natalie
“Money is a game he knew how to play. No, money is a country and he had the keys to the kingdom.”[a:Emily St. John Mandel 2786093 Emily St. John Mandel https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1576606299p2/2786093.jpg] is an amazing writer. She knows how to perfectly execute a plot and create an immersive environment. You can tell she puts a lot of thought and research into her books. The characters were detailed and well thought about, which isn't something I see in many books.Meaning, a lot of book characters are just named and have a certain role in the story but don't really have enough of a personality or backstory to fully like or resonate with them. This was the kind of book that is short and fast, but also incredibly slow. I don't know if it's just because of me, but it took so long to read. I think there was just a lot of information thrown at me about topics I either don't care about or know nothing about. But when the Ponzi scheme was discovered, I was entertained. Characters are the best part of books in my opinion. So when they are detailed and actually have personality, the story is 100x better. Getting the different views of each character was a bit confusing, but I found that most of it played out in the end. The timeline was also something that confused me but I think it was just the switching between views. I loved the use of the phrase “kingdom of money”, because it describes the world perfectly. Emily gave us characters that have been in the kingdom of money for a long time while also giving us characters like Vincent and Mirella who were added later on, who didn't fully understand that side of the world. “What kept her in the kingdom was the previously unimaginable condition of not having to think about money, because that's what money gives you: the freedom to stop thinking about money. If you've never been without, then you won't understand the profundity of this, how absolutely this changes your life.”“...that's when I realized that money was its own country.”One of my favorite parts of this novel wasThe Counterlife.It shows Jonathan struggling with incarceration, so much to the point where his reality seems to deflate around him, and he starts seeing his dead friends or clients. But not only was it Jonathan in this situation but Paul and Vincent as well. “But he sees them gazing into the distance and wonders where they are.”“It isn't his fault that his days are so similar that he keeps sliding into memories, or into the counterlife, although it is troubling that his memories and the counterlife have started blurring together.”There was also the portrayal of the Afterlife when Jonathan and Vincent visited each other in their “hallucinations.” Perhaps that's all it was for Jonathan, but for Vincent...The words “why not” were mentioned many times in this novel. Those two simple words show so much of society. How everyone is willing to do anything because “why not?” as long as it benefits them.I love how the whole plot played out in the end.
“Every love does not have to be made of desire. Some loves are kept for the people who stand by you through everything. Some soulmates are sisters not lovers. Some loves are for those who give you hope. And some for the strength, for wisdom, for dreams.”
“Why be a half-finished poem in some forgotten poet's story, when one can be an odyssey in and of herself, part magic, part villain, part Goddess, part lover.”
“That was what magic did. It revealed the heart of who you'd been before life took away your belief in the possible. It gave back the world all lonely children longed for.”❀ 3.5 stars ❀[b:Ninth House 43263680 Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553102141l/43263680.SY75.jpg 53348200] is about Alex Stern, a girl whose ability to see the dead sent her into the world of drugs and disparity from her old life. One night, after an unbelievable event, she finds herself facing a once in a lifetime opportunity, a full ride to Yale. But she is tasked with a serious job, a paranormal one. The occult activities that take place at Yale show the effect of privilege and power, and just how complicated and dangerous the secret world can be. to start off, this was so unbelievably slow i'm surprised i even read it all. if i hadn't been listening to the audiobook, i don't know if i would have gotten through this. in terms of entertainment, i found it neither dull nor revolutionary. despite Leigh Bardugo's talented writing and dedicated research, the plot didn't seem to come together in the way that it was supposed to. with books like this, i expect shocking information throughout the entire novel, however, there was barely anything happening other than Alex trying to find out what happened to Tara and then in the last, maybe 60 pages everything comes together in a plot twist that wasn't even all that good. it was disappointing to say the least. but i do praise the obvious amount of research and information in this book. that can always add extra points.
days i feel like a human being, while other days i feel more like a sound. i touch the world not as myself but as an echo of who i was. ♡
3.75 stars
finished this in about 25-30 minutes. there were many cute moments and i bookmarked a few pages :)
Autumn leaves don't fall; they fly. They take their time and wander on this, their only chance to soar. Reflecting sunlight, they swirled and sailed and fluttered on the wind drafts.Now, before I get into it, I saw a few people hating on this book because of Tate and Kya's relationship. Yes, Tate was 19 when Kya was 15. Yes, they almost got intimate with each other. But 1. they didn't and 2. it's part of the story...Rating this book one or two stars because of the “age gap” is honestly reaching. It's part of the plot, it was supposed to happen like that, that doesn't mean the author is glamorizing these types of relationships. Honestly, your guys' performative activism is showing. I understand how weird it is, but you guys like to criticize books because of their social issues and talk about how it shouldn't have been added because it's problematic without realizing it's supposed to be teaching you something or that it's simply for the plot, not because the author believes in those ideologies.Ted Talk = over. [b:Where the Crawdads Sing 36809135 Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582135294l/36809135.SY75.jpg 58589364] is about Kya and her ways of surviving on her own in the marsh. It's a beautiful story with beautiful characters and morals. The writing was simple but still different in its own way. Delia Owens' way of describing the marsh and all of the surrounding nature left me wanting more. Normally, a story with too much information like that would've bored me, but I actually found myself enjoying it. Since I just started getting back into reading in January, I haven't read many books and experienced different characters. But this book made the characters feel real and I actually felt something for them. I experienced what they were feeling in their moments and genuinely felt emotions when things didn't go as planned. SPOILERS UNDER ↓Tate and Kya began their friendship when he taught her how to read. Of course, she didn't trust him at first because she had never really spoken to anyone, but as they grew closer and began bonding over their love and knowledge for the marsh, she began to open her heart up. They spent a lot of time together, mostly him teaching her how to read and gifting her books. But then the both of them began to share special feelings. Tate is unbelievably sweet. He cares a lot about Kya and it shows. But then Tate has to move away to college. Kya is heartbroken. He promises to visit when he has the time. He doesn't. Kya tells herself never to love anyone or trust anyone ever again.And Chase Andrews comes into the picture. To be honest, I don't know why Kya agreed to go on a date with him when she knows he's a jock and a player. But he acts sweet to her and she seems to think that's normal. It isn't. He tries to get with her on their first date. She doesn't want to. Then he asks her for a second chance because he actually likes her and she... believes him. Ok. I'm not going to recite the whole plot because that's boring... Chase and Kya begin a relationship are together for quite a long time. He brings up marriage. She's happy. Then she's sad because all along, Chase was dating someone else and is getting married to that someone else. Kya is heartbroken once again. OMG! And then one day he dies! Oh no... they think she did it. Did she? (Idk because the author didn't make it clear and then she wrote that part but I still don't know if she did it)Blah blah blah court is boring but guess what...A HAPPY ENDING WITH TATE ♡The End.
