I haven't read a middle grade book in a long time, but this was really delightful!
It's a whimsical story about magic and joy and love, and I loved it.I haven't read a middle grade book in a long time, but this was really delightful!
It's a whimsical story about magic and joy and love, and I loved it. The writing style relied heavily on repetitiveness, which annoyed me slightly, but it worked in favor of the book. The characters were fun to read, and their growth and development was surprising in this book. ...more
I guess Andy Weir is one of the one-time wonders? I haven't read The Martian, but it seems like that's the case. TA disappointing read after another.
I guess Andy Weir is one of the one-time wonders? I haven't read The Martian, but it seems like that's the case. That one was a hit according to people, this was incredibly meh. I read YA books with better twists than this.
This book is about a Muslim Saudi woman (like, why?) living on Artemis, the city on the moon. She works as a smuggler until she gets tangled in some deep conspiracies and plots that could result in either saving their city or not.
What I couldn't fathom was why would Andy Weir choose to write his protagonist a Saudi Muslim woman? She wasn't convincing as any of those! The dialogues were stupid. at some point, I started counting the times she said to herself, "I'm sexy and I know it." Because that's all women do apparently, according to Mr. Weir.
I'll say that the last few chapter were fast paced, and kept me reading but other than it was a disappointment....more
I give up. I wasn't enjoying this at all. It somehow reminded me of Irvine Welsh's "Filth", but that one even though it was extremely difficult for meI give up. I wasn't enjoying this at all. It somehow reminded me of Irvine Welsh's "Filth", but that one even though it was extremely difficult for me to read, was at least intriguing. This book is sleep-inducing. ...more
I kept involuntarily comparing this to The Book Thief, and I think that was really unfair to this one.
It's a historical fiction during WWII in HollandI kept involuntarily comparing this to The Book Thief, and I think that was really unfair to this one.
It's a historical fiction during WWII in Holland, and a girl's struggle with the war and her own attempts at resistance, and helping those around her, and getting over her war wounds.
I guess the biggest pro in favor of this book is how fast paced it was, and how easily readable it was as well, and what saved it for me were the "twists", because otherwise it would've been an extremely mediocre book, with underdeveloped characters with weird motivations (the heroine is the best example for this). But the writing was its biggest con.
a weird mix of magical realism and science fiction and dystopian, and I don't fully know how I feel about it.
I can see a LOT of problems in this book,a weird mix of magical realism and science fiction and dystopian, and I don't fully know how I feel about it.
I can see a LOT of problems in this book, like: 1. I felt I was reading 2 books (with the 1st part being so much better) 2. the magic and the science parts both were underdeveloped. 3. The 2 main characters seemed to be surrounded only with assholes, and that's so annoying to read. 4. relationships are so flimsy (even if i did end up rooting for Particia and Laurence).
despite these problems, I like the book. It was certainly a trip, I haven't read anything like it before. We follow Particia, who's a witch, and Laurence, the scientist, and their journey together, losing and then finding each other, and how their powers could save or destroy the earth and humanity. Also, them trying to overcome the traumas they've had to endure in their childhood, mainly because of their parents. (another con, the abusive parents were unbearable!)
I liked the whimsical aspect of the first half of the book, and the Patricia/Laurence interactions in the 2nd half, but it needed a lot of work. Not to mention, the ending was highly underwhelming. ...more
I don't like self help books. I realized this once again with this book.
I only read it because it was one of the winners for the Goodreads awards lastI don't like self help books. I realized this once again with this book.
I only read it because it was one of the winners for the Goodreads awards last year.
I don't think I related that much to her, maybe because I'm JUST getting into her youtube channel. maybe because her tone isn't convincing, or maybe because she obviously wanted to write a memoir (which would've been so much better), but decided to make a self help book instead.
It's all about becoming a "bawse" which is lilly's "cool" way of saying "boss" in life. and like 80% of her advice and lessons seem to disregard a lot of things, like mental illnesses and lack of resources. It's not a bad book, but I found myself forgetting the advice almost as I get done with the chapter. Nothing groundbreaking, and I think it's mainly targeting her old fanbase, which is maybe the reason I'm so underwhelmed by it. ...more
This had the potential to be more than this, but it ended up being an okay book.
