The Well of Ascension was a beautiful follow-up to The Final Empire. There's so much going on now that it's difficult to speak on a lot of the specifiThe Well of Ascension was a beautiful follow-up to The Final Empire. There's so much going on now that it's difficult to speak on a lot of the specifics, so my review will focus on more general overview of what I enjoyed and what I didn't.
Plot:
The plot was by far the strongest point of the novel. I was just so engrossed in all of the political conversations happening here. I like my high fantasy heavy on the political intrigue with dashes of cunning & betrayal.
Plus the last little bit of this story just blew my fucking mind. Sanderson has no mercy when it comes to plot twists. He'll drag you through the ashes of your favorite characters. He'll throw you out of the airplane and shout "Plot twist! I cut holes in your parachute, bitch!"
It was crazy! But I enjoyed every minute of this plot as it unfolded.
Character Development:
I feel as though Vin is the only character that really grew at all in this novel.
There is an argument to be made for both Sazed and Elend, as they do make some strides forward, but most of the development primarily revolved around Vin. For me, I wanted a little more in this area. I feel like everyone else was static and that didn't really do much for my reading experience.
I'm very glad though for all that Vin underwent in this novel because I really wasn't that fond of her in The Final Empire, and so this really helped me sympathize with and understand her as an individual.
Pace:
The pace was just a little bit slow in some places for me. As you may or may not know, I'm not normally very bothered by a slow pace. Like we have to be almost moving backwards before I notice anything is amiss.
However, there were just a few parts here that dragged a bit longer than I found necessary. Overall though, I didn't much mind the pace. It's methodical, it's well done, and most of the information presented here is necessary.
I'm very excited to start the final book in this trilogy. The last section of this novel has me very anxious to find out how this will all end!
So this series wasn't necessarily bad, but it really wasn't spectacular.
I can't think of one special thing to say about it. I'Actual Rating: 1.5 Stars
So this series wasn't necessarily bad, but it really wasn't spectacular.
I can't think of one special thing to say about it. I'm giving it one and a half stars because I can't look you in the face and tell you it was dreadful, it wasn't dreadful! I'm just left feeling not much of anything now that I've made it to the end.
Everything wraps up entirely too nicely. The end of this book did the thing where it ties up a bunch of the loose ends by giving you a broad summary of the events that took place after the main plot is resolved, instead of taking you through it first hand. WHICH IS LAZY AND UNSATISFYING.
Plus I had a weird thing happen where I suddenly felt as though I was being preached to about halfway through this. Like the events seemed to parallel the Christian religion so plainly, it started to feel like the author was using the series as a means of endorsement?
It was like I was being told "BAD IS BAD. GOOD IS GOOD. THE GOOD IS CLEARLY ALIGNED WITH GOD, THE BAD IS CLEARLY ALIGNED WITH SATAN. NO EXCEPTIONS!"
There was ONE morally grey character, but he literally flip-flopped so much that he ended up coming off as confused & naive more than anything else. Outside a couple weak misconception twists, there was a clear line drawn in the sand & it made for a very predictable and uninteresting ending.
And I just want to add that I am T E R R I B L E at guessing plot twists, but I pretty well guessed most of the shit that happened. If I was able to guess then everyone should have this whole series figured out after the first book because I am an IDIOT when it comes to this stuff okay?
Not the absolute worst thing I've ever read, but nothing I'll be re-reading or recommending to you....more
So Exit, Pursued by a Bear is a short book about a senior co-captain of her school's cheerleading squad, and how she deals with the aftermath of beOk.
So Exit, Pursued by a Bear is a short book about a senior co-captain of her school's cheerleading squad, and how she deals with the aftermath of being sexually assaulted at a summer camp.
I don't know what I really expected from this one, but it wasn't this. I was not even KIND OF compelled to keep reading this, but it was just so short, so I finished it if only to keep from adding another book to my DNF shelf. I just don't understand the point it's trying to make, I guess. There was no deeper meaning, there was no tension or twists, and everything about this story is too fluffy & nice for my liking.
*****FROM THIS POINT FORWARD PREPARE FOR SPOILERS - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK*****
*****WARNING THIS REVIEW MAY BE TRIGGERING FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL ASSAULT*****
So this is all about our MC, Hermione, who attends this cheerleading camp where at a party, her drink is spiked and she's raped and left in the lake. When she awakes, she remembers nothing. On it's own, this is a pretty devastating occurrence.
