Author: sarasreadingnook

WWW Wednesdays #3

| sarasreadingnook

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme formerly hosted by MizB at Daily Rhythm and now hosted on Taking on a World of Words.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

This week has been quite similar to the previous one, but I have managed to make some progress in my reading.

Currently Reading

Thoughts:
I have only a few pages left to complete, and I am hoping to finish it tonight!

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
Murder Mystery, Fantasy

Summary:

Two women investigate a murder mystery through communicating with the deceased via a séance led by renowned spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Lenna Wickes overcomes her skepticism to join Vaudeline as an apprentice, but they begin to suspect they are caught up in a web of deceit.

Thoughts:
I’m really looking forward to getting back into this after finishing The London Séance Society. I am excited to go back to the sea!

The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman
YA Fantasy

Summary:

A girl named Selly is left behind by her father in Kirkpool. A magician boards her ship and assigns them a risky mission to navigate the Crescent Sea undetected. The mission involves rebellion, fear, and dangerous gods. This captivating fantasy series is full of magic, romance, and adventure, written by the bestselling author of the Aurora Cycle.

Thoughts:
I am thinking about reading “Ithaca,” the first book in the series, before continuing with this one. However, I haven’t made a final decision yet. We’ll see!

House of Odysseus by Claire North (The Songs of Penelope #2)
YA Fantasy

Summary:

House of Odysseus is a YA retelling of ancient Greek myth, giving voice to the women who stand strong in a world ruled by ruthless men. The story takes place in the palace of Odysseus, where Queen Penelope tries to prevent her home from being crushed by two mad kings, Orestes and Menelaus, with the help of Elektra and Helen of Troy. The goddess Aphrodite watches over them all, with her own plans in mind.

Recently Finished Reading

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to finish any books this week. However, I am almost done with “TLSS”. So progress has been made!

Reading Next

Thoughts:
Have you read this book yet? I am eager to dive back into it and determine if it would make a good recommendation for Autumn.

Weyward by Emilia Hart
Historical fiction, Fantasy.

Summary:

“Weyward” by Emilia Hart is a novel that intertwines the stories of three women from different centuries who display remarkable resilience and a deep connection to nature. Kate flees to her great aunt’s ramshackle cottage to escape her abusive partner, only to discover a hidden secret from the witch hunts of the 17th century. Altha is accused of witchcraft and must use her unique magical abilities to maintain her freedom. Violet is trapped in her family’s estate during World War II and longs for the education and freedom her brother receives, while searching for traces of her deceased mother.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to the publishers who have provided me with review copies of the following books:
“The London Séance Society” by Legend Press through NetGalley, “The Isles of the Gods” by Penguin Random House/Knopf Books, “House of Odysseus” by Libro.FM and Hachette Audio, and “Weyward” by Libro.FM, MacMillan Audio, and St Martin’s Press through NetGalley.

I want to express my gratitude to my local library for giving me the opportunity to borrow the book “Ithaca” by Claire North.

QOTD: What are you currently reading?

WWW Wednesday #2

| sarasreadingnook

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme formerly hosted by MizB at Daily Rhythm and now hosted on Taking on a World of Words.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

Thoughts:
I’m really loving my Kindle and audiobook combo! It just makes everything so much more enjoyable. I thought it would be more fantasy-focused, but it’s actually more of a murder mystery vibe. There are a few slower parts, but they don’t bother me because the mystery is just so intriguing. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
Murder Mystery, Fantasy

Summary:

Two women investigate a murder mystery through communicating with the deceased via a séance led by renowned spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Lenna Wickes overcomes her skepticism to join Vaudeline as an apprentice, but they begin to suspect they are caught up in a web of deceit.

Thoughts:
At the moment, I haven’t been able to make much progress with this book because I’m really caught up in “The London Séance Society.” But it’s right there on my nightstand and Kindle e-reader, and I’m planning on getting into it as soon as I finish TLS. It’s a fantasy book, so it might require a bit more focus, but I’m super excited to see where the story takes me!

The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman
YA Fantasy

Summary:

A girl named Selly is left behind by her father in Kirkpool. A magician boards her ship and assigns them a risky mission to navigate the Crescent Sea undetected. The mission involves rebellion, fear, and dangerous gods. This captivating fantasy series is full of magic, romance, and adventure, written by the bestselling author of the Aurora Cycle.

