Hailey
This was an awesome read.
I have never been a huge fan of nonfiction. However, this book may just get me interested in a sub-genre of nonfiction- true crime. I thought this was so fascinating, especially since it is about a real crime. This was something I found myself needing to remind myself throughout the book. I got lost in Capote's prose that I occasionally forgot that these had been real people who had been actually murdered.
The writing is phenomenal. Capote's writing style is beautiful and easy to understand. I found this book particularly interesting because it reads as if it is a fiction novel, when in fact it is based in truth. Of course, there are some fictional conversations included in the novel to maintain this feeling, but I did not personally think it distracted from the novel in any way.
The story is engaging and heart-wrenching. For me, it felt like there was never a dull moment. The path of each character is thrilling and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I even found myself immersed in Smith and Hickock's POV's, despite the fact that they were murderers. It was fascinating to see their perspective on their events.
I admit, the ending made me cry. I found it extremely poignant and moving. It was brilliantly written and concluded the book in the most perfect way.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is remotely interested in reading it.
I enjoyed this!
I thought it was a very interesting way of telling this story and I definitely got emotionally invested. I will say, I was a bit confused at points, and that is probably a combination of me having little previous exposure to this topic and the style of prose (a graphic novel). Regardless, I found the story to be very fascinating and eye-opening. I definitely would like to do more research on this subject in the future because I feel very uneducated on it at the moment.
Would definitely reccomend!
I am livid.I thought [b:Talon 17331828 Talon (Talon, #1) Julie Kagawa https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1397581124s/17331828.jpg 24035257] was the most disappointing book I'd read. I was wrong. This takes the cake. I loved [b:Anna and the French Kiss 6936382 Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss, #1) Stephanie Perkins https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1358271931s/6936382.jpg 7168450] and [b:Lola and the Boy Next Door 9961796 Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss, #2) Stephanie Perkins https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1358271832s/9961796.jpg 7149084]. I expected to love this just as I did those. And really, the writing is just as good. The setting is just as spectacular as the others.It's just everything else that sucked.For starters, I feel like this story, unlike the others, is lazy and underdeveloped. It seems like Isla and Josh's relationship is built almost entirely on sex. Look, I knew going into this that this would be the most sex-focused of the books. It said it would be ‘sexy' on the cover flap. But this? This is not love. This is lust. I read this for a love story, and that is not what I got.But you want to know the worst part about this book? Isla. Freaking. Martin. This chick is the protagonist and I honestly can't stand her. I've read my fair share of crappy lead characters, but Isla is probably the worst. She's bratty and whiny, and besides the fact that she reads, I share little to nothing in common with her. Here's just two things I really hated about her in particular.She's a stalker. No, really. She is. She's been “in love” (lust) with Josh ever since she was a freshman- she's now a senior. She knows everything about him. She's googled him. Googled his parents. She knows where he hangs out with his friends, where he doesn't go, she just knows that he must speak perfect French. It doesn't even get better when they're dating. Once they're dating, her stalker resources are put towards her extreme jealousy and possessiveness. I personally do not like these traits at all. Had Isla been a male character, these traits- her stalking, jealousy, and possessiveness- would have raised immediate red flags. Just because she's female doesn't mean she's immune from this same judgment.Second of all, she treats Kurt, her best friend, and Hattie, her younger sister, like crap. She doesn't care about them at all as long as she's with Josh. And then she has the audacity to blame them for her own mistake? It's disgusting, honestly. And don't even get me started on the insta-love vibes coming from Josh...To be completely honest, I think I disliked this book so much because I couldn't stand Isla. It just ruined the story for me, and I'm really disappointed in this book as a whole.
Actual Rating: 3.5
First of all, I have been in such a reading slump lately. But I just got a new book (Lady Midnight, eek!) and so now I feel reinvigorated. Also- The Winner's Kiss and Half Lost come out in about 9 days, so I'm totally flipping out about that.
Anyways.
This book... I have no words. It was satirical, yet it also possessed deeper elements that I did not foresee to be there. Also- feminism! The book was huge on feminism. And not scream-in-your-face feminism. It was more exaggerated examples of the lack of feminism in society, and honestly, I think that left a greater impact than having the author jam feminism down my throat like “YOU'RE GOING TO EAT IT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE IT.”
Themes and underlying messages aside, the characters are fantastic. Someone will be relatable, whether it is quite-literally-crazy-Taylor, ditzy-blonde-Tiara, or aspiring-journalist-Adina... there is bound to be someone you will relate with. There's romance too, for all you romance lovers. And everyone has their own relationships. It is just fantastic.
Oh, and the one-liners. The one-liners! They are phenomenal and I was cracking up at times due to the subtle use of puns and satire. And thank goodness it was satirical- I wanted humor from this after all. Just a side note- there is plenty of foul language and sexual innuendos.