In the hospital the day after, Hermione's best friend Polly is there by her side. Everything Polly says is perfectly what Hermione needs to hear.
The female police officer and staff at the hospital are perfectly professional and do a great job making Hermione comfortable.
Hermione's parents are perfectly supportive, allowing her to do whatever and go wherever she needs to go to heal. Her input about their careful treatment of her is instantly resolved.
The school counselor knows perfectly well how to speak with Hermione and gives her all the space she requests.
The therapist she sees is hilarious and sarcastic and just perfectly suited to deal with Hermione's case.
Polly and Hermione perfectly recite a scathing response when a sexist reporter suggests that women are responsible for preventing rape, even though they're both supposedly caught off guard when asked this question.
Hermione ends up being pregnant as a result of the assault and decides to get an abortion, which goes off without a hitch. Perfectly.
Are you starting to see a pattern?
The only source of tension is her boyfriend Leo, who is salty about Hermione not spending every moment with him during camp and believes that she never would've been assaulted if she'd been hanging out with him "like she was supposed to." Now, of course all of Leo's closest friends denounce his attitude immediately, because that's how boys really actually work in the real world.
Don't mistake me. I'm not saying all guys are jerks. But I find it unbelievable that all his friends would turn on him so quickly because that just isn't a real world experience in most cases.
Even by the end of this book Leo has come around and seen the error of his shitty opinion. So there goes one of the only two sources of tension in the novel. The other being who actually raped Hermione.
Which we do find out at the end to be a boy on another cheerleading team who was at the camp. Hermione sees him at their final competition and realizes it's her attacker because he looks guilty when he sees her.
This kid was apparently smart enough to swap out his DNA sample when the police were looking for a suspect, but he's stupid enough to drop a water bottle he just took a sip out of into a nearby trashcan KNOWING FULL WELL THAT HE JUST SAW HERMIONE THERE!
Plus, is he really going to look outwardly guilty? Are you sure he won't look triumphant & haughty & condescending when he sees the girl whose life he has ruined???? Ugh.
And then the story ends with the idea that Hermione will get justice. She'll go off to college (she was accepted to every one she applied to) and she'll move on from this horrible event no worse for the wear only a few short months later...
I don't know. I don't know what I'm supposed to take from this. It was far too clean, too nice, too perfect for me to take it seriously. These events are traumatizing, and everyone deals with shit in their own way. But it's hardly ever as easy to deal with as this book would have you believe.
Rape is an emotionally catastrophic and ugly thing, and I saw none that reality here.
EDIT 03/11/2018:
However, I would like to add to this review since quite a few folks & survivors have commented expressing their love for this book, and have given me a new perspective to think on.
People deserve to see stories they can relate to that have happy endings. I am not a rape survivor, and perhaps that is part of why I could not find a connection to this book.
Maybe this story was not written for me. And that's okay!
So, if you've made it this far into my review, just know that while I personally did not enjoy this book, many others have. This story is the story we wish all survivors could claim as their own, and if that is something that you feel you could benefit from reading, I think this is probably a book for you!...more
I must say that despite my skepticism, this book was definitely an improvement upon The Wretched of Muirwood.
Where that novel was sloppy this one was I must say that despite my skepticism, this book was definitely an improvement upon The Wretched of Muirwood.
Where that novel was sloppy this one was more structured. I was compelled & affected by the events that took place here much moreso, and I do genuinely want to know how it all wraps up.
There are cliches. There is some Mary Sue action. There is nothing particularly mind-blowing here. I doubt though that I will take the time to read the spin-off trilogy. After this is over I think I'll have had enough of Muirwood for a while.
Even if this isn't a favorite, I would say that if you're a big fan of YA fantasy & don't mind foundational novels to start off, this series is definitely worth looking into. ...more
This is one of those situations where I'm at a loss for words.
I DO NOT READ NONFICTION!
Except for a very few special cases, biographies and nonficThis is one of those situations where I'm at a loss for words.
I DO NOT READ NONFICTION!
Except for a very few special cases, biographies and nonfiction stories are largely outside my realm of interest.
