This book in a nutshell? Stop dreaming and start doing.
If you want the experience of having gone to see a motivational speaker while sitting on the lounge in your pyjamas, then this book may be what you’re looking for. It read to me like a motivational speaker’s speech that basically went along the lines of ‘if you can dream it then you can do it’ along with other clichés and plenty of anecdotes.
What you’ll get from this book is common sense advice to move you from thinking about it to doing it, whatever your creative ‘it’ may be. I didn’t read anything revolutionary but it was a quick read. If you feel the need to read something positive to get your butt into gear, try this book. More power to you.
My favourite sentence:
“The more people who align their lives with love, passion and action, the better this world becomes for everyone.”
Biggest annoyance of the book? Following a statement about how we’re all on our own hero’s journey and an anecdote about Luke Skywalker saving a planet with a suggestion for how you can step up your own hero game … by fixing the photocopier again even though you didn’t break it … Really?
At times I felt like I was sitting around a campfire listening to a guy in a tie dye shirt chilling out and telling me, “The Universe will guide you towards your highest good” and that my inner critic is a “snotball” (actual quotes).
This book wasn’t for me and if I hadn’t committed myself to reviewing it I wouldn’t have made it past the first 20%, but just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean you won’t get something from it that launches you into creative overdrive.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Smith Publicity for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Can’t quite get your creative juices flowing? The day job sucking your soul? Fizzled out before you put the finishing touches on your amazing creation?
With relentless positivity, full-on authenticity and a punk rock thunder spirit, author Jeff Leisawitz pulls back the curtain on the creative process and reminds us that we are all creative SuperStars.
It’s time to get off the couch and get on the path. It’s time to tap into the cosmic heartbeat that thumps in your chest and shines from your soul. It’s time to get NFA!
Gracie LaRoo is the youngest synchronised swimmer in the Water Sprites. Gracie LaRoo has four stories.
In Gracie LaRoo at Pig Jubilee Gracie is competing for the first time in a world synchronised swimming competition. She has been practising hard and memorising her team’s routine, but she loses her bag with everything she needs for the competition. Will she find it in time and will she be able to concentrate enough to be able to perform her signature move?
In Gracie LaRoo on the Big Screen Gracie is going to be in a Piggywood movie. When things don’t go as she had hoped can Gracie overcome her disappointment? Is her movie dream over before it even begins?
In Gracie LaRoo Sets Sail Gracie and the rest of the Water Sprites have performances booked on a cruise ship but at their first performance the crowd are mad that they can’t use the pool or waterslide. If they don’t make the crowd happy with their next performance the rest of their performances will be cancelled!
In Gracie LaRoo Goes to School Gracie visits her old school. She’s there to teach a class and give a speech about being a synchronised swimmer and she doesn’t know if she can do it. She’s never given a speech before!
There are very sweet illustrations by Kristyna Litten. While all of the right elements seemed to be there (easy to read, clear storylines, the message that problems can be solved and you can overcome your fears), I didn’t connect to Gracie as I have with the main character in books for this age group that I’ve read recently and I personally didn’t like her.
I never felt like cheering her on when things didn’t go her way and I was particularly annoyed that she blatantly disregarded the authority of the school principal in the final story. I’m all for being yourself but didn’t feel the message that you can deliberately flout authority without consequences was a useful message for school kids reading this book.
I also wasn’t a fan of her arrogance, singlehandedly deciding she was the one that knew best how to fix every problem and seemingly not even bothering to communicate her spectacular plans to her teammates when her decisions often affected them as well. I can’t see how this makes her a good team player.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Gracie LaRoo is a synchronized swimming pig extraordinaire! Follow Gracie as she shoots for the gold medal; uses her dazzling moves in a Piggywood movie; visits her old school and shows her former coach just how hard synchronized swimming can be; and captivates a cruise ship audience with her signature spins.
I loved the illustrations but the story didn’t work for me. I get that this was a parody of the author’s previous book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie but I didn’t find it funny. I found the story clichéd and annoying.
The man wants a cookie, then he wants milk, then he puts the empty milk container in the fridge, etc… I’m sure lots of people will love this book but it just wasn’t for me.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
#1 New York Times bestselling author Laura Numeroff, author of the hugely popular children’s book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, offers this hilarious parody of her own book for the man in your life.
If you give a man a cookie … he’s going to want milk to go with it … God forbid he should get it himself.
If You Give a Man a Cookie is a woman’s commentary about her helpless man and the chain of events that leads him on a journey from the bed to the bathroom to the couch and back to bed at nightfall.
