I'm giving this three stars because the author seems like a very kind person and I appreciated the author's note at the very end of the book (part of I'm giving this three stars because the author seems like a very kind person and I appreciated the author's note at the very end of the book (part of me wishes it were at the beginning so I could get a sense of what I was walking into). That said, I had many issues with this one so unfortunately it wasn't really for me. I'll start with the one that was never resolved.
1. Dialogue Throughout this one I kept thinking that it would have worked so much better as a screenplay. In fact, I joked in one of my status updates that I thought it was too obvious that the author hoped it would be optioned for a Lifetime movie (I still believe that; I actually think it would make a better movie than a book). The reason for all this, is because the dialogue was so so stiff. Part of this may be because one of the protagonists, Tallie, is a therapist and some of it may also be the author trying to effectuate the kind of stiff dialogue you have with someone you don't really know but want to get to know. The thing is, it rarely got better. Some of the lines were slightly better than others but overall, whenever anyone talked it felt almost 100% like things no one would say in real life. This wouldn't be such a big deal if this book wasn't so dialogue heavy but it pretty much was (and the non-dialogue did not make up for it). Some of my other issues with the plot etc. sorta kinda resolved themselves by the end but the stiff, unrealistic, and at times, corny dialogue persisted throughout.
2. The...Plot? So...what initially drew me in was that the book would focus on how mental health impacts interpersonal relationships between two Black people. I thought this book was more like contemporary adult with a hint of romance but it turns out that I think the mental health was a backdrop for what was essentially a romance novel. Nothing wrong with romance novels. It just wasn't what I was expecting which is maybe my bad considering the cover etc. Anyway, around page 30 I realized that it was basically a romance novel and readjusted but then......it started feeling real fan fiction real quick. I'll put it like this. The book takes course over a weekend and Tallie, the main girl, basically indulges in this guy she does not know but happens to be this perfect looking guy who loves everything about her....They live in this perfect little town in this perfect little neighborhood...I get that they're essentially supposed to be soulmates or something but they truly have no issues? And the main conflicts, ironically, come at the end of the book. I don't get off on conflict for the sake of conflict, but for me, going into the book thinking it would be a realistic portrait about the strains mental health can have on relationships and walking into....a fantasy was pretty rough. I know that the author, in some ways, wanted us to lean into this fantasy; she emphasizes the coziness of Tallie's home and the dreaminess of the weekend. Still, knowing this was supposed to be a fantasy only got me so far and by the end the sugary sweetness almost made me feel a bit sick. Like I said, the main conflicts come up later in the book but they are very rushed and in my opinion, not as well written as they could be. There were hints throughout the book that there would be some big secrets from "Emmett" but I wish that they would have been generously added throughout to break up some of the cutesiness.
3. Other Random Stuff That Don't Need Their Own Paragraphs I know this book is set in the Bible Belt and I know the author is a Christian. I don't have anything against Christians per se but I felt, again, that I walked into this book expecting something a little different. Maybe what annoyed me was the way it was slipped in constantly, almost subliminally. Notwithstanding my own beliefs re: Christianity (including my resistance to being proselytized), I actually think the writing suffered a bit for it. Another random thing that is actually serious is how race was used here. From the cover alone and the fact that it was listed on "African American Books You Need To Read" or whatever, I was confident that the characters were Black. But you really couldn't tell except, in the last 30 pages or so, where a kind of sloppy analysis is added almost an afterthought. My thing is, I know people are going to say that Blackness doesn't look just one way, blah blah etc. But to be honest I've never liked that argument and some of the events in the book actually could have been improved with an racial analysis. For example, there is this part where a cop pulls them over and Emmett, a Black man, casually gets in the car with him? Tallie is very nervous and the author doesn't tell us why exactly although as Black readers we would know. Yet, the entire scene was ultimately unnecessary unless the author was trying to say something about the violence Black people often face at the hands of police. This message, which is true and important, does not come through successfully without the racial analysis. And if that was not the point, then that whole scene totally went over my head. And perhaps, it was some half ass copaganda and if it was then.... Another thing on Blackness is that there is this character named Aisha who is literally never in the book. I have no idea why but it was nice to see a very common Black name in the book I guess? The last thing I'll say is that I did not like the POV shifts. I generally hate when the POV shifts between characters and it's in third person. Their voices sounded the same and truly the only benefit is that we can see and hear some of their inner thoughts (but in the weird distant third person way). I think the book generally would have been much improved if it were in first person. Other things: who is really named Rye? and the line about "is a lesbian half the time" was biphobic to me.
Overall? I think this book could be nice for Christians looking for something to read on the beach. There is some heavier content but it's mainly at the end (which, again, I think is to the book's detriment). I could see someone picking this up for a movie. I would watch it. Would not read it again but I appreciate the author's attempts at optimism....more
I enjoyed this one. It has been awhile since I've read fiction and this one was a nice mix of politics, race and spice. As an aspiring journalist, I eI enjoyed this one. It has been awhile since I've read fiction and this one was a nice mix of politics, race and spice. As an aspiring journalist, I enjoyed reading Jill Nelson's outlining of her life at a predominantly white media org, and how blackness especially in the United States is layered with complications such as class, gender and sexuality. ...more
Been reading this book since about August, when I fell across it randomly at my university's library. I had heard of the title 'black girl in paris' bBeen reading this book since about August, when I fell across it randomly at my university's library. I had heard of the title 'black girl in paris' before and vaguely understood as a risque-y novel not for kids despite its seemingly childlike title. since i am older now, i picked it up and started reading even though i don't have much time for fiction anymore unfortunately. even still, i got caught up in it and over the past few months kept returning to it despite all the work i have to do and each time i returned it never disappointed. right up to the very end.