But Cheryl Strayed's telling of her 1100+ mile hike across the Pacific Crest Trail is funny, and tear-jerking, and honest, and so very relatable all at once.
No, I've never hiked more than a couple of miles in my entire life. I haven't been through even a handful of things that make up Cheryl's life. But when I finished this book, my first thought was "I get it."
All I can say is that if you're even a little curious about this book, you should read it. You won't be disappointed.
~Read with my book club The Scholastic Sirens~...more
Once again, I decided to read something from the non-fiction/biography genres. Partly because I adore Trevor Noah as a person. Partly because I love TOnce again, I decided to read something from the non-fiction/biography genres. Partly because I adore Trevor Noah as a person. Partly because I love Trevor Noah's voice & appreciate when authors tell their own stories, both fictional and non-fictional. & Partly because I want to try and get more comfortable with reads like this that are outside of my normal realm.
In this Trevor tells many stories from his childhood in South Africa. He is funny, well-spoken, and insightful as he discusses how being the product of a white Swiss father and a black South African mother both worked for and against him, depending on the situation.
This was an excellent book, though I wish he hadn't jumped around on his timeline as much as he did. It wasn't really a big deal but I sort of had trouble keeping up with the chronological order of the events he was describing.
I would very much recommend this for everyone, even if you don't particularly like Trevor Noah! My friend Michael talks about how much he enjoyed the book in his review, despite not being the author's biggest fan....more
You don't really see a lot of quality M/M fantasy out there. And since I just slogged through the atrocity that is Prince's GaActual Rating: 3.5 Stars
You don't really see a lot of quality M/M fantasy out there. And since I just slogged through the atrocity that is Prince's Gambit, it's possible that this is a rebound book of sorts. Because reading a fucking phonebook of all the gay guys in America would have been a sexier M/M romance than reading anything by C.S. Pacat.
But honestly this was a really good book!
33-year-old Rath is a low city laborer by day and sex worker by night. He's constantly being held accountable for his father's debts. This time, when he's up against the wall for a huge sum of cash, he decides to enter the infamous Tournament of Losers.
I really love the way Rath is characterized. He is very emotional while maintaining a manly essence of strength. He gets roughed up several times, one time in particular he's on the verge of tears. Nothing in the writing suggests this has any negative impact on his masculinity, which is a hella refreshing thing to read.
Because newsflash:
MEN HAVE EMOTIONS. MEN SHOULD EXPRESS THOSE EMOTIONS. IT IS UNHEALTHY THAT WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE EQUATED MASCULINITY WITH THE ABILITY TO SUPPRESS EMOTIONS.
*coughs* Ahem... anyway...
I always find it really annoying when characters could have avoided a section of conflict in the plot if they had just spoken up. Rath is a character who speaks up. And I appreciate him for that. When he's worried about something, he says so. He's honest, straightforward, and he tries to leave as little to chance as possible.
I also really loved the noble vs. commoner ideas that are present here. It was pleasant to watch both sides have their misconceptions about the other be proven false.
I wish the tournament would have been more interesting/challenging, and I wish that the side characters were fleshed out a little more. Both of which I think could have been addressed if this novel were longer!
Overall, a very cute feel-good novel. Things wrapped up a little too nicely, but I really enjoyed it for what it is....more
Buddy read this with the fabulous Kainat, except she abandoned me in favor of more interesting books which I totally don't eveActual Rating: 1.5 Stars
Buddy read this with the fabulous Kainat, except she abandoned me in favor of more interesting books which I totally don't even blame her for!
See, in my review of Captive Prince I may have said I would not touch the second installment in this series with a ten foot pole? Well...I lied.
Why, you say, do we keep reading books that we expect to hate? Well. It's because... I'm a fan of well-informed hatred. PLUS, this series has an obscene amount of positive reviews... and I've heard many people say not to judge the first book on its own.
Well now I'm here to judge both the first and the second book together.
Prince's Gambit is very different from Captive Prince, in that there is much less rape. We traded in the awkward public rape scenes for casual sex talk around the fireside, but it was still so forced that I was rolling my eyes constantly. Almost every meaningful conversation between these characters concerns who is fucking whom? Someone always slips in some kind of innuendo? I'm over it.
