“.... she loved him even more for it. For looking at her like she was the beginning and end of his every thought.”
I usually immediately dnf a roma“.... she loved him even more for it. For looking at her like she was the beginning and end of his every thought.”
I usually immediately dnf a romance book if its in third person unless the first chapter manages to capture my attention and the author is able to show me that I can connect through this pov. But Ali Hazelwood blew my preconceived notions out of the park. This book was hilarious and cute af and filled with elite tropes. Hazelwood served us and I was a happy little reader throughout.
My expectations of men have risen even higher and now I have to live with the fact I’ll probably never find a guy as perfect as Adam Carlson. So thanks for that ali hazelwood ...more
I honestly don't know how to review this book. There were parts i liked and others I didn't. I sympathised with Aaron and his situation, all the terriI honestly don't know how to review this book. There were parts i liked and others I didn't. I sympathised with Aaron and his situation, all the terrible things that happened that turned him into a person who doesn't open up and always questions others intentions.
But that didn't stop me from being irritated with him for most of the book.
I liked the save the bookshop plot and the friends he made a long the way. Chad and Ira were such wholesome characters and i loved the builder guys.
The romance part was bland and uninteresting. And i had to stop myself from shouting at Hannah to run far away from this dude.
In conclusion I'm happy with how the story ended although it was a very lacklustre read.
The Buried Giant follows an old couple called Axl and Beatrice, as they journey to find their lost son through a war torn and misty Britain. On their The Buried Giant follows an old couple called Axl and Beatrice, as they journey to find their lost son through a war torn and misty Britain. On their travels they witness strange sights and encounter stranger people. And soon discover that the mist plaguing the land might be the cause of something sinister.
This review is going to be a short one and for that I apologize, but I do not have any strong feelings for this book.
The writing was as always, immersive and engaging. However, slow paced at times and rushed at others.
The setting and concept of this story was my favourite part. I thought the post Arthurian slash medieval Britain setting was clever and it kept me interested the whole time.
My problem with The Buried Giant was that it felt like Ishiguro took two ideas and mashed them together and it just didn’t work well. The concept was ingenious but the execution was not it, for me. The two concepts felt separate and didn’t come together in a satisfying manner.
It was great but it wasn’t terrible either. This blip will not dissuade me from continuing my mission to read all Ishiguro’s books.
If you are looking to start Kazuo Ishiguro’s books – do not start with this one. I suggest beginning with Never Let Me Go....more
“People bury the parts of history they don't like, pave it over like African cemeteries beneath Manhattan skyscrapers.”
Sydney returns home to Brooklyn
“People bury the parts of history they don't like, pave it over like African cemeteries beneath Manhattan skyscrapers.”
Sydney returns home to Brooklyn after her divorce to take care of her sickly mother. Her beloved neighbourhood has changed and it seems like everything she loved about Brooklyn is disappearing - and fast.
With the help of her new neighbour Theo, Sydney researches into the history of the neighbourhood for a historic tour she's planning. However, the more she learns, the more paranoid she becomes.
But strange things start happening and there's no denying something sinister is going on.
This book surprised me. Before starting it, I was only half sure I was even going to like it. I read this with a few friends and we were wondering how Alyssa Cole was going to combine privilege, gentrification and thriller all into one book. At about 30% in I began to worry. But I pushed ahead and it all paid off.
This book is not a typical thriller. In fact I don't know why it's being pitched as a psychological thriller. It has elements from different genres which was awesome! I love a good genre blend!!
I'm still in awe of everything this book contained. It read like a contemporary, while also being educational (we love learning through fiction, kids!), mysterious, some romance (wink wink) and scary parts that had me regret reading at 2AM (I swear I don't know why I keep doing this to myself ...more
“To tell you the truth, I don't get how we can almost unanimously agree that murder is wrong, yet when it comes to rape some people still see shade“To tell you the truth, I don't get how we can almost unanimously agree that murder is wrong, yet when it comes to rape some people still see shades of gray.”
Megan Goldin wrote the heck out of The Night Swim! When I began, I had my doubts, as it tackles a topic I find hard to read about. However, once I started listening I could not stop!
