Paola
Not for me. Wasn't able to connect with the lead keeping me on edge (not a good thing in this case) because of her paranoia and overthinking - have enough if the latter of my own. Made it almost halfway through and had to give up.
I feel this still might be a good thriller for the right audience. I did like the inclusion of different media posts in between chapters, though, which provided context from a point of view different than the lead's.
I picked this up knowing nothing but that the cover was pretty and that Kazuo Ishiguro's name was on it. I thought I was getting another of Ishiguro's compelling stories, and was not so pleasantly surprised that this is a collection of lyrics.
It was interesting to go through, even more so for the songs I was able to listen to while reading. But what I appreciated the most was Bianca Bagnarelli gorgeous illustrations. Would go back just to look at them.
Contains spoilers
26/Jun/2020
First last impressions: there are a lot of emotions, a reality check. Review to come.
Primeras últimas impresiones: son demasiadas emociones, un golpe de realidad. Reseña proximamente.
Edit
Edición
03/Jul/2020
Dry narrates an event of struggles, of desperation, of doing anything you can do to survive. And this time, there are no flesh-eating monsters. We are the villains.
Sed narra un evento de dificultades, de desesperación, de hacer lo que puedas para sobrevivir. Y esta vez, no hay monstruos come-carne. Nosotros somos los villanos.
The world is in a precarious state, with social and economic instability, literally running out of natural resources and temperatures rising at unprecedented levels. This not an account of the real state of the world we live in, but might as well be. This is the setting for the chilling novel of Neal and Jarrod Shusterman; this book shook me to the core with each realization that we're closer than I'd ever like to be to an apocalyptic disaster. And with this preface, I'll go into discussing the book without getting into much more detail about the similarities to our reality and how almost everything in it is a call to action, because it's depressing and I get very anxious thinking about how else I can contribute to better the situation with all the neglect and disinterest surrounding us.
El mundo se encuentra en un estado precario, con inestabilidad social y económica, literalmente con los recursos naturales acabándose y las temperaturas elevándose a niveles sin precedentes. Esta no es una cuenta del estado real del mundo en el que vivimos, pero bien podría ser. Este es el escenario para la novela espeluznante de Neal y Jarrod Shusterman; este libro me sacudió hasta el núcleo cada vez que comprendía que estamos más cerca de lo que nunca me gustaría estar de un desastre apocalíptico. Y con este prefacio, entraré en la discusión del libro sin ahondar mucho más en los detalles sobre las similitudes con nuestra realidad y cómo casi todo en él es una llamada a la acción, porque es muy deprimente y me genera mucha ansiedad pensar de qué otra manera puedo contribuir a mejorar la situación con toda la negligencia y desinterés que nos rodea.
Anyhow…
Como sea...
Dry follows Alyssa Morrow, her brother Garrett, their neighbor Kelton, and two strangers they meet on their way: Jacqui and Henry. Since they're all underaged characters, the story can sometimes take a juvenile, YA-post-apocalyptic-novel turn, but also get very raw by having a bunch of kids running around trying to figure out what to do in this dreadful situation. Alyssa and Garrett have an average family, living in an average suburb that keeps interesting by having Kelton's family as next-door neighbors, permanently defying the homeowners association as they've been preparing for the apocalypse their whole life, with reinforced windows and doors, and booby traps in their yard.
Sed sigue a Alyssa Morrow, su hermano Garrett, su vecino Kelton y a dos desconocidos que se topan en el camino: Jacqui y Henry. Dado que todos son personajes menores de edad, la historia puede a veces tomar un giro juvenil, de novela YA post-apocalíptica, pero también puede volverse bastante cruda al tener a un montón de niños tratando de averiguar qué hacer en esta horrible situación. Alyssa y Garrett tienen una familia promedio, viviendo en un suburbio promedio que se mantiene interesante teniendo a la familia de Kelton como vecinos de a lado, permanentemente desafiando a la asociación de propietarios ya que se han estado preparando para el apocalipsis toda su vida, con ventanas y puertas reforzadas y trampas para bobos en su patio.
In the middle of summer, things are already bad in the country (USA) with a drought going on -or how media is calling it, "flow crisis" because everybody's […tired of hearing the word "drought". Kind of like the way “global warming” became “climate change,” and “war” became “conflict.”] (Side note: this fragment really stuck with me). But it all goes -literally- down the drain when, one day in Southern California, there's a "Tap-Out": there's not any water anymore. Not in the sinks, not in the showers, not even bottled in the supermarket (because of panic shopping). Arizona has closed the water flow from the Colorado River so they can ration it for their people, being disbelief the first thing that strikes most people, followed by fear, followed by panic, and then by "water-zombies". There was a scene where I felt my heart ripping; I honestly never felt this empathic to human suffering in a book, ever.