The plot takes place outside of the palace of Vere, and it's made up almost entirely of military strategy. I felt like there was more to take seriously here, but I was just SO BORED. I got a slightly better sense of Damen and of Laurent, but nothing really interesting happened at all so...
One thing I will not get over is just how fucking poorly these books are written. I'm sorry, but it's just bad. Did anyone even edit these books before they were published? Did anyone tell the author to stop morphing simple words into unnecessarily complicated words? Or maybe to stop describing the characters by the exact same phrases 16 times a page?
Laurent with his "cool/frigid gaze" and his "yellow/pale head" I GET IT HE HAS BLONDE HAIR AND BLUE EYES! STOP TELLING ME!
I really wanted to keep a list of all the dumb words that were used but I honestly picked my pencil and immediately lost the will to carry on...
Sometimes the dialogue didn't even make sense. It may as well have played out like this:
Damen: You've done something amazing, transforming these men into soldiers. Laurent: I've been thinking about shoe laces. Damen: Yes, now they know how to tie their shoe laces like men should. They are yours to command. Amazing, isn't it? Laurent: You think you know me? -broods- Damen: ...
The above conversation is just an example I made up, but you get the idea. Commentary that's completely out of left field. It made no sense, and once again I was laughing about how ridiculous these books are.
Also I just want to complain for a second about some specific stuff I think is bullshit. (view spoiler)[So in the first book, Damen gets the ever-loving shit beaten out of him by Laurent. His back literally resembles uncooked hamburger by the time Laurent is finished whipping him. And in the small space of time between then and when this book takes place, DAMEN AND LAURENT ARE FUCKING??? WHAT?? I'm sorry if someone whipped me even a little I wouldn't be forgiving them and crawling into bed with them, I don't care how emotionally fucked up they are. Laurent is a little shit for the entirety of the first book, and while I think giving him some humanity was necessary to make him interesting, this is just ridiculous. Damen HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR YOURSELF SON.
And then Damen goes from being Laurent's scum Akielon slave to being the captain of his men?Like...????? I just don't understand how I'm supposed to accept these huge incongruities. I get the whole "Damen is the only one who really gets me" thing we were going for here, but why? Why does Damen get you? No duh he's gonna be a good captain cause he was preparing to be King of Akielon, but am I really supposed to believe that Laurent would be so emotional as to promote him to captain? And does that even make sense when he knows Damen is leaving soon? Why strip Jord of the title when the position is gonna be vacant in 2.5 seconds anyway? (hide spoiler)] Okay glad that's off my chest.
I am giving this one a slightly higher rating because I can see some minor improvements. I saw more of the "slow burn" everyone's talking about. I saw an attempt at a plot with more depth, it was just poorly executed. Either way I'm glad this book is over, it was slower going than the first because I was that damn bored.
I have a feeling C.S. Pacat was struck with an idea one day, "I want to write a hate/love story about two princes with lots of sexual tension" but then really fumbled when she had to write the meaningful bits that would make that idea a good one. Anyway, I'm very sad that I couldn't fall in love with this series like many others have....more
I wanted to LOVE this book, as it was recommended to me by a dear friend of mine. But I don't think we were meant for each other, sadly.
I w*SIGH*
I wanted to LOVE this book, as it was recommended to me by a dear friend of mine. But I don't think we were meant for each other, sadly.
I want to stress that it wasn't BAD, I just don't think it was memorable. Which is kind of a problem when it comes to fantasy, in my opinion.
The main issue I see is that this is a foundation novel, it spends most of it's time setting up the premise for the novels to come. And it does nothing to disguise that fact. So very little action, lots of introductions.
The second, third, and fourth issues are that I didn't care a whole bunch about most of what was introduced. I have a hard time even summarizing what this novel is about?
There's a magical force called the Medium... and you can sort of harness it? It depends on your lineage... but you can fuck up the power really easily & lock it up? If you worry too much? And there's a King and a squire and an orphan... and??? They wanna stop a fight from happening at a place? And keep the squire from dying? I don't know...
MEH.
I know the author had some religious influences in there, but I'm not a religious person by any means so I wasn't really able to pick up on them. The MC was a Mary Sue in more ways than one.
And there was a moment where the MC's just get a lot of information about their purpose dumped onto them from a VERY random source.
I just...