I have never listened to podcasts before but now I see why people love them so much. It was really interesting listening to the episodes of the podcast which are also included in the book.
I enjoyed the present timeline more than the chapters set in the past. Court room settings always has an extra element of drama that I cannot resist. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the trial would proceed and hanging on to the words of every witness.
The mystery of what happened to Jenny had me two folds more invested in the story.
This book highlighted the horrible ugliness of rape and everything surrounding it. Everything the victim has to endure afterwards, once coming forth. Reliving the nightmare over and over and the emotional trauma of having to face the rapist in court while also enduring public opinion.
This was challenging, there were times I had to press pause and take a few deep breaths but it was definitely worth the read. The Night Swim was such a unique thriller, I hope this isn’t the last of Rachel Krall and her podcast.
For the last few days this book has taken over my life. When I wasn’t reading late into the night, I was constantly thinking about it or discussing itFor the last few days this book has taken over my life. When I wasn’t reading late into the night, I was constantly thinking about it or discussing it with my friends.
I was hoping The Dragon Republic would floor me exactly the way The Poppy War did. Astonishingly, it did more than that. Reading this book was nothing short of exhilarating.
From page one it did not let up. I was in a constant state of anxiety waiting for the next twist and turn. Every new reveal, betrayal and manipulation gave me whiplash. I was left gasping, more astounded than before.
Kuang did not pull any punches. The action was head-spinning and the violence (which often left me feeling nauseous) was rendered in such an authentic and appropriate way to each scene.
Knowing that Kuang draws from real sources of Chinese history makes the brutality reflected in the pages hit you harder than ever.
“The world is chaotic and war is fundamentally unpredictable and at the end of the day you don’t know who will be the last man standing. You don’t know anything going into a battle. You only know the stakes.”
The author painted a beautiful picture as she expanded the world building and history of Nikan. She delivered the politics and military strategy in a fresh and riveting way that had me on tenterhooks, desperate to know more. I especially loved reading the naval battle scenes which were so very vivid.
In between this harsh landscape Kuang gives us funny and tender moments that I hoarded with a protective ferocity akin to a dragon hoarding gold.
The cast of characters consisted of new and old faces — each distinct and with apparent flaws.
The trauma and psychological side effects suffered by all was shown so well. The old cast from book one has changed so much after everything they’ve endured, each coping (or not coping) in their own way.
The anger was a shield. The anger helped her to keep from remembering what she’d done. […] She was afraid that if she stopped being angry, she might crack apart.
At the beginning of the book Rin is in an extremely dark place. She’s struggling to deal with grief and guilt while trying to escape Altan’s ghost and losing the battle against her opium addiction. The only thing she has to hold onto is her rage and her need for revenge. This left her vulnerable and susceptible to manipulation. Even though our girl makes some terrible decisions I still want the best for her and I remain hopeful.
I especially loved Kitay in this one. The sweet cinnamon roll of a boy he was in book one is no more. He has been hardened by war and haunted by Golyn Niis. Now he is filled with a quiet fury which he pours into everything he dedicates himself to. He is such a good friend to Rin, and I will not recover if some terrible happens to him in the next book.
The ending was an unexpected stab in the heart. I could not believe what I was reading. I read it several times in fact just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. A chant of “no no no” did not stop me from careening head first into the twist so cleverly layed out.
After, I lay in the dark, speechless and dazed. Unable to form a coherent thought, my mind churning and a stampede of emotions running through my whole body.
If I look back now to everything that happened in this single book, it was A LOT— but it was all so well executed and put together.
I am counting the hours till I can read the final book. I have no doubt that Kuang is going to deliver a sizzling conclusion to this already mind blowing series.
CONTENT WARNINGS:violence, murder, genocide, rape, self harm, mutilation, human experimentation
Noemí Taboada, a glamorous socialite of 1950s Mexico, travels from Mexico City to the countryside after receiving a concerning letter from her newlyweNoemí Taboada, a glamorous socialite of 1950s Mexico, travels from Mexico City to the countryside after receiving a concerning letter from her newlywed cousin, Catalina, to save her from her Englishman husband and his family.
Noemí arrives at High Place, a dilapidated manor isolated in the mountains, to a cold reception by the strange Doyles. The Doyles insist that Catalina is fine but Noemí is determined to find out the truth.
