Marshmallow’s reviews – Page 12

The Book Bunnies review the books of 2024

For the last couple years, at the end of the year, we have been doing a New-Year-ish thing of talking about all the books we have read through that year. (You can find our recap of 2022 here, and here is our recap of 2023.) This year, we continue this new tradition and take a look at our reviews for 2024.

[2024 saw the bunnies read and review many books, both new and classic. You can find a full list here.]

The book bunnies review the books of 2024.

Sprinkles: So maybe this year, we can start with Marshmallow.

Marshmallow: Sure. I have reviewed many, many books this year. I liked all of them, but there are a couple that I really, really, really liked. But maybe we can begin with the series I read and enjoyed.

S: Makes sense to me.

M: The first series I started this year was the famous Hunger Games series. Here are my reviews of the three main books: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. And here is my review of The Hunger Games: The Illustrated Edition. I had never read these books before and quickly learned exactly why they are so revered. I was also shocked by how deep some of the themes were (family and friendship of course, but also lessons about the impacts of war, greed, violence, trauma, and poverty). This is an amazing series (I love it!) I would recommend to all reasonably mature bunnies (maybe like 12 and up?)

S: Yes, I remember how much you were affected by those books.

Marshmallow enjoyed reading the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins as well as Powerless and Reckless by Lauren Roberts.

S: What about the other series you started this year?

M: Another series I began to read this year was the Powerless series. Here is my review of the first book: Powerless. And here is my review of the second one: Reckless. Unfortunately, not all of the books are out yet, so I am looking forward to reading and reviewing the last (?) book of this series next year. This is hands-down my favorite YA fantasy-romance series. I generally find this genre to lean too much into romance, but this series maintains the perfect balance. I would 100% recommend this book to all interested readers (YA probably), especially those who have been wronged by the ridiculous amount of romance infiltrating the YA fantasy section.

S: I still have not gotten around to reading those books, but I know you have really enjoyed them. So maybe they should go on my 2025 reading list.

M: Maybe they should! The third series I have begun this year is the Enola Holmes series. I originally presumed these books to be easy and basic because the cover was not what I would characterize as a serious, intriguing mystery would look like. However, these books really take you to an entirely new time period, and the adventures of Enola Holmes never fail to excite, delight, and inspire.

S: You have only read and reviewed three of the books though, right?

M: Yes. So far, I have only read and reviewed The Case of the Missing Marquess, The Case of the Left-Handed Lady, and The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets.

S: So you might be reading and reviewing a few more in 2025?

M: Yes, I sure hope so.

Marshmallow read three books from the Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer this year.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, maybe you can tell us a bit about your favorite series from this year.

Caramel: Why not? I read more Spy School books this year and finished that series. So I read Spy School Project X, Spy School Goes North, and the last one in the series, Spy School Goes Wild, which was published this year. I also read the graphic novel version of the third book: Evil Spy School: The Graphic Novel. And I loved them all!

S: That is neat! So you have continued with a well-loved series this year. But you also discovered and read a couple other series this year, too.

C: Yes, I read all the Artemis Fowl books! Artemis Fowl, Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident, Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code, Artemis Fowl and the Opal Deception, Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony, Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox, Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex, and Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian.

S: I think you really enjoyed reading about this evil boy genius and his adventures!

C: Yes, but he is no longer evil, remember?

S: Oh, yes, I do remember that.

This year, Caramel read more Spy School novels by Stuart Gibbs and also dug deep into the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer.

C: I also read the Tristan Strong books: Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Tristan Strong Destroys the World, and Tristan Strong Keeps Punching. I also read the graphic novel adaptation of the first book.

S: I remember those.

C: But I think my most favorite recent series is the Nathan Hale books! I did not finish those. I only reviewed One Dead Spy, Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood, and The Underground Abductor. And I loved them all.

