Goose

Took a detour and am now reading To Be Taught if Fortunate by Becky Chambers

Just finished The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Next up is The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.

How did/do you like it? I tried reading it last year but struggled to get on with it. Wondering whether to have another go at it...?

The Innkeeper Chronicles (#1 Clean Sweep, #2 Sweep in Peace, #3 One Fell Sweep, #4 Sweep of the Blade, #4.5 Sweep with Me & #5 Sweep of the Heart) – Ilona Andrews (urban fantasy, sci-fi, unique) Book 1 4.5/5 Books 2, 3, 4 & 5 3.5/5 Book 4.5 3.75/5 I have a lot of love for this series. I don’t often read series back-to-back; I usually need to change it up and read another book before going back at a later date to read the next one. However, I loved the Innkeeper Chronicles so much I just kept on reading. The series main character is Dina, a young woman who runs a magical inn where alien species stay while visiting earth. It’s a very well thought out universe with so many interesting species and planets. I love all the core characters too, each having their own back story and importance, but Orro in particular holds a special place in my heart! I think this series is one of the most unique premises I have read and it just works so well. It initially presents as a fantasy, however it’s actually more of a sci-fi. There is a whole universe of planets and alien species and my favourite aspect is learning about all the different species that visit the inn. Book 6, Sweep of the Heart is currently unfinished and being released in instalments on the authors website. I presume there are going to be more books in the series as there is a main plot line that is yet to be pursued. Opening line: Brutus was dead. Format: ebook Book 1 - 225 pages Book 2 - 237 pages Book 3 - 257 pages Book 4 - 26 pages Book 4.5 - 146 pages Book 5 - 456 pages Published in 2013 - 2022

The Midnight Library – Matt Haig (mental health, philosophical, touching) 3.5/5 Midnight Library is about Nora Seed a 35-year-old women who decides she would serve the people in her life better if she was no longer alive and decides to die. After taking an overdose Nora finds herself in a library with her old school librarian and in which it is always midnight. Nora can try out different lives that she could have led had she made different decisions in life and decide which one she wants to live. I had a lot of thoughts about this book. At first I thought the different lives of Nora were a bit far-fetched, in one she is an Olympic swimmer, in another a glaciologist doing research in Svalbard and in another she is a famous rock star. I didn’t think it realistic that the lives were so extravagant. The book then however went on to talk about how Nora could take any small decision and change it e.g. pursue a brief thought of becoming an astronaut and see where it took her. I then thought about the fact that there were two ways of approaching it. You could either say “I want to see the life where I didn’t leave the band” or “I want to see the life where the band got famous”. Both different realities exist as there are an infinite number of decisions and paths that lead to an infinite number of outcomes. One path you see where one decision led you and the other you go straight to the outcome, not knowing what different decisions led you there. Once realising this I found the far-fetched lives less ‘eye-rolling’ and more exciting to read about. I don’t know if the book fully defined this itself or if it was more me just over-thinking it. It does talk about the theory of multiple universes; however, it was more about how Nora chose the lives she wanted to try out that I thought could use a bit more clarifying. Maybe I didn’t need to analyse it that much but I struggle to just go along with things if they aren’t fully explained! Overall I did really enjoy the book. It was quite difficult to read at first, Nora is in such a dark place, but seeing how she learns to love life again is lovely. It was a tad overly philosophical for me, I am not really one for thinking there is a meaning to life as such, however I could see how it was relevant to Nora’s character. I would definitely recommend! Opening line: Nineteen years before she decided to die, Nora Seed sat in the warmth of the small library at Hazeldene School in the town of Bedford. Format: print 304 pages Published in 2020

Ella Enchanted – Gail Carson Levine (fantasy, middle-grade, charming) 3.5/5 I loved the film Ella Enchanted when I was younger and only recently realised that it was based on a book, so I just had to read it! Other than the general premise of the book, the film doesn’t really follow much of the story line, however it didn’t bother me at all. I can see why the film was done the way it was and it leaves the book to be enjoyed as a separate story. We follow Ella who, at birth, is given the ‘gift’ of obedience by a fairy called Lucinda. This obviously turns out not to be a gift as Ella ends up with no free will and can be made to do terrible things against her will. Ella sets out to try and find Lucinda to get her to take the gift back, meeting good and bad creatures along the way, as well as falling for a kind-hearted prince. This was such a charming little book that made me feel very nostalgic. Its sort of a Cinderella retelling however this is only really made obvious towards the end. I love how determined and fiery Ella is and think she is a fantastic role model for little girls. Opening line: That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me, she meant to bestow a gift. Format: audio book 240 pages Published in 1997

