Audrey
I've had this book sitting on my shelf for years. In that time I built high expectations that grew larger whenever I heard people talk about it. Maybe I wasn't in the right headspace or something, but it was disappointingly only an okay read for me.
Left behind on Mars, astronaut Mark Watney keeps a log of his survival efforts. The book follows his attempts to contact his crew so he can be rescued.
I love the plot of this so much. Everything about it. What I didn't like was the narration style. It's not even the writing style itself as it works perfectly for this situation, rather, the overall voice. I guess I had imagined something more sophisticated sounding. A lot of it was comedic, which is great, I just don't think I was in the mood for it.
I've heard many good things about the audiobook which I also own. I think I will revisit the book sometime that way and see if my opinion changes.
I've had a thing for stories set in India lately. I don't think I even looked at the plot when I made my Book of the Month selection. Even if I had I would have scooped it up immediately, but in the end, it just didn't resonate with me.
Three sisters, Priya, Deepa, and Jamini have their sheltered lives shaken by the violent death of their father. Eventually separated as they grow into their own lives, they struggle as the winds of their country have changed.
I enjoyed Priya's POV the most, though Deepa and Jamini's were also interesting. Unfortunately, that interest waned the further I read. Above all else, I enjoyed the backdrop of history and learning more about a time where my knowledge is limited. I didn't latch onto the writing style which was a big reason I wasn't getting pulled into the story.
The title of this book caught my attention. I mean, I think most women can find a bitter amusement at first glance. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I quickly lost amusement and felt like I'd crossed over a morally grey threshold.
I sympathize. Really I do. Self-defense, scorn, what have you. Initially, I could understand where Kitty was coming from. That didn't last long. She became one of the most unlikable and reckless protagonists I've ever encountered. To summarize as quickly as possible, Kitty is an influencer with a hit list and she's vegan (which we hear about repeatedly).
I understand the point the author was aiming for. Women often get a raw deal in life. I just don't think this is the way to get that message across. I thought I had a decent sense of dark humor but I guess not. The further into the book I read the more it unsettled me. My greatest takeaway was the realization that I'm not as desensitized to subjects like murder as I thought I'd become. Lastly, I don't know why this is categorized as a thriller. Crime, yes, but I wasn't the least bit on edge.
A huge thanks to Harper360 for sending me an ARC copy of the book to read and review.
I wasn't aware of the magnitude of the tragedy at the time, however, I vividly remember the loss of the Columbia crew back in 2003. Despite having memories of the tributes and magazine covers, I've never actually read about the accident in my adult life.
Less about the space mission itself or the lives of the crew members, Bringing Home Columbia focuses mostly on the recovery of the craft and, sadly, the bodies of the deceased astronauts. As can be expected, great efforts went into this devastating task — not only by officials but also by civilian volunteers in the search area. While the logistics are sad, the example of a community banding together is inspiring.
Oddly, this was a super quick read (listen) for me. The pace is slow and I struggled to keep attention consistently due to long-winded passages. Yet, before I knew it I'd reached the end. It's not the most exciting space-related book I've read, but it was quite interesting.
I wasn't aware of the magnitude of the tragedy at the time, however, I vividly remember the loss of the Columbia crew back in 2003. Despite having memories of the tributes and magazine covers, I've never actually read about the accident in my adult life.
Less about the space mission itself or the lives of the crew members, Bringing Home Columbia focuses mostly on the recovery of the craft and, sadly, the bodies of the deceased astronauts. As can be expected, great efforts went into this devastating task — not only by officials but also by civilian volunteers in the search area. While the logistics are sad, the example of a community banding together is inspiring.
Oddly, this was a super quick read (listen) for me. The pace is slow and I struggled to keep attention consistently due to long-winded passages. Yet, before I knew it I'd reached the end. It's not the most exciting space-related book I've read, but it was quite interesting.
I love a good art angle in a book be it fiction or nonfiction. Pair it with a mystery and you don't need to tell me much more to convince me to pick it up.
Enzi gets a rough start in life. Between bullying, dyslexia, a stutter, and troubles at home, he sets off on his own at fourteen. As he gets older, he discovers he has a knack for mathematics. This ultimately leads him to a life of computer hacking.
Eventually, Enzi meets and falls for an artist named Kaori. He's immediately drawn to her artwork and its ability to convey emotion. However, he fails to take her cries of loneliness as a warning.