S: Because they put together a few things you like. History, graphic novel format, humor-

C: Yes, what is there not to like? But there are many more books in the series, and I really hope to continue with those in 2025. And of course you know that my all-time favorite series is still Tui T. Sutherland’s Wings of Fire?

S: How can I forget?

C: I got to read and review two books from that series too, this year. I reviewed the graphic novel version of Winter Turning (Book Seven of Wings of Fire) and Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World. And I am still hoping she will write more books for the series some day…

S: I know. One can only hope.

C: And let us not forget that I also read Narwhal’s Sweet Tooth by Ben Clanton this year. That is also a book from a series I love.

S: Yes, that is true. and you loved that one, too!

C: Yep.

This year, Caramel read two more Wings of Fire books by Tui Sutherland, one more Narwhal and Jelly book by Ben Clanton, and three books from the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series.

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, you have read many other books this year. Maybe you can tell us about the highlights. Maybe we can begin with the fiction?

Marshmallow: Sure. I read a lot of fiction this year, as always. And some of the books I read were really good. I really liked Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus, and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, for example. I also really liked Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng though I think I still am taken more by Our Missing Hearts from the same author, which I had read last year. And I think the most impactful one for me was the classic, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

S: You have also read several graphic novels this year. What can you tell me about those?

M: I found Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman to be very compelling. It tells of a harrowing time in recent history, and the book is really impactful. I also read Evil Eyes Sea by Özge Samancı a few graphic novel adaptations of various myths, for example, The Iliad: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, and Beowulf: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, all by Gareth Hinds. But I think besides Maus, the graphic novel I read this year that I liked most was Sapiens – A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermeulen, and Daniel Casanave.

This year Marshmallow’s fiction reads ranged from *Maus* to *One of Us is Lying* to *A Tale of Two Cities*.

Sprinkles: So Caramel how about you? Which books of fiction did you enjoy reading most this year, other than those that belong to the series we talked about already?

Caramel: Well, we forgot to talk about The One and Only Ruby and The One and Only Family, both by Katherine Applegate. Those are good books I read and they belong to a series but maybe we can mention them now?

S: Sure. I agree. Those were lovely books.

C: I also really liked Watership Down: The Graphic Novel by Richard Adams, James Sturm, and Joe Sutphin.

S: That was s more recent one, and I know you are still rereading that.

C: Yup. And I also read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams and that was fun, too.

S: Yes, I think those books are really funny.

Caramel also read several fun books this year, including *One and Only Ruby* by Katherine Applegate, *Watership Down* by Richard Adams, and *The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy* by Douglas Adams.

Sprinkles: You have also read many nonfiction books this year, right, Caramel?

Caramel: Yup. I read Warhammer 40000: Core Book and Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook for example. And you know I liked them!

Sprinkles: Of course! And Marshmallow, how about you?

Marshmallow: Yes. I read Slow Productivity by Cal Newport, The Illustrated Happiness Trap by Russ Harris and Bev Aisbett, Guinness World Records 2024, We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, How to Speak Emoji by Fred Benenson, Philographics: Big Ideas in Simple Shapes by Genís Carreras, and An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments by Ali Almossawi.

S: This might be the most nonfiction you have reviewed, Marshmallow!

M: True. And I have to say I appreciated all of them. I in particular enjoyed Slow Productivity, Guinness World Records 2024, We Should All Be Feminists, and How to Speak Emoji.

The bunnies also read a lot of nonfiction this year. Here they are posing with their favorites: *Warhammer 40000 Core Book*, *Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook*, *Slow Productivity*, *Guinness World Records 2024*, *We Should All Be Feminists*, and *How to Speak Emoji*.

Sprinkles: We also all read many books of, or about poetry. Right?

Marshmallow: Actually, I read only The Lost Words: A Spell Book by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, but I really loved it. It is a beautiful book! And the poems in it are poignant and touching.

Caramel: I think I also only read one poetry book, and it was This is a Poem That Heals Fish by Jean-Pierre Siméon and Olivier Tallec. I did really like it though. But wait. I also read The Red Book by Barbara Lehman, which was kind of like poetry, except that it had no words!