The Cruel Prince Series (#1 The Cruel Prince, #2 The Wicked King & #3 The Queen of Nothing) – Holly Black (fantasy, YA, magical) Books 1 & 2 3.75 Book 3 3.5/5 This series is set in the faerie world of Elfhame which co-exists alongside the real world, without (on the whole) humans’ knowledge. Elfhame is a faerie kingdom with many magical fae folk who live under the rule of the High King. Our main character Jude, is a young human woman who lives in the magical world with her twin sister and her (sort of) faerie family. Jude attends classes with other children of the faerie courts, one of which is Prince Cardan, who along with his group of bullies, tries to make Jude’s life a misery. I really enjoyed all three books in this series, I don’t think there was one that stood out more than the others. A lot of time is spent developing the characters and their relationships with each other and the story took some unexpected directions. I really liked that the characters were flawed, particularly Jude. She sometimes makes the wrong decisions and at times will do the worst in order to further herself. I found it refreshing to read a YA in which the main characters aren’t always squeaky clean and sometimes do horrible things. The main aspect that I liked, and is usually an aspect that determines how much I enjoy a fantasy series is the creativity and wonderfulness of all the magical creatures. There weren’t as many defined creatures as in other books I’ve read however there was definitely a sense of whimsy and magic that I really enjoyed. I would recommend this series if you enjoy stories about faerie politics, kingdoms and courts. Opening line: On a drowsy Sunday afternoon, a man in a long dark coat hesitated in front of a house on a tree lined street. Format: audio book Book 1 - 370 pages Book 2 - 336 pages Book 3 - 300 pages Published in 2018 - 2019

The Final Girl Support Group – Grady Hendrix (thriller, mystery, feminist) 2.75/5 I didn’t really know what to expect from this book. I wasn’t sure if it was (and sort of hoping it was) a kind of dystopian-esk, alternate reality book where final girls from well know, popular horror stories get together and discuss what it is like being a final girl. It wasn’t, and although I was initially a bit disappointed, once I had accepted what the book actually was, I quite enjoyed it. The book follows our main character, Lynnette who survived a brutal multiple murder when she was a teenager and now middle-aged attends a support group for other women like her. Things start to happen however and Lynnette realises that someone is trying to take out all of the final girls in her group. We follow Lynnette as she at first tries to hide away and keep herself safe, but then decides to try and save the other girls and figure out who is out to get them. This book is quite different to the other books I have read, I don’t think I’ve read a thriller type book before. I liked that each character had their own set of issues and enjoyed the interactions between them. However, I would have liked the other members of the group to feature a bit more, once Lynnette realises they are all under threat the group disperses and we don’t get to see the other characters as much. There is also a feminist theme that drives the book, commentary on how women are often depicted in horror movies and the glamorisation of their murders. I liked this aspect, it did at times feel a little ‘shoved down your throat’ and therefore worry that it could alienate those who would benefit the most from reading these sorts of messages, however for me it was an aspect of the book I really appreciated. Overall I did enjoy the book, although deep down I think I still would have preferred what I initially thought the book was about, it would have been a bit more my cup of tea! Opening line: I wake up, get out of bed, say good morning to my plant, unwrap a protein bar, and drink a litre of bottled water. Format: ebook 342 pages Published in 2021

To Kill a Kingdom – Alexandra Christo (fantasy, nautical, YA) 3.75/5 To Kill a Kingdom follows two main characters; Lira, a siren princess who kills princes to steal their hearts, and Elian, the prince of a rich kingdom who much prefers sailing the oceans hunting sirens than preparing to take on the rule of his father’s land. An unfortunate set of circumstances leads the two to meet and we follow them along as they both try to complete the tasks they have each set for themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it was fast paced and the characters had interesting and entertaining relationships with each other that made it really easy to keep reading. It was nice to read a stand-alone fantasy book that neatly concluded itself at the end. Being mostly a fantasy and sci-fi reader, it is refreshing sometimes to not be left with questions and cliff-hangers! There is a romance running through the story but it doesn’t feel too overwhelming and I liked that the romance was important to the plot. Overall I would recommend this book, it reads like a typical YA which sometimes is exactly what I am in the mood for! Opening line: I have a heart for every year I have been alive. Format: audio book 344 pages Published in 2018