The things I didn't like were just that it seemed really slow in some spots and disorganized in others. I occasionally found myself putting the book down and wondering what in chocolate's name had I just read.
I certainly recommend it. It's fun. You'll be a fan.
I had to read this for school, but I thought it was a really good book overall. I was bothered by the dialogue, however, for a while, because I felt as though the teenaged characters were speaking like 50 year old men.
The accelerated editing process in this really shows and I'm bummed.
Based on the release date, I'm hopeful that Onyx Storm will be back on the right track. I so badly want to love this series haha.
After my last run in with a renowned classic (ahem, [b:The Scarlet Letter 12296 The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1404810944s/12296.jpg 4925227]), I was a little worried about this one. However, I loved this book. I practically read it in a single day and could hardly put it down through the last 100 pages- which was over half of the book. This book kept me on edge and was so wonderfully well-written. I would certainly consider re-reading this.The characters are splendid. As the novel's main point, they had to be splendid. I felt things for both Frankenstein and his monster and I commend the author for eliciting sympathy from both sides of the combat. In addition, the relationships present in the novel are strong and enduring- they never felt cheesy nor insubstantial. Each character was fascinating in its own way; however I do wish there was a bit more individuality from the female characters. Each woman seemed very similar, which was incredibly disappointing since this novel was written by the daughter of a known feminist of the time. With that said, that was my only complaint with the novel.The emotions this novel evokes are heart-wrenching and true. I recommend this book to anyone interested in classics and, truly, to all people, for it explores humanity in a brilliant manner.
I had such high hopes going into this one. It had everything I love in a book. Betrayal? Check. Death? Check. Magic? Check.
But what it didn't have was entertainment. Good LORD was I bored. This has got to be my least favorite Shakespeare yet and I really can't even give you the reason why. By all means, I should love it. But I think it was just so wordy that I couldn't enjoy what was actually happening. I was either confused or bored the entire time.
Yawn. Pass me the next book.
Actual Rating: 4.75
Started off the new year on the right foot!
I've been “reading” this book for ages (got it as a library book, ended up being due, was on hold for like a month +) but I basically read it in two days. It was so captivating and enthralling. I couldn't put it down. I was so eager to find out what happened next to all of my babies and I fell in love with the story.
I am so glad I accidentally picked up the third book in this series at the bookstore.
The plot is really good. While it may not be the most original plot- you've pretty much got your classic witches and vampires- it is still compelling and told in a very vivid fashion. Harkness' writing is very descriptive, which I loved, and it really just felt like the setting in each scene came to life. Of course, that was due in part to our darling Matthew.
The characters were phenomenal. I loved each and every one of them, and even hated the villains however briefly they were mentioned. My only complaint is that I would have liked more of Juliette. She seemed like a fascinating character who could have played a larger role in the book. But who knows! Maybe Harkness has plans for her ;)
THE ROMANCE. It was so good. For a little, I was torn as to whether it contained any elements of insta-love, but ultimately decided against it. I shipped them (Matthew and Diana!) so hard. They were perfect for one another and I felt as though the romance was really well written.
I foresee that this trilogy has so much in store and I am awfully excited to read the next book in (hopefully!) a few short weeks.
It was amazing.
It reads like a picture book for young adults, which is pretty awesome. I've never read anything quite like it, and the illustrations really added to the story.
The book is basically about Conor, whose mother has cancer. He faces people bullying him, ignoring him, and judging him. But through it all, Conor is still having trouble coming to terms with the severity of his mother's condition.
A “monster” comes one night, and makes Conor's life even more interesting. How so? You'll have to read it to find out. evil laugh here
The characters were memorable and the story touching. It's the kind of story that makes you happy one second and sad the next.
And it's a great, great story.
Actual Rating: 4.75
Wow! I was honestly not expecting that!
Unlike a lot of my friends, I wasn't a huge fan of If I Stay (sorry, Jen). I read this book, because I wasn't in the mood to start another series. And... I was pleasantly surprised.
It's told in Adam's POV, and is basically about how he was trying to get over Mia. It switches between memories of the past and the current events happening in the book. Unlike in If I Stay, the memories were related to what was going on when Mia and Adam met on that fateful night. So, if Mia said something that sparked a memory of Adam's, we were able to see that memory.
It was actually pretty depressing, because we saw what fame did to Adam. We were able to see how the weight of expectations and stress can really mess a person up. Not to mention, it was pretty sad to read about Adam's situation with Bryn, since it was completely based on the media's feelings and opinions.
Where She Went is a very solemn novel, and much more saddening than its predecessor, If I Stay. The song lyrics that Adam wrote at the beginning of each chapter allowed us to see how painful losing Mia was. It was, honestly, a tale of discovery and moving on. And Forman executed it brilliantly.
I'm not a huge fan of romances, and my friends know this, but I really enjoyed this book. I'd definitely suggest reading it if you read If I Stay. Afterall, I enjoyed it much more than I did If I Stay.