S: You are right! Maybe I read more poetry this year, and that is what I was thinking. And among all those I read, I only reviewed one book, a family favorite: A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson and Tasha Tudor.

We also read and reviewed some poetry books: *The Lost Words: A Spell Book* by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, *This is a Poem That Heals Fish* by Jean-Pierre Siméon and Olivier Tallec, and *A Child’s Garden of Verses* by Robert Louis Stevenson and Tasha Tudor,

Sprinkles: I also read and reviewed several children’s books about puberty. There were so many and those were all split between girl books and boy books, that I needed to have two reviews for them.

Marshmallow: We read most of those books, too, but I am glad you were the one who ended up reviewing them.

Caramel: I did peek into some of them, but I agree with Marshmallow, that it was good that you were the one who had to review them.

S: But all in all, we all read quite a lot of good, fun, and informative books this year, right?

M: And thought-provoking!

C: Yep. And I think we will be reading a lot more books next year!

M: But first, we have our month off!

S: Yes, we will take the month of January off.

C: And we are all really happy about that!

S: Well, we will continue to read, and we will get back to reviewing them in a month. And till then we just take a short break.

C: We deserve it!

M: Everyone deserves a break. And we are lucky to get one!

S: True. Okay, so what do you want to tell our readers Marshmallow?

M: I want to say: Happy new year everyone! We wish you a happy hoppy new year in 2025!

S: With lots of good books and many friends, old and new!

C: Yes! And stay tuned for more book bunny reviews, coming to you in February 2025!

The book bunnies, and new friend Moose, wish all bunnies around the world a happy hoppy new year in 2025, with lots of good books and many friends, old and new!

Marshmallow reviews Enola Holmes: The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer

Today Marshmallow reviews the third book in Nancy Springer’s Enola Holmes series: The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets, first published in 2008. (You might also like to see Marshmallow’s reviews of the first two books: The Case of the Missing Marquess and The Case of the Left-Handed Lady.)

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you’re a Sherlock Holmes fan or if you like mysteries with female protagonist detectives, then this is the book for you!

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Enola Holmes has been living on her own in nineteenth century London for a couple months now. Given the fact that she is fourteen years old, one might ask why. The reason for her self-inflicted solitude is the fact that, during this period, women have no autonomy in the social status quo. Enola’s mother ran away from this set-up in a previous book and left Enola the means to do the same. Enola (whose name spells “alone” backwards) examined her surroundings and the expectations she was going to be forced to fulfill (finishing school, marriage, childbirth, etc.) and followed her mother’s suit. In doing so, Enola escaped the control of her older brothers: Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes (the famous detective). But even the famous detective Sherlock Holmes cannot locate her and she (while lying low) becomes adept at disguising herself by altering her appearance through various methods. Drawn to mysteries and puzzles, she solves several cases on her own (see for example The Case of the Missing Marquess and The Case of the Left-Handed Lady) and decides to found her own business as the world’s first and only professional “perditorian” (see The Case of the Missing Marquess: “From the Latin perditus, meaning “lost.” Perditorian: one who divines that which is lost”.)

Unfortunately, because women have no autonomy, she creates the business under the name of a male doctor while she disguises herself as his “assistant” Ivy Meshle. However, if her brothers find her, she will be forced to return to them and begin training to be a perfect “ornament to genteel society.” After several close brushes of being discovered by Sherlock and / or Mycroft, Enola once again finds herself drawn to the case of a certain Dr. John Watson. The reticent Arthur Conan Doyle reader may notice that this is the same Dr. Watson who is Sherlock’s loyal companion on his cases. For the few times she met him, Enola felt a fatherly affection towards Dr. Watson, so she (after some introspection and inspection of the situation) decides to search for Dr. Watson, too.