I think I'm going to give the second book a try before completely writing off this series. Partially because I've heard the series gets better, which can tend to be the case when the first of a series is a foundation novel. So we'll see where it goes! ...more
This is a difficult book for me to rate/review, like very difficult. I'm waffling between a 3 and 3.5 stars.
2000 years ago, huActual Rating: 3.5 Stars
This is a difficult book for me to rate/review, like very difficult. I'm waffling between a 3 and 3.5 stars.
2000 years ago, humans banished faerie inhabitants to The Gray World. As punishment, the faeries initiated the "Call", in which adolescents are taken at random and hunted, tortured, even killed in the terrifying land of the faeries. 1 in 10 children survives the "Call", though they are not always returned the way they left. This story follows a handful of students in a survival college, particularly a 14-year-old girl named Nessa who has very limited use of her legs due to being diagnosed with Polio.
I think my favorite aspect of this novel was how grotesque and dark it was. Peadar Ó Guilín did an excellent job creating a macabre atmosphere with his downright disturbing descriptions, I was instantly roped into these awful circumstances that are presented at the start of the book. Danger surrounds the students on all sides. They live in constant anxiety about being "called", and on top of that they are engaged in a violent status war with their peers.
I thought the concept was very unique. I felt the fear in these children, and their characterization really made sense given their situation. The faeries were literally fucking horrifying, and definitely more like I imagine faeries should be. Too often lately I've been reading books where the faerie trope is used to create hot princes who sit around on their thrones just waiting to be part of a love triangle. Not these guys.
Where this book fell short for me was in its constantly switching perspectives and a somewhat unsatisfying ending. This book is not very long, but I feel like a shit ton too many characters were introduced. It was to the point that I was confusing who was who. The switching perspectives worked when we were allowed to follow a child who had been "called", but when the perspectives switched back at the survival college I was struggling.
The end of this book also just sort of forced itself to wrap up. Maybe I missed something? But I'm still a little foggy on what specifically happened because there was just so much going on. I almost wish it would've been longer.
Overall a really good book. I would definitely recommend this as a spooky Halloween read or for someone who enjoys dark/macabre themes. ...more
Ok, this is gonna be a lot less... formal than my reviews usually are because I thought this book was ridiculous. It's clear to me that Sarah J. Maas and I are just not compatible with each other. I DNF'd Throne of Glass, and I struggled to get through A Court of Thorns and Roses. This really was more of a hate-reading on my part, if we're being honest.
There's just so much about this story that didn't sit well with me.
The Plot: Honestly, I have no idea what the fuck is going on here in these books. I mean, the King of Hybern is trying to start a war and break down the wall, but why? Maybe it was mentioned, I dunno. I zoned out because this book was really not concerned about it's own plot progression. We really go nowhere in this installment, hardly anything actually happens. The fluffy nonsense of Feyre bouncing back and forth between having feelings for Rhysand and feeling like trash for leaving Tamlin really overpowered everything else.
So many moments of Feyre going on and on in her head like "Do I want Rhysand? Do I want to JUST fuck him for fun? Is it more? What about Tamlin? He sort of loved me but he also was awful, so is it okay that I leave him?"BITCH I DON'T GIVE A FUCK, WAR IS LOOMING!
Now you might be thinking: "Yea but what happened with the actual plot? Isn't this the plot section of your review?" Well this is exactly my point. There's basically nothing else to talk about because the book was full of smut and flirting with very minimal focus on actual plot progression. And normally, I can enjoy a novel with political undertones but there just wasn't enough detail/focus for me to be engaged.
And then shit hit the fan at the very end of this novel, I mean wow. I have no idea what the real benefit was for the King to change Feyre's sisters into Fae and then let them go? And I still don't know why Jurian needed to be resurrected? I thought it was cool how Feyre thought quickly on her feet to pretend like Rhysand was controlling her this whole time and fool Tamlin. But it doesn't really make up for the fact that for most of the book the plot lulled me to sleep.
The Characters:
Now, I will say I can appreciate to some extent that Feyre is not a damsel in distress. That's great. I see the attempt here to let the inner monologue about her self-discovery drive the novel forward, but it just got old after a while. It's the majority of 640 pages?? No. I'm sorry, I was getting really bored.