I really enjoyed this book!
The characters, historical environment, and the overall allure of the mystery make this book truly remarkable. Moreover, unlike with the first book, I'm much more mature now and actually fully comprehended what I was reading, to be completely honest.
My one complaint about this is that there was a bit too much courtroom drama for my liking. I found the courtroom stuff to be very dry and boring and just wanted to skip past it.
Definitely check it out!
Okay, round two. :)
So, I found this cool sci-fi book and thought it would be cool to read for a couple reasons. 1) It's sci-fi 2) It had a cool concept. And 3) The characters sounded interesting.
Well, to make a long story short, the book sort of did that. It was a good book; just not great. The concept was pretty cool, but a little confusing towards the end of the novel (I'm not going to tell you why, sorry). The romance in the story was kind of inevitable/predictable, but it was sweet and realistic (even if she is way older than him). It didn't seem rushed at all. And I liked the characters... For the most part at least.
Amy- She was a cool heroine, I guess. She doesn't seem as fit for the role as other heroines in other books, however, in my opinion. In addition, she cried a lot, which I sort of understand. I mean, nothing is how she imagined it, but still. I found myself wanting to punch her in the face, and knock some sense into her at some parts. Just saying.
Elder- I really liked Elder. I liked Elder more than Amy. Sorry. Elder was just a really neat character and had a neat background. There were multiple conflicts revolving around him, including his everlasting arguments with Eldest. Furthermore, I really liked Elder's friendship with Harley, as sad as it was.
In conclusion, this book was worth the read. It had a cool plot, characters, and was very entertaining. Granted, It wasn't amazing, but I will definitely be reading the second book.
This was honestly pretty good!
It's basically Cinderella with foot binding. A lot of cultural nuances that I didn't necessarily understand, but I still appreciated that the author put them in there.
Decent read- thanks reading olympics!
It was kind of slow and boring at some parts, but quite good overall.
Definitely not a fuzzy-feelings kind of book and I still have many questions left after reading it.
This was, to say the least, incredible.
There were so many plot twists and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I could barely put it down- my friends can attest to that- and I can't wait to start the next one. In fact, I already have.
All of the characters were wonderful. Whether it was the more villainous Kaltain, or the kid and rebellious Nehemiah, I found myself loving them all. I'd recommend this book to anyone, especially those who enjoyed books such as The Hunger Games.
This is definitely, without a doubt, the best book we've ever had to read for school.
I'd already had high hopes for it when I started it because my mom had loved it and had been dying for me to read it. And I must say, it far exceeded my hopes for it.
The writing itself is so vivid, and Hosseini paints an excellent picture in the novel. The writing style makes it feel like Hosseini himself is the narrator, not Amir. In fact, when we had to take a quiz on the first few chapters of the book, there were a fair amount of people who hadn't realized it was a novel. Instead, they'd thought it was a memoir of sorts.
The characters feel real and Hosseini conveys the pain of the story thoroughly so that the reader himself feels it. You feel for all the characters (well maybe not Assef), not because they're perfect, but because they are all so flawed. Amir, in particular, is one of the most flawed characters of the novel, and because of it, he feels so human. If I had any complaints character-wise, it would probably be that at times Hassan did not have the same sort of realness that the other characters did. He was a little too perfect at times, and I had difficulties discerning any flaws in his character.
The plot is gripping and moves along at a fantastic pace. The events that occur in the novel are necessary, and it did not feel as if there were many unnecessary details. Unfortunately, I can't say anything else because of spoilers, but I can say that everything that happens in the book is somehow tied to a particular event towards the beginning of the novel.
Overall, it was phenomenal. I definitely recommend it to many people, as long as they're ready for it maturity-wise.
Communism!
This book is about communism. And for people who complain about it being about animals and how oh-so-unrealistic it is... I just want to say that the animals are not the point. No, the animals simply help to exemplify communism.
Think of this book as a kind of Communism for Dummies. It explains in detail how communism works and how innocent people can fall prey to this type of government regime.
The writing is relatively easy to read and understand. And of course, George Orwell writes very eloquently, so it's very pleasing to read. If you don't like politics, government, or news, please put this book down right away. Because I can tell you with almost 100% certainty that you will not like it. However, if you are interested in politics, especially communism, it is a phenomenal and fascinating read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to gain a better understanding of communism.
I've been waffling on my rating for this one, but at the end of the day, I just didn't enjoy the book so I can't give it more than 2 stars.
I really appreciated the representation this book had and I did learn a lot about a condition I previously didn't know much about.
With that said, I couldn't look past the narrative issues this book had and I didn't find the plot very compelling. Mia was a really unlikable character and narrator. The amount of times a chapter ended with a sentence akin to “We had no idea how much worse things could get” was far too much. It really started to annoy me in the second half of the book since it felt really repetitive. I also felt that this book suffered from tell-not-show too much for my personal taste.