Normal mysteries are dangerous on their own. But her brother’s close proximity to this case makes it also a gamble with the freedom and autonomy she has had so far. Will Enola be able to find the doctor before her brother finds her?

Marshmallow is reading Enola Holmes: The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer. — Marshmallow is reading *Enola Holmes: The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets* by Nancy Springer.

Marshmallow’s Review: I would really recommend reading the first couple books in this series before this one to get context. But on its own, the world-building is enough to immerse the reader entirely in this Victorian-era mystery. The author consistently writes fascinating mysteries that never fail to disappoint in intrigue and complexity; yet the reader is never left confused at the end.

These Enola Holmes books stand out among all other mysteries I’ve read so far because the setting is so wonderfully set up. People often say reading is like a passport to other worlds and times. I was pretty sure they were lying, until now. Once I started reading this book, I couldn’t put it down because I didn’t want to stop learning about the mystery and the fascinating world it is in. The descriptions of London (I am pretty sure) are all factually correct for that time and all the details create an immersive experience that I would fully recommend.

This book series is also unique because it depicts a girl who is fully independent. Enola is perhaps the only female protagonist I have ever read about who isn’t in love, interested in, dating, or married to a guy. She is truly alone (in that sense) and is perfectly fine with it. It is good for girls to see that they have the choice to be so and that it is fine to be fine with that. This book also has strong themes of feminism; Enola’s strength, competence, and wit are rebelliously scandalous for the time. She stands up to the patriarchical system and doesn’t care what it thinks of her. She games the system to use it to her advantage when she disguises herself. But she never forgets to help the less fortunate with her fortunes.

But Enola is also more distinctive among other female protagonists because, as the author explicitly makes sure to state, Enola is not traditionally beautiful. She has a large nose, no delicate, feminine features of particular value, and a body like a “beanpole.” It is Enola’s virtue, brains, and bravery that makes her such a compelling character and I, for one, am expectantly looking forward to reading the next book!

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates Enola Holmes: The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer 100%. — Marshmallow rates *Enola Holmes: The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets* by Nancy Springer 100%.

Marshmallow reviews Reckless by Lauren Roberts

A few months ago Marshmallow reviewed Powerless by Lauren Roberts. This week she reviews the sequel, Reckless, published in July 2024.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like fantasy books about family, friendship, and romance, then this is the book for you!

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Paedyn Gray killed the king of Ilya and is now, quite expectedly, on the run. Despite the fact that both of Ilya’s princes were falling for her, she is hunted by both: Kai (the ruthless Enforcer of Ilya, who carries out the king’s dirty work) and Kitt (the now-king). Paedyn herself was falling for Kai, but was also desperately trying to stop herself. Spoiler alert: she wasn’t and still isn’t winning. But despite their feelings towards her, Kai and Kitt are now bound by duty and blood to kill Paedyn for revenge and “justice”.

See, in Ilya, there are Elites (people who are born with special, magical powers) and there are Ordinaries (as the name suggests, people who are born without powers). Paedyn is an Ordinary who has been trying to disguise as a Elite her whole life; Ordinaries are hunted down and killed by… who else other than the Enforcer (Kai).

This way the author sets up what seems to be a tragedy waiting to happen between the hunted (Paedyn) and the hunter (Kai). In the first book, Paedyn joined a Resistance, a group that saves Ordinaries and fights to have Elites recognize them as equal. This has been a struggle because, according to the (now deceased) king, Ordinaries’ presence lessens the power of the Elites. Paedyn’s father was the founder of the Resistance, and he was killed by the king when she was very young, making her an orphan for the whole book. This leads to her, at the end of Powerless, killing the king in self defense (but also partially for revenge).

