I don't read a lot of sci-fi, but I'm trying to stretch myself this year. Kindred isn't as sci-fi as I expected, which possibly added to my enjoyment. I wasn't planning on starting the book until this month, but since it took me so long to read The Warmth of Other Suns I thought I should start early. I finished in three days. The ending was a little abrupt, and I wanted a little more time with some of the characters, but other than that the book is very good. Butler writes about horrifying material in a way that is both readable and non-desensitizing. 

A coworker recommended this book to me at least a year ago and it took me until now to read it. I'm very glad I did though. (I read part on desk and that was a mistake because I kept wanting to cry.)

The stories each on their own are compelling, covering (probably) lesser-known aspects of well-known time periods. And they all come together in interesting ways.  

The book is very long and by the time I got to the end I had kind of forgotten the beginning (much like the first time I watched Moulin Rouge... it took me three days to get through it). So as I was reading the ending I was kind of like, "What is happening? This feels a little like a cop out." But then I went and reread the beginning and remembered a kind of important fact that I had forgotten which really changed the way I was reading the end and made it more enjoyable. 

I think I've reviewed this book about three times now, but I just can't stop coming back to it. 

I'm currently reading Echo which was a Newbery honor book in 2016, the same year Last Stop on Market Street won the medal. I wanted to see if I thought Last Stop really deserved the medal over Echo (which I'm enjoying much more than I ever liked Last Stop). 

This time I really paid attention to the words, and thinking about it, de la Peña does write effectively and evocatively. There is an expansive story conveyed in very little text.

I think after this reading I better understand why Last Stop won the Newbery, though I still don't agree that it should have won. 

I read this as an ebook, and I bet it's even better in print where you can see all the details up close. I liked the story of remembering family, and I loved the illustrations. 

“Love is pretty important. It's like wearing a suit of armor. It makes you strong.” -Rachel, The Visitor

The book contains interesting, often quiet, observations on love and the surprising places it can be found while avoiding triteness or cliche. 

As a kid who comes from a family that is 1. very normal but 2. never represented in any media I really appreciated the diversity in this book.