Rhysand almost became too likable. I know that sounds weird, but it felt to me like even when he was awful we found out he had some hidden reason that justified his actions and actually made him the good guy. He was a complete antithesis to Tamlin, who rapidly devolved into the biggest, most controlling, paranoid asshole ever. But it didn't make Rhysand feel any more real just because Tamlin was such a jerk by comparison. I can't find a reason to dislike him, and in this case that feels like a problem.
I didn't mind the side characters: Amren, Mor, Lucien, Cassian, Azriel. They were good! I wish we could've spent a little more time getting to know them, but all in all it's not a bad cast as far as side characters go.
I didn't care much about Feyre's sisters, and they were giving me much more of a Cinderella vibe than anything else?
The Writing:
The sex scenes were awkwardly written, in my opinion. As a former fanfiction writer, I understand the struggle when it comes to writing sex scenes, but some strange phrases like "the apex of my thighs" were used and it threw me off.
There was far too much "snarling" for my comfort, I can't even really picture how a person can "snarl" commentary the way it's described here. Too often were people giving inanimate objects and each other "rude gestures". Was everyone constantly getting/receiving the middle finger? I still have no idea.
I didn't mind the way scenery was described, though. The descriptions were rich, clear, so that was nice at least.
The Love Geometry:
This was probably my least favorite part of the book, as it was almost wholly fueled by the idea of "soul mates". This is an idea I do not enjoy in my real life, much less in my fiction. I do not by any means believe in soul mates. So for that to be the central idea here, the main reason why Feyre is able to justify leaving Tamlin with no more than a letter and a spoken word message to Lucien, it wasn't okay with me.
I don't even really understand the system of "mates" in this world. If you are supposed to feel a mating bond with a person, the way Rhysand and Lucien did instantly, then why the hell would Tamlin even want to marry Feyre? Wouldn't he have felt the mating bond click into place the moment Feyre turned into a Fae? Wouldn't that have been a huge red flag that she isn't the one for him when he didn't? So why the hell is he still chasing her all over the place?
Same with Azriel & Mor. Does he just have a crush on her or are they mates?? Does it click into place instantly or can it take time?
It just doesn't make any sense.
In essence, this just isn't the series/author for me. I'm sorry, I've given it a solid try. I'm very mildly curious about what will happen in the next book since the end was interesting, but I don't think I'll be slogging through another installment in this series. It seems I am forever doomed to reside on hater island when it comes to Sarah J. Maas.
This book was recommended to by the lovely MAYFLOWER! And boy, do I have a lot of gratitude that she pulled this book to the forefront of my TBR list.This book was recommended to by the lovely MAYFLOWER! And boy, do I have a lot of gratitude that she pulled this book to the forefront of my TBR list.
I'm gonna be honest, when I first started reading this I didn't find myself immediately drawn into the story. I was like that new kid in a group that's sort of hanging out on the edge of conversation, listening but not really participating.
But then I saw the light.
Things started to come together for me once Taylor began to pursue the truth of her past. But looking back, the beginning being on the slower side gave me a chance to get to know the characters and so I'm not going to say that it's a bad thing overall.
It seems like the only other issue I had with this book could also be chalked up to personal preference and not something that's objectively wrong with the story. I just didn't love the setting of the Townies vs. Cadets vs. Students. Before things came into clearer focus I was thinking:
"What the fuck? People are actually getting hurt? These are school-aged kids? Whaaaat?" But this setting does begin to feel much more appropriate once you get a bit further in.
God, everyone in this novel was so intense.
Once I started realizing what was going on, who was who, and why certain things were relevant... Damn. My heart was beating so fast while making these discoveries, and they are all individually and magnificently devastating.
This is a book that slowly sinks its claws into you, and before you know it you're caught. And once you're caught, there's no getting out until the end.
The end broke my heart into so many pieces. I'm still picking them up. Such a wonderfully genuine and heartfelt story, with characters that come walking right out of the pages to meet you. This book is an intricately woven web of love and tragedy.
I'm so glad that I've read this, and I feel it will have an impact on me long after I write this review....more
"This Skarmouth is raw and hungry, striving and unknowable. Everything the race makes me feel on the inside is bleeding up through the seams in the st"This Skarmouth is raw and hungry, striving and unknowable. Everything the race makes me feel on the inside is bleeding up through the seams in the street tonight." - Sean Kendrick
"I wonder how long it will take for me to feel as adult on the inside as I look on the outside." - Puck Connolly
[image]
*deep breath*
Sometimes you read a book and it becomes your whole world while you are reading it. For me, The Scorpio Races is one of those books.