i really enjoyed this work. i am not one who ever needs plots and even though it may seem like the protagonist is just wandering around the whole book, the plot is there and is simple: the black american girl in paris, wants to be a writer, in search of james baldwin but finds a lot more than him along the way. it was a glorious book with glorious writing. i've been to paris twice myself but the author made me feel like i was actually there - through the good and the bad. the protagonist is quite likable, even though there is a certain distance the author keeps us from her. it's like you kind of get a vision of what she looks like, but through her eyes you understand her companions more than you understand her which i actually understand and appreciate. the protagonist is sometimes almost a fly on the wall, although she is quite active too because the whole book is centered on her movements. i guess what i'm trying to say is that i liked the protagonist and empathized with her and maybe this is because she was in some ways distant even though the book was in first person.
the themes in this book are wide ranging but one of the things i liked best was how the obvious lesson from the book was not obvious to me until the very end. the book is also not preachy. the book is set in mid 1980s paris where terrorism is spiking and the author is living within the waves of increased immigration and movement in and out of paris. the author is not hopelessly a-racial and i was very impressed by the way the protagonist delineated her feelings on colonialism, racism and capitalism while also maintaining the fictional quality of the book. she even discussed the role paris has in pan-african artistry, which can be seen in her feelings of kinship for black people from haiti and barbados. i enjoyed above all else the descriptions which, while this might irritate some, was a real treat for my mind overdosed as it is by plain nonfiction at this point. i could smell some of the places the protagonist led us to, could feel the nausea she described or the warmth, could feel the endless cigarettes smoked burning my lungs too - it was really amazing story telling. i also appreciated the incorporation of lgbt themes, which up to this point is hard to find in black literature.
i didn't initially think i would give this 5 stars as it is rather slow. but the last 50 pages flew by and i really did love the characterization and writing style. it is flowery and as i've stated before, that's what i like ....more
Mmm I wasn't a super big fan of this one. The narration, split between two sisters who have the same bigamist father, was okay. Although basically theMmm I wasn't a super big fan of this one. The narration, split between two sisters who have the same bigamist father, was okay. Although basically the narration was the same between the two of them (as in, the style wasn't different or anything), I thought that it was interesting to see the different points of views of the sisters, one who knows that she is an illegitimate daughter and the other under the delusion that she is part of a whole legitimate family.
The writing was also okay. Not great, just okay. Just didn't blow me away or anything. A great deal of the book definitely read as YA which is fine but there was something almost a little subtlely adult there that I couldn't put my finger on. There was a darkness to it that never really felt resolved. It gave me an uneasy feeling and while reading it I wasn't exactly sure at all how to feel.
Of course, this was an uneasy topic. To write of bigamy is quite interesting, especially if it results in two daughters who share so much and so little in common. I think the parts that I enjoyed the most were those that discussed I guess what you would call colorism, and the self esteem issues a black girl can face if she doesn't have certain hair, skin color or slimness. I thought those things were interesting, as the "legit" daughter had the "whole" family but felt ugly for having none of the aforementioned good traits. On the other hand, her sister was illegitimate but was pretty, slim and was a "silver girl". The thing is about all that is none of that felt resolved. I guess my major problem with the book at large was that there was so much focus on the backstories of the parents (only one of which was interesting) that it left the daughters' in the book's present moment almost entirely unresolved. It did not feel in any way that I knew Dana well or Chaurisse. And there were also many characters in this book, as a bildungsroman goes that didn't seem to have much to do with the plot either. I also hated the epilogue.
Overall, I thought this story dealt with an interesting topic but I guess for me the execution didn't have me moved. I wish that I had gotten more info about Dana and Chaurisse (and even Raleigh) because they definitely would have made the book more interesting. ...more
I started this book back in 2016, also in audiobook form. I have never seen what this physical book looks like and somehow that is for the better. LisI started this book back in 2016, also in audiobook form. I have never seen what this physical book looks like and somehow that is for the better. Listening to the same audiobook four years later brought me back to undergrad, which is fitting because I re-started this out of a sort of nostalgia for undergrad life even though my personal college experience was a 2.5/5 at best. I gave this book 3/5 stars. Mainly because after finishing the whole thing and listening to the supplementary interview, I finally got exactly what it was Eugenides was trying to do. Having never actually read a "marriage plot" book, the theme (which I know is supposed to be ironically deployed here) was a bit obscure to me when I first read this. I mean obviously "marriage plot" is pretty simple to understand but I didn't really *get* it until I got past the part I stopped at back in 2016 -- the parts where it's clear that Madeleine may actually marry Leonard or Mitchell. No spoilers.
I enjoyed Madeleine's parts the best, particularly at the very beginning because her form of white dysfunction was low stress to listen to and, despite its esoteria, I enjoyed falling asleep to her discuss these white men and their theories I have no interest in reading. I know a major critique of this book is that it's pompous and pretentious but if you just let the names wash over you it's not too bad. I also generally liked the book best when they were actually in college but probably because I was reading this due to my nostalgia for college. Madeleine as a character is pretty hard to read though. I'm not even sure what she looks like besides some vague reference to some actress I've never seen before. I know nothing about why she is doing certain things. I know she likes to read and that she's rich. She just felt a bit ghostly. If I hadn't met dozens of the same kind of white girls in college I would have absolutely no idea what to think of it her at all.