She discovers horrifying secrets of the Doyle's past but soon finds that leaving High Place and saving her cousin will not be an easy feat.
Let me start by declaring that I have a low fear tolerance. I don't read horror books. I don't even watch movies or TV shows that are mildly scary. So I am very much not knowledgeable about anything to do with this genre.
I started Mexican Gothic on a whim. The audiobook was right in front of me at the right time when I decided to listen to the first chapter to see if I'd like the rest. And once I'd listened to that first chapter, I was sold!
This is a slow paced book with smooth writing and an intrueging plot. The atmospheric Gothic setting is what really made it such a fun and addictive read.
Throughout the story there's a sense of foreboding and tension. A knowing that something is around the bend, the spooky atmosphere of High Place and the strange behavior of it's inhabitants leaves the reader in a constant state of thrilling anxiety.
As I said, the pace is slow but towards the end things really pick up and that's where the author really takes us on a rollercoaster ride.
I loved Noemí and admired her perseverence. If I'd been in her shoes I can for sure say I would not have fared well at all. I mean, I still can't even look at mushrooms the same way after reading this (if you know, you know).
In all honesty reading Mexican Gothic was such a pleasant surprise. I doubt reading horror will now become a normal thing for me, but I'm so happy to have finally read my first book in this genre and having it not be a total catastrophe.
I'm looking forward to reading Moreno-Garcia's future works!
4.5 stars ___ for the record I don't deal well with scary shit. Horror movies? Nope, no thanks. Horror books? Never.
So listening to this is probably not the best idea but I'm gonna give it a go anyway. I'm not a complete idiot. I'll only listen to it during day light ...more
If Rebecca Kuang's intention was to give us all trust issues then she definitely accomplished that.
This could be the end of their story or the begIf Rebecca Kuang's intention was to give us all trust issues then she definitely accomplished that.
This could be the end of their story or the beginning of a glorious chapter.
This book had a different feel to it. Knowing that it is the last installment and that the fate of Nikan is in such peril fills the reader with undeniable dread. You don’t know who to trust. Walking on tiptoes, peaking around corners waiting for the next hit to your heart.
I’m going to be honest here and tell you that I thought the middle section to be very draggy. I know, I know. This series has always been a slow paced one. And usually it didn’t bother me.
However
I think because I knew there would be no happy ending, I was filled with such a sense of foreboding, watching as Rin and the state of Nikan just kept on spiralling downwards. ((Anxiety inducing tbh))
I had to pep talk myself into continuing. I even put the book down for a couple of days to recharge my mind. But then I got back into it and just had to know how things would go down.
The politics, action scenes, military strategy and battles were my favourite. The Burning God features mainly siege and guerilla warfare tactics that I found highly interesting.
Anyone who has read this series can appreciate how well the author depicts the real cruelties of war, blends in real parts of history, doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff and does not romanticise it the way many authors do.
War didn’t end, not so cleanly—it just kept building up in little hurts that piled on one another until they exploded afresh into raw new wounds.
Rin travels a lot throughout this book which means we get to see even more of Nikan. From enchanting mountains and war torn, famine ravaged countrysides to modern cities – it was all so resplendent and graphic.
The new additions to the cast of characters were an interesting bunch. By now I’ve learnt my lesson and knew not to trust anybody. In this series everyone is out for themselves.
We’ve seen Rin go through so much hardships throughout this trilogy. You cannot deny that she has suffered and has a right to the rage she is filled with. After how things ended in The Dragon Republic, Rin has had to learn to become a leader. Something I really liked was that she wasn’t one of those ‘over-night leaders’ so often seen in fantasy. She didn’t just wake up one day with all the skills. She makes mistakes and she learns and despite not wanting to, listens to advice given to her.
“Do you know what your problem is?” Daji asked. “You’ve been fighting this entire war on the defensive. You’re still thinking like someone on the run. But it’s time you started thinking like a ruler.”
Even so, Rin has become alarmingly ruthless. She has traded her humanity for power. And there is no coming back from that.
Kitay, my pure child. He remains the light of this whole series. His friendship with Rin brought me so much joy and the beauty of their bond was a contrast to the harsh, brutal situations they were surrounded with.