It took me a little while to really get into this book. The writing style is abrupt and it took some time to get used to, but the plot ultimately took over and became an addictive read. There are some great quotes, too. Enzi is an interesting protagonist with a backstory that could be its own book.
A huge thanks to the publisher for reaching out and offering to send me a review copy! Given the book is available on KindleUnlimited, I chose to read it there.
Though I'm not much of a fantasy reader, I was drawn to this one, especially after hearing what a cozy book this is. I probably would have enjoyed this more as a fantasy reader, but I did find it cute.
Ready to settle down into a quieter life, Viv opens a coffee shop. Being Thune's first coffee shop (what's coffee?), she's met with some opposition.
As described, the book is low stakes. This was the perfect pace for someone not used to this genre's heavy action and world-building. I can't say that I got lost in the story as I just don't have much interest in fantasy worlds or characters. Very much a matter of my personal taste. I had the opportunity to read this along with The Global Book Nook on Discord, which ultimately made me pick it up.
Behind Jack the Ripper is the lives of his victims. Given the illusiveness of this particular killer, the women he slayed tend to be swept aside. This book gives them a voice.
Each section of the book discusses each woman: Polly, Annie, Elisabeth, Kate, and Mary Jane. We learn about their lives leading up to their murders rather than the murder themselves. Along with the story of their lives, the author provides a detailed history of life in England at the time.
I was initially surprised by the fact Jack the Ripper was hardly mentioned, but I think I ultimately enjoyed the book more because of it. It was incredibly insightful and put a lot of things in perspective. I will say that this was about 60% general history and 40% the five women. While interesting, this did cause the narration to drag at times. It's worth wading through the slow bits. There is a lot to take in.
As a hobbyist writer myself, I instantly loved the concept of this series. A group of college students/writers competing for greatness in a sixteen-week creative writing course? I'm in.
The first in a series of sixteen novellas, we follow the nine students along with their works. Each of the characters brings their unique style and talent to the pages with some excerpts of poetry, scriptwriting, short stories, etc. The general narration connects everything together with a polished wit.
This book was a lot of fun and a great start to what promises to be an interesting and unique series. Though the humor wasn't consistently in line with my own sense, I did laugh out loud a couple of times. I'm looking forward to seeing how this series progresses. Such a fun idea!
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
As a hobbyist writer myself, I instantly loved the concept of this series. A group of college students/writers competing for greatness in a sixteen-week creative writing course? I'm in.
The first in a series of sixteen novellas, we follow the nine students along with their works. Each of the characters brings their unique style and talent to the pages with some excerpts of poetry, scriptwriting, short stories, etc. The general narration connects everything together with a polished wit.
This book was a lot of fun and a great start to what promises to be an interesting and unique series. Though the humor wasn't consistently in line with my own sense, I did laugh out loud a couple of times. I'm looking forward to seeing how this series progresses. Such a fun idea!
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
Once again I was immediately drawn into not only a WWII plot but also one involving art. Unsurprisingly, I ate it up. After finding her father killed for (unbeknownst to her) hiding a Jewish artist in their home, Marina takes off for Florence in case the Nazis return. She seeks refuge in the villa of her father's good friend Bernard Berenson. She takes on the task of helping him catalog his library. Meanwhile, Marina meets Carlos, adding both romance and intrigue to the story. I liked so much about this book. I especially loved Desi and her storyline. What stood out to me was the respect and detail that went into Italian religion and culture. Altogether, it was beautifully written and a hidden gem in the genre.
I didn't realize first going into this that this was a memoir. I guess from the cover I assumed it was a depiction of the Holocaust with a ‘cat and mouse' metaphor. I realized as soon as I started reading that this wasn't fiction and it made the analogy all the more powerful.
Comic writer and illustrator Art Spiegel tells his father's WWII survival story in a series of two books (combined into one edition in this printing). Though not illustrations of humans, the imagery of the concentration camps (and what Jewish people went through in general) is as grim as you'd expect them to be. This isn't a watered-down narration that tried to spare the reader from the horrors. It's a raw and honest account.
The book is told brilliantly going back and forth between Art's conversations with his father as he relayed his story to that story unfolding on the pages. There are some abrupt starts and finished here and there, but it added to the tone of the book. There is still so much we don't know about what happened during the Holocaust that we may never learn.