The comics in this book are broken up into sections: grooming and habitat maintenance, life ambitions, mating habits, self-care and social conduct. I started out relating to a lot of the comics early in the book but then realised that I’d already seen all of the good ones on the internet and didn’t really enjoy or relate to the rest.
It’s possible I’m too old for some of the humour and it would work better for women in their late teens or early 20’s. It’s a cute gift book but I wouldn’t personally read it more than once.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
A collection of Loryn Brantz’s vibrant and relatable Jellybean Comics about her everyday experiences as a lady.
Home manicure tips, awkward seduction techniques, scoping out the snack table, and — most important — prioritising naps: Lady Stuff reveals these womanly secrets and more. In sections like “Grooming and Habitat Maintenance,” “Mating Habits,” and others, these brightly coloured, adorable comics find the humour in the awkwardness of simply existing.
Jared, Bree and Kenzie have been friends for a long time, until the events that took place at a party two years ago. Jared knew his brother planned this party with his Year 12 friends with the sole purpose of having sex with as many Year 9 girls as possible. Apparently these get togethers are a common occurrence. Jared fails to warn his friends and Kenzie is raped at the party. Jared’s guilt comes to a head when a photo of Kenzie from the night she was raped is posted on social media.
Before reading this book I’d never heard of a Hi-Lo book. For those as in the dark as I was, Hi-Lo are high-interest, low-readability books; basically books with more mature themes for reluctant readers if my understanding is correct. I love the concept. Anything that helps non-readers become readers is something to be applauded in my world.
I felt this book had potential as it addressed rape culture. It saddens and horrifies me that rape is so prevalent in society that it has its own culture. I’m not sure you can ever say that you enjoy a book where the central theme is sexual assault but in the context of a Hi-Lo book, I think the author did a good job.
I liked that this story is told from the point of view of a 16 year old boy. The majority of books I’ve read about sexual assault are told primarily from a female perspective. I like that at the end of the book the author listed some website resources. I didn’t really find a connection with any of the characters, although that may be in part because this was a quick read and as such there wasn’t the opportunity to get to know the characters as well as you do in longer novels.
I can understand Jared questioning why Kenzie never reported what happened to her. Until you’ve been there you don’t know what you’d do in that situation and there is no right or wrong answer. Some people report. Others don’t. I can understand both sides.
I appreciated the growth shown in Jared’s character throughout the book and how he kept trying to reach out to Kenzie. Jared talks about how useful the mediation training sessions he’s been attending have been but I would have liked to hear more about what he learned so readers could take something else away from the book.
I felt as though some of language attributed to the teens in the book didn’t work for the target audience or as examples of how young people speak. I’m not sure 15 and 16 year olds would be using terms like ‘young man’ used to describe a teenager in a video, or ‘compromising photos’ used to describe nude selfies or revenge porn. Also, some of the conversations read like they belonged in a pamphlet found in a counsellor’s office, not coming out of the mouths of teens.
It really frustrated me that while the author mentioned Kenzie was getting slut shamed on social media, the photograph in question constituted child pornography and no one did anything about it. While the focus is on Kenzie’s rape, there’s all of this blame from the characters towards Bree. Yes, Bree made really bad decisions, but… Maybe there are different laws where the author lives but where I come from a 14 year old girl is not old enough to legally be able to give consent so even if she was all for it, it’s still statutory rape.
I would have liked to have seen at least one person other than the victims experience consequences. Cam gets away with raping Kenzie. Seth gets away with physically abusing Jared, the statutory rape of Bree, and the production and distribution of child pornography. Who knows how many unnamed Year 12 boys raped how many unnamed Year 9 girls at their parties. Countless people in social media land do nothing when they see child pornography being distributed except shame the victim. Bree distributed child pornography and deserves to go down in history as being one of the worst friends ever. Jared’s father gets away with the blatant neglect of his son. No one at the school appears to even acknowledge the fact that Kenzie barely attends. I could probably go on, but that’s enough frustration at the lack of accountability.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Lorimer Children & Teens for the opportunity to read this book. I’d recommend watching Audrie & Daisy to anyone interested in a great documentary that complements the themes of this book quite well.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Epic Fail tells the story of Kenzie, a 16-year-old half Native American girl, and her two best friends, who have grown up in a multiracial, mixed-income suburb. Two years after a party where Kenzie was raped, she is still dealing with the trauma. When photos of the incident appear on social media there are serious consequences for everyone involved.
This book tells a tough but realistic story about teen relationships and sexual assault and how social media plays a role in magnifying its impact.
