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kelleemoye's review against another edition
3.0
Full review at: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=976
After a frantic call from her grandmother about her grandad vanishing, Mia and her mother go to the seaside village home of her grandparents to help. Disconnected from everyone and without any clues in the vanishing, Mia finds herself walking on the beach often where she stumbles upon a diary on an abandoned fishing boat. Through the diary, she begins exchanging notes with a girl named Dee, a young girl who lives on a nearby island, who she instantly connects with. It is through these exchanges that Mia begins to notice some weird things and a new mystery opens up right in front of her.
I really like Mia’s voice. Her voice is so authentic teenager that it was like listening to an 8th grader telling me the story. I think this is key because I think it’ll help readers draw into the story since it is a mystery that slowly unravels. Hearing Mia tell it will mean that it is almost like hearing the story from a friend. I also thought that the whole idea behind the mystery was quite clever, but I can’t really talk about it because it would give away the ending! So, read and we’ll discuss.
This book was very hard to rate, because I figured out the mystery quite early on; however, I know that if I gave this to a book club of middle schoolers they would be predicting and trying to figure out the mystery the whole book until the reveal. The 3 stars is for me- the adult reader. I think a middle school reader would definitely give it at least 4 stars. It would keep them on the edge of their seats.
After a frantic call from her grandmother about her grandad vanishing, Mia and her mother go to the seaside village home of her grandparents to help. Disconnected from everyone and without any clues in the vanishing, Mia finds herself walking on the beach often where she stumbles upon a diary on an abandoned fishing boat. Through the diary, she begins exchanging notes with a girl named Dee, a young girl who lives on a nearby island, who she instantly connects with. It is through these exchanges that Mia begins to notice some weird things and a new mystery opens up right in front of her.
I really like Mia’s voice. Her voice is so authentic teenager that it was like listening to an 8th grader telling me the story. I think this is key because I think it’ll help readers draw into the story since it is a mystery that slowly unravels. Hearing Mia tell it will mean that it is almost like hearing the story from a friend. I also thought that the whole idea behind the mystery was quite clever, but I can’t really talk about it because it would give away the ending! So, read and we’ll discuss.
This book was very hard to rate, because I figured out the mystery quite early on; however, I know that if I gave this to a book club of middle schoolers they would be predicting and trying to figure out the mystery the whole book until the reveal. The 3 stars is for me- the adult reader. I think a middle school reader would definitely give it at least 4 stars. It would keep them on the edge of their seats.
brandypainter's review against another edition
3.0
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
I love mysteries, particularly ones that appear to add in a touch of the fantastic, so I was excited to read North of Nowhere by Liz Kessler, which I received an e-galley for.
Mia is a girl that will have a wide appeal to child readers as well. Kessler made her sound like a 12 year old. The book is written more like how a 12 year old would write a story than what a 12 year old girl's thoughts would look like. It is simple, not layered thinking, and there are lots of exclamation points! Again, not particularly my cup of tea, but kids will like it.
Definitely pick this one for kids in your life who love mysteries mixed with fantasy. I will be suggesting it to Bit, it's a book that will be just her thing.
I read an e-galley made available by the publisher, Candlewick, via NetGalley. North of Nowhere is available for purchase on August 6.
I love mysteries, particularly ones that appear to add in a touch of the fantastic, so I was excited to read North of Nowhere by Liz Kessler, which I received an e-galley for.
Mia is a girl that will have a wide appeal to child readers as well. Kessler made her sound like a 12 year old. The book is written more like how a 12 year old would write a story than what a 12 year old girl's thoughts would look like. It is simple, not layered thinking, and there are lots of exclamation points! Again, not particularly my cup of tea, but kids will like it.
Definitely pick this one for kids in your life who love mysteries mixed with fantasy. I will be suggesting it to Bit, it's a book that will be just her thing.
I read an e-galley made available by the publisher, Candlewick, via NetGalley. North of Nowhere is available for purchase on August 6.
loofyj's review against another edition
5.0
Reason #1241 why Liz Kezzler is amazing; such a good book!
anne_abundantcolors's review against another edition
2.0
Usually I love fantasy books, but the plot of this book is just too bizarre and I felt that it took too long for anything to happen. I'd give this book 2.5 stars though because I did keep reading til the end and the book is very atmospheric. In the end though, (spoiler alert) a 13 year old girl exchanging diary entries with her then 13 year old grandmother and meeting her grandfather as a teen boy in the present day was just too much.
froydis's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to Netgalley.com and Candlewick Press for early access to this title (doesn't Candlewick always have the greatest books??)
Very fun book! I really liked the main character - she's a spunky girl! The family is great. The best part, though, is the mystery. For an adult, parts were kind of transparent and you could see where it was going. For a younger person, however, I think this would be a real mind-blower of a book! There is a lot of action, and I love characters that think for themselves and try to work out the best solution for the situation they find themselves in. The ending is wonderful! Highly Recommended!
