Chandler
Rating: 4 ⭐Summary:Childhood best friends–now ex-best-friends–are reconnected once popular jock, Milo Lionetti, loses rare Odyssey cards in a bet and needs Jasper's help to figure out a way to find replacements. Jasper and Milo have a complicated past with old wounds from high school bullying and abandonment. Now that they've had year apart to be able to grow and change, they realize that they still have things in common and come to find a new kind of love for each other.Review:Annabeth Albert's style (at least in [b:Conventionally Yours 49811667 Conventionally Yours (True Colors, #1) Annabeth Albert https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1576001057l/49811667.SX50.jpg 71921779] and this book) feels juvenile and more of a YA book. This was fine, since it is cute and often cheesy, however, it does make for some confusing boundaries when it comes to the hot scenes. Albert choose to imply things a lot, while at the same time, giving more than enough details. It's this weird in between spot. I would have preferred if things were either described in detail or not at all. Other than that, the story is cute. Old wounds are healed and new love is found. I really like the cute love between Albert's characters. Yes, there is some adult scenes, however, it isn't the sole focus and the love between the characters is a highlight–with cute, innocent kisses and cuddles. Good book. I think I liked this one better than Conventionally Yours, since I like the Friends-to-Lovers trope more than Enemies-to-Lovers.
Rating:
4.5 ⭐
Rounded up to 5
Summary:
Jonathan Harker travels to a mysterious castle to meet with one Count Dracula. He discovers the reality that Dracula is a vampire who possesses supernatural powers. As Jonathan joins together with his love, Mina, and others–Professor Van Helsing, Dr. John Seward, and Arthur Holmwood–they take on the formidable Count Dracula and his minions.
Review:
Thrilling and fun. Dracula is such an iconic character and I understand why the book continues to be read and the character continues to be adapted and brought to the screen and in other works.
I actually really enjoyed the fact that the book is written as if it's a collection of gathered documents and journals, which tell the story and give insights into the relationships of these people.
Classic, beautifully written, can be a bit slow/sloggish sometimes, but good. One that I would gladly reread.
Rating:
3.5 ⭐
Rounded down to 3
Summary:
Top-tier hockey jock Preston is forced to switch schools. At his new school, he is forced to room with his teammate, Jeremy. Preston has been abused by his father for years, which causes him to shut everyone out and live a life devoid of love and of anything other than hockey, the gym, and sleeping. Jeremy begins to find cracks in Preston's cold mask that he uses to shut out everyone, and is able to see a side of Preston that others cannot. The two find love in each other and Preston's father gets what he deserves.
Review:
I mostly skimmed the parts about hockey (I know and care very little about the sport), but I enjoyed the book for the most part. Preston was incredibly unlikable in the beginning. I understand that it's due to the abuse and everything, but it was a little too unrealistic–growling at literally everything everyone said or did. His change was sweet, but it did seem a bit quick to me. Otherwise, I enjoyed the book. I liked the love and warmth that Preston felt from Jeremy's family.
Rating:
3.5 ⭐
Rounded up to 4
Summary:
The conclusion to the Inheritance Cycle of Eragon in which Eragon's long-awaited confrontation with King Galbatorix takes place and the Varden is either successful at their mission of restoring peace to the world or not.
Review:
A decently, fun read. Roran is still one of my favorites. I have no complaints, but I also can't sing the praises of this book. It's the equivalent to a “popcorn movie”–a movie that isn't the greatest, but it's enjoyable and something to watch while enjoying popcorn and checking out for a while. Eragon ages and feels older and wiser. Paolini achieves the send-off-to-the-east moment and it feels appropriate, although it isn't the most original thing ever.
Good. Enjoyable. Lots of combat and description. Magic and villany.
Rating:
2.5/5 stars
Rounded down to 2 stars
Summary:
After her sister's wedding ends in a horrible bout of food poisoning for almost everyone, Olive Torres goes on an all-expense paid honeymoon vacation. Too bad she has to spend it with Ethan, her now brother-in-law, who she hates. It doesn't take long into the 10-day dream vacation that things change between the two.
Review:
Just a quick read, nothing too special. The first part was much like The Proposal, but set in Hawaii. I enjoyed the banter between Olive and Ethan. Part two was weak and seemed super unrealistic. “You're fired because you lied during your own vacation before we employed you.” Just seems strange and really silly.