[…]trusted first Daji and then Vaisra, and they’d both sold her away without blinking. From now on Rin took charge of her own fate.
I have one word for the ending: traumatising.
Just thinking about this ending makes me want to howl in agony. Since finishing this book I’ve been trying (in vain) to flush it out of my system with adorable and sickeningly cute reads. It hasn’t helped one bit.
Even though I thought that some things still needed to be addressed (that’s one of the reasons my rating is 4 instead of a full 5) this was a spectacular conclusion to a series that will stay with me for years to come.
Ending it any differently would not have felt authentic to this story and because I’m a masochistic fool — I cannot wait to read it all over again ...more
“Burn it! Burn it. This is where the poems are,” I say, thumping a fist against my chest. “Will you burn me? Will you burn me, too?”
Xiomara Batist“Burn it! Burn it. This is where the poems are,” I say, thumping a fist against my chest. “Will you burn me? Will you burn me, too?”
Xiomara Batista is a young girl from Harlem who feels like her voice doesn't matter. In the form of poetry, she puts all she cannot say into a beloved notebook.
When she finally accepts the invitation to her schools poetry club — Xiomara knows it won't be long before her mami finds out she isn't at church, where's she's supposed to be, but decides to take the risk anyway.
Even though I couldn't immediately relate to all that Xiomara is going through, the author made me feel Xiomara's struggles and pain through the words, straight to my bones.
Her love for words and poetry was so heartwarming. When her mami (view spoiler)[burnt her notebook I literally started crying. (hide spoiler)] That shit was intense.
The Poet X is a story written in verse. I listened to the audiobook which is narrated beautifully by the author. Elizabeth Acevedo did such a brilliant job, it made me think that authors should be narrating their own work more often!
__ I'm reading this as a huge middle finger to that guy who told me to read better poetry a few days ago. I'll read whatever poetry I damn well want, thank you...more
Thank you to Sarah Hogle for blessing 2020 with my new favourite comfort book. It's been days since I've finished this one and I'm not gonna lie-I'm hThank you to Sarah Hogle for blessing 2020 with my new favourite comfort book. It's been days since I've finished this one and I'm not gonna lie-I'm having serious withdrawals.
“Enjoy your Thanksgiving!” he calls over his shoulder. “You two are assholes!” she calls back. “You deserve each other.” I send her a thumbs-up. “Thanks!”
Naomi and Nicholas are that perfect couple. The one who everyone envies. The one who's sickeningly cute instagram posts make you hate and love them at the same time.
What started out as love has slowly turned into resentment, Naomi is tired of faking happiness, because in a few months time they will be walking down the isle and Naomi has to figure out a way to back out of this engagement without it seeming her fault. Because she knows that if she's the one to break it off — Nicholas's controlling mother will make sure she pays the extensive and nonrefundable wedding bill.
Much to Naomi's surprise, it seems Nicholas has been ‘faking happy’ too. Trying to push her away so that he doesn't have to end their engagement.
And so commences a war of pranks and sabotage between two stubborn people.
When I’m in the bathroom, he orders me a Dr Pepper, which he knows is my favorite.
Before we leave, I wipe all the crumbs and used napkins from the table onto our plates and stack them, which I know he appreciates because he tries to be helpful to the busboys.
When we get back out to the car, we plot how to ruin each other’s lives.
Okay so everyone was right about this being like The Hating Game. Sarah Hogle wrote Naomi in a similar style that Sally Thorne wrote Lucy — with rambling inner monologues and crazy exaggerated thoughts.
Please don't think I'm complaining. I. LOVED. IT. I was laughing so much while reading this book, I had a permanent smile on my face! The pranks, the pettiness — were top notch. I found myself reading right through the night laughing at the juvenile antics of both Naomi and Nicholas, it was endlessly entertaining!
Let's talk about the lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers ( or does love-to-hate-to-love fit better? Idk) trope. I have come across this trope many times before. It's quite popular as it usually goes hand in hand with the ‘second chance romance’ trope. But none other was as good as this one.