Spinning Silver – Naomi Novik (fantasy, retelling, atmospheric) 3.5/5 Spinning Silver is a loose retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. One of our main characters Miryem is overheard by a fey king (staryk) boasting about being able to turn silver to gold. The fey king summons Miryem to turn his silver to gold for him or face the grim consequences. This was a wonderfully atmospheric story, set in a winter kingdom, with lots of magic and mystery. I found that the book took directions that I wasn’t expecting which gave it much more depth than I was initially expecting. The point of view switches between a few different characters and its interesting to see how their stories eventually intertwine. One aspect that takes a bit of figuring out is that Novik doesn’t indicate who is the narrator so you have to work out whose point of view you are reading. However, I listened to it on audiobook and therefore the narrator used different voices for different characters so it made things a bit easier. I would recommend reading Spinning Silver in winter as, like I said it has a very wintery feel (don’t do what I did and read it during one of the hottest heat-waves the UK has ever experienced!) My one last comment is that although I did enjoy the book, I think I may have struggled a little to get though it if I hadn’t had listened to it on audio, it was a little slow at times and did take quite a while to get going. Opening line: The real story isn’t half as pretty as the one you’ve heard. Format: audio book 465 pages Published in 2022

The Year of the Witching – Alexis Henderson (paranormal, horror, feminist) 3/5 The Year of the Witching is set in a fictional place called Bethel, a highly religious community ruled by a prophet and in which women are treated as belongings and people of colour treated as lesser. The main character Immanuelle is a young black woman who ends up entangled with the witches in the dark wood as she discovers things about her heritage. I enjoyed the character of Immanuelle, she was strong and determined and I also liked the commentary on the treatment of women, particularly within religion as well as the commentary on racism. There wasn’t quite as much ‘witchyness’ as I was hoping for, instead the witches are present in more of a psychological, visions type way, however this didn’t ruin anything for me. This book hasn’t made me keen to pick up more books of the genre however I did overall enjoy it. Opening line: She was born breech, in the deep of night. Format: ebook 368 pages Published in 2020

Record of a Spaceborn Few (The Wayfarers Series #3) – Becky Chambers (sci-fi, space opera, heart-warming) 5/5 Chambers did not disappoint, once again. I think The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (LWSAP) is still may favourite out of the Wayfarers series however Record of a Spaceborn Few (ROASF) is a very, very close second, I love it for different reasons. ROASF starts just after LWSAP finishes and is set on ‘The Fleet’ which is a group of spacecrafts (homesteaders) on which, many decades ago, humans escaped a dying Earth to live in space. Eventually, after floating through space for many years, contact with other living beings was made and the fleet became a part of the Galactic Commons (basically like the EU). The story follows five characters who all live on The Fleet as they go about their daily lives. What I love about this book is that it explores human nature and what it means to be human. The characters are deeply explored and we get a great understanding on who they are and how they feel they fit into their society. Although this book was not so full of alien species and planets (which is usually one of my favourite parts of space opera sci-fi) as the other two books in the series, I didn’t feel it was lacking anything as instead we were given such a thorough look at ‘The Fleet’ and the society humans have built in space. I would encourage anyone who likes sci-fi and who also likes character driven stories to pick up any book from this series (they can all be read as standalones), they are truly heart-warming. Opening line: ‘Mom, can I go see the stars?’ Format: print 359 pages Published in 2018

