while, and now has returned. He's a kid who doesn't fit in anywhere. He was out of place in the US but began to assimilate. So when the book begins and he is reintegrating his sense of coming home is disrupted by these changes he experienced. It takes that typical middle grade dilemma of trying to work out your place among your peers and ramps it up a couple of notches. I do feel like it leaves out some information, especially regarding the grandfather and the sister. There are elements related to Satoshi's feelings about them and their place in society that are hinted at but never really addressed. I would have liked to have seen more exploration of those issues instead of just his finding his place at school and on the baseball team.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

What am I reading today?

All the Pretty things by Emily Arsenault

Total read in March thus far: 25