What I loved most was the growth! In between the pranks you get the sense that neither of them has ever been real with the other. When both Naomi and Nicholas start to let their guard down bit by bit and begin reflecting on their own contribution to the problems of their relationship. They've both been faking perfect and it was lovely to see them both rediscover the other.
I inadvertently let him in to see the ugly parts but instead of running away like I’d counted on him to do, he wrapped his arms around all of that ugliness and didn’t let go.
They go from hating each other, to becoming friends and a team. It was so beautiful.
If I'm being completely honest, both characters came off a bit annoying in the beginning with how immature they can be but they grew on me and I love them to pieces!
I wish we had some Nicholas POV, that would have been a great insight to have.
The next time I fall into a reading slump you can bet that this is the book I'll be picking up for a reread!!
___ Second ReadOctober 2020
Just as good as the first time! I listened to the audiobook this round and it took some time getting used to the narrator. I think because I already loved the book so much the narrator didn't spoil the experience for me.
Rereading this just made me even more excited for future works from Sarah Hogle!!
This won't be the last time I reread this book. ___
innitial reaction
The funny thing is that I received an ARC of this book a long time ago and I just...I didn't read it? I forgot? What a damn fool I was.
I finished this at 3AM and it was the first thing I thought about when I woke up a couple hours later. Will I reread? Most definitely.
___ My good friends May and Warda told me this is similar in style to The Hating Game ( which I have read 4 times and am complete trash for). I haven't read a romance since March (I know, i know wtf right?!) and I'm overdue for some feels!!...more
It takes another kind of genius to sell us the same story three times and still get us hyped up for it.
Twilight has it's flaws. This we know. This we It takes another kind of genius to sell us the same story three times and still get us hyped up for it.
Twilight has it's flaws. This we know. This we acknowledge. It's like one of those low budget soap operas. You know it's terrible shit, but you also can't stop yourself from watching the next episode.
Well that's how it is for me anyway.
If you're thinking of picking this up please know that it's basically the exact same story as Twilight (book 1) with a few added parts since (unbelievably) Edward is not always glued to Bella's side.
Even though this book took me ages to read, I laughed at all the cringey scenes but also thoroughly enjoyed myself. I got a tad bit annoyed at the sense of deja vu but then again I've read and reread this series waaaaayy more times than I'd like to admit.
I always used to think of Bella as having a personality of a potato. But I kind of get her ‘allure’ to Edward now. Edward is very perceptive and I liked the things he noticed about Bella's character. The way he is able to read minds and NOT able to read Bella's mind means that he picked up on all her little quirks and sees her in a different light than she sees herself. He actually made me like her. *GASP* I honestly cannot believe I just wrote that.
I've also always been hardcore #TeamJacob (don't come at me for that) but reading from Edwards POV has nudged me just a tiny bit to the other side. He's more real than he appeared in the other books. I loved reading about his inner turmoil and the way he justifies his crazy actions. However the dude is still a creepy stalker ( #TeamJacob4evaaaaa).
In Midnight Sun we not only get Edward's POV but also his insight and the thoughts he reads through other people's minds. Which was fascinating!! I honestly don't know how he stays sane. Learning more about Edward, Alice and Jasper's powers/abilities was so cool.
I loved the flashbacks. We got to know more about Edwards early days, more about Carlisle, how Alice and Jasper joined the family and other fun stuff!
Bella is an outsider looking in to the Cullen crew. But Edward's perspective as a member of the family was precious. Those were some of my favourite parts of this book.
Rosalie is one of my favourite characters. Yes, she's a bitch. But I love it. The more in depth version of how she found Emmet had me almost in tears (okay that's a lie. I was in tears). It was beautiful.
Every single time Edward referred to ‘the monster inside me’ . It was just so cringe. And it happened so often I started laughing everytime he said it.
Final thoughts:
It would have been better if Twilight was first written with alternating POV from both Bella and Edward. Is this book a necessary read? Definitely not. But I'm glad I read it. It's for those of us with a sentimental attachment to these books and these characters, those of us who have been waiting years for Edward's side of the story.