The Colour of Magic – Terry Pratchett (fantasy, creative, whimsical) 3.75/5 The Colour of Magic is the first of Pratchett’s ‘Discworld‘ series, books that all take place on a world riding on the back of a giant turtle flying through space. The book is both as bonkers as it sounds as well as making complete sense, everything is so well thought out that it just works perfectly. The story follows Rincewind and Twoflower as they undertake an adventure across the Discworld where they encounter many different creatures and learn lots about the disc they live on. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was really fast paced and witty that it kept me drawn in and wanting to keep reading. I enjoyed all the different creatures within the story and think the world Pratchett has created is fascinating. There aren’t really chapters, more so ‘parts’ which although I usually prefer chapters on the shorter side, I found that the way this book was constructed actually worked really well. I found the first part, set within the city of Ankh-Morpork a little boring however once Rincewind and Twoflower embarked on their journey I was hooked! I will definitely be reading more from this series at some point and I like that fact that they are all individual books and therefore you can dip in and out whenever you like and read them in any order. Opening line: In a distant and second-hand set of dimensions, in an astral plane that was never meant to fly, the curling star-mists waver and part… Format: ebook 228 pages Published in 1983

Keeping It Real – Justina Robson (urban fantasy, sci-fi, futuristic) DNF at 70% Keeping It Real is set in a reality where a quantum bomb explodes, ripping apart the fabric between dimensions. Ever since this event humans have had to learn to live alongside different magical creatures including elves, fearies and demons. From the description I was really excited to read this book, it sounded right up my street. I was however pretty disappointed. I am usually a stickler for finishing books, even if I am not particularly enjoying them, but I decided to just give up on this one, it just wasn’t working for me. I think there were two main issues with the book, firstly I just did not connect with the characters. I didn’t buy their relationships and felt no investment in them what so ever. Secondly, I think that the concepts of the story were not as thought out and explained as they could have been. There were lots of really interesting elements that just got a bit confusing and ending up falling flat. Unfortunately, I also think that I had too high expectations for the book. I was really in the mood for an urban fantasy of sorts, where magical creatures are living normally among humans and although yes, this is the case for this world, it wasn’t really the focal point of the story. That’s not really the fault of the book, more so that I was hoping for it to be something that it just wasn’t. I may end up eventually finishing it, if just so I can count it towards my good reads reading challenge (seems a bit of a waste of the 200 pages read so far if not!). Opening line: In the days that followed the explosion at the Superconducting Supercollider in Texas, at some unknown point in the Lost Year, 2015, scientists discovered a hole in the fabric of spacetime over the blast. Format: ebook 333 pages Published in 2006

The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold (haunting, domestic, spiritual) 2.25/5 The Lovely Bones is told from the perspective of fourteen-year-old Susie from heaven after she is raped and murdered by her neighbour Mr Harvey. Susie watches her family and friends as they try to deal with her death and move on with their lives without her. Mostly I didn’t particularly enjoy this book. I liked how it explored grief and how different people deal with it in different ways however overall, I think I just found it a bit boring and that certain parts dragged. I’ve realised that I am not really into the whole lyrical type of writing, I just find it all a bit too wishy washy. Nothing really happens, apart from the tragic event at the start I kind of felt like the whole book was just Susie rambling and minor events. All this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad book, just not my sort of book. However, there was one part towards the end that was kind of the last straw for me in deciding I didn’t really enjoy it. Somehow Susie ends up possessing her friend’s body and having sex with her teenage crush. Now, apart from this to me being morally wrong, I also really don’t do well with ‘supernatural’ elements occurring in a real-world setting. I guess this scene could be interpreted as Susie wishing she could inhabit her friend’s body in order to be back on earth and imagining that it happened, however it is presented as an event that actually happens. I have never been one for believing in people being able to look down from heaven, being able to feel deceased loved one’s presence and therefore maybe that is where my difficulty with the book lies. If Susie had remained completely separate from earth, not being able to interact and her being in heaven was used just as a narrative style then I think I may have liked it a bit more. I think if I had gone in to the book with a different expectations I may have enjoyed it more, although having said that I probably just wouldn’t have picked it up in the first place. Opening line: My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. Format: print 372 pages Published in 2002