En medio del verano, las cosas ya están mal en el país (EUA) con una sequía en proceso -o como los medios la llaman, "crisis de flujo" porque todos están [...cansados de escuchar la palabra "sequía". Algo así como "calentamiento global" se convirtió en "cambio climático", y "guerra" se convirtió en "conflicto".] (Nota: este fragmento realmente se quedó conmigo). Pero todo se va -literalmente- por el drenaje cuando, un día en el Sur de California, hay un "Cierre de Grifos": ya no hay agua. Ni en los fregaderos, ni en las regaderas, ni siquiera embotellada en el supermercado (debido a las compras de pánico). Arizona ha cerrado el flujo de agua del Río Colorado para racionarla para su gente, siendo incredulidad lo primero que golpea a la gente, seguido de miedo, seguido de pánico, y después por los "zombis de agua". Hubo una escena donde sentí mi corazón desgarrándose; honestamente nunca sentí tanta empatía por el sufrimiento humano en un libro, jamás.
To finish the synopsis without spoiling the entire book, this is the plot around which the story revolves. Finding water and not dying. Either by dehydration or in the hands of your neighbors.
Para terminar la sinopsis sin arruinar todo el libro, esta es la trama sobre la que gira la historia. Encontrar agua y no morir. Sea por deshidratación o a manos de tus vecinos.
The authors do a great job at setting down the crisis in such a real, tangible, current scenario; they integrate all the things that you would think would be the last of your worries in this kind of disaster: not being able to give water to your dog (this broke my heart) or to keep the sewage odors out of your house or to cook, all the derived sickness… All of this keeps the tension as it must be in a situation like that and keeps you constantly on edge. Something I think helped was the alternation between narrators, it gives you the whole picture and the opportunity to reflect on all that's happening.
Los autores hicieron un gran trabajo al aterrizar la crisis en un escenario tan real, tan actual, tan tangible; integran todas las cosas que uno creería serían las últimas preocupaciones en este tipo de desastre: no poder darle agua a tu perro (esto me rompió el corazón) o mantener los olores de drenaje fuera de tu casa o cocinar, todas las enfermedades derivadas... Todo esto mantiene la tensión como debería ser en una situación como esa y te mantiene constantemente el la orilla de tu asiento. Algo que creo que ayudó fue la alternancia entre narradores, te da todo el panorama y la oportunidad de reflexionar sobre todo lo que está sucediendo.
Another thing that I think was a great element were the "snapshots": snippets of the situation from the point of view of a series of random characters that are in critical positions during the event's development: a power plant manager, an activist college student, a news reporter. They made the narrative more dynamic and also aided when it came to understanding the whole picture.
Otra cosa que creo que fue un genial elemento fueron los "momentos instantáneos": fragmentos de la situación desde el punto de vista de personajes al azar que se encuentran en posiciones críticas durante el desarrollo de los eventos: un gerente de una planta eléctrica, una estudiante activista de Universidad, una reportera. Hacen la narrativa más dinámica y auxiliaron a entender el panorama completo.
Finally, what I think was the perfect final touch for this story. <spoiler> When the crisis is over, Alyssa briefs us about the four types of people that came out of the Tap-Out:
1. The oblivious ones: they go about their life like the Tap-Out never happened.
2. The ones who lived through it and are still facing the PTSD of it all, not taking anything for granted.
3. The fulfilled ones: the new-found heroes, the ones that came out of the Tap-Out with a calling.
4. The shadows: the ones that can't look at others because they can't face themselves. </spoiler>
Finalmente, lo que creo que fue el toque final perfecto para esta historia. <spoiler>Cuando la crisis termina, Alyssa nos da un resumen de los cuatro tipos de personas que surgieron del "Cierre de Grifos":
1. Los inadvertidos: viven su vida como si el "Cierre de Grifos" nunca hubiera sucedido.
2. Los que lo vivieron y aún están enfrentando el estrés post-traumático de todo eso, no dando nada por sentado.
3. Los realizados: los nuevos héroes, los que salieron del "Cierre de Grifos" con un llamado.
4. Las sombras: aquellos que no pueden mirar a otros porque no pueden enfrentarse ni ellos mismos.</spoiler>
I loved this because is the ultimate reality check of what would be if this happened. Or when this happens.
Esto me encantó porque es el choque de realidad definitivo sobre qué sería si esto pasara. O cuando esto pase.
It goes without saying that I think this is a necessary read.
Está de más decir que pienso que esta es una lectura necesaria.
Creo que calificaré este con 3.5 estrellas. Fue bueno, me gustó en gran parte, pero hubo algo que no llega a hacerlo un 4 para mí.
I think I'm rating this one at 3.5 stars. It was good, I liked most of it, but there was something that doesn't quite make it a 4 for me.
Esta es una historia de dos hermanas huérfanas con poder para leer mentes aue se escapan de su muy próximo destino como esclavas (o peor) para intentar encontrar una mejor vida para ellas. Incluso con todos los peligros que vienen con esto en una ciudad violenta y claramente jerarquizada que las marcó como ganado para identificarlas como algo que no merece llamarse siquiera "persona".
This is a story about two orphan sisters with mind-reading powers that escape from their soon-to-be fate as slaves (or worse) to try and find a better life for themselves. Even with all the dangers that come with this in a city that's violent and with clear hierarchies, which marked them as cattle to identified tham as something that doesn't even get to be called "person".
Es una novela de ritmo rápido que logra mantener el interés utilizando un narrador en tercera persona que alterna entre los eventos que le suceden a cada una de las hermanas, lo cual ayuda a mantener la predicibilidad al margen. Tiene suspenso, fantasía, algo de acción, y amor. Pero, personