I liked this more than the previous because it felt more original. I read it very fast. Everyone is still kind of dumb sometimes but it’s ok. Is this I liked this more than the previous because it felt more original. I read it very fast. Everyone is still kind of dumb sometimes but it’s ok. Is this supposed to be an Israel- Palestine parable? That was the main vibe that I felt was very heavy handed ie two groups having legitimate grievances against each other and then getting into an unending cycle of violence.
It was also cool to read a Muslim fantasy book and I did have to look up a lot of words about the types of clothing but it was prob good for me...more
Maybe 3.5? I enjoyed reading it but I feel like it’s strictly worse than the first one (I re read the first one immediately before this).
It generallyMaybe 3.5? I enjoyed reading it but I feel like it’s strictly worse than the first one (I re read the first one immediately before this).
It generally felt a bit like good fanfic, but specific things that annoyed me: -i found it kind of annoying how much they gush over Cara. It’s kind of like how all the Enders game books went way downhill. In the first one he was allowed to be a real flawed person, but in all the subsequent ones he is just viewed through the eyes of others as a god, and it’s annoying! Same thing w Cara - the narrator is basically just a more annoying and less interesting version of Cara - the house stuff is soooo overdone. I get that the house is politically important, but it’s kind of silly that exlee is one of the “three rulers” -the romance with cross was not fun -the barsamin mechanics felt dumb
3.5? This was a bit helpful as I have been navigating my shoulder surgery recovery. My main takeaways:
- injury is a part of every athletes journey. Th3.5? This was a bit helpful as I have been navigating my shoulder surgery recovery. My main takeaways:
- injury is a part of every athletes journey. That being said, your mental health and attitude towards your injury plays a big role in your recovery process, yet nobody really talks about this - the hardest points are right after the injury happened, and then when you are getting close to return to play. Definitely my experience! -when you are recovering, you are still an athlete, but your sport is now recovery. You should apply the same diligence you generally apply to your sport in order to have successful recovery process. This helps with the loss of your athletic identity - change your thought process from “this sucks” to “this will be a challenge” to “this is an opportunity.” Idk if I ever made it to the third one, but going from the first to the second in miserable parts like regaining my mobility was really helpful. Trying to develop curiosity on what is happening. - as you get injured, you unconsciously size up what it will take to overcome it, and make a judgement on if you have what it takes to face it -go to practice, don’t isolate yourself -stress is bad… - beware secret goals. True sign of mental toughness isn’t necessarily pushing through, it’s knowing when to stop.
Idk how I felt about all the stories- it’s nice to know people can recover, but I wonder if some of it is overly optimistic. There were also too many exercises. Maybe I would’ve gotten more out of this book if I actually did more of them, but it was a bit overwhelming and some of it felt a bit silly (eg write a letter to yourself as if you are your injury)....more
I’ve never read a book like this. It was simultaneously beautiful and funny and clever and depressing and boring all at the same time. The language waI’ve never read a book like this. It was simultaneously beautiful and funny and clever and depressing and boring all at the same time. The language was so fun and creative and I loved the descriptions of places I’d been. 4 starts because the depressing / boringness made it not a page turner, but I still enjoyed.
I wonder if I’d get this book in a different way if I was middle aged.