I highly recommend the audiobook. The best part of this whole experience was having Jake Abel and his beautiful voice in my head for hours (I swear that sounded less creepy in my head. clearly Edward's creep vibes have been rubbing off on me). He did a phenomenal job at narrating. ✨
3.5 stars
[I think pomegranates can be sexy however THAT pomegranate is not it, just saying.]...more
“But I'm sick of this bloody jagged graph. You know, two steps up, one step down. It's so painful. It's so slow. It's like this endless game of snakes
“But I'm sick of this bloody jagged graph. You know, two steps up, one step down. It's so painful. It's so slow. It's like this endless game of snakes and ladders." And Mum just looked at me as if she wanted to laugh or maybe cry, and said, "But Audrey, that's what life is. We're all on a jagged graph. I know I am. Up a bit, down a bit. That's life.”
Audrey struggles with many things. The after effects of something that happened at school has left her unable to brave the outside world, or talk to strangers and she wears sunglasses even indoors. The day she's set to return to school is soon approaching and now Audrey wants her life back. With the help if her therapist and her brothers friend Linus she starts to break out of her comfort zone.
I absolutely loved the humour and family aspect of this book. The mother was intense and annoying sometimes, but mostly I found her arguments with Audrey's brother, Frank, supremely funny.
There were parts that made me laugh so hard, I almost cried. I loved Felix and Audrey's dad most.
As I said, I adored the humour but I also wished more of the story was concentrated on Audrey and her struggles. I couldn't fully connect with Audrey because we don't actually know what happened to her. An incident which started all this keeps getting referred to, and even Audrey hints at it, almost tauntingly, but it's never explained!??!
I'd totally read a book about her families shenanigans. They're just too funny.
This was my first Kinsella book, and I kind of get why her books are so popular. This was quick and fun. I highly recommend the audiobook, the narrator did a fantastic job.
___ I've been assured that this book will make me laugh. Buddy reading with this crew: Warda, Türkan, Fares and Karima — so we can all laugh together!...more
“Sometimes you need to scorch everything to the ground, and start over. After the burning the soil is richer, and new things can grow. People are l“Sometimes you need to scorch everything to the ground, and start over. After the burning the soil is richer, and new things can grow. People are like that, too. They start over. They find a way.”
Shaker Heights is a progressive suburb in Cleveland where everything is planned out. The residents abide by a set of rules that maintain orderliness through their neighbourhood.
Mia Warren, an artist with a mysterious past, and her teenage daughter Pearl arrive in the pristine suburb and decide that Shaker Heights is where they are going to settle after so long moving from place to place. They rent a house from the Richardsons and soon become more than just tenants. Pearl is quick friends with the Richardson kids and is drawn to this family and their normal life.
Soon a custody battle divides the town as a family friend of the Richardsons attempts to adopt a Chinese-American baby.
Elena Richardson promises to do her best to help her friend. Her suspicions of Mia being involved in the case leads her to invesgate more where she discovers secrets of Mia's past.
“Most of the time, everyone deserves more than one chance. We all do things we regret now and then. You just have to carry them with you.”
I've come to really enjoy books set in the suburbs. They're always so unassuming!
As readers, most of us are attracted to books that take us out of our ordinary lives. Through books we go on adventures, attend magical schools or catch a serial killer before he strikes again. So why in the world would we want to read about mundane people in the suburbs?
But like I said, these books are unassuming and that's the beauty in them. You think you know,, but do you really? Just like in real life. You don't know everything that could be going on in someones life.
At least this is what I feel when I read these kinds of books. The authenticity has me in awe and there's always someone or a situation I can relate to.
The writing was so amazing I cannot even begin to explain. Very clean, straight forward writing that kept me captivated the entire time.
But I think that mostly had to do with the characters. The chapters skipped through multiple POV while the author gives us a deep dive into each character, even side/unimportant characters. It was so interesting and well thought out.
It might sound like a waste of time but I wasn't bored at all. I wanted to know these details. It's crazy to explore the histories of people who seem like they aren't that important to the bigger plot.
Little Fires Everywhere was an examination of things like privilege, race and motherhood.
Celeste Ng wrote the hell out of this book and I can't wait to read more of her work.
Thoughts on audiobook: The narrator was brilliant. I was kept entertained and engaged. Highly recommend listening to this.
___ Pre-Read I need a distraction from the current state of the world and what's better than reading about the problems of fictional characters?!...more
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