Where the book got a little boring for me were some of the parts with Mitchell and Leonard. I enjoyed Mitchell as a character even though I recognize he's a stock "nice guy" but this was fine to me because the whole part of him going to India to "achieve enlightenment" or whatever is exactly the kind of thing a middle class white nice guy would do. But I found some of his motivations to be the most confusing though. I understood that as a young person he was trying to find and do something meaningful with his life and used organized religion and white saviorism to do so but I could never quite connect that impulse to the obsession with Madeleine. It never hit home for me. Then there's Leonard. When I first read some of this back in 2016, I had no idea that Leonard was going to be the other part of the love triangle. Part of this felt inappropriate as the way that he appeared in the novel felt so random that it couldn't be justified to make him a full character. I enjoyed that Eugenides went out of his way to describe Leonard's origins and his background although at times this felt discordant with the new Leonard (perhaps that's the point). I believe the parts describing Leonard's manic depression/bipolar disorder were well written but I would be curious about what people who actually have this and similar illnesses would say about how it was illustrated. Outside of that, I found Leonard's character arch to be the most surprising, one of the main parts that was unpredictable about the novel.
All in all, I am glad I finally finished this after all these years. It satisfied an itch I needed to scratch in terms of college nostalgia and white dysfunction plots. It's pretty long so unless you have some profound interest in the marriage plot, white dysfunction, elite colleges or love triangles I would not prioritize it....more
I ended up loving this text more than I thought I would. Mainly because, when I first sought out Gloria Naylor I didnBeen meaning to review this one.
I ended up loving this text more than I thought I would. Mainly because, when I first sought out Gloria Naylor I didn't really know what to expect other than that she's earned her place within the black feminist literary canon. I just recently finished Octavia Butler's Kindred, which although not in the same genre, has a similarly staunch place within the canon or whatever. So I was a bit apprehensive in fact, that this classic would also end up disappointing the way that Butler's book did (see more here). But Kindred is not much like Brewster Place at all, and the only reason I bring up Kindred at all is because the writing styles are so vastly different and clearly there is one I enjoy above the other.
From the beginning, Naylor pulls you in with this beautiful personification of this neighborhood -Brewster Place- engaging the reader with a folklore historicity that few authors I think are able to pull off. The entire book is in third person, but there are seven different stories, all seamlessly woven together. Despite the fact that most of these stories are only 20 pages long, and the entirety of the book is less than 200 pages, you get attached quite easily to the characters. Mattie, who begins the book, is clearly the vanguard for the rest of the women in the story, and I was like rooting for her throughout, even though the plot points of her story are deemphasized by the end.
It's been a while since I've read a book where I like the plot, characters and style of writing ALL AT TH E SAME TIME. Some may say that this is strictly a character driven book with no central plot, but that's the great thing about it. Each story has its own unique plot but there is a larger theme that is more or less tied up by the end. A lot of these stories are simply heartbreaking - I will not say that it was easy to read by any means. But Naylor's writing is incredible. I was really blown away by how she was able to transition from clear dialogue to flowery (which for me is good) stream of consciousness. A lot of it had a visceral effect on me. I also enjoyed the complexity of experiences that she included. You have the girl from a middle class background, that is perceived by her mother as rebel without a cause for living in Brewster Place. You have the lesbian women who are together and who face discrimination from other members of the street (which leads to horrible consequences). You have the single mother who has "too many" children, but is complex in her desires and not pathologized. All of these things occurring at once may sound messy and drama filled but really, I thought it matched what actually occurs in black communities.
Anyway, highly recommend for just about anyone. It's a really short read and I think there's something to be garnered for just about anyone who reads it....more
This was a very sweet book, if not annoyingly and ostensibly chick-lit (this is by no means a bad thing). What separated this from a great deal of eveThis was a very sweet book, if not annoyingly and ostensibly chick-lit (this is by no means a bad thing). What separated this from a great deal of every day "guy-meets-girl-or-guy" thing is the narration by Don, a socially awkward (and perhaps slightly autistic) Australian professor who is looking for love in all the wrong places (this is in fact not the official synopsis of the story and I made that up. I know, I know. It's genius).
Now, now before you say, "Oh jeez well how very inhumane of you readers to Laugh at the struggles of an Autistic man and to make it *gasp* relatable to people???". Well Invisible Reader of my Review, I'm kinda thinking that the story is not meant to poke fun at anyone on the autism spectrum (not that Don identifies himself as autistic with any level of frequency. I'm pretty sure he only mentions this once or twice). Don is great and I don't feel bad for him except I do on a romantic level. Do you see how that works?
Rosie is an all around great character and acts as an excellent foil for Don. The two of them together are pretty magical.
I think what didn't sit as well with me was the almost distracting Father Project. I understood that this part was in fact the plot but it felt as if the author sincerely had characters in mind and just needed to give them a good plot. But the plot was relatively boring and it was really the characters that reeled me in. I think that's okay because the characters were well written. The plot could have been a tad stronger but it was a pretty good read anyway. ...more
In this book, there was a single line that managed to keep this book slightly (very, v e r y slightly) above average. It was a line about privilege anIn this book, there was a single line that managed to keep this book slightly (very, v e r y slightly) above average. It was a line about privilege and that even a life of privilege can be sad. Or something. Honestly, I had to return this book and the line wasn't that memorable to begin with. I just liked it (very, v e r y slightly) because it was the line that for me, cemented the fault with the entire book. At least the author managed to acknowledge the very problem with this story, or rather the stories, of these fine and very privileged young adults. If the author hadn't, my god, this book would have been getting a straight 2 star rating. But because there was some admittance of fault from the author I can admire the book a little more.