In addition to being a book about the Holocaust (namely in Poland), it's also a book about the relationship between a father and son. Intergenerational trauma is a fascinating psychological phenomenon. This has often been seen among children with parents who have had traumatic experiences before their children were born. This along with the natural generational gap between parents and children makes up a lot of the subtext in Art and Vladek's story.
Perhaps it's needless to say that this book is going to stay with me for a long time. It's right up there with The Diary of a Young Girl and The Boy on the Wooden Box. The stories of these victims must be kept alive.
I tried reading Frankenstein several years ago but didn't get past the first few pages. Attempting it again, I was surprised at how absorbed I became. Not so much in the story itself, but the questions pondered, particularly involving the ‘being'.
After seeing endless spoofs in TV shows or movies, I went into this expecting some form of satire. That's not to say I was under the impression this was a comedy... I'm not sure how to put my exact expectations into words. Anyway, as it went on, I got the gothic feel, though I wouldn't personally consider this a horror story. Twisted, but not particularly scary. It felt very literary.
I found Victor easy to dislike and I sympathized more with his creation at first. Then the tables turned, and then by the end, I wasn't sure who I ought to root for. I love books that leave me feeling unsettled. I also think listening to this book on audio also made the difference. The narrator did a fantastic job portraying the being. It added so much to the atmosphere of the story. I'm already looking forward to a future reread.
Elizabeth Wein is one of the authors that I will automatically read without so much as glancing at the plot. Maybe I'm biased, but there's something about the style of her stories that I thoroughly enjoy.
A couple of years before World War II, countries come together in the name of peace for a race against their young pilots. Stella North is chosen to represent Britain. Being the only female in the competition means her work is cut out for her, however, she isn't fazed. That is until a series of strange and suspicious accidents begin to happen. Together with a couple of her fellow contestants, they try to get to the bottom of the misfortunes.
Code Name Verity is one of my all-time favorite books/series so my expectations were definitely high. I enjoyed the story a lot, though I must admit not as much. The build-up takes up a good two-thirds of the book before really getting into the excitement. If I'm interpreting the author's note correctly, it sounds like this will also be a series. If that is the case, I'm looking forward to the continuation.
Another thing that struck me as different in this book from the previous ones is that there seemed to be a heavier implication of romance. I can take or leave it, but I guess it sort of surprised me. The characters are wonderful though (as always) so I'm intrigued enough. This like the Code Name Verity series continues to stand out from other books in the historical fiction genre. It's exciting, unique, and good-hearted. Looking forward to what comes next!
I can't say I've ever sat down and read a dictionary from cover to cover before. [b:The Lexicologist's Handbook: A Dictionary of Unusual Words 61445682 The Lexicologist's Handbook A Dictionary of Unusual Words Dane Cobain https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1657852231l/61445682.SY75.jpg 96989365] isn't your run-of-the-mill dictionary overwhelming in length. The pages are full of the more fun words in the English vocabulary. What I like most about this book is that the pronunciations are presented phonetically. Some words I knew had different pronunciations than I had always assumed. There were some new words I learned as well. The definitions are easy to read accompanied by their use in a sentence. I plan to revisit this book with a notebook sometime and write down the new words I learned.A huge thanks to the author's team for sending me a free copy of the book to read and review!
I can't say I've ever sat down and read a dictionary from cover to cover before. The Lexicologist's Handbook isn't your run-of-the-mill dictionary overwhelming in length. The pages are full of the more fun words in the English vocabulary.
What I like most about this book is that the pronunciations are presented phonetically. Some words I knew had different pronunciations than I had always assumed. There were some new words I learned as well. The definitions are easy to read accompanied by their use in a sentence. I plan to revisit this book with a notebook sometime and write down the new words I learned.
A huge thanks to the author's team for sending me a free copy of the book to read and review!
With a unique setting, great characters, romance, and let's face it — a gorgeous cover, The Officer and the Spy was a treat to read.
During her annual trip to Crete, Eleni meets Otto, a German man who's also visiting the island. So begins a summer romance. Come 1941, the young lovers reunite but are turned now enemies due to the war. Will love prevail, will the effects of war reach them, too?
The contrast between past and ‘present' (in this case, interview transcripts from 1974) is fantastic and the book is well organized. Eleni and Otto have a nice chemistry. Their romance flows well with the more action-packed portions of the book. I also enjoyed the moral exploration of some of the realities of war. My only quip is that it runs long with some scenes feeling dragged out much longer than they needed to be. Still, I enjoyed the book very much.