Cute, quick, funny banter. Little to no spice. Could have used some spice.
Rating: 2.5/5
Rounded down to 2 stars
Summary: On his 5-year anniversary, Nick realizes that his wife is missing and is thrown into a strange plot that seems to implicate him. It is revealed that his wife, Amy, discovered Nick's dalliance with a younger woman and plots a maniacal plan to run away and ruin Nick's life forever
I quite enjoyed part one, where the mystery of where the wife was kept the plot tense and interesting. Once part two started, I did not care anymore about things. I didn't care enough and I really did not like the characters. I really disliked the ending as well. I don't quite get the hype of this book. I felt like the book should have been shorter, but it just kept going and going.
This book discusses, as the title says, gods. In a world where there are small gods and large gods, and even microscopic gods, the book uses wit and humor to deliver an interesting tale around the Great God Om, who has taken the form of a tortoise. Pratchett makes an interesting observation on gods and religion–why do humans need gods? Why do they believe in them? Why do gods, assuming they exist, need humans?
To me, this book asks questions, but doesn't necessarily push an anti-religion or even a pro-religion stance. The book is just making observations–Do people actually believe or do they go through the motions? Will people actually follow a god just based on a book and is that enough? Do religion books/prophets say things that are from God or do they use their position and power to push their own agenda?
I can see the connections between the Church of Om with the Catholic church, however, I really think it is meant to connect to any religion, especially any high-demand or old religion. I know I found many connections to the religion of my youth.
This book was great, but the story itself was a bit boring to me and things jumped around without really explaning things, which sometimes made it difficult to follow, but otherwise, fun, witty, and an interesting premise and look at religion and belief.
Quotes:
Belief, he says. Belief shifts. People start believing in the god and end up believing in the structure.
Fear is strange soil. Mainly it grows obedience like corn, which grows in rows and makes weeding easy. But sometimes it grows the potatoes of defiance, which flourish underground.
May as well tell you,' muttered Om. ‘It's not as though we're going to survive... See, every god's a Great God to someone.'
What lolling around all day while slaved do the real work? Take it from me, whenever you see a bunch of buggers puttering around talking about truth and beauty and the best way of attacking Ethics, you can bet your sandals it's because dozens of other poor buggers are doing all the real work around the place while those fellows are living like—' ‘—gods?' asked Brutha.
“Just because you can explain it doesn't mean it's not still a miracle.”
“Gods don't like people not doing much work. People who aren't busy all the time might start to think.”
Summary:
Volunteer librarian, Martha Storm, is gifted a book containing fairy tales that she wrote during her childhood, which was published by her grandmother three years after the day that the grandma died. This leads her to discover a family secret.
A quaint, very light reading. I love books about books and libraries, however I was a bit disappointed with how little presence books/libraries truly had in this book. Sure, it was a major plot point and setting, however with a title like The Library of Lost and Found, you would think it would be more of the focus. Characters were the highlight of this story, but even then, disappointing. Just not for me.
There There is one of my favorite books written about the Native experience. It touches on different experiences and different realities of the modern native American without (at least to my knowledge) contributing to stereotypes. I loved learning about native culture and I loved the way the narratives weaved together with the culmination at the Pow Wow.
EDIT: I switched from the book to the audiobook and it was more enjoyable and understandable.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Rounded down to 3 stars
I love the historical and allegorical nature of this book, but I do admit that it's just incredibly boring. My eyes easily slid from page to page, sometimes not really absorbing what I read and it didn't feel important that I needed to know.
Do I agree with Golding's point of view that humans are on a thin ledge between civility and chaos/cruelty? I think I mostly do. I think a lot of the things that we take for granted in civilization are incredibly fragile and not everyone believes the same thing and many would likely devolve if things were upended. Humans are definitely capable of great evil as shown in this small tale.
I don't really remember what was taught when I read this in high school. However, I most definitely did not understand what Golding (or my teacher) was trying to say to me, the reader. I wonder if there was a deeper conversation about things and it was just more simplistic in nature, since we were teenagers, or if the teacher did bring up some of these moral and ethical questions. I just don't remember enough to say one way or the other.
Quotes:
“Maybe there is a beast... maybe it's only us.”
“The thing is - fear can't hurt you any more than a dream.”
“The greatest ideas are the simplest.”