Thoughts:
I haven’t had much time to dive into this book, but I’m really excited about its focus on Greek mythology. I absolutely love reading about it! I’m particularly interested in getting a glimpse of Queen Penelope’s perspective while Odysseus is off on his journey back to Ithaca. Although I haven’t read the first book in this series, I plan to see if this one is OK as a standalone. So far, so good.

House of Odysseus by Claire North (The Songs of Penelope #2)
YA Fantasy

Summary:

House of Odysseus is a YA retelling of ancient Greek myth, giving voice to the women who stand strong in a world ruled by ruthless men. The story takes place in the palace of Odysseus, where Queen Penelope tries to prevent her home from being crushed by two mad kings, Orestes and Menelaus, with the help of Elektra and Helen of Troy. The goddess Aphrodite watches over them all, with her own plans in mind.

Recently Finished Reading

Thoughts
This book was super creative! Can’t wait to share my review.

Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt
YA Fantasy

Summary:

A girl enlists the help of her former friend, Elwood, to uncover the truth about her missing mother and suspects his family’s involvement. Elwood, on the run from his family’s cult, agrees to help in exchange for hiding. As they investigate, they uncover decades of cult activity and discover Elwood’s bizarre transformation. Wil is left wondering if she can save the boy she loves from the darkness.

Reading Next

Thoughts:
I started reading this book a couple of months ago but had to take a break. Luckily, I have both the ALC and a Kindle review copy. I’m planning on setting aside a whole weekend to really dive into this book. Actually, I’m hoping for some rainy weather, candles, and a spooky atmosphere to really get into the witchy vibes! I want to see if this book is a good choice to recommend for Autumn reading. After reading the summary, it sounds like the perfect pick for a witchy read!

Weyward by Emilia Hart
Historical fiction, Fantasy.

Summary:

“Weyward” by Emilia Hart is a novel that intertwines the stories of three women from different centuries who display remarkable resilience and a deep connection to nature. Kate flees to her great aunt’s ramshackle cottage to escape her abusive partner, only to discover a hidden secret from the witch hunts of the 17th century. Altha is accused of witchcraft and must use her unique magical abilities to maintain her freedom. Violet is trapped in her family’s estate during World War II and longs for the education and freedom her brother receives, while searching for traces of her deceased mother.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to the publishers who have provided me with review copies of the following books:
“The London Séance Society” by Legend Press through NetGalley, “The Isles of the Gods” by Penguin Random House/Knopf Books, “House of Odysseus” by Libro.FM and Hachette Audio, “Together We Rot” by Penguin Random House/Viking Group for Young Readers and NetGalley, and “Weyward” by Libro.FM, MacMillan Audio, and St Martin’s Press through NetGalley.

QOTD: During the summer, which genre(s) do you prefer?
Let us know!

The Sunday Post #17

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with

General Update

We have been enjoying the weather! Especially for gardening. The catnip is growing, the succulents are propagating, and the herbs are flourishing. We’ve had some alternating days of rain and heat both of which are essential for the garden. We cleaned our AC unit and it’s effective and chills our apartment down quickly.

And I’m very much enjoying reading and blogging again! If it’s your first time here, let me know in the chat below. We review a pretty wide variety of books. And we especially love any books about cats.

Olivia Update

My cat Olivia and I have been enjoying spending time on the catio. We go outside together in the evenings so I can water the plants and read while she lounges under the outdoor table. However, several nights ago our peaceful evening was interrupted when I noticed a wasp near us by the outdoor sofa. I have a fear of wasps that stems from a painful experience in high school when I stumbled onto a wasp nest while hiking with friends. Although I tried my best not to panic, I calmly brought Olivia inside. It wasn’t until we were safely indoors that I could relax and breathe again!

Reading Update

Currently Reading

Looks like I’m in the mood to read fantasy this week!

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to Penguin Random House for providing me with a physical copy of “The Isles of the Gods” for review purposes. Additionally, I would like to thank Libro.FM for granting me early access to the audiobook version of “House of Odysseus”. Finally, I am grateful to both Legend Press and Libro.FM for providing me with review copies of “The London Séance Society”.