3.5? Maybe 3 for first half and 4 for second. It kind of felt like an AI generated book. Like it was a combination of all the tropes about djinn and r3.5? Maybe 3 for first half and 4 for second. It kind of felt like an AI generated book. Like it was a combination of all the tropes about djinn and royal families and lost poor thief girls who secretly have a superpower. I didnt hate the characters but also didn’t love them. I wasn’t sure at first I would finish but it was generally fun I suppose
Also maybe because I read this after Less, the writing felt pretty clunky and unskilled ...more
I am definitely very ignorant of my own anatomy and I had to cross reference lots of parts of this with the diagram to figure out what it meant. That I am definitely very ignorant of my own anatomy and I had to cross reference lots of parts of this with the diagram to figure out what it meant. That being said it was a fun and easy yet informative read! ...more
I enjoyed this, I thought it was sweet and it did make me teary in some places. Ove kind of reminds me of Ken if he were bad at technology. The one thI enjoyed this, I thought it was sweet and it did make me teary in some places. Ove kind of reminds me of Ken if he were bad at technology. The one thing I didn’t love in this book is there was all this weird gender stuff, like why is it so romanticized that Ove is incapable of expressing himself but is good at fixing things? There’s this very old time-y view of what makes a “good man” ...more
This was like a mash up between An Ember in the Ashes and Hunger Games with dragons and explicit sex added in. It was a very fun read. The sex is HOT.This was like a mash up between An Ember in the Ashes and Hunger Games with dragons and explicit sex added in. It was a very fun read. The sex is HOT. It’s not that original and the characters aren’t super compelling (hence no 5 star) and I was basically able to anticipate all the twists before they happened, but I enjoyed it greatly. Also Dain is so annoying....more
The first two books were really the peak but I wanted to see it to the end. Very violent. I wonder what the author drew upon to write about all this dThe first two books were really the peak but I wanted to see it to the end. Very violent. I wonder what the author drew upon to write about all this death. The sexy scenes were less exciting and the “my people” stuff still annoying but it was nice to know how it ends. ...more
It was hard reading this right after project Hail Mary. It’s clear that the author learned a lot about writing in the time between books, particularlyIt was hard reading this right after project Hail Mary. It’s clear that the author learned a lot about writing in the time between books, particularly in terms of character development. The thing I didn’t like about the Martian is that it felt like the main character was the same guy from start to finish. Whereas in PHM you have this beautiful story arc and friendship.
Also, honestly at some point should they have just let him die? All those resources and money could’ve been spent on saving a lot of other people from starvation. At least in PHM the crazy things they do all make sense....more
I loved this so much. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this. I normally avoid sci fi cause I feel like the authors get so into building the woI loved this so much. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this. I normally avoid sci fi cause I feel like the authors get so into building the worlds that their characters are so boring. But this book did such a great job of creating this fascinating world, but it still felt like a very human story at its core about courage and friendship and resilience. Also surprisingly funny! If I remembered more from physics class I wonder if I would’ve liked this book more or less. Definitely lots of science and formulas but I just took the authors word for it and thought it was cool! Smart, funny, moving, creative. It really took me by surprise but in the best of ways.
The final memory of how he left earth and the last decision he makes really moved me. Felt like a satisfying ending as well. Time to go read the Martian! ...more
I couldn’t stop reading this but perhaps mostly because it gave me a ton of anxiety that I wanted to resolve. I didn’t feel a ton of connection with aI couldn’t stop reading this but perhaps mostly because it gave me a ton of anxiety that I wanted to resolve. I didn’t feel a ton of connection with any of the characters and the happiness stuff was a bit boring but the suspense did keep me turning pages. ...more
I have to take off one star for how repetitive it was, but I feel like this was a game changing (life changing?) book. I feel like in frisbee but alsoI have to take off one star for how repetitive it was, but I feel like this was a game changing (life changing?) book. I feel like in frisbee but also in other areas like work, I’ve felt the tension between the judging Self 1 and the executing Self 2, and how attempts to over control and criticize end up leading to worse performance and inability to be “in the zone”. Since reading this book, when playing instead of outcomes I’ve thought about either just watching my defender or offender and letting my body do whatever it wants to do, and this has led me to a lot of calm in my play.
I loved the chapter about the other games that people are playing. I can relate to trying to play games for proof of self worth or to try and have friends and belong, and the subsequent stress and lack of enjoyment this brought to my game. I think this year in frisbee I’ve been playing better than ever despite not feeling like I’m “trying so hard”, and I think it’s due to just playing for enjoyment and growth, rather than trying to prove to others and myself that I belonged on the team, or on the O line.
The whole self 1/2 stuff was really hammered sooo hard and this book probably could’ve been an article, which is why I felt like I needed to take a star, but honestly I feel like it had such a large impact on my thinking that maybe I should give it back. ...more
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