I am just forever in debt to Maggie Stiefvater because this book has truly affected me. It's very difficult for me to put into words.
But I suppose the best way I can say it is this: The Scorpio Races is the kind of story I would hope to write, if I had the talent.
It's incredibly unique. Stiefvater's writing is totally immersive. So much detail, and yet all of it felt relevant. I savored every word, every page, every single bit of this book that I could.
I have heard some say that it was too slow, and I understand that critcism. It just wasn't true for me and my personal reading experience. Yes it was slow, but I feel that it absolutely needed to be.
This is a story that blooms in its own time, a breathtaking experience if given the proper patience.
While I read this, I was on the island of Thisby. I could feel the cold November breeze threading through my hair, I could smell the tinges of brine and blood on the waves that soaked the shoreline. I could hear my heart beating in my ears as the events unfolded. And I read the last thirty pages of this story with tears streaming down my face.
I'm just so damn emotional, and sitting here in a heap of my feelings.
I know this review isn't very specific, but it suffices to say that I loved everything. From the characterization, to the world building, to the plot, to the writing style - it's the whole package. I couldn't recommend this book enough, especially for fans of Stiefvater's other works.
Now please excuse me while I go recover in a dark corner somewhere.
This and other reviews of mine can be found on Book Nest!...more
It was actually so refreshing for me to read a piece of science fiction like this that feels so much like a throwback to Star TreWow is all I can say.
It was actually so refreshing for me to read a piece of science fiction like this that feels so much like a throwback to Star Trek without being a rip off. Star Trek is one of my great loves, I adore how it delved deeply into political controversies and made speculations about human existence. Star Trek has a very special place in my heart because it truly did go where no show had gone before (haha, see what I did there). It's novels like this that really stand out to me for the same reasons.
This is essentially the story of a diverse space tunneling crew, their job being to punch wormholes into space. The crew of The Wayfarer is a hodgepodge of different species and temperaments. This book takes off when Rosemary, a sheltered files clerk with a secret to keep, comes aboard.
I was just so interested in the world Becky Chambers created here. Each character felt so genuine I was honestly floored by how much I enjoyed each one in their own way. She developed a pretty thorough history for each of these species, elaborated on the fate of mankind and how it was this new way of life came to be, and peppered the whole story with a quirkiness that I found very charming. Lots of the tech talk I love was present without feeling like the way these future systems operate is out of your depth.
Plus! This was a very socially conscious book!
It touches on pronouns and pronoun training, racism and "specism" conflicts, polyamory, sexual orientation, gender identification, the rights and individuality of artificial intelligence, biochemical warfare, overpopulation, the legality of cloning, the dangers of religious fanaticism ALL IN ONE BOOK! And it does so without feeling like it's shoving any of these concepts down your throat, it exists seamlessly as part of this new future.
I only gave this one a 4 stars because, while I enjoyed the shit out of all the characters, there wasn't really a PLOT going on. I mean, this is how the book was intended to be written. There was a minor goal that surfaced about halfway into the book, but for the most part this was a series of small adventures aboard the Wayfarer. So while it was fun, I think there were times I found myself struggling just a little with staying engaged. I also felt like the book jumped around a lot with it's 3rd person perspectives, which was a wee bit confusing at times.
But neither of these two issues really detract a ton from this book. It was excellent and I would definitely recommend for people who love science fiction, especially if you're a Star Trek fan!!...more
This isn't a novel for readers who are sensitive to violent description. I am not entirely sure why, but I wGraphic. Gritty. Introspective. Critical.
This isn't a novel for readers who are sensitive to violent description. I am not entirely sure why, but I was really getting a Holden Caulfield vibe from our narrator without all the pretentiousness and maybe a teaspoon less existential crisis-driven.
I was rather bored for the first half of the novel and it wasn't until the twist at the end that I really found myself super engaged with the events taking place. I will say though that it's well written. Palahniuk does well with the first person, stream of consciousness style of delivery. I think though that this was built up in my head to be something much more grand and life changing than it turned out to be, hence my 3 star rating.
