Precious Things I Like

This book really took me for a ride! The plot was unique and even unsettling at times, which is fine by me—I actually enjoyed those parts. The dialogue was well-written, the humor wasn’t forced, and the “effects” of the book were both suspenseful and gory. You didn’t know what to expect next! Even the cover of the book is spooky. I loved the main characters, and even liked/hated some of the side characters. It covered themes like grief, bullying, and adolescence in general very well. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I wish the background of the book and the natives had been expanded on more. It was only briefly touched on, which was a shame, especially because I wanted to know more about the magic and the character related to the book. I'd still recommend it overall, and I'm glad I was able to read it. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

You can’t conjure up an image of Mary Oliver without thinking of nature, so I knew what was waiting for me before I even opened this book. The poems had an equal mix of animals, the earth, and how we–or Oliver at least–sit around pondering all that surrounds us. I enjoyed how many poems included different birds from herons to hummingbirds, how several poems came back to the snake, and her memorable poem about bats. I felt like the essays on writers such as Hawthorne and Emerson, for example, could have been left out. They didn’t work well with the rest of her prose, and I felt lost at some of her critiques without knowing some of the pieces she was referring to. The rest of the book made up for it, though, and I’m thankful to Netgalley for allowing me to read it. I felt both lighter and heavier after reading Little Alleluias, with Mary Oliver knowing just how to tear at your emotions.