This book wasn't really boring. I yawned a great deal anyway. Know why? Despite everything -all the ups and downs of the relationships, the falls and rises of the drama through the ages (I'm not kidding, I don't know how old anyone is supposed to be half the time but I think they all age like...20 years or something by the end?¿)- I saw them all, I knew all of it would happen.
Call me psychic.
I wish I could say I was kidding. It's hard for me to even not spoil anything because all of it was so incredibly predictable that from the moment I picked it up and got a gist of the characters -spoiled but deep, nerdy but troubled, poor but genius, troubled but...troubled blah blah- I'm like oh yeah, tons of sex and tons of illicit romances and running away and blah blah blah blah. It's fun stuff, really. I just kept yawning.
I wasn't kidding about the "fun stuff" thing. It really was relatively entertaining. Kinda like watching St Elmo's Fire for the first time and thinking these new graduates were the deepest, darkest things in the world when really, these characters graduated from a top university and they're complaining because they don't have their lives together, ever (join the club). It's dysfunctional and the kind of fodder I would probably write as soon as I graduate college. It's fine if you like watching racy, angsty dramas on HBO. It's fine if you like...Sylvia Plath? I'm not sure but it just wasn't my thing. I didn't feel like I knew any of these characters (besides the fact that they're all jerks and do jerky things before complaining about how they do jerky things) and honestly, it wasn't a loss. I didn't want to know any of these characters because knowing them too well would feel to me, like capitulating into the shoddiness that was their lives (and jeez, the whole time I was reading it, I just hoped I wouldn't turn out like these characters by my mid-thirties). Also got a little One Day gist in there. Just a tad. Not. Good.
Overall, I really probably would have liked this book a tad, slightly (very, v e r y slightly) if the author had stopped pretending that Oliver and Sharon were actually main characters. The author was obviously more dedicated to Phoebe and.... Jake (?)...Adam (although I could see that when she DID manage to write about Sharon she seemed to be a bit more dedicated to Sharon than anyone else. Well the writing wasn't bad...general angsty writing that can be fun for read for about 200 pages or less. ...more
All in all, I have an attitude. This is not to say that I did not enjoy this book -I did- but in a way I feel almost tricked by Murakami. Honestly, I All in all, I have an attitude. This is not to say that I did not enjoy this book -I did- but in a way I feel almost tricked by Murakami. Honestly, I think the way I feel can be attributed to things being lost in translation. It was so often in this book that I didn't understand the characters and their feelings until bad things started happening. They just happened almost with no warning and so I feel a little tricked...
Toru is a nice guy and all but he really is quite an annoying protagonist. You start out with him, hurt over his best friend's mysterious suicide. And his best friend's girlfriend, Naoko is all hurt too and so they hurt together. And then Naoko can't take the hurt well (nor can she seem to deal with having sex with Toru) so she drops out of school and goes to a mental health center in the middle of nowhere Japan. And apparently (I say that sarcastically) the two of them love each other although I'm pretty sure nothing of that kind was mentioned AT ALL before she went away. Toru writes her letters and in the mean time he meets a classmate named Midori who has a dying father and too many other dead relatives to mention. Midori is alive and Naoko, well, is living in the past and she's depressed.
Everyone and everything besides Midori are depressing in this story really. At certain times i couldn't help but wonder what the point was of so many depressing elements in the story (view spoiler)[ Especially the deaths of Naoko and Nagasawa's girlfriend later. I felt like Naoko's suicide seemed to defeat the purpose of the story...whatever that is . It's like anyone who wasn't immediately mentioned again killed themselves. It was really quite terrible. (hide spoiler)]
There was wonderful prose in this although at times the prose seemed to be a space filler in otherwise unneeded pages. The end leaves something to be desired but I guess that's the point. I'm not sure how I feel about Murakami in general after reading this story. This is his most popular one and it's so beautifully vague I'm not sure I can handle another one....more
The four star rating is based on entertainment value alone. I thought most of the book was complete and utter BS.
I'm not sure if I can say why.
If it'The four star rating is based on entertainment value alone. I thought most of the book was complete and utter BS.
I'm not sure if I can say why.
If it's any consolation, Juliette stopped doing that whole strike out thing. And there's been way less crazy metaphors in this book.
Ignite Me promises to be exciting and it was. I couldn't really stop reading once I started and it was hard not to be immediately drawn into the plot. Even if the plot was BS
In case you read the strikeout, what I mean about the plot and the overall book being BS is, Mafi essentially negated what occurred in the first book to fit her purposes. Any feelings Juliette had for Adam? Oh those were just feelings bred in desperation. All the crap that Warner pulled? That was just because he loved her and wanted to understand her and "it was just your imagination, love"
Poor little Juliette. She was as fooled as I was because I totally believed that Warner was a monster this entire time. Oh wait, he is.
