Siegel discusses adolescence, how the brain changes, brain science, and more. Some of the content repeats that in No Drama Discipline and The Whole-Brain Child, and I suspect (considering he talks about it at length in this book) Mindsight.

It is potentially useful to families of all ages, and especially for families with adolescents.

The second Monk & Robot book. It explores friendship, humanity, and discovering one’s place in the world. I enjoyed it as a comforting, low-stakes book.

I think that the intent of the book is to explore the nature of humanity. Perhaps it was intended to be an exploration of dreams, how realistic they are, and how they can drive people to do terrible things.

I didn’t enjoy the book, I felt it was dark and unreasonable.

Should it be banned, though? I don’t think so. Does it have a redeeming quality? I find that more difficult to agree, personally. It wasn’t to my taste. It certainly brings to question who decides what is “Literature” versus “literature” and why.

The author places the main characters’ hometown in a small town in Oregon, which she describes as having a local college, a yearly circus, and a sort-of insular family. All a tall order for the particular town she places this story (I grew up there). McGuire doesn’t mention farms or orchards, something that a family like this and with its longevity in the area would very likely own. The lack of accurate details weakened my ability to suspend disbelief. When she described New York, I couldn’t help but wonder how much she got wrong considering the small town that she describes is completely wrong.

The final item that popped any further disbelief is when Verity, the main character, meets Dominic, a member of her family’s long-standing nemesis. And everything spirals out of control. Verity supposedly leads a double life as a dancer—until Dominic pierces that veil. Verity lives in seclusion and hiding in New York—yet Dominic discovers her home with ease. If he can do both, with apparent ease, then how are the Price family even alive?

That’s not even hitting on the constant name-dropping of various cryptid species, that comes across more as the author saying “hey, I’m cool, I know these critters’ names.”

I did not enjoy the book, dropping it before the end. I can’t recommend it.

Claire is The Unwritten Library’s librarian; she maintains the collection of unfinished books throughout time, located in Hell. When a piece of a work that is important to Hell arrives in her possession, Claire embarks on a quest to find the remainder of the work, and discovers that not all is as it seems.

Great pacing and character development. I am curious how future works in this universe will transpire.

Thea deals with the end of a 20-year marriage, after discovering that her husband cheated on her with her best friend. She slowly becomes friends, then falls in love with Edward, a cranky bookseller.

A slow romance, without the drama of young love.

Wynd’s friends make it to a fae city, chased by vampires. Wynd discovers that a pair of something is watching over him – and the start of discovering more about himself.

We discover the ruler of Pipetown is much further in league with vampires than previously known.

The series still seems good, so far. The book moves along at a good clip. It does have lots of representation, which is sure to anger the right kind of people.

Wynd wants to live a normal life, but his pointed ears identify him as touched by magic — a weirdblood. Prince Yorik is escapes his duties with his friend, Thorn, intent on changing acceptance for weirdbloods.

So far the series touches on issues important to teens, such as: crushes; changes to friends, family, life; and identity. Good start to the series.

I find the series’ changing of artists fascinating. It lends to the aura of The Endless as each artist presents their own take on the characters, reminiscent to how each person experiences them differently.

While horror isn’t my thing, this doesn’t seem too bad. My favorite in this collection is “The Sound of Her Wings”.

I was rolling my eyes way too often by the second half of the book. The heroine would have a some bit of internal dialogue expressing her love for the hero but outward push him away. Multiple. Times.

Or, some bit of information that obviously meant the hero never loved or could never love the heroine was presented to the heroine. Repeatedly. It was a bit much. I couldn’t fully believe they fell in love or reconciled.

It did not work for me.