A Court of Thorns and Roses Series (#1 A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2 A Court of Mist and Fury & #3 A Court of Wings and Ruin) – Sarah J. Maas (fantasy, YA, romance) Book 1 3.75/5 Book 2 4/5 Book 3 3.5/5 The A Court of Thorns and Roses series is set in a world where a wall divides the human world from the dangerous faerie world. Fayre, a young human woman living in poverty finds herself on the other side of the wall and trying to come to terms with living amongst faeries. The main aspect that I loved about this series is the faerie world and all the creatures that inhabit it. Maas has done a good job of creating interesting magical creatures that feel new and inventive, I do however wish that we go to read a bit more about them. I did find the relationship between the two main characters a little cringy at times. It felt a little bit too perfect at times with regards to how the male love interest treats Fayre, we are constantly being reminded of how much choice and freedom he gives her. Now don’t get me wrong, I'm all for unproblematic male love interests, however it started to feel a little unrealistic at times, I would have liked to have seen his character at least slightly flawed. However, I guess that’s where I am not really the intended audience of the series, that being YA, and can see how this sort of character would appeal to, in particular, teenage girls. Overall, book 2 was my favourite, there is a real sense of found family in this book which is one of my favourite tropes. The characters are well developed and my favourite parts of the books were the interactions between them. The climax war at the end did feel a little rushed to me, considering three books were spent building up to it, however I am not particularly in to reading heavy action/fighting scenes so this didn’t bother me too much. Opening line: The forest had become a labyrinth of snow and ice. Format: ebook Book 1 - 432 pages Book 2 - 626 pages Book 3 - 699 pages Published in 2015 - 2017

I did really enjoy The Constant Rabbit but I found that Shades of Grey kept me more intrigued and therefore I preferred it overall

Me too, the world of Alice in Wonderland is just so magical and enchanting that I am immediately drawn to anything set in it!

Heartless – Marissa Meyer (re-telling, fantasy, whimsical) 4.5/5 Heartless is a prequel/re-telling of Alice in Wonderland and tells the story of how the Queen of Hearts (Catherine) becomes the villain we know. Catherine is the daughter of a Marquis and is destined to marry the King of Hearts, however all she wants to do is open a bakery with her best friend. Re-tellings can be tricky, particularly when it’s a story as beloved as Alice in Wonderland, however I think Meyer did a great job of capturing the same whimsical feeling of the original story but still adding enough new components too. A lot of the stand out characters from Alice in Wonderland made an appearance but it didn’t feel forced, they naturally fitted in to the story. Due to this being the origin story of a villain it was fairly obvious throughout the book what the outcome was going to be, however the storyline meandered enough that the specifics of the tale were still left to be discovered. I would highly recommend the book, it’s a nice opportunity to take a different perspective of the Queen of Hearts. Opening line: Three luscious lemon tarts glistened up at Catherine. Format: ebook 464 pages Published in 2016

Snow Crash – Neal Stephenson (cyberpunk, dystopian, speculative) 2.75/5 In Snow Crash we follow the main character Hiro as he discovers and tries to stop a new computer virus and wonder drug before it causes irreversible damage to the world. Hiro lives in a time when the world as we know it has broken down and different corporations now have power and control over different areas of America. This book didn’t turn out to be what I was expecting, I thought it would be more focussed in a virtual reality world, which was not really the case, however this didn’t really bother me, I found the world Stephenson had created fascinating enough that it didn’t need much virtual reality. The book gave me A Clockwork Orange feel, as it is set in a world that had a lawless and chaotic feel. I found the way the book was written a little difficult to get along with, the perspective seemed to jump around a little and I sometimes found that I wasn’t entirely sure as to who’s perspective we were reading from. There was also a big section in the middle that was basically just a massive info-dump and I found that during this part I stopped absorbing information after a while and therefore some things were a little lost on me. Overall, I found that there were ideas introduced that weren’t really fully explored and therefore it felt a little bit underwhelming when it ended as I felt there were a lot of threads left hanging. Having said that I did enjoy the book and would recommend if it sounds like your sort of thing! Opening line: The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. Format: ebook 438 pages Published in 1992

Shades of Grey – Jasper Fforde (dystopian, creative, humorous) 4.75/5 Jasper Fforde has definitely become a favourite author of mine. I love the way that aspects of the story are introduced in a matter-of-fact way and not necessarily immediately explained. Something will be mentioned however we as the reader are kind of left to figure out what it means. Although this can be a little frustrating as it can take you a while to fully understand things, I personally think that it makes it so much more interesting when you eventually work it out. Fforde has a clever way of gradually revealing the story and the setting that it keeps things very interesting. Shades of Grey follows Eddie in a world where people can only see one colour and the colour that you can see determines your status in society. Eddie goes with his father to East Carmine where he finds that everything is not quite as simple as he once thought. I love the concept of colour perception determining status and Fforde does an excellent job of cleverly using the aspect of colour perception to replace our normal society in a way that feels so realistic. It wasn’t until I finished the book that I realised that it is actually the first book in a series however the following books have not yet been written. I really hope the rest of the series is eventually written and released (although I'm not letting my hopes get too high as this book was written in 2009!) as it was left with lots more to discover and I am really intrigued to see what happens next! Opening line: It began with my father not wanting to see the Last Rabbit, and ended up with me being eaten by a carnivorous plant. Format: print 400 pages Published in 2009

