Mackenzie G

One of the most impactful books I've ever read.

I had to read this for a book club and went into it having no idea what to expect, but it completely captivated me. The author's character building and style of writing hooked me from the start. I read some reviews and understand the religious aspect was very prominent, and while I'm not a religious person, I found the way he wrote about religion felt very personal and eye-opening. He found a way to loop it into the constant helpless feeling you have from childhood to adulthood, and a way to better understand and connect with his mom. Also, reading the acknowledgements at the end, how he ties it to his experience growing up with a brother who had special needs, I understand his deeply personal feelings about protecting those around him and seeking to help others understand that ‘different' is special and powerful.

I loved this book so much. I felt myself reading it slowly to cherish it. The characters were written so beautifully and so intentional/purposeful.

This will go down as one of my favorite books I've ever read. Chantha is such an eloquent and powerful writer. I'm so thankful she shared her story and the work she does to restore hope.

I would probably give this 3.5 stars but 3 felt too low! Dare I say this should've been longer? I really liked the world building and wanted more character development but it just felt really rushed.

I KNEW IT

I love this author's perspective and I think these are needed topics to teach in schools. My reason for giving it 4 stars is I feel like it was a lot to pack in one book and not necessarily “new” ideas. I would've loved hearing more about the author's connection to these ideas - her experience in politics, interviews she held, etc.

I'll be thinking about this book for a long time, so poetic and the characters are written with so much depth.

Thoroughly enjoyed this series and would recommend to anyone who is suffering from ACOTAR withdrawals. The female characters were a 10/10

4.3* Read this in two days, couldn't put it down. Best fantasy I've read since ACOTAR!

This author brilliantly captures how you can loathe but also feel such empathy, understanding and love for a character.

*4.25

I'd give this between a 3.75 and a 4. The topic is fascinating and I admire the author for the amount of research he put into this but the insistence on explaining very complicated topics distracted from the story line a little bit. The ending upped the rating to a 4 for me for sure.

The voice of multiple generations. It's incredible how this was released in 2016 but it so closely echoes 2024's challenges and concerns all the same

I watched the HBO show first about a year ago and kept thinking about the plot so decided to read the book. It's rarely the case but I did appreciate having a background on the plot/the characters from the show but getting more detail from the book. I recommend!

I'm not a huge Housewives girly but I was intrigued by Heather's experience growing up Mormon. I deeply appreciated her rawness and transparency about her experience. Would recommend whether you follow housewives or not!

Read this in two days, quite literally could not put it down. It pains me to say I judged a book by its cover. I'm so happy I took a chance on it. Can't wait to watch Brie Larson as Elizabeth!!!

I was shocked at some of the low reviews. Yes, it was long. But this woman bore her soul on these pages. She took us on a journey through her vulnerabilities. I think it's fair for any woman, no matter how famous, to speak openly and honestly about her thought process in these different (and very real) scenarios and how she found a unique way to cope, survive and heal.

*4.5 stars. Get ready for continual sadness.. but also a powerful and important story from Betty's perspective. This story will sit with me for a very long time.

4.5 stars* I felt like the writing got better as the book went on. It was just a little tough to connect to the character/get a good understanding of what the writer was trying to tell us at the beginning. At the end I was in tears.

Ah it took me a little while to get into this series but because of this book I'm finally hooked!

I sped through this. It was a bit cheesy at first but at the end I felt so connected to the characters. This is exactly what I was looking for after ACOTAR stole my heart

3.5-3.75*. I couldn't wait to dive back into this one after the first. I felt like this was a lot more unique of a story versus the first book that reminded me a lot of Divergent. What I'm missing is more of an explanation about who is against them/why they're looking for all of this power, unless I'm missing something.

I couldn't put this book down but have to give it 4 stars because there's so much overlap with other series I've read, including Divergent. It was very nostalgic though!

3.5* I did appreciate the different storylines and especially the progression of Celeana's but hoping for some more “spark” in the next one to really captivate me