I've always thought about the society, or the world, if it was dominatThis had the potential to be more than this, but it ended up being an okay book.
I've always thought about the society, or the world, if it was dominated by women. The early version of this fantasy was that it'd be an amazing world, we'd all be happy and we'd love each other, because why not, right? but as time went on, I realized that this is not the case. Cruelty and madness sometimes know no gender, and women can be as mad and cruel as men, sometimes more.
This is supposed to be a book written 5000 years into the future, after "The Power" was manifested in women, electricity coming from their hands making them the powerful and dominant gender. It started with teenagers, and those "woke" it in older women, and in no time all women in the world had it, and women will be born with it after that.
That was such an interesting premise. But I feel like the only thing the author did was flip the roles. Men raped women? let women rape men. Men objectified women? let women objectify men, and so on. I kinda understand that when the power was manifested for the first time, the ones who first saw its effects first were abusers and rapists and their likes. It's realistic that revenge would be their first thought. I feel like I wanted to see more.
I feel this book could've done more with that premise, the characters were somehow interesting, but the writer lost me at so many points of this book, and I didn't like the ending at all. I guess I can see it promoting aspects of feminism but I don't see it particularly a feminist book. But I hope to see more books adopting the idea of a feminist world in the future. ...more
بقالي فترة مقرأتش كتاب عربي بالقوة والجمال ده. ولولا تحفظاتي على شخصية البطل "كزوج" كنت قيمت الكتاب بخمس نجوم
الكتاب بيتتبع حياة "يوسف تادرس" اللي بيروبقالي فترة مقرأتش كتاب عربي بالقوة والجمال ده. ولولا تحفظاتي على شخصية البطل "كزوج" كنت قيمت الكتاب بخمس نجوم
الكتاب بيتتبع حياة "يوسف تادرس" اللي بيرويها في شكل رسائل أو فضفضة، بيبدأ من طفولته في طنطا ونمو بذرة حب الرسم في قلبه والتلخبط الديني في حياته والفراغ اللي فضل حاسس بيه في قلبه طول عمره من غير ما يعرف له سبب. طريقة الكتابة والأسلوب والوصف خلت يوسف من أكتر الشخصيات "الحقيقية" اللي قرأتها، محستش أني بقرأ رواية، حسيت أني بقرأ كلام شخص حقيقي. الألم والفراغ و"الهوة" اللي كان حاسس بيها في قلبي ارتبطت بيها جدا، ولقيت في روحه شبه كبير من روحي، وده أبهرني وخوفني في آن واحد.
كلامه عن الرسم طول حياته هيظل جزئي المفضل في الكتاب، تعلقه بيه والظروف اللي بتبعده وترجعه، مرة بعد التانية. لكن "خيانته" كزوج خلتني أتقفل منه كتير، وده اللي مانعني أني أديه تقييم خمس نجوم لمجرد أني فعلا مش بحب ثيمة الأزواج اللي بيخونوا، ولو أني متفهمة ده في سياق الكتاب ده لأنه بيعبر أكتر وأكتر عن الفراغ اللي في روح يوسف.
النهاية مكنتش اللي أنا متوقعاه أو منتظراه، بس كان كمجمله كتاب رائع وسعيدة أني قرأته. ...more
It started as a 4 star book, towards the middle I was set on giving it 2 stars, it started picking up and I was hopeful, but alas, 2 stars it is.
It haIt started as a 4 star book, towards the middle I was set on giving it 2 stars, it started picking up and I was hopeful, but alas, 2 stars it is.
It had such a promising synopsis, and the few first chapters were so good and engaging, but after that it dragged and became boring as hell, not to mention the horrible plotholes and the indistinguishable characters. It's a story of a plane crash, you know that the plane crashed and only a man and a child survive, but how did it crash the days leading to the crash and the weeks after the crash is what you witness here in this book.
I had a problem with how all the characters seemed to have the same personality and the same "voice", the 9 years old girl is the same as the old painter, how is that even possible? I think I would've liked it more it if was just one perspective, not multiple perspectives of the same mind but with different names.