I know that Mafi felt the need to do a 180 with the character of Juliette. I know that, to satisfy the whole love triangle thing, she had to make Warner look fallible, sweet and kind and loving and the thing is, while you're reading it, it's really hard to not believe all this because all the reasons that I hated Warner (and Juliette did) were completely disarmed one by one. Like a "10 reasons why you should love Warner more than Adam Q&A session". I mean seriously. And the reasons you should hate Adam were listed just as clearly as the former. It was really quite obvious what she was doing and i hated it the whole time but I couldn't really stop reading it.
Another thing I'd like to know is why in the world is Juliette so attractive? She must be quite something (I mean, besides her little superpowers) if all of three guys apparently are interested in her. It's almost sickening how much Kenji refers to how hot she was and "if i wasn't your friend..." and all that stuff. And obviously she is enough for Adam and Warner to fight over (oops is that a spoiler). I just don't buy all that "I'm so obliviously beautiful and everyone wants to be with me" protagonists. Ew. It's obnoxious and unrealistic.
I'll admit that Juliette did improve in the finale of this trilogy and overall I think that Mafi did a good job on this trilogy as a whole.
Started re-reading this because it is one of those novels I read as a young adult that I can barely remember. And now I remember why I loved it 10 yeaStarted re-reading this because it is one of those novels I read as a young adult that I can barely remember. And now I remember why I loved it 10 years ago (!!!)
Reading this made me realize what is so amazing about Toni’s writing — she is a master of metaphor and analogy. No one does it better. And even as she seemingly explains itself, the language can be peeled back and double and triple fold to reveal something new. When I first read this, I read it strictly as a romance between two who shouldn’t be together. I read it now as that but also a meditation on class, wealth, race, color, gender. And, as always, Toni weaves in her attuned insight to ensure that all of this comes together brilliantly. ———————-
It's a bit awkward for me to write a good review for anything Toni Morrison has written, if only because, after I read Beloved, I condemned her. But Tar Baby was far different than anything I suffered through in her most popular novel. In fact, almost everything I hated about Beloved was almost nonexistent in this book.
To compare the two novels doesn't make sense because while Beloved is set in Reconstruction America, Tar Baby is mostly set in circa 1970s Caribbean with a few sprinkles of the Deep South and Manhattan. And there aren't really any slaves running around thank god. No, this is the story of a young woman named Jade/Jadine. She's a model and has been featured in international magazines. Her aunt and uncle work for a white couple, Valerian and Margaret, and when the book begins the latter four are in the Caribbean. Margaret is far younger than her husband and his second wife. They have a son that basically never comes home despite his mother's affections for him (in Valerian's opinion, too much affection). Jadine goes down to Haiti to see her folks and the white family that has treated her so kindly. Shortly after, Margaret finds a young black man hiding in her closet, apparently just hungry and a fugitive. Valerian decides to make him comfortable in the home and Jadine reluctantly falls in love with Son.
I really liked this story because of its emphasis on a few things: interpersonal relationships, race relations and feminism. Jadine was a strong female protagonist and even though was Margaret was off her rocker, she was pretty strong willed in her own right. Ondine and Sydney, the aunt and uncle, were used for the race relations pieces but they were interesting as symbols of bourgeois African Americans in the 20th century.
The only thing I really wish is that the romance between Son and Jadine wasn't so rushed. I know that in reality their romance was really in the background, even if is advertised as a romance, but I'd like it better if the majority of it hadn't been just highlighted in merely a few pages.
Nice read for Morrison and I think I might give her another try....more
I started reading Mansfield Park, in part because I wanted to better enrich myself with English classics. I tried reading Pride & Prejudice and couldnI started reading Mansfield Park, in part because I wanted to better enrich myself with English classics. I tried reading Pride & Prejudice and couldn't finish that so I was like, well maybe I'll like something a little less catty instead.
Jane Austen isn't for the faint of heart and I know most people know this. The problem with her, for me, is the fact that the synopsis reads as if it will be light chick lit but, as it is written in the 18th century, it becomes similar to that of a reading of Shakespeare or Tolstoy or something equally taxing. Reading taxing literature is fine if there's like some really profound story underneath but when you have a plot about a mouse, poorly treated Cinderella-esque girl named Fannie living with her mean cousins and in her love with the one nice cousin she has it's just like: Can't I be using this effort for something more useful?
Which is what I am in doing, in taking this off my currently-read shelf. Someday there is a place for this book and I. Not now, however....more
As much as i hate where this plot went, I must rate this book based on pure intrigue. I don't really like Juliette (almost, at all). But she was interAs much as i hate where this plot went, I must rate this book based on pure intrigue. I don't really like Juliette (almost, at all). But she was interesting to read about. That may be why I have such mixed feelings about this. While there was for sure, incredible writing in here (it seems the excessive figurative writing has been, at the least, polished) I just...
So we find Juliette only a few weeks after the end of the first book. She's housed at Omega Pointe, ran and founded by Castle. His mission is to help and protect (and ultimately mobilize) those special creatures like Juliette from and against the Reestablishment. Juliette cannot quite adjust to life with *gasp* people and the only one she really clings to, initially, is Adam (view spoiler)[ As you can imagine in a couple STEAMY scenes, alright? (hide spoiler)] But eventually, Castle orders silly little Juliette to get up and train her power, since she so obviously knows very little about it. Remember Kenji? Yeah, he begins to help integrate her into the Omega Pointe society and hone her skills.
Somewhere in between all that, Juliette finds out something tragic: (view spoiler)[ Adam, her love, who is one of the only ones who can touch her, must fight to even do so. To be with Juliette, proves exhausting. (hide spoiler)] Juliette pretends to be selfless and then comes along little Warner and God knows how I feel about THAT thing.
