Stevens and Cooper talk primarily about forms of journaling and applying journal keeping in a college classroom or college teaching environment. They believe that reflection is a key driver to growth and development, discussing various methods to capture and reflect on ideas and events in a journal.

The ideas are interesting, but I felt that the book lacked depth and was repetitive. I was hoping for a more in-depth look into journaling.

Murderbot, of all things, isn’t murderous, but is faced with numerous self-doubts, humans, and things that want them dead.

I enjoy Murderbot because it tends to be more human than many sci-fi characters I’ve come across.

If you convict someone because they’re abhorrent, and not because they broke the law, you might as well live in a dictatorship.

I think Guterson tried to do too much in this book. At times it follows a father and son, as the father prepares his last case in court. So there are the attendant themes of processing life and death. At others, Guterson tries to portray a court case for child abuse and homocide, which I felt was disjointed from the father and son narrative.

Finally, in the father’s legacy feels forgotten by the end of the book, unprocessed. Perhaps that’s a bigger theme here? Maybe I’m missing something.

I didn’t enjoy the book, and felt the ending was unsatisfactory.

A trans youth escapes her home with her violin. A violin teacher seeks a final student to condemn their soul to hell. A space captain seeks to protect her family from a interstellar disease.

I feel that the book is hollow, in that I didn’t feel that anything was ever truly at stake, or the characters ever actually in danger. I didn’t find it particularly satisfying when it ended.

It didn’t work for me.

Castillo discusses reading, a term that she applies broadly to consuming books, movies, and other media.

This is less a collection of essays explaining how to read, and more Castillo’s thoughts on reading politically. Interesting at times, but I was hoping for something different.

My largest issue is that I lost interest about halfway through. I kept reading, but I felt that the narrative lost itself, trying too hard to do too much over several time lines.

By about that halfway point the book starts veering into the truly odd with some bizarre sex acts that seemingly serve no purpose.

When I finished, I wasn’t sure that any of the characters grew. Change happened, sure, but growth? I’m not convinced.

I didn’t enjoy this book.

Beetle and Hollowbones were friends before Hollowbones left for school. Beetle stayed to study with her grandmother. But Hollowbones is back to study with her aunt.

Beetle learns that Hollowbones’ aunt is buying the local mall, where her ghost friend is stuck—she must figure out how to save her friend—and heal her friendship with Hollowbones.

Nova is a teen witch, Tam is a werewolf, and together they must battle dark forces and stumble, a little, through love.

I enjoyed it.

Ray is a young seer struggling to find her place in the world. Ray meets Laurie, a barista struggling to make a break as a musician.

I thought that the story offered an interesting take showing two people that needed to grow before developing a romantic relationship.

This book continues where Gilded stopped.

I enjoyed how Meyer changed Rumplestiltskin by adding characters and changing villains. She created an engaging story from the fabric of a well-known story.

I felt that there were spots where Serilda dwells more on her circumstances than figuring a way forward. But, even so, I found the story entertaining.