Very fun book! I really liked the main character - she's a spunky girl! The family is great. The best part, though, is the mystery. For an adult, parts were kind of transparent and you could see where it was going. For a younger person, however, I think this would be a real mind-blower of a book! There is a lot of action, and I love characters that think for themselves and try to work out the best solution for the situation they find themselves in. The ending is wonderful! Highly Recommended!
yapha's review against another edition
3.0
When Mia's grandfather goes missing, she and her mum travel to the small town of Porthaven to support her gran while they wait for him to return. Mia is annoyed about missing her Spring Break with her friends and worried about Granddad. But strange things are afoot as Mia and a girl she calls D begin writing back and forth in a diary hidden on an old fishing boat. I can't say more without giving it away, but everything ties up neatly in the end. Recommended for grades 4-7.
imzadirose's review against another edition
5.0
I thought this was a really really cute and unique story. There's a book I can think of that it might be like, but I've never read it so I can't say. But I really enjoyed this one a ton. So cute and enjoyable!
larkspure's review against another edition
4.0
, cute fun short read. wasn’t my first pick but I didn’t have much. it was kinda stupid but kept me distracted so I can’t complain.
rom_na's review against another edition
5.0
اولین بار که این کتابو خوندم ۱۱ سالم بود. اونموقع عاشق کتابای فانتزی و علمیتخیلی بودم؛ یه کتاب رو شروع میکردم و تا تموم نشده بود بلند نمیشدم. اولین کتابی که از لیز کسلر خونده بودم "جسیکا کجاست" بود و بعد از اون "یک سال بدون او" اونقدر جذبم کرد که بالافاصله اینو شروع کردم.
وقتی به تهش رسیدم و تازه همه چیز سرجای خودش قرار گرفت اینقدر شوکه و متعجب شدم که جزء به جزء کتاب رو برای مامانم تعریف کردم.
این کتاب یه پلات توییست خیلی بزرگ داره. یه چیزی که تا قبل از اون کل کتاب یه کتاب ساده و آروم به نظر میرسه ولی وقتی به اون نقطه میرسی...به اون یه جمله، همه چیز تغییر میکنه. وقتی نکته رو میفهمی، هرچی تا قبل از اون خونده بودی یه معنی جدید پیدا میکنه.
دربارهی این که اون نکته و مضمون کتاب چیه حرفی نمیزنم چون یه اسپویل خیلی خیلی بزرگه. میدونم احتمالا هیچکس قرار نیست این کتابو بخونه ولی اینقدر توی یازده سالگی از اون پلات توییست شوکه شدم، اونم وقتی حتی با عبارت پلات توییست و معنیش آشنا نبودم، که به احترامش هیچی نمیگم.
چون وقتی میدونی، دیگه نمیتونی نادیدش بگیری!
وقتی میدونی، دیگه میدونی.
این بار که خوندمش فقط برای زنده شدن حس ۱۱ سالگیم بود. برای روزایی که توی دنیای کتابا گم میشدم. شاید روزایی که بتونم بگم بهترین و آرومترین روزای زندگیم بودن؛ حداقل به نسبت آیندهای که در انتظارم بود.
این بار دیگه اونقدر هیجان زده نبودم. هم چون داستان رو میدونستم هم چون دیگه همسن و سال میا، شخصیت اصلی نبودم ولی قشنگترین بخشش اونجا بود که حسم سر خوندنش رو یادم میومد.
برگهها هنوز همون بو رو میدادن و بهتم سر خوندن یه قسمتایی و هیجانم سر جاهای دیگهش رو یادم میاورد.
وقتی کتاب رو بستم واقعا خوشحال بودم. به خاطر این که من ۱۱ ساله کتاب خوبی خونده بود. برای اینکه این کتاب رو، به وقتش خوندم.
و با اینکه الان برام اونقدر جذاب نبود میتونم بگم پلاتش به همون اندازه خوب بود و من به خاطر عمق لذتی که اونموقع ازش بردن بهش ۵ ستاره دادم.
وقتی به تهش رسیدم و تازه همه چیز سرجای خودش قرار گرفت اینقدر شوکه و متعجب شدم که جزء به جزء کتاب رو برای مامانم تعریف کردم.
این کتاب یه پلات توییست خیلی بزرگ داره. یه چیزی که تا قبل از اون کل کتاب یه کتاب ساده و آروم به نظر میرسه ولی وقتی به اون نقطه میرسی...به اون یه جمله، همه چیز تغییر میکنه. وقتی نکته رو میفهمی، هرچی تا قبل از اون خونده بودی یه معنی جدید پیدا میکنه.
دربارهی این که اون نکته و مضمون کتاب چیه حرفی نمیزنم چون یه اسپویل خیلی خیلی بزرگه. میدونم احتمالا هیچکس قرار نیست این کتابو بخونه ولی اینقدر توی یازده سالگی از اون پلات توییست شوکه شدم، اونم وقتی حتی با عبارت پلات توییست و معنیش آشنا نبودم، که به احترامش هیچی نمیگم.
چون وقتی میدونی، دیگه نمیتونی نادیدش بگیری!
وقتی میدونی، دیگه میدونی.
این بار که خوندمش فقط برای زنده شدن حس ۱۱ سالگیم بود. برای روزایی که توی دنیای کتابا گم میشدم. شاید روزایی که بتونم بگم بهترین و آرومترین روزای زندگیم بودن؛ حداقل به نسبت آیندهای که در انتظارم بود.
این بار دیگه اونقدر هیجان زده نبودم. هم چون داستان رو میدونستم هم چون دیگه همسن و سال میا، شخصیت اصلی نبودم ولی قشنگترین بخشش اونجا بود که حسم سر خوندنش رو یادم میومد.
برگهها هنوز همون بو رو میدادن و بهتم سر خوندن یه قسمتایی و هیجانم سر جاهای دیگهش رو یادم میاورد.
وقتی کتاب رو بستم واقعا خوشحال بودم. به خاطر این که من ۱۱ ساله کتاب خوبی خونده بود. برای اینکه این کتاب رو، به وقتش خوندم.
و با اینکه الان برام اونقدر جذاب نبود میتونم بگم پلاتش به همون اندازه خوب بود و من به خاطر عمق لذتی که اونموقع ازش بردن بهش ۵ ستاره دادم.
nordmann's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5