Since Ilya is no longer safe for her, Paedyn decides to leave for the nearby city of Dor; but to do so, she must cross the vast expanse of the Scorches, a massive, brutally parched desert. But before she can make it to the Scorches, Kai intercepts her. After learning that Paedyn was the one who killed his father, Kai gives her a head start because he knows he’ll need time to find the “courage” to kill her. This allows Paedyn to find refuge in her old house for a while, until Kai burns it down and keeps on chasing her. She evades him but is injured as she begins to traverse the desert. Eventually, she makes it to Dor. Unfortunately, Dor is full of enemies as well; Kitt has placed a bounty on her head and it’s not helping her out. But with her skill and finesse, she manages to keep a relatively low profile (as an anonymous underground fighter for illegal gambling purposes). But Kai still manages to track her down in Dor and forces her back into the open. As he begins to take her back to Ilya and presumably her death, their feelings begin to present problems. Kai must now choose between duty and love for his brother and love for Paedyn. And Paedyn is determined to keep fighting against him, to hate him till she dies. Once again though (spoiler alert!), she’s not winning.

Marshmallow is reading Reckless by Lauren Roberts. — Marshmallow is reading *Reckless* by Lauren Roberts.

Marshmallow’s Review: I really liked Reckless. The plot and the world-building are both fantastic! But the thing that makes this story stand out to me among other Young Adult fantasy books is that the author maintains a nuanced balance between romance and fantasy.

Reckless has a very good storyline about revolution and fighting against injustice. And I really love reading about the world the author has created because it’s actually really interesting on its own as well. The romance plot line contributes to the story and pushes it forward, so I appreciated its existence. I also want to know what happens to the characters because they are well-written and very, very deep. Unfortunately, I’ll need to wait till next year when the third (and last?) book in the series will be published.

In many fantasy YA novels, I find that the promising, amazing story and fantasy world soon become overwhelmed by a relatively unnecessary romance or a passionate relationship that takes over too much of the plot (e.g. Shatter Me, Unravel Me, Ignite Me). This book struck the perfect balance for me; I think there is a very thin line between just a full-on fantasy for young adults and a romance that is perhaps better put in the adults section.

I really enjoyed reading Reckless as a whole and I think that this book is what fantasy YA should be like. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it and I would fully recommend it to all fantasy-lovers!

Marshmallow’s Rating: 101%.

Marshmallow rates Reckless by Lauren Roberts 101%. — Marshmallow rates *Reckless* by Lauren Roberts 101%.

Marshmallow reviews Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

Last year Marshmallow reviewed two advice books by cal Newport directed towards students: How to Become a Straight-A Student and How to Be a High School Superstar. This week she got into Newport’s most recent book Slow Productivity, published in March 2024. Sprinkles enjoyed reading this book immensely, so she wanted to join Marshmallow in this review.

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, this is your third book by Cal Newport, isn’t it?

Marshmallow: Yes. I find him to present very thought-provoking ideas.

S: I find his books interesting as well. So we both read this one. It is titled Slow Productivity. I think he was inspired by the slow food movement, where you emphasize slowness and quality and community and local ingredients instead of mass-produced generic fast food. I also read a book a while back about slow teaching; it was also cool. So can you tell us briefly what Newport means by slow productivity?

M: Slow productivity is the idea of decreasing your workload so you can increase the quality of your work to reach certain, specific goals all the while making sure you are living a sustainable life.

S: That sounds like a very appealing goal. Tell us more.

M: So his method, Newport promises, will decrease the familiar overwhelming anxiety and stress the modern knowledge worker experiences.

S: Wait, what is a knowledge worker?

M: According to IBM, a knowledge worker is “a professional who generates value for the organization with their expertise, critical thinking and interpersonal skills.” So someone who uses computers for accounting, writes code to solve specific business problems, works as a professor, or is a freelance writer, or stuff like that. So unlike the previous Cal Newport books I’ve reviewed (which were intended to help students), Slow Productivity is aimed at adults who have already begun their careers.

S: Yes, I think so too. So I was surprised when you picked it up. But you seem to have enjoyed it, seeing how you have finished it already.