Watching Update

Currently Watching

I’ve been absolutely loving Wimbledon this year! So many of my favourite players are still in the tournament, but I’m especially rooting for Jabeur and Rybakina on the women’s side. I’m really excited about the upcoming Berrettini vs Alcaraz match and honestly, I’m rooting for both players! I have a feeling it’s going to be an amazing game.

I’m currently watching and loving Schitt’s Creek for the first time. The writing of the show is incredibly witty and clever – I can’t get enough! The characters are so endearing, and it’s entertaining to see them adapt to their new lives in the town. The acting in the show is outstanding, particularly Dan Levy’s dialogue delivery and facial expressions!

Thank you to the internet for all of the SC memes. They’re just the cherry on top of this hilarious series.

Ew, David!

Last Week On the Blog

Review | None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

WWW Wednesdays

Review | The Good Luck Café by Annie Rains

Next Week on the Blog

  • Review | Together We Rot
  • WWW Wednesdays
  • I may partake in Top Ten Tuesdays and write a review for The Isles of the Gods

QOTD: What book do you recommend we review next?
Let us know!

Where to find us: Blog | Bookstagram | Twitter | Booktube | BookTok | Storygraph | Pinterest

Review | None of This is True

| sarasreadingnook

Title: None of This is True
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Atria books
Format: E-Book
Pages: 384 pages
Source: NetGalley

Description

Lisa Jewell has written an intriguing new psychological thriller featuring a woman who becomes the focus of her own popular true-crime podcast.

Alix Summers, a well-known podcaster, meets a seemingly unremarkable woman named Josie Fair at a pub while celebrating her 45th birthday. As it turns out, Josie shares the same birthday, making them “birthday twins.” A few days later, they run into each other again outside Alix’s children’s school, and Josie expresses interest in being the subject of Alix’s podcast series.

Despite her reservations about Josie, Alix can’t resist the opportunity to make a compelling podcast. However, as she delves deeper into Josie’s life, Alix discovers that Josie has been hiding some dark secrets. To her horror, Josie manages to infiltrate Alix’s life and home before abruptly disappearing. Alix soon realizes that Josie has left a frightening legacy behind, and her own life is now in danger.

The mystery of Josie Fair and her actions is at the heart of this gripping thriller.

Review

I’ll keep this review brief…

Lisa Jewell’s latest book had me completely engrossed from start to finish! I stayed up late into the night just to see what would happen next. Jewell skillfully sets the scene and introduces the main plot early on, with each chapter revealing new information that kept me eagerly turning the pages. While reading, I couldn’t help but shake my head at some of Alix’s decisions as she becomes more entangled in Josie’s world.

Even though I’ve completed the book, it still lingers in my thoughts. Especially that ending! Lisa Jewell possesses a talent for crafting truly unforgettable stories.

This is a thrilling read, although it may be unsettling and disturbing (refer to content warnings). If you enjoy reading Lisa Jewell’s books, this one is worth adding to your TBR list.

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Disturbing, Medium/Fast-paced, Rollercoaster

Values/Themes

  • Trust
  • Lies
  • Deceit

Favourite Part

The suspenseful nature of the read.

Feelings

  • Dark
  • Mysterious
  • Unsettling
  • Twisted

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 5 Stars

Acknowledgements

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

QOTD: Do you enjoy thrillers? Let us know!

WWW Wednesday #1

| sarasreadingnook

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme formerly hosted by MizB at Daily Rhythm and now hosted on Taking on a World of Words.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

Thoughts
I’m really liking this book so far! The last few chapters have been quite wild, but I’m still enjoying it.

Together We Rot by Skyla Arndt
YA Fantasy

Summary:

A girl enlists the help of her former friend, Elwood, to uncover the truth about her missing mother and suspects his family’s involvement. Elwood, on the run from his family’s cult, agrees to help in exchange for hiding. As they investigate, they uncover decades of cult activity and discover Elwood’s bizarre transformation. Wil is left wondering if she can save the boy she loves from the darkness.

Thoughts:
Recently, I’ve been in the mood for fantasy books and I’m enjoying reading about the characters and their adventures on the sea.