“But in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation was he to me.”
Circe is a tale about a minor Greek goddess who grew up viewed as the weirdo or outlaw. She was never seen as anything special. She had no special powers or redeeming qualities. Circe was just, Circe. Her parents and siblings never cared much for her. Then one day she does something unforgivable. She was exiled to a deserted island where she beings to practice her witchery.
This book was beautifully written. So many metaphors and inspiring words. Simply beautiful. Though I must admit the book was a little slow, as it had long chapters where little to nothing exciting happened. But there were also many chapters where I simply did not want to put the book down, more specifically towards the end.
“I would say, some people are like constellations that only touch the earth for a season.”
“Only that: we are here. This is what it means to swim in the tide, to walk the earth and feel it touch your feet. This is what it means to be alive.”
I felt bad for Circe throughout the reading. Her parents and siblings spoke lowly of her, degrading her when she was right in front of them. Then she finally met someone who would listen to her. Glaucos was the first person who Circe could talk to without feeling like a burden or annoying. It is with Glaucos that she first discovers her magic, though she thought it was just fate.
The magic she conjured made Glaucos become his true self. He became outgoing and social. Circe was so excited to see him so happy. That is until he decides to propose to Scylla. This angers Circe, leaving her jealous. She did the same thing to Scylla that she did to Glaucos, but Scylla becomes a monster.
This is what led to Circe's exile. Before the exile, her brother Aeëtes told her that it was magic, not the Fates. On her island Aiaia, she begins to explore her crafts, spending her days doing witchery.
Alright, enough of reciting the entire story...
Circe meets Daedalus, a mortal. They share great stories with each other. Circe feels whole again, after being in solitude for so long. This is where things begin to upset me.
Everyone Circe has ever loved has been taken away from her. All I wanted was for her to live a happy life. In the end, she gets a happy ending, but it was all just a wish she was imagining. Being exiled for centuries, she had barely talked to anyone. She had her nymphs, though she did not care about them.
All those men to step onto her shore, to eat in her house, to be held in hospitality, only for them to do something unforgivable. They got what they deserved, for she used her witchery skills to tear them apart, to turn them into pigs.
Circe falls pregnant with a mortals baby. She knew the baby would be hated by the gods, but when she learns that her son Telegonus is threatened to die, she does everything in her power to protect him. Not him...I have been ripped of all happiness. All the people I have once loved.
Of course as a mother she is bound to be protective. But it's not only her motherly mindset that makes her feel this way, it is the way in which she grew up deprived of love and comfort. There was a sort of deal put in place. The gods did not want this child to be born, but at last, it was. Telegonus grows up crying and screaming for hours a day, never wanting to be put to sleep, be alone, or be touched.
He grows to be wise, handsome, determined. Blah blah blah Odysseus is his father and he wants to see him but he dies blah blah blah. I didn't really care about Odysseus, not as much as Daedalus, at least. But he made Circe happy and that made me happy.
I'm tired right now so I don't feel like writing anymore, though I may add more some day. Maybe not. But if you love mythology, I definitely recommend this. Even if you don't, I would still recommend it. Toodles...
gave it four stars right after i finished but i read a few reviews that made good points so i bumped it down to three.
i thought this book would focus more on Pickett's disappearance, but it didn't and so now i'm questioning the reason for that plot line... i feel like everything that happened with Aza and Davis could have happened without his dad being missing. same with Aza's acquaintance with Noah. perhaps their dad could just be neglectful rather than literally gone and those conversations and stuff could've still happened.
i saw a lot of people complain about the amount of philosophical details but i personally enjoy that kind of stuff so i wasn't bothered by it.
It's always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly.
i originally gave this five stars but i have changed my rating to four stars sorry hugo stans
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“That's how life is, what it gives with one hand one day, it takes away with the other.”
let me just say this was hard to understand as this Jose guy can make a sentence last for pages. comma comma comma comma
anyone who thinks this is a bad book is wrong.
i was entertained for about 80% of this novel. as i was reading the chapters, it felt like i was reading pretty quickly but the book was still fairly slow. i don't remember how many chapters there were but i think there was 50? but it does have 2 point of views.
speaking of pov's, noah's chapters were pretty boring when he wasn't with min and tack because—no offense—he literally has no life and all he ever did was talk about his problems. we literally heard about it in every chapter noah, we no longer care!
tack carried this book, by the way.
“Love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love of a free man is never safe.”