M: Yes! I started reading it so that I could be prepared for when I grow up and have my own career. I think adults are always too stressed. I wanted to go into my career with ideas on how to be productive in a healthy manner that yields professional success. I also thought this book might still have principles and methods that could be helpful to me as a student.

S: That second part makes total sense, but the first part is really interesting and would probably be surprising for most folks. Especially if they do not know you well… I am sure you are one of only a few little bunnies your age who are thinking of reading about how to be a productive well-balanced adult! Okay so tell us a bit more about the book. How do we do this slow productivity thing?

M: Well, there are three principal ideas of slow productivity. And these are: do fewer things, work at a natural pace, and obsess over quality. The book utilizes a plethora of “case studies” (as Newport calls them) to prove the author’s suggestions and theories. From each of these examples, he synthesizes (or reiterates) the related slow productivity lesson.

S: I think these are good principles for almost anyone. I mean, they are definitely meaningful for me as a working adult and parent, but also for you. You are now a busy kid going to school and doing a lot of extracurricular activities. And these principles seem to agree with the advice he gives students. Do not cram too many activities just to impress. Do fewer things but do those at such a high level that you will be impressive that way.

M: Yes, I’ve recently seen this idea of his show up in the Atlantic under the name of a spike applicant (one who is exceptionally good at one thing.

Marshmallow is reading Slow Productivity by Cal Newport while the friendly but slightly annoying little duckling is joined by several others. — Marshmallow is reading *Slow Productivity* by Cal Newport while the friendly but slightly annoying little duckling is joined by several others.

S: I remember a colleague who said, “Everyone talks about well-rounded students; what is wrong with a sharp knife?” I loved his analogy. I think this spike idea is similar. I mean not everyone is or needs to be a sharp knife, but we do need sharp knives, and they often find their niche. But I also think it makes sense for young bunnies to explore different types of activities to see what they enjoy and what they are good at. Those explorations provide a lot of insight and you can be surprised by what you end up liking and being good at.

M: Yes. In this book though, Cal Newport focuses on maintaining a low, easy workload so you can finish larger goals over long periods of time and build your expertise in your field.

S: That is a different life stage than the exploration stage I was talking about. Of course, his student advice is also about being selective with extracurricular activities, but one needs to figure out what they like and what they want to productively focus on. There is serendipity, some portion will always be about chance, but one also needs time to try out new things. At least that is what I think. But what do I know? I have not written any productivity books!

M: Well that’s okay! Cal Newport gives you the tips so you can focus on other things you like to do and how you can become a fuller person as a whole by managing your workload. In his book for high school students, he focuses on becoming a more interesting person for the sake of college applications (personal growth too I suppose, but primarily applications). In this book, he focuses more on the idea of growing yourself to be a more complete, content individual. I found his idea of pseudo-productivity being unnatural to be quite stimulating. Cal Newport’s books all have this underlying idea that the general consensus (whether in college apps or in careers) is bad because it has been unnaturally perverted towards pseudo-productivity, or doing things just to seem like you’re productive. His main mission is to convince you that this is not the correct way of things and that the situation can be improved by acting in a more natural, original way.

S: Yes, I think that is a good way to put his message in these three books together. I too find his books always give me good ideas. And I am glad you appreciated this book too.

M: Yes! I found his ideas to be very useful, even as a child bunny.

S: This is already quite a long post. Shall we wrap it up?

M: Sure! In summary, I would really recommend this book for all adults who work in the knowledge sector. Even as a bunny in school, I can see that the current work system is set up in a way that is not sustainable for individuals and society as a whole. I hope the situation improves before I join the workforce for my sake. But for the sake of others, I hope this book is more widely read so more people can enjoy full lives with more success.

S: That is a nice sentiment! So how would you rate this book?

M: I would rate this book at 100%. I really liked it and I found it to be very helpful. Cal Newport’s methods are quite logical.

S: That sounds just about right! Okay, what do you want to tell our readers as we wrap this up?

M: Stay tuned for more amazing reviews from the book bunnies!