The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman
YA Fantasy

Summary:

A girl named Selly is left behind by her father in Kirkpool. A magician boards her ship and assigns them a risky mission to navigate the Crescent Sea undetected. The mission involves rebellion, fear, and dangerous gods. This captivating fantasy series is full of magic, romance, and adventure, written by the bestselling author of the Aurora Cycle.

Recently Finished Reading

Thoughts:
I am excited to share my thoughts on this! As a huge fan of Lisa Jewell, I can’t wait to discuss it.

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
Thriller

Summary:

In Lisa Jewell’s latest psychological thriller, a woman named Alix Summers meets Josie Fair on their shared forty-fifth birthday at a local pub. After bumping into each other again, Josie reveals that she has been listening to Alix’s true crime podcast and thinks she would make an interesting subject. Despite Josie’s strange behavior, Alix continues to make the podcast and discovers that Josie has been hiding dark secrets. Eventually, Josie persuades her way into Alix’s life and home, only to disappear and leave a terrifying legacy behind. Alix and her family’s lives are now at risk, and she must uncover the truth about Josie Fair.

Thoughts:
Heart-warming and a great summer read! Check out my blog post for the full review!

The Good Luck Cafe by Annie Rains
Contemporary Romance

Summary:

Moira’s content life is disrupted when the town council plans to demolish her mother’s café for parking. She seeks the aid of former friend Gil Ryan, now Mayor, to save the business. As they clash, they discover unexpected attraction, but with no compromise, is their relationship headed for disaster?

Reading Next

Thoughts:
This book has been on my review list for some time and I can’t wait to finally dive into it!

The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
Fantasy

Summary:

Two women investigate a murder mystery through communicating with the deceased via a séance led by renowned spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Lenna Wickes overcomes her skepticism to join Vaudeline as an apprentice, but they begin to suspect they are caught up in a web of deceit.

I would like to express my gratitude to the following publishers for providing me with review copies of the mentioned books: Together We Rot (e-ARC via NetGalley) and Isles of the Gods (physical copy), from Penguin Random House; None of This is True (e-ARC via NetGalley), from Simon and Schuster Canada; and The Good Luck Café (physical copy), for which I am thankful to Forever Publishing. Additionally, I would like to thank Legend Press and Libro FM for providing me with copies of The London Séance Society (e-ARC via NetGalley and ALC via LibroFM). All the opinions expressed in my reviews are my own.

QOTD: Out of these book titles, which one do you find most interesting?
Have you had the opportunity to read any of the prior works of these authors? Let us know!

Review | The Good Luck Café

| sarasreadingnook
The Storygraph | Goodreads
Title: The Good Luck Café (Somerset Lake #4)
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction
Publisher: Forever
Format: Physical
Pages: 352 pages
Source: Forever and Annie Rains

Description

Moira Green is perfectly content with her life. She has a rewarding career and plenty of wonderful friends, including the members of her weekly book club. Then everything in her life goes topsy-turvy when the town council plans to demolish the site of her mother’s beloved café to make room for much-needed parking. Moira is determined to save her mother’s business, so she swallows her pride and asks Gil Ryan for help.

(Goodreads)

Review

While browsing the Forever Publishing review catalogue, I came across The Good Luck Café. I was immediately drawn in by its beautiful cover featuring the main character in a simple yet stunning blue dress and the serene surrounding water. Honestly, I couldn’t resist requesting it, and I’m glad I did because the story was great! It had all the elements I enjoy – a heartwarming love story, an adorable Golden Retriever, an intriguing enemies-to-lovers plotline, and a compelling campaign to save a local bakery. Lots to love there! Throughout the book, I found myself rooting for the café, the mayoral race, and the blossoming romance between the main characters.

The Good Luck Café was my first Annie Rains book, and I was pleasantly surprised by her writing style! It was so mature and kind, and she did an excellent job portraying the characters’ personal growth while highlighting their positive attributes. It was such a great reminder that everyone generally is trying their best.

I loved Gil’s caring and generous personality, and Moira’s personal growth was pretty inspiring. The supporting characters, including Doug, Darla, and the book club gang, were also fantastic. Reva, the blogger, was quite the character!

The book emphasized the significance of volunteering and community involvement, which resonated with me since I grew up in a small town. Additionally, I felt a personal connection to the story since my family owned a bakery, and I had a Golden Retriever as a pet – what a coincidence! Even if you cannot relate to these aspects, I hope you find them as heartwarming and awesome to read about as I did. At times I would have preferred a spicier narrative and dialogue, but I still appreciate the author’s writing style and wouldn’t want her to drastically alter it.