“I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men, they are far superior and always have been.”
A quick read. I loved the competitive nature of the Bridgertons during the pall mall game. The book was enjoyable with plenty of good desire and romance with that Bridgerton wit. Not as hot as the first book (if I remember correctly), but some good scenes and overall the enemies to lovers slow-burn was good and cute.
This book is more about the writing and characters than the plot, as little actually happens in the majority of the book. The beautiful writing style of Rebecca Ross keeps you captivated in the Scottish lore surrounded by the mysterious fae. The magic is beautifully woven into the story and into the culture of the Isle. I loved the legend and story of Joan!
I understand that the book started as a YA then eventually changed to adult. I do not think Ross pushed enough into the adult fantasy/fiction world. I would have loved more descriptions and scenes of the budding romance between Adaira and Jack.
I want more. I want more worldbuilding and understanding. I loved when the secrets came about and things were finally understood. The author's voice is cool, peaceful, calm, and beautiful. The tone carries through the narrative and makes the book captivating and lovely.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Rounded up to 5
A compelling and intriguing book. I really enjoyed the thriller/suspense of the plot. It kept me engaged and wanting to understand what was happening. Some of the plot points were tough to think about, but overall, good stuff. This was my first Colleen Hoover book... I do not understand the reason why she started the book in the way that she did... It feels really strange when it had nothing to do with the rest of the book. Perhaps just to get the reader hooked right away and to give the characters a reason to start talking. Interactions felt more natural than some of the romance books that I have read–didn't seem overly forced or too fast.
Rating: 4.5/5
Rounded down to 4 stars
This book... is wonderful and is so needed. Could it have been a better representation of Indian culture and characters? Yes, completely. Were all the women in the show carbon copies of one another and forgettable? Yes (although that definitely seems to be the point).
Mental health awareness and representation was fantastic. The natural and awkward cuteness of both Charlie and Dev. I loved that their initial sexual interaction wasn't forced. It felt entirely natural and good. Everything started slow and there was fear and worry involved (one of my complaints of other MM romance books–oh, I've never done anything with guys before... first time, let me do every gay thing there is to do!)
Charlie and Dev are adorable. Charlie is adorable and I think he deserves the world. I'm so happy that Dev did leave and choose himself for a couple months. I just really enjoyed this one. I loved that a major theme was being seen for who you really are, being wanted and chosen, and being someone that always, always reaches out to the other person.
My only complaints: I am tired of every single guy in romance novels being absolutely chiseled and perfectly muscled. Sure, it's attractive, I get it. But there is so much toxicity in the gay community and in everyday life, that it just doesn't feel like I can see myself–a gay, average dude–in these characters. I want this. I want the adorable moments with someone. I wish I could find a book that I can see myself in. I did enjoy that Dev mentioned that he doesn't usually like muscle dudes, but still, I just wish that I didn't feel like I had to have muscles upon muscles just to find love. I know that's not what the author is saying, but it definitely feels that way a lot.
Additionally, I would have liked more description of the sex scenes. Cause those are always hot. :) .
An interesting look into some of the events that took place at the beginning of Facebook. A quick read, largely fictionalized and entertaining enough. Not the most perfect of literary works, however, I don't think that was the author's intent.
The movie The Social Network is a great adaptation of the book and in some ways is better than the book.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Rounded up to 4 stars
An interesting look into some of the reasons for the anger that is expressed by many men–primarily those who are white. This book was written in 2013, so it's definitely an interesting look into the feelings that then inspired and successfully allowed for Donald Trump and the MAGA crowd to be such a large, influential, and loud part of American politics now. I got bored in some parts and I think the author repeated himself too often, but it was a good read.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Rounded down to 3
Secret agent. Drugs. The unloved sister. Sex.
Good, not great. Great variation from McIntire's other books and, from what I've been told, other romance books/stories, where it's the perfect “Dorothy”-type character who is the main love interest. Evelina is rough and definitely not that type of girl. Nicholas is the good boy who is drawn to the tough girl. It's a good story. I'm not sure why I didn't like this one as much. Hot scenes, good story, and I liked the back-and-forth nature of their relationship (lots of good, playful banter), and I liked that it was a reimagining of a story that isn't just one of the classic fairytales that I've seen too much of.
Overall, good story, just didn't resonate with me as much as McIntire's other works. Really abrupt ending... almost too abrupt.