The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky (mental health, coming of age, YA) 3.75/5 The protagonist Charlie is a sweet, seventeen-year-old boy who struggles to fit in and participate in life. Charlie meets a new group of friends who immediately welcome him in and introduce him to new experiences and situations. The book is told in the form of letters Charlie writes to an unknown person. I was initially disappointed as I usually don’t particularly enjoy this type of format as dialogue between characters is something that I really like, however I actually found that the letters worked really well and the story really benefitted from this style. The language and writing style reflected that of a seventeen-year-old boy which I found made everything more believable. I absolutely fell in love with Charlie, he is such a kind-natured character and I just really felt a connection with him. There is an element of mental illness within the book however I liked that it wasn’t forced or overdone, it felt like a natural and genuine aspect of Charlies character. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It was on my TBR for quite a while as I didn’t feel a great urge to read it but am so glad that I finally did. Opening Line: Dear friend, I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn’t try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have. Format: print 213 pages Published in 1999

Eliza and her Monsters – Francesca Zappia (mental health, YA, friendship) 3.5/5 I was pleasantly surprised by Eliza and her Monsters. I knew it was a book that explored mental health, particularly anxiety but other than that didn’t know much about it. Eliza is a teenage girl who at school is a nobody, but online she is the anonymous creator of a hugely successful webcomic and has thousands of fans and followers. The story follows Eliza as her two worlds begin to merge and how she copes when her online identity is ultimately outed. Overall, not an awful lot actually happens which initially I found frustrating however upon reflection I realised that I really appreciated this. I find that stories about mental health can sometimes be over dramatised and can become a bit unrelatable. It was refreshing to read about someone struggling in a way that seemed so real and even mundane, it felt a lot more realistic and relatable for me. Within the book there are some illustrations of Eliza’s webcomic along with some short chapters that are elements of her comic. I found that I didn’t enjoy these chapters that much as I found them a bit irrelevant to the story line however it was beneficial in emphasising the importance of the comic to Eliza. Opening Line: Eliza Mirk is the kind of name you give to the creepy girl who clings to her ex-boyfriend for weeks after he’s dumped her because she refuses to accept that he hates her guts. Format: ebook 385 pages Published in 2017

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman (contemporary, mental health, heart-warming) 3.75/5 I don’t read much contemporary fiction, I always think that I am going to find it boring, reading about ordinary people in the ordinary world has never really appealed to me, however this book has made me re-evaluate my thinking on this. Although Eleanor Oliphant is not particularly action packed I found the character of Eleanor so intriguing that I couldn’t put it down. Eleanor is difficult, judgemental person who struggles to connect with other human beings, that is until Raymond, a friendly colleague comes in to her life. There are themes discussed within the story that are extremely difficult and saddening and we see as Eleanor learns and grows as she discovers things about her past. It truly is a story of self-development and friendship and I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it. Opening line: When people ask me what I do, taxi drivers, dental hygienists, I tell them I work in an office. Format: audiobook 383 pages Published in 2017

The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly – Sun-Mi Hwang (fabel, touching, heart-warming) 3.75/5 This was such an unexpectedly sweet little book. I had never heard of it before and just saw it in a second-hand store and thought I would get it, and I’m so glad I did! The story follows Sprout, a plucky hen who manages to escape her cage and is determined to lay an egg and raise a chick of her own. Things don’t necessarily go to plan for Sprout but she is determined and strong and makes the most out of what she gets. I love the simplicity of the story and the characters and the juxtaposition of this against the heart-touching message. There are many themes touched on in the book including grief, bullying, acceptance and friendship all of which are presented in such a gentle and thoughtful way. Opening line: The egg rolled to a stop upon reaching the wire mesh of the coop. Format: print 134 pages Published in 2000