Overall, I highly recommend this book as a summer read! This is part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone. Let me know what you think of it!

Summary: The Good Luck Café by Annie Rains is a heartwarming love story with an enemies-to-lovers plotline, featuring an adorable Golden Retriever and a campaign to save a local bakery. The book emphasizes the significance of volunteering and community involvement and highlights the personal growth of the characters. The supporting characters, including Doug, Darla, and the book club gang, were also fantastic. The book is recommended as a summer read!

Thank you to Forever and Annie Rains for this review copy. All opinions are my own.

This Book in Three Words

Heart-warming, Light, Meaningful

Values/Themes

  • Romance
  • Working on personal growth and development
  • Campaigns
  • Small businesses
  • Family

Favourite Part

I enjoyed reading the scenes set by the water! It provided a sense of comfort while reading.

Feelings

  • Romance
  • Relaxing
  • Inspirational

My Ratings:

Writing Style: 4
Characters: 4
Plot Development: 3.75
Originality: 3.75
Engagingness: 4
Insightfulness: 4
Comprehensiveness: 3.75
Impactfulness: 3.75
Spice: Mild

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 4 stars

QOTD: Do you enjoy reading romances set in small towns? Let us know!

The Sunday Post #16

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with

General Update

Hello everyone!

I hope you have been having a great few months! Over here in the Northern Hemisphere, we have been experiencing the joys of summer.

Recently, I’ve been putting a lot of effort into making my apartment more comfortable and organized. My balcony garden is flourishing, and I’ve been working on improving my reading room, although it’s been a bit of a slow process. I’m currently searching for a new sofa and some artwork to enhance the area. Additionally, we intend to install glass doors on my academic bookshelf, with the bottom shelf serving as storage.

With all the busyness, reading has unfortunately taken a backseat. As for my blog, I have fallen behind on my reviews. I have several physical and e-ARCs that I still need to complete. However, there is some progress to report! I feel refreshed and am able to read again. In fact, I just finished a novel for the first time in months and have already scheduled the review for my blog. I still have two more reviews to write. I hope to keep the momentum moving forward!

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia is really enjoying the warmer weather and feeling happy and content! We’re spending more time reading together, which is great. With some extra free time coming up soon, she’s looking forward to more cuddles.

Currently Reading

I want to express my gratitude to @readforeverpub and @annierainsbooks for sending me a copy of The Good Luck Cafe. Also, a big thank you to Penguin Random House for providing me with copies of The Isles of the Gods and Together We Rot.

Next Week on the Blog

QOTD: What book will you start next? Let us know!

Where to find us: Blog | Bookstagram | Twitter | Booktube | BookTok | Storygraph | Pinterest

The Sunday Post #15

| sarasreadingnook

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with

General Update

Hi everyone!

Thank you for coming back to our site! Olivia and I have taken some time away from blogging and social media. This has largely been due to a massive reading slump that came about after a back injury (yes, another one!) that occurred in December. I wasn’t able to do much at all during the month of January as my range of motion was limited. Even reading was painful as I couldn’t find a comfortable position to read. Unfortunately, this caused me to fall behind. Fortunately, I’ve felt better over the last few weeks thanks to physio and feel ready to read again! I’ve even been using the KonMarie method to declutter, organize, and clean my home so that it will be ready for Spring.

Additionally, I’ve been baking up a storm! My parents are bakers and I have learned a lot about the bread making process over the years.

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia has been doing very well. She’s the best company! She’s been a little suspicious about this new KonMarie method. In particular, the addition of a cat bed for our bedroom, which I thought had the potential to spark joy. While initially hesitant, Olivia has now grown to love it! And she can be seen snoozing on this bed at all times of the day. She might even be there right now.

Reading Update

Currently Reading

Thank you to LibroFM and Random House for review copies of Weyward and Brotherless Night!

Received this Week

Thank you to @readforeverpub and @annierainsbooks for a copy of The Good Luck Cafe!

Next Week on the Blog

  • Back to regular posts!

QOTD: What Have You Been Up to? Let us know!