Towards the end I was just skimming wanting to know how it ends, and it frustrates me. The main characters is frustrating, the whole process seems so unlikely, and characters appear for no reason at all, and the end doesn't go along with the middle part.
"SPOILER": at the end, it was revealed that Scott "remembers" everything that happened on the plane, why didn't he tell the investigators these information, which took them 3 weeks to find it out? that seems so.... stupid!
I regret wasting my time on this book, read it just because it was on "awards winners project", but I don't think I'll try anything else by this author! ...more
If you're going into this book expecting a fast paced thrilling dystopia, then you're wrong. It IS a dystopia, but withI just loved this beyond words.
If you're going into this book expecting a fast paced thrilling dystopia, then you're wrong. It IS a dystopia, but with such a slow burn and I enjoyed every minute.
A sci-fi dystopian novel and for once the dystopian aspect isn't crumpled cities and fallen societies, it's something far more sinister and I din't think I could even tell you what they are because it'd completely spoil (though if you've seen the film or its trailer, you already know). But half or even more of the fun was in finding out "who" these people were, their purpose in life, and how this society worked.
The characters all had their flaws. Ruth would seem ruthless (ha!) and a total bitch, Kathy and Tommy would seem naive and sometimes unbearable, but I could relate to a tiny part in each one of them. The writing style was more like a stream of consciousness which I'm starting to realize is a theme in Ishiguro's books I've read.
It's a book about what makes us human, what makes us "us", about friendship and love and the complications of relationships, about memories and how they change with time. It's easily one of my new favorites, I;m afraid to watch the movie, I want to keep this book as it is, but we'll see.
I was so proud when I heard of Ishiguro's Nobel win, not just because he was the first Nobel winner I've actually read pSuch an inspiring little read!
I was so proud when I heard of Ishiguro's Nobel win, not just because he was the first Nobel winner I've actually read prior to his win, but because I was actually rooting for him, and this speech reminded me why!
It's a biographical lecture about his beginnings as a writer, how music had a big impact on his writing (among other things), and the progress he's undergone as a writer. I loved hearing about "his" Japan, and his view on England and his double heritage. Now, I can't read more for him!...more
At first, I was taken aback by the format. Why would I want to read over two pages of different accounts of how the moon shone on a specific night? a At first, I was taken aback by the format. Why would I want to read over two pages of different accounts of how the moon shone on a specific night? a single line should've been enough. But this book slowly grows on you.
I have never been a fan of plays and their format, but halfway through this book, I felt that it couldn't have been written any other way. This book takes the recorded information that Lincoln visited his son's grave shortly after he was buried to hold his body, and it speculates what happened on that night with Lincoln and Willie and the ghosts at the graveyard. Meanwhile, through different documentations, people of different classes, describe the civil war, Lincoln as a person and a president, and many other things.
It's not just about Lincoln and his son Willie, who died with typhoid, but about "Americans" and their souls at that period of time. These american "ghosts" who deny and don't acknowledge their death are humorous at times and devastating at others. The reverend inner monologue, for example, touched me deeply.
There are talks of slavery, war, Lincoln as a president, the different classes, civil war, and even religion and spirituality.
The way the ghosts didn't "know" they were dead and how that developed through the one night (the whole book takes place in one night, which is something I loved) was amazing. I was getting attached to them more and more.
I have to admit that this books takes some time to get used to it, but when you do, it's totally worth it....more
This had a promising premise, and started off kinda interesting, then it was all over the place, and I no longer knew what I was reading.
What started This had a promising premise, and started off kinda interesting, then it was all over the place, and I no longer knew what I was reading.
What started off as a near-future dystopian turned into a cliched action/spy movie with Elvis and Marilyn impersonators and sex robots, where the only motif for almost all of the characters is sex. It's incredible how Atwood managed to make all of her characters, with no exception, hungry for sex, whether it had a role in the plot or no.
I don't know if it was written with the intent of being read as a parody, but it disappointed me, despite the enticing first half which gave me "The Truman Show" vibe, and that what I was there for. But I felt like I was reading two different books mushed together.
I was feeling it might become one of my favorites this year, but I'm disappointed....more
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