Charm & Strange is purely enticing. This is one of those stories that immediately sweeActual Rating: 4.5 Stars
"I don't feel the presence of God here."
Charm & Strange is purely enticing. This is one of those stories that immediately sweeps you up into a whirlwind; it has you thinking about it before you sleep, while you make dinner, while you're at work... quietly sitting on the edges of your consciousness until you pick the book back up again.
It forces you to consider and reconsider your speculations as it nudges you closer and closer to the truth.
Kuehn has got a knack for dropping just enough information to keep you second guessing yourself and the characters. I had the feeling of being consistently off balance throughout the story, like stumbling, recovering, and then immediately stumbling again. I wasn't sure about anything until I was taking a deep breath and slowly closing the book. And this was exactly what made the adventure so enjoyable.
It was intricate and concise with just enough self-awareness to conclude before the tension fizzled and became tedious.
Not to mention Charm & Strange is full of vividly honest writing. It felt like sorting through a stack of old photographs that all wove together into a magnificently mysterious tale. I will certainly be keeping my eye out for any future publications from this author....more
This book. This was a great book. There is a bit of a lull near the middle, but having read the entire book looking back I feeActual Rating: 4.5 Stars
This book. This was a great book. There is a bit of a lull near the middle, but having read the entire book looking back I feel that all the parts included are necessary.
Jason Dessen decided that, instead of pursuing his scientific potential, he would settle down and be a father, husband, and physics professor at a local college. One night on his way home, he is kidnapped, beaten, stripped naked, and injected with a mystery drug that knocks him unconscious. When Jason awakes he is in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by scientists badgering him with questions, he realizes he's been entirely removed of the life he once knew. And everyone around him is insisting he's someone he knows he is not.
This was a hell of a ride. I personally have never given much thought to the idea of an infinite multiverse, probably because thinking about it is a really easy way to get fucked up fast. But this book takes you on a wild adventure, full of suspense and terror, exploring the bounds of hope and love. It's a both a personal and scientific journey of a man's willingness to defy the limits of his existence.
I was throughly engaged throughout most of this novel. I was yelling and laughing and on the verge of tears. Crouch really has something special here, a very unique examination of the human experience. It makes you ponder how we interact with those we hold close to our hearts, how we cope with feelings of regret, and ultimately what we must do in order to achieve happiness....more
A large part of me wants to give this book a 1 star, but that part of me would be denying that I WAS interested enough just to see how this damn serieA large part of me wants to give this book a 1 star, but that part of me would be denying that I WAS interested enough just to see how this damn series finally ends, so I'll settle with two stars.
Man there was just so much wrong with these books but I think my main issue was that this was a love (and I use this word lightly) story with a dash of dystopian thrown in just to keep the plot moving. The plot was so pathetic I was almost in tears from laughing. The ending took 2.5 milliseconds to wrap itself up.
Pages upon pages of metaphors and similes that were either too convoluded to remain meaningful, or they were so juvenile that I felt embarrassed reading them. I also take MAJOR ISSUE with one particular point in our disaster of a love triangle. MAJOR ISSUE. I don't even know why a character like this asshole needs to exist, but as it was so eloquently put but another character, he is "a bland, utterly replaceable automaton." And if you've made it this far I think you all know just who I am speaking of.
I'm just glad this series is over. It was fun in parts, but there were flaws left, right, and center and it was just too much for me to seriously recommend to anyone....more
This novella bind up is what it is. If you're both objectively and subjectively enjoying this series then this will please you immensely. I, however, This novella bind up is what it is. If you're both objectively and subjectively enjoying this series then this will please you immensely. I, however, enjoy this series in the same way that I sometimes enjoy terrible music - I know it's awful, but I'm probably going to memorize the lyrics anyway. And by those standards, this was an interesting little glimpse into the perspectives of the two male corners of our love triangle. Was this necessary? Probably not. Was it fun? Yea, it was fun.
One thing is absolutely certain - I despise Adam! I mean what an absolute asshole?? A lot of Adam's personality and view of Juliette is revealed in this short novella, and I have to say I really tend to dislike him. He's rude, patronizing, and selfish. Warner is also an asshole but at least he admits it??...more
Mary ~Ravager of Tomes~
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Books:
year-2016
(77)
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