Elizabeth
This was a really interesting novella. I've tried to read Nnedi Okorafor's novels previously, and for whatever reason couldn't maintain interest long enough to make it past the first few chapters. This story, however, really hooked me in from the very beginning, and I finished the entire thing in a single afternoon.
I thought Binti's world was extremely well fleshed out for such a short work - I feel like I understand politics and beliefs that are often lost in must longer works of speculative fiction. I thought Binti as a character was fascinating, and the dilemmas she faced and worked through felt true and honest. I found the resolution to the story a bit abrupt, but am willing to give that a bit of leeway since this was a novella - obviously, the author didn't have much time for long, drawn-out scenes of hashing out problems.
I was uncertain of this author, but this story has made me a fan. I will definitely give her novels a try, and I can't wait for the next installment in Binti's world!
Any novel by John Scalzi is going to be worth reading, and while this one wasn't my favorite of his work, it was certainly an entertaining way to spend a few hours. He does an interesting thing with gender in this novel, and after I figured it out I was fascinated to see it followed through until the end. My biggest quibble with the book is that it seemed to end very abruptly - like it was building to a climax, and then for some reason he just quit writing. It felt a little bit like the two-hour premier of a new series - lots of build-up, and then a bit of an unsatisfying ending to draw people in for the next installment.
That said, even my least-favorite Scalzi is a lot more entertaining than many things, and I will, as always, be early awaiting his next project.
In ways that traditional books cannot, graphic novels seem to have the ability to express difficult things so that they cannot be dismissed. This book brings to life the realities of war from the eyes of a child, so in many ways it is simple and straightforward. It's just one day, just one room, and yet the fear and anxiety are clear. I have seen comparisons to other award-winning graphic novels, and while I think those comparisons are fair, Abirached still has her own story to tell. I found this to be powerful and moving. Recommended.
I almost loved this novel. I was fully here for the post-apocalyptic Africa setting, and the burgeoning feminist-ism of the main characters, and the hits against racism and misogyny. I love a good coming-of-age quest novel, and some meaty dystopia always makes me want to read more.
It just felt like something - something - was missing. I never quite felt like I understood or tracked with some of the key relationships in the novel. I wanted more development of some of the secondary characters, that seemed to play a major part in Onye's journey. And the ending felt....well, it seemed a bit too neat and tidy that a quest that took 375 pages and the deaths of several main characters could be resolved in one chapter.
This novel had the spark of something great, but for me it never quite arrived. I love the author's ideas, however, and will definitely be reading more of her work.
This was a really solid, enjoyable fantasy novel. Despite it's enormous size, I really flew through the pages pretty quickly, because I was constantly excited to see what would happen next. The main reason it didn't hit 5-star level, for me, is that it truly feels like its sole purpose is to set up whatever is going to happen next. It feels like the (very wordy) prologue to the story the author ACTUALLY wants to write. That being said, it was dang entertaining, and I'm excited to see where book two takes us.
I can appreciate the craft that went into this novel, but I couldn't quite immerse myself fully in the story. There were places that I found quite fascinating - as Hanna's and Johanna's stories were unfolding, I was fully engaged. However, the sections of the novel that took place in the present never quite connected with me - the story felt like it lost momentum, and therefore lost my interest. It was a great idea that didn't live up to it's potential.
I'm really more of a 3.5 on this one, but I feel generous today, so I'm going to officially record this rating as a 4. Because I like the darkness, the slightly skewed sense of humor, the obvious grain of salt with which the author looks at modern society.
But it also seemed a little repetitive - like all of the stories were just variations on the same theme, which is fine, but by the end felt less fresh and more like something I'd already read before.
And why were all the women in the stories so unpleasant? Granted, none of his characters are particularly likable, but really the only marginally pleasant woman is the fat one that the creepy barber wants to force into working out? That was unsettling.
This is probably a collection I would recommend reading over a period of time - so that the last story isn't quite as fresh in your mind. Standouts of the collection were the title story, Pastoralia; the pseudo-zombie tale Sea Oak; and the final, brief The Falls, which I would have loved to see be a much longer tale.
What a gem. Perfect mix of humor and heartbreak, along with a cast of perfectly drawn characters, made this an immensely satisfying reading experience.
I think perhaps Francisco Cantu' has an interesting story to tell about why he chose to join the border patrol and why he later chose to leave it - unfortunately, for me this book wasn't it. To me this felt a bit like a rough draft - like an author just starting to organize his thoughts, waiting for an editor to help shape it into a cohesive narrative. I wish I could have read THAT story, but what I was given was this one. I picked it up because I was interested in why someone with Cantu's Mexican-American heritage would choose to enter service as a border patrol agent. I never felt like we were given the real answer to that question. The narrative certainly had interesting moments, but as a whole it never came together for me.
This book was equal parts magic and tragedy, with the end result being a truly unforgettable read. ALL the trigger warnings, so reader beware - this one is hard to recommend exactly, but I will certainly not forget my time in Rose and Pierrot's world.
I don't remember the last time I read a work of Christian nonfiction by a male author.
Scratch that - I do. I remember getting so mad at John Piper in college that I swore I would never read another straight, white dude's ideas about God ever. EVER.