I loved the cover and wanted to adore this book based on its fantastic blurb but unfortunately I didn’t connect with it like I do with most children’s books. It felt somewhat disjointed and I wanted to hear what Betty had to say about bullying and being yourself. The pictures were sweet. I wondered about some of the choice of words as I’m not sure a young child would know or care who Liszt is or what opus means.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and LuJu Books for the opportunity to read this book. I’m sure a lot of children and parents alike will love this book but I’m afraid this one wasn’t for me.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
In a world that seems to encourage us all to look, talk, think, and act the same and is in a constant state of comparison, how can we teach children from a young age that their differences are actually their strengths, not their weaknesses?
It all begins with what we show them and tell them, and a wonderful starting point for this important conversation is the engaging, beautifully illustrated new book Batty Betty by children’s author Kathryn Hast (LuJu Books). What sets this book apart from others in the stack is its storyline – which is purposefully, delightfully whimsical even as it tackles tough subjects – as well as its lyrical style. Hast wanted to be sure it was just as fun for both parents and children to read while also illuminating ways to approach and take on real and often difficult scenarios.
Enter: Abel, the tuba; Eve, the sad banana; and Betty, a giant who dances unapologetically to her own drum. When Abel goes out marching by himself, he finds a sad banana named Eve who has been bullied by local beavers. As it turns out, she’s not alone. The beavers are also out for Betty, who stands out with her towering height and “batty” behavior. Abel sets out to defeat these beavers, but soon discovers it’s not about winning – it’s about finding your own music amidst the ruckus and noise.
Unfortunately, while I was very interested in this book based on its blurb, it wasn’t for me. While Brandon and Jenny’s early friendship was sweet and lovely to read about, I found their character development didn’t sit right with me. Maybe I’ve read too much about mental illness but I picked up on Brandon’s Dissociative Identity Disorder in the prologue and found the turn of events too predictable, except for the final twist which just seemed implausible.
Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Brandon and Jenny have been best friends since they were 5. When Brandon’s mum dies in a horrific accident, his dad’s behaviour darkens and Brandon turns to Jenny and her mum for everything. But dealing with such intense issues so young aren’t what our minds are meant to do. The mind needs help to cope.
Jenny loves Brandon, but as a brother. She notices how quickly Brandon falls into himself while she’s away for college. And even more so when she brings her boyfriend home to Las Vegas.
One fateful night, Brandon breaks down and confesses his love to Jenny, sending their relationship into a whirlwind of chaos and destruction.
If I had ever wanted to consider taking drugs this book would stop me from trying them. While the images of purple skies and the thought of being able to manipulate what you see and hear during hallucinations sounds intoxicating and inviting, I’d much rather use my imagination to do the same thing minus the side effects.
I found it so hard wanting to continue reading when there wasn’t a single character I liked or cared about. Pen, our protagonist, is one of the most self centred characters I’ve ever come across. Her self esteem is in the toilet (unlike her vomit which invariably ends up wherever she is at the time) and while she gets used by almost every other person in the book it was hard to feel sorry for her as she was in turn using everyone else as well.
Overall I was disappointed by this book. What started out promising turned into a series of descriptions of people getting high and the last quarter of the book felt rushed. I rarely ever work out who the murderer is in books until the big reveal, yet I figured out not only who they were but their motive early on. Hint: it’s the only person in the book with a motive.
The lack of attention to detail really annoyed me, with contradictions consistently made with what we’d already been told, sometimes even as recently as the page before. Also, why is Pen continually surprised that she is hallucinating the day after she takes Fix when it’s already been established early in the book that Fix’s side effects can last for a significant period of time after you stop taking it?
What I wanted to eat while reading this book:
Absolutely nothing! Between the frequent descriptions of Pen wanting to vomit and what her vomit looked like there was no way I was going to eat while reading this book. I guess those descriptions do make a valid point about drug addiction though … no matter how disgusting the side effects, if you’re hooked on a drug they pale in comparison to the need to get high.
I was so excited about this book after reading the blurb and the first couple of chapters but if I’d borrowed it from the library I doubt I would have made it past chapter 4. However, as I’d requested a review copy, I felt I needed to persevere. Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Penelope Wryter’s life has been a mess ever since her sister committed suicide a year ago. Now Pen’s hooked on Fix, an illegal drug that makes her feel, think, and see differently. The hallucinations are intense, but there’s one vision that keeps Pen coming back for more – Nate. He’s the only person who cares about her. Too bad he’s just a side effect of the drug. Pen knows she’s going nowhere fast. She’s desperate to change. But when she tries to say goodbye to Nate, he professes his love for her making her more confused than ever. Then, when a girl from school goes missing during a bad Fix trip, Pen realizes she may be in a lot more danger than she ever imagined. Unless Pen straightens up and faces reality quick, she might be the next missing girl on the list.
Schizanthus Nerd 