The problem with this book, is not its dialogue (sometimes, though), not its plot, not its execution, its Mafi's tolerance of this weird love thang between Warner and Juliette. I don't know why she capitulated to that whole Team Warner mess, or if that was her plan from the start (view spoiler)[ And I don't know why Warner and Adam must be brothers (hide spoiler)] but it didn't even seem feasible. I don't care about how cute this guy looks like with a dog, or if his father beat him or his father is a mean person or whatever excuse Mafi made for him. Adam had problems. Juliette had problems. Do you see them attacking and killing innocent people on purpose? Well, maybe. But will Mafi give them the benefit of the doubt? No. But when it comes to Warner, it's all "well maybe he's not so bad" and i just feel like this attitude is entirely too convenient and Mafi has just been feeding into the Warner fandom.
I do not support.
I do not like Warner. And I don't care about how nice he is. (view spoiler)[I admit that the little scene with him and Juliette was steamy but I don't care BECAUSE I WANTED IT TO BE WITH ADAM (hide spoiler)]
Another thing that I can totally leave is Juliette. Oh wait, she's the protagonist. I mean, she was always crying about something and no sooner than she set the resolve not to cry anymore, she was doing it again a chapter later. Jeez, give me a break.
I'm gonna read the next book. I promise. But it might take a long time for to swallow all that Warner crying mess. Bye. ...more
I love Mauranda Elise for recommending this book to me. And I love that she urged me on and on and on to read it until I had no choice between myself I love Mauranda Elise for recommending this book to me. And I love that she urged me on and on and on to read it until I had no choice between myself to read until I was finished.
So thanks Mauranda.
And thank you Sophie for writing a book that was light hearted, fun, cute, simple and above all, Sam.
Sam.
Oh wait, that's not an adjective, is it?
I loved Poppy too. She's one of the funniest protagonists I've ever come across (male or female) and she just doesn't take herself too seriously. That's one of the best things about her.
So Poppy, a British gal, is engaged to be married in a matter of days. The story opens with Poppy realizing she lost her precious engagement ring, not only given to her by her hunk of a husband, Magnus, but also happens to be a family heirloom. So she's obviously in trouble. To make matters worse for little Poppy, she gets mugged and her cell phone gets stolen. Frantically trying to find her ring and feeling lost without a phone, she happens across a "discarded" call phone in the recycling bin. It turns out that it's the previous business phone of the PA of a man named Sam. After some careful negotiating, Poppy manages to keep the phone and the two strangers correspond back and forth (Sam is reluctant at first) about various topics. Then it all comes crashing down for both of them and these two random strangers ultimately help the other resolve not only their business but...romantic problems as well.
Yes.
Take me Sam
Again, this was one funny read. Sophie just has a real knack for comedy without making the story too corny or outrageous. I haven't laughed so much at a book in months and to think it came out of chick lit? Lesson: Don't judge chick lit from its cover. ...more
I love Rainbow and maybe that makes me a biased reviewer because I was Expecting this book to be excellent but....
Well, it Rainbow gets me every time.
I love Rainbow and maybe that makes me a biased reviewer because I was Expecting this book to be excellent but....
Well, it was.
It starts off just the way a book of its kind should: slow, with arching foreshadowing. Ah.
And then bam. And bam again. And then another! Bam, bam, bam.
In case you didn't know, the 'bams' are indicative of my emotions while reading this book.
The thing about Rainbow is the fact that none of her plot lines are particularly innovative. They are simple and elegant. But her writing style and just the way she unfolds the story is so excellent. I love the characters in her novels and Attachments is no exception.
Attachments is way different that Fangirl and Eleanor & Park in the sense that the latter two are obviously YA. But, per Rainbow, her writing style and skill has stayed consistent.
This is chick-lit, yes with a simple plot (as aforementioned): Lincoln is a 28 year old living with his mother. He works for the local newspaper as computer security. Amongst other things, his main job is to ensure that his fellow employees are not sending recreational emails on the job. His job, therefore, is to read flagged emails and one day he comes across the emails of Jennifer and Beth. The women are best friends in different departments and as more of their emails get flagged, Lincoln begins to read closer and closer into their personal lives until Beth becomes all too personal to him....
(I haven't written a review in quite some time so my style is a little off. If anyone reads this, that's why this review is so ranty. I know no one really will read this, but still...that's just a disclaimer).
Anyway, one of the best romances I've read in 2014! So glad I managed to get a hold of this one! Go Rainbow! ...more
"You Know That I'm Falling In Love With You, Right?
This is not the most thought provoking line ever in literary history or anything. But the way Rai "You Know That I'm Falling In Love With You, Right?
This is not the most thought provoking line ever in literary history or anything. But the way Rainbow Rowell just throws on you is just like...
I love her.
I mean, I read Eleanor & Park just last month and I loved that too. I'm too emotional. I know I am. Because I "cried" while reading both of these books. And they're not even sad I just...it was so sweet. And not in the ew-this-is-sticky-sweet-and-it's-getting-all-over-my-fingers sweet either. It's just a nice, subtle sweet. I love how Rainbow writes and I love how she just slowly reveals her characters and before you know it they're just these amazing beings.
I'm sorry.