Where to find us: Blog | Bookstagram | Twitter | Booktube | BookTok | Storygraph | Pinterest

REVIEWS | A Cat Family Christmas & Daisy Woodworm Changes the World

| sarasreadingnook
Title: Cat Family Christmas: An Advent Lift-the-Flap Book (with Over 140 Flaps)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Books, Holiday
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Format: E-Book
Pages: 24 pages
Source: NetGalley

Description

Count down the twelve days til Christmas in this delightful advent book. With a nod to nostalgic Victorian advent calendars, open up tiny but sturdy flap ‘doors’ on each one of the 24 pages to reveal little details and surprises.

Peer inside the cupboard doors and different-sized tins in the busy Cat Family kitchen to find the missing ingredients for the cake. Open all the front doors on the street when the Cat Family go carol singing.

This is a whimsical Christmas book that gives the Victorian advent calendar tradition a contemporary twist for advent calendar door–hungry hands. Every page is rich with Liberty print–style patterns and William Morris–inspired friezes.

The Cat Family is full of character and personality, and the picture painted of the holiday season in this charming picture book will fill you and your family with Christmas cheer!

(Goodreads)

Review

Get this one before the 12 days of Christmas start!

This lift-the-flap advent book features beautifully illustrated pages of a cat family during Christmas as they prepare and celebrate the holiday season. The placement of the various flaps was done cleverly and will be so much fun for readers to explore as they progress through the story.

Not only are the activities engaging, but the story itself is as well, as it counts down the 12 days of Christmas. As you flip through the book, note the different animal families, which include rabbits, badgers, and foxes (among others!). It is lovely to see the various families as they board the sleeper train! Even the houses display snowmen outside (e.g., snow-cats and snow-ducks!)

This book is so much fun to read with your little ones as you approach Christmas day. The last page ends on Christmas Eve.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

This Book in Three Words

Cozy, Festive, Cats!

Values/Themes

  • Family
  • Holiday Traditions
  • Togetherness

Favourite Part

I loved to see all of the animal families boarding the train!

Feelings

  • Lighthearted
  • Relaxing
  • Fun

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 5 Stars

Title: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World
Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
Publisher: Jolly Fish Press
Format: E-Book
Pages: 288 pages
Source: NetGalley

Description

Thirteen-year-old Daisy Woodward loves insects, running track, and hanging out with her older brother, Sorrel, who has Down syndrome and adores men’s fashion. When her social studies teacher assigns each student an oral report and project to change the world for the better, Daisy fears the class bully–who calls her Woodworm–will make fun of her lisp. Still, she decides to help Sorrel fulfill his dream of becoming a YouTube fashion celebrity despite their parents’ refusal to allow him on social media.

With the help of her best friend, Poppy, and Miguel–the most popular boy in school and her former enemy–Daisy launches Sorrel’s publicity campaign. But catastrophe strikes when her parents discover him online along with hateful comments from a cyberbully. If Daisy has any hope of changing the world, she’ll have to regain her family’s trust and face her fears of public speaking to find her own unique and powerful voice.

Daisy Woodworm Changes the World includes an author’s note and additional resources.

(Goodreads)

Review

When prompted with the question, “How can one save the world?” Daisy immediately thinks of Sorrel, her brother who has Down Syndrome, and how she could best support his ambition to become a fashion icon and youtube star.

Daisy and Sorrel are faced with many obstacles, and with the representation of Down Syndrome, another strength of this book is how Daisy, with the help of her friends, family, and teacher, can make the world a better place. I liked that this story showed how important it is to reframe goals and ask for aid when needed. I loved Sorrel and the strong bond between the two siblings. Regarding the pacing, the last half of the book flowed very nicely. I also wanted to know more about Daisy, but this may be something to look forward to in the future. This book is well-suited for a middle-grade audience/classroom. Daisy wants to study insects so cool facts about insects are provided.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

This Book in Three Words

Uplifting, Inspiring, Realistic

Values/Themes

  • Goal setting
  • Self-Esteem
  • Friendship
  • Family
  • Economic disparities

Favourite Part

Several friendships blossom throughout the book.

Feelings

  • Emotional
  • Hopeful
  • Uplifting

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 3.75 Stars

QOTD: What is the last book you’ve read? Let us know!