Just like most business/self-help books, I get bored of the name-dropping and the long-drawn-out points. Make your point, back it up, move on.
1. Learn to adapt quickly
Start ups are difficult and you can't fully depend on traditional methods always to steer you where you want to go. Chaos–the “just do it”–mentality doesn't work either. Learn to fail, analyze, and implement changes quickly.
From Herve's review: “The main and most convincing lesson from Ries is that because start-ups face a lot of uncertainty, they should test, experiment, learn from the right or wrong hypotheses as early and as often as possible. They should use actionable metrics, split-test experiments, innovation accounting. He is also a big fan of Toyota lean manufacturing.”
From Andy's review:
2. Put out a ‘MVP'. As fast as possible, put out a ‘minimum viable product' and see if anyone is willing to buy it. If you spend forever making the product the best it could possibly be, you may end up with a cool product that no one actually wants or is willing to pay for. Throw the product out there, then improve it bit by bit.
3. Avoid ‘vanity metrics.' Anyone can generate hype and a short-lived interest in just about any product. Real, sustainable success is driven not by hype but by discovering something that people actually want or need, offering it to them, and then continually innovating the product based on a greater understanding of what people want/need.
4. Be lean. Learn from Toyota's manufacturing and respond quickly to customer feedback to provide monthly, weekly, or even daily iterations of your product. Again: don't build it and expect people to come—especially if you're only going to build once a year. Constantly iterate.
Quotes:
“it's the boring stuff that matters most.”
“Remember if we're building something that nobody wants, it doesn't much matter if we're doing it on time and on budget.”
“Customers don't care how much time something takes to build. They care only if it serves their needs.”
A rarity with me–I actually finished reading a one-star book. I did not like this one, but it held enough interest with me to finish it. I was going to rate it a two star book until the very end. I didn't care enough about the characters or the problems within the book to feel invested... then the author finished on a cliff hanger at the climax of the entire story. Instead of making me feel invested and interested, it immediately turned me off from the story, making me feel like I had just wasted all of my time for a point that would only come in the second book (and I'm assuming it would start off as slow as this book did).
The fae were the only thing interesting. The fact that the character was a lady in the Victorian London was incredibly boring. The MC literally knew the world was going to end and just... went dress shopping for her wedding, because she has to keep up appearances with 19th century social circles. Absolutely boring.
Not great. Interesting Fae mythology and things, but ultimately, not worth anyone's time.
Next.
With it's visually stunning cover art, I can see this being a great coffee table book. The content is actually interesting and enjoyable, with each little essay focusing on one film/literary combo. I liked the essays that offered new information and analyzed things a little more, however, most essays didn't seem to do that. I wanted more depth, but I can see that that's not what the author intended for this book, which I totally understand.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Rounded down to 4 stars
I loved the characters. Tristan and Sara are wonderful and very very likable, cunning, and powerful. Fantastic. I loved the political intrigue and political situation.
Some of the cuts and transitions were weird. The scenes were hot and I liked the book. Onto the next!
I am definitely in the minority, it seems when it comes to the gay community. I initially enjoyed reading these stories, as they were quick and easy, however, very quickly, they become monotonous. I wasn't sure if each story was from the same narrator or different ones, and struggled to identify with the stories. Additionally, I couldn't tell for certain if the author was making a commentary on the unfulfilled nature of gay hookups. There definitely was an underlying message and commentary provided by the narrator on how these “boyfriends” weren't boyfriends at all and only cared about sex or drugs, but it wasn't strong enough to convince me that the author thought things could and should be better for the gay community.
I am all for sex and sex positivity. However, I seem to be in the minority of gay men that says that a relationship–a real actual relationship, not what was portrayed in the stories–is far superior to that of meaningless hookups (I am merely guessing since I haven't experienced a relationship yet, however I would like to meet someone). For this reason and for the fact that I didn't enjoy the stories after the first 50 pages, I rated this so low. Just not for me and how I see relationships and people.
Rating: 4.5/5
Rounded down to 4 stars
I was pleasantly surprised, I truly enjoyed this one. I looked forward to reading this and enjoyed it throughout the experience. I rated it 4.5 stars due to the fact that the switch from “fake courting” to actual feelings felt really quick. I would have liked to see more scenes of them talking, but that's just me personally.