So fast-forward a whole bunch of years, and I discover and fall in love with Jen Hatmaker. So when I hear her husband has a new book coming out, I am - despite my best intentions - curious. I decide to give it a shot.
And it was good. And honestly, that's saying something, because I've read some pretty amazing books in this genre this year, so he had a fairly high standard to live up to. His book was a nice mixture of big dreams - as Christians, we are called to step out and meet the needs of the world - as well as practical steps - start by slowing down, and identifying what actually needs to be done where you live. Hatmaker introduces a new way of living and relating to the world, but doesn't stop at the ideas - he gives individual people the tools to make change, in their own house, neighborhood, and community. His words are challenging, and I found myself nodding with agreement on one page, and feeling convicted on the next.
There are a couple of tiny, stylistic things that kept me from falling completely in love, but overall I found it to be excellent. I'm so glad I put my misconceptions aside and gave this one a try. Definitely recommended!
(I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion - thank you!)
Of Mess and Moxie is Jen Hatmaker's love letter to the girls - the young ones, the old ones, the ones in the middle - who are walking this journey of life in all it's joy and sadness. The girls who are nailing it and the girls who feel like they just don't measure up. The girls who have it all together and the girls who feel like they only ever fall short. The girls who feel “just medium”, who are afraid they are messing it all up and can't see how brightly they actually shine. So, really, for all of us.
This book is funny, poignant, smart, kind, honest ,affirming, and full of joy. It's like a 4-hour talk with your best friend. It is the embrace of sisterhood that all women need. Jen Hatmaker says she is forever our fangirl - well, I'm forever hers. Highly recommended.
(I received an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.)
Sometimes books make me laugh. Sometimes books make me cry. Sometimes books change the way I look at the world. For the Love is that rare kind of book that did all three. It is one of the rare books that I know I will read and re-read, over and over again. It is full of love, and grace, and excellent fashion advice. It's a book about God for people who are tired of books about God. It is warm, and wise, and funny, and goofy, and true. It is so very true. If you are a Christian who longs for a better way, read this book and see how it can be. If you used to be a Christian, but can't stand the church anymore, read this book and believe that some of us want to be better. This is good stuff, friends. Highest of recommendations.
I have found it hard, over the years, to love the Bible. It seems to have become a battering ram, bashing “truth” over the heads of those who don't conform. A surgeon's knife, excising the ones who “don't belong”. Or, more recently, a paintbrush, to whitewash the horrors being perpetrated in a coat of “God said it”. It has been hard, for me, to reconcile this Bible with the faith I have come to profess.
So thank God for Rachel Held Evans. With a writer's ear for a beautiful phrase, and a theologian's intellect and curiosity, Evans delivers an ode to the believer who just can't quite make it all make sense. This book gave me permission to jump into the struggle, feet first, and the strength to believe I will come out the other side. This is a magnificent work, and one I know I will return to over and over again.
Really good starting point for someone just beginning an anti-racist journey. Targeted at the young adult/mid-grade crowd, but would have a lot of value for an adult feeling like they have no idea what a lot of the current terminology means. Short chapters, vibrant illustrations, and journal activities throughout make this a really smart, engaging title.
I knew before I started this would be a good book. I had read two of Walker's short story collections in college, and they were some of my favorite discussions in class. So, as per usual, I just waited about 15 years before picking up her most famous work of fiction. :)
This book is an excellent work. I found the epistolary format to be especially effective at telling Celie's story in her own words. Celie's words were not easy to read - often they were devastating. Her story is sometimes brutal, but often beautiful. Despite the difficult subject matter, I flew through the pages, laughing and shaking my fist and crying and rejoicing in turn.
While I understand why this book has been frequently challenged, I wouldn't stop a teen from reading it. I think it's an honest and forthright depiction of the way in which women were treated in our country, and it's not something we can pretend or ignore away. I would hope this novel would open up conversations about racism and sexism that are important.
I think this will be a novel that will remain with me for a very long time. I'm so glad I finally decided to read it. Highly, highly recommended.
One of my favorite holiday classics, this is a story about wishing. Read it and fall in love!
This is an interesting premise fairly well executed - I just think I have seen it done better elsewhere.
Honestly, March was a crap reading month for me. The pandemic panic found my work hours doing, and me more than a little exhausted.
I did, however, manage to read this bit of fantasticness. It is, certainly, on the problematic side for me. Lilliet has nearly no agency, no ability to to anything but careen from one disaster to the next. Her “great love” is....suspicious at best. Her “friendships” are clearly only of convenience.
And yet. This novel about the opera was, truly, an opera itself. Full of all the drama - OH THE DRAMA - and betrayal and infidelity and magic. Can you think in your mind what it would be like if The Phantom of the Opera had a part two, staring the magnificent, malevolent Carlotta? This is not that....but it's pretty darn close. Even as it frustrated me, it delighted me.
It felt like just the right sort of book to be reading in the surreal days that were the last month of my life. Would I recommend it? Maybe not. Would I read it again? Absolutely.
I love Molly the maid. Did I see this ending coming a mile away? Yes. Did I enjoy the story less because of it? Nope.