Cath is a college freshman. She is one of two twins and her twin, Wren, is considered the cool one. So cool, in fact, that she doesn't even want to be roommates with her sister. Cath, by the way, is obsessed with a fantasy saga called "Simon Snow" and she is so much in love with the stories and characters that she writes fanfiction. Now, in case you're like huh, fanfiction is the endeavor millions take on in which they write about their favorite characters from books, movies, music groups (cough 1D) and things like that. Cath writes on a fanfiction site in which she "ships" the main character of Simon and his nemesis into a romantic relationship. Her writing has many hits and Cath is quite obsessed with writing this. Ergo, when her roommate or her supposed boyfriend enters the room, she shuts down and refuses to be social for the first two months of college. But then she begins to interact with a boy named Nick in her class. And Levi, her roommates 'boyfriend' and things take a turn that Cath never expected them to take. (and Meanwhile she's dealing with a reappearing mother who left Wren, Cath and their dad on 9/11 and her dad's sanity as he's alone now at home)
Rainbow had me fooled. (view spoiler)[ At the beginning, I thought Nick would end up being the love interest and I was really supporting them until Levi... (hide spoiler)]
As aforementioned, I really enjoy how Mrs. Rowell writes. She is not very blatant or matter of fact but she doesn't shy away from subject matters either. This is a chicklit (to me) but it's more than that I think. It deals with social pressures and subtle topics like abandonment and overall college. Maybe I really liked it because I think (hopefully) it provided me with true insight as to what college will be like. I'm done. I loved it. I'm done. ...more
What can I say about this that hasn't already been said by the hundreds (or is it thousands?) of others who have already reviewed this? Should I mentiWhat can I say about this that hasn't already been said by the hundreds (or is it thousands?) of others who have already reviewed this? Should I mention that this is a book about incest, and it doesn't pretend to be anything less or more than that? Should I mention that this is just really depressing and because of this, it's not particularly easy on the eyes (IMO)?
I have to give Ms. Suzuma credit for combating such a taboo topic. I mean, a brother and a sister in a romantic & sexual relationship consensually is not usually something an author wants to write about. At least not with any comfort. But Suzuma managed to tackle this more or less with grace and she made the characters Understand what Lochie and Maya were going through with their Feelings.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Lochie and Maya are brother and sister in London. Because their mother is a drunk and their father abandoned them for Aussie years ago, the two teenagers (Maya, 16. Lochie 17-18) are forced to care for their three younger siblings basically by themselves. While Maya has friends, Lochie is extremely, disarmingly shy and as a result, he hates school (even though he's really smart) and he never speaks to anyone if he can help it. And if he can't, then he gets really nervous. The only time he feels normal is when he's playing house with Maya and helping the kids in the afternoon and evening. They all look up to him and Maya thinks of him higher than perhaps anyone else. So...they realize they have feelings for each other. In That Way. And despite how wrong they know it is to be together in That Way, neither of them can get enough. Their lives become dependent on the life of the other. This obviously poses some problems and they must keep their forbidden love a secret for an indefinite amount of time.
This might sound really...gross if you read the summary. But once you get into the book, it's like all you can do is sympathize with Maya and Lochie. The author makes their feelings realistic and desperate.
The book is split into two parts, alternating between Maya's POV and Lochie's. Lochie was always very melancholy and he often skirted being emo. He was also quite a pessimist was annoying sometimes even though I know their relationship couldn't last. But his constant depression made things even harder for him and Maya and I didn't like his part until the very end. There were also several elements in the story that never quite capitulated. Maya had a friend that liked Lochie that was never mentioned again after awhile; there were a few people who were mentioned that never quite had any relevance by the end of the story. There were also several parts that I felt were redundant, such as Lochie and Maya's constant 'my loves' and their worries about getting caught. However, this may have contributed to the overall genuiness of the novel.
This is a really sad thing to read and I'm not sure I would read it again, just because it's pretty emotionally taxing (esp. at the end). However, it is well written and it dares to explore things that seem a bit rare in YA (or literature in general) books. So okay. ...more
This book went from unique drama to a boring Nicholas Sparks chick-flik really fast.
So there is a girl named Callie who was kidnapped by hWell okay.
This book went from unique drama to a boring Nicholas Sparks chick-flik really fast.
So there is a girl named Callie who was kidnapped by her bipolar mother when she was five. Ever since, she and her mother have traveled all over the country, supposedly running away from the 'evil' father Callie barely knows. Consequently, Callie has never really gone to school, has never had any real friends and any 'boyfriends' she's ever had only use her for sex. (view spoiler)[ Also, one of her mother's boyfriends molested her when she was eight which is really...sick. (hide spoiler)] Anyway, when Callie is 17, her mother is caught and Callie returns to her father in Florida where he has began a new life with another woman and two sons. At first, Callie is hesitant to remain there or consider her new life -her friends, the Greek community, Alex- as a part of her family and culture. But as the story progresses, Callie -or Callista- realizes that maybe being with her father and not her mother, is what she really wants after all.
Yeah, okay.
So Callie is an interesting protagonist. Her voice is a bit sarcastic at first but then she gets a bit dull. She just reminds me of any number of the female protagonists of the Nicholas Sparks films. She just rolls with the punches. And like any (lame) chik-flik (although I do love them sometimes) there's always these (lame) flashbacks and all this running away and crying and 'oh nos please don't leave mes' and all that crap. And it just go really lame really quickly. Callie was frustrating because while I understand how torn she must have been living in a nice home while her mother is on the run from the law or whatever, every time someone tried to do something nice for her, she'd either run away, scream at them or go off with Alex and you knoww....get it. I didn't mind Alex at first, but then the whole thing with his mom felt really thrown in and unnecessary and to me it never really manifested into something important. I guess it's suppose to be a parallel to Callie's life but...anyway.
