Kayla Miller
Author of Click
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- female
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- United States of America
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Trigger warnings: Disappearance of a child
Score: Five out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.
Unfortunately, Break wasn't as strong as Kayla Miller's other instalments in the Click series, like Click. I wanted to read this one for a while and I only picked it up a few days ago. I glanced at the intriguing blurb and headed in with high expectations considering the high ratings, but when I closed the final page, it was okay.
Did I mention the edition I read is a special Australian English edition?
It starts (more like continues) with Olive thinking of plans of what to do during the spring break when she and her brother, Simon, have to go to New Zealand for one week to visit her father who recently moved there. Once there, Olive met some side characters that happened to be there when she arrived, like Bree (this is the second time I've heard of this name) and Natasha, but that begs a few questions. What are they doing here in New Zealand? I thought they were Americans. Have they always been there or did they briefly move to America in previous books like Camp and Clash before moving back? I'm unsure. These minor characters only use a few pages worth of time, with Olive, her brother and father taking most of it. The pacing is enough to keep the storyline going, but I can't say Break has a writing style as it is an illustrated novel, but I can say I appreciated the art.
What I didn't appreciate though, is Olive. Initially, Olive preferred to interact with her friends over her family, going so far as to shout at them, which I found irritating, but she eventually develops her character and grows closer to her family. None of the other characters, like Simon, Bree and Natasha are easy to connect or relate with as their traits do not go beyond the fact they have platonic relationships with Olive. If Break is the final instalment, then the series did not go out well, but if there are future creations in the works, maybe I can like the series more, but for now, I can't recommend Break in its present state. The concluding pages are heartwarming as Olive and Simon return to America where their mother lives, but you can go read any other story instead of this one.
Independent Reading Level: 9 to 11 years old/ Grade 3rd -5th
Awards & Honors: none found
Awards & Honors: none found
Representation: Black characters
Trigger warnings: N/A?
Score: Seven points out of ten.
This review can also be found on The StoryGraph.
Well, I have a statement, first, this book has been circling my recommendations for a while and after seeing it a few days ago, I finally picked it up and read it. When I finished it, I enjoyed all aspects of it but since I've read some of the books in the series already I don't see why I would return to it any time soon. Unless they make a new book, in that case I'd be glad to read that. It starts with the main character Olive whose last name I'm not sure of living as a 5th grader somewhere (most likely America) but here's the catch and point of the novel: she has no group to join. Yet. She tries to join one initially to no avail in the first half of the story. That is until Olive gets advice from her mother and aunt (which I found heartwarming. Did I mention the art here is good and complements the narrative? It would work fine without the art but that only makes it better.) Eventually Olive has an idea to start a show where she talks like the ones on TV and that ends the book. Oh and the characters are likable and the pacing is much better than the last few books I read (since they were too slow. This one wasn't.)… (more)
Trigger warnings: N/A?
Score: Seven points out of ten.
This review can also be found on The StoryGraph.
Well, I have a statement, first, this book has been circling my recommendations for a while and after seeing it a few days ago, I finally picked it up and read it. When I finished it, I enjoyed all aspects of it but since I've read some of the books in the series already I don't see why I would return to it any time soon. Unless they make a new book, in that case I'd be glad to read that. It starts with the main character Olive whose last name I'm not sure of living as a 5th grader somewhere (most likely America) but here's the catch and point of the novel: she has no group to join. Yet. She tries to join one initially to no avail in the first half of the story. That is until Olive gets advice from her mother and aunt (which I found heartwarming. Did I mention the art here is good and complements the narrative? It would work fine without the art but that only makes it better.) Eventually Olive has an idea to start a show where she talks like the ones on TV and that ends the book. Oh and the characters are likable and the pacing is much better than the last few books I read (since they were too slow. This one wasn't.)… (more)
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- Works
- 9
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- 3.8
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Trigger warnings: Sexism
Score: Six and a half out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.
I have reduced expectations from Kayla Miller following my less than stellar reading experience from Break, written by the same author. That being said, I liked act, but it too wasn't as strong as Click. I wanted to read this one to finish off the Click series I read out of order, but when I closed the final page, it was okay.
At least I know what happened to some of the characters. It starts (more like continues) with Olive Branche recounting her life in the 6th grade, including the scenes where she goes on a school trip, only to discover those who can't afford it can't go. Thus, Olive runs for student council, competing against other peers like Trent and Sawyer to try to do something about this issue. Other than that and one other subplot about someone violating the dress code, there wasn't much to Act. Trent and Sawyer's gimmick is to hand out free pudding to every student, which I found unrealistic, but okay. Sure.
I liked the characters, but I couldn't connect or relate to them, which is either a problem on my end because of the age gap or because of the characters and the writing themselves. Based on information I found when I read through a few pages I finally discovered what happened to Bree: she moved back to New Zealand from Camp, where she stayed there ever since. Anyway.
The part about movements that happened (not only ones that happened in America) was fascinating as it inspired Olive to protest against this injustice. I appreciated the art and the pacing is enough to keep Act going because it barely lasts over 200 pages without wasting any, but I can't say anything about the writing style though, as it uses more pictures than words. However, the concluding pages were contrived as initially, Trent and Sawyer looked like they won, but then there was a three way tie where Olive claimed the victory, and the finish proved more abrupt than heartwarming. The bonus content was intriguing, too.