Empty Bottles Full of Stories ~ R.H Sin

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I miss reading poetry. This was the perfect collection for me to pick up to revive myself of my poetry dehydration.

Synopsis

A joint poetry collection from the virally popular and bestselling poets r.h. Sin and Robert M. Drake.

What are you hiding behind your smile? If those empty bottles that line the walls of your room could speak, what tales would they spill? So much of your truth is buried beneath the lies you tell yourself. There’s a need to scream to the moon; there’s this urge to go out into the darkness of the night to purge. There are so many stories living inside your soul, you just want the opportunity to tell them. And when you can’t find the will to express what lives within your heart, these words will give you peace. These words will set you free.

I enjoyed this collection a lot and it truly reminded me of how beautiful poetry is, and that sometimes it is necessary for me to read someone else's work. The topics discussed in this were hard hitting but beautiful. It was thought provoking and definitely made me get inside my own head but in a good way for the most part. Although there was one part in particular when relying on another person was discussed. And when I say this I mean in a relationship. I don't want to go as far as saying that it triggered me but it took me back to mental mindset that made me feel like I had taken one hundred steps backward in my progress I've made over the couple of months. It was very strange. But then after that it talked about self progress and it made me realize that I have grown and that it's okay to be selfish and take time to focus on yourself. That it's okay to get out of a toxic relationship and other things like that. If I'm interpreting the specific piece correctly I think it was trying to let the people who are reliant on other people know, whether they know they are or not, that it's not the healthiest way to live. That makes me feel more positive about it rather than going back to that time in my life where I was reliant in my relationship.

Anyways, I really did enjoy this and it was a very beautiful collection.

Dry ~ Neal Shusterman

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

I had been really looking forward to reading this, especially in the summer, when it's hot and all I want is a tall glass of ice water. Sadly to say, it didn't live up to even the slightest expectations I had for it.

Synopsis

When the California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, one teen is forced to make life and death decisions for her family in this harrowing story of survival,

The drought—or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it—has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s lives have become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers.

Until the taps run dry.

Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbors and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don’t return and her life—and the life of her brother—is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive.

I was expecting so much from this. The beginning of the book did live up to what I was expecting. It was dramatic and twists and turns of the unexpected tap running dry, but it just continued and continued to go down hill as the story went on. It became so much more of the extra teenage drama aspect of the story that I was really hoping wouldn't take over, but did anyways. It wasn't just the pacing that was off, but more like the plot jumped off a cliff in the first part of the book. That was the climax. What was supposed to, most likely, be the most dramatic scene of the book didn't even phase me because I didn't feel attached to the characters in anyway. I also would've liked it if the rescue wasn't so glossed over. Like hello, we have been waiting this book for some kind of resolve and we barely even got it. It was like all the sudden Alyssa was what, cleaning herself in the bathroom because she's suffering too much to take a shower? Ugh it was so frustrating and then the book had the audacity to try and resolve the "romance." It was practically non existent which I didn't even care about because I wasn't invested in it and they didn't seem to fit together anyways.

The one thing I actually enjoyed about this book were the snapshots. Those were more interesting to me than the actual plot. It was like finally a point of view that actually makes sense and matters in the slightest.

Maybe it's because I can't imagine being in their situation but how in your right mind can you imagine a few teens going out and trying to make it on their own in a disaster like this?? Yes if your parents are gone or if your dad shoots your brother and they are refusing to leave the savages invading your house.. you are supposed to leave but at least maybe try to go home? Or continue to try and contact your parents? The events in this don't even line up or make any sort of sense. And it's not like they were interesting, that would've helped all the jumping around from one lame event to the next.

I feel like this would have been more interesting if told from the perspective of adults. If the same people, all adults with maybe the exception of the younger brother, because then it would have seemed more realistic to try and venture out and try to survive instead of leaving your general neighborhood. As a kid I would've been super freaked out and probably would've refused to leave my house without my parents.

Overall, I guess I just expected this to be something that it simply wasn't and will never be. I'm sad to say I was dissatisfied by all of this.

Queen of the Sea ~ Dylan Meconis

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this. I was just browsing my library's website in search for books I could borrow and found this. It was a recently published graphic novel and it seemed interesting enough for me to check it out.

Synopsis

When her sister seizes the throne, Queen Eleanor of Albion is banished to a tiny island off the coast of her kingdom, where the nuns of the convent spend their days peacefully praying, sewing, and gardening. But the island is also home to Margaret, a mysterious young orphan girl whose life is upturned when the cold, regal stranger arrives. As Margaret grows closer to Eleanor, she grapples with the revelation of the island’s sinister true purpose as well as the truth of her own past. When Eleanor’s life is threatened, Margaret is faced with a perilous choice between helping Eleanor and protecting herself.

This book ended up being okay, I think I would've been a lot more interested in the story line if it had captured my interest more than it did. The plot was okay but it jumped around a lot and honestly made me super confused. The setting, for the most part, made sense but the characters were just jumbles jumping around in my head; So for the entirety of the novel I wasn't sure who everyone was. I really do hope there is more to the story than how it ended because if there isn't a sequel that makes the book even worse.

I did really enjoy the art and the historical aspect of it. That is one of the few things that made this enjoyable. That and the references to chess. I really liked how she was taught the game and then connected/referenced it in other aspects of her life. The art was beautiful and everything was drawn out very well, but like I said, it was the jumping around plot and confusing characters that made me not enjoy this.

If there is a sequel I think I'd read it just to see if this book sets up the other one for something better but who knows.

I'm not really sure if I'd recommend this to someone who is new to graphic novels like myself, because that also might be part of why I didn't enjoy it as much. Maybe if I was more familiar with graphic novels, I might have enjoyed it more.