I didn't mind the writing, which is one of the only things that saved this book from getting a ** rating from me. It wasn't a bad book, just not a very interesting one. I guess I expected more or something. But at least the cover is pretty!
Oh wait. Hold up!!! Did i mention that the guy she was getting all cuddly with, ALEX, is her freaking step-uncle? Is that not a little creepy to you? Or is that just....
I pretty much despised it. But mostly because I wasted precious time reading it. More to come (although my opinion is not necessary warranted).
ObviousI pretty much despised it. But mostly because I wasted precious time reading it. More to come (although my opinion is not necessary warranted).
Obviously, I'm bitter.
It's bad enough to read this because you Have to. But reading a self aggrandizing memoir like this because you Thought you had to, but really didn't is just like...
[image] Now, I did not finish this but let me tell you:
I read enough
Okay, enough about me. Let's talk about Annie.
Annie is this girl. She is this girl in the 1950s. She is this girl in the 1950s who lives in Pittsburgh. She is this girl in 1950s who lives in Pittsburgh who collects rocks and reads books about...marine life and biology and classic literature when she's ten. Obviously she is a very awesome girl. Obviously.
Okay Annie.
Now, I heard through the grapevine that this is suppose to illustrate the stream of consciousness narrative style. I've read some stream of consciousness and this...wasn't good. At least not to my standards (Catcher in the Rye, by the way). There was nothing wrong with Annie's 'American Childhood' (we'll talk about this title in a moment). There was just nothing incredible about it. It was no The Road from Coorain (which is another 'assigned reading' that wasn't really necessary) or Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa or The Autobiography of Malcolm X or Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl or anything. It was just...this was a story about a normal, upper middle class girl growing up. That's absolutely it. There was nothing exceptional about her childhood. She did not overcome any great obstacles or hurdles, nor did she do something astounding. I am aware that most people do not do the aforementioned and I probably fit in with most people but, I do not want to read a story about a normal girl. That is not interesting to me. If I wanted to read a story about a normal girl, I would write my own memoir and read that (I'm being facetious but the point is given). I also didn't like that this book was titled 'An American Childhood'. I mean, her story was pretty standard and perhaps there are several people who grew up as she did but it was just so...I didn't understand where she got off marking her experience as an American childhood (although she did put 'an' so perhaps my argument is invalid).
Annie Dillard writes nicely enough and all. I mean, she threw some prose in there from time to time and that was okay. I understood that the overall theme was that growing up is about waking up. About becoming aware of yourself and the world around you. Maybe this theme didn't quite take off with me because I didn't finish the book. I'm not apologizing, however. I have no qualms against not finishing this.
I did not enjoy this, for its lack of spark and interest. I suppose I respect Dillard for giving a true testament of her mundane childhood (or what I read of it; although I am still not quite sure how she could remember such vast details about her days as a ten year old. I don't even remember what I ate last night. But I guess some of us are blessed with wonderful memory). ...more
I've never been particularly fond of Anya Balanchine. She's never been very witty, bold or even that interesting. My disdain for her was especially apI've never been particularly fond of Anya Balanchine. She's never been very witty, bold or even that interesting. My disdain for her was especially apparent after finished the first book in this trilogy. However, once I finished reading the second book -despite the fact that I was still convinced that Zevin's writing ability was lacking this time around- Anya became more interesting. Albeit, marginally.
Now, not much has changed but it just so happens that for me, this trilogy peaked at the end. Not just plot wise, but writing wise too. The writing was weak for the first two books (it got better with time) but Zevin has really gotten the hang of this awkward narration. As aforementioned, this was also the peak of Anya's story, though it was pretty far fetched at times.
So. Anya is 18 now and has this grand idea to create a night club centered around chocolate or cacao for medical purposes, because these substances are deemed illegal in the future time in which Anya lives (this is quite obviously reflective of the marijuana thing going on right now). So with the help of her former ex-boyfriend's once evil father, she opens a successful club and soon she opens others around the country. Meanwhile, the Family still has it out for her because most of their leaders are dead or dying. To help her once friend, Yuji, she marries him to connect their two chocolate families. Oh, and she gets cozy with Theo. And her brother returns. And her sister starts going to MIT. It was a lot...
Note that in the length of this...285 page book, Anya ages about 5 years literally. We begin the trilogy with Anya as a 16 year old and by the story's end, she is almost 22. Pretty interesting progression of age.
While I applaud Zevin for wrapping up the trilogy better (and improving the writing and overall interest of the story) I still had some trouble with the awkward dialogue and stiff nature in which Zevin pronounces Anya's feelings. Anya is suppose to be a bit stoic anyway but Anya never seemed to have any passion about ANYTHING, really, even when she expressed to the reader that it made her feel a certain way. Actually, it was almost as if -despite the fact that this is in first POV- Anya was telling it with as much intimacy as a withdrawn, unknown third POV. Pretty weird but I more or less accepted that I wouldn't be getting any sloppy details about Kisses with Win (yes, Win came back).
Birthright Trilogy Overall: 2.85 stars ___________________ This series has actually gone uphill for me. I half despised the first one, the second one wasn't too shabby but this one was by far the best. That is not saying much of anything but hey......more
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