A huge thanks to Harper360 for sending me a free ARC of the book to read and review!
Though I can't personally vouch for it, history tells us that 1968 was a year of mayhem around the world. This book takes us to Paris during the Spring-Summer of that year through protests, strikes, and all of the devastation in between.
In 2019, Anna dedicates herself to learning about her mother's past in the wake of her death. She travels to Paris on this endeavor. From there, the book follows Bethany in 1968, an American girl studying abroad for a year. It's a turbulent time for the city and Bethany finds herself in the midst of the riots and protests and the lasting effects they have on her and her friends' lives.
A lot of interesting subjects are presented and discussed throughout the story, mainly Communism vs. Capitalism. The writing is strong and each of the characters brings a unique personality to the pages. A particularly interesting supporting character is Stefan, Bethany's friend and lover. There are a lot of intricacies of the plot to keep up with which I struggled to keep straight at times, but the end comes together nicely as the reader is brought back into the present day.
A huge thanks to the author for sending me a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
With a mysterious overtone and a literary delivery, Dreams of Arcadia is a spectacular and unique read.
Nate Holub needs a change of scenery. He leaves his life in the city and takes a veterinary job in his deceased father's hometown. There, he reconnects with his family. He also has to face a different pace of work in the country. At the same time, he also comes to realize that there is more to his father's death than he'd previously believed.
I've never read a book that had such a central focus on veterinarians. Admittedly, I have a low threshold for animals in any sort of distress so there were parts of this I found difficult to read, but overall it was fascinating. I love to read novels where I end up learning something. I also enjoyed the characters as well as the writing style. Wonderfully rural!
A huge thanks to the author for inviting me to read a digital ARC through NetGalley!
I know this is a classic and hailed as a great literary achievement... but I just wasn't feeling it.
Raskolnikov murders two women, hailing himself a hero. He believes the world will be a better place, even though things hadn't gone according to plan. As time goes on, deep-seated guilt slowly takes him over, especially as suspicion arises.
For a book nearly 700 pages long, there isn't a lot of action or much of anything interesting in general. Maybe it was profound for its time, but I found it painfully boring compared to other books with similar themes. Part one was promising enough but then the rest of the book droned on. It just wasn't for me.
With some fairytales, history, dolls, and mystery, this book has a little bit of everything. Mixed together with beautiful writing, [b:The Last Russian Doll 61261034 The Last Russian Doll Kristen Loesch https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1659622031l/61261034.SY75.jpg 93581745] is a lovely read.Rosie's mother dies, leaving her behind with questions she needs to answer to put her turbulent past to rest. Spanning from the 1910s-1990s, we follow the story of Tonya and her lineage as well as the connections to the dolls that ended up in Rosie's mother's possession. The several points of view threw me off at first. I would have preferred just Rosie's and Tonya's as both of their stories were incredibly intriguing. However, there was a benefit of the other perspectives as the book went on. There's a lot of action which kept the book exciting (which admittedly made it somewhat tricky to keep everything straight). I enjoyed it.
Beautifully written and spectacularly researched, Only the Beautiful is everything the summary promises and more.
Mainly following the timelines of 1938 America and 1947 Austria, the book follows Rosie and Helen and their interwoven stories. In 1938, Rosie is sent away because of her misunderstood condition and a surprise pregnancy to what she assumes to be a home for unwed mothers. Years later, Helen comes to learn the truth about what happened to Rosie and the baby.
There are a lot of heavy and perhaps controversial topics in this book that I won't mention due to spoilers. However, I urge people to look into them if they feel it's necessary. I enjoyed reading about these dark times in history even though it was difficult at parts. There was a lot of build-up in the beginning and because of this I felt more attached to Rosie's timeline. The second half picks up considerably, but overall, there's not a dull moment. Despite the dark themes, the book carries a hopeful message.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book to read and review!
With the promise of a rich story, I was initially excited when I began reading Black Cake. Unfortunately, it didn't take long to realize it was going to be a struggle to try and follow.
Following the death of their mother, Byron and Benny are left with a recipe and a family history they knew nothing about. Through the things their mother left, they uncover the truth about their past, shaking up the life they've always known.
I enjoyed the premise and the characters a lot. Better organization would have made such a difference in the reading experience for me. The timeline jumped all over the place as well as the perspectives. There were also too many characters to keep track of in between, making it nearly impossible to retain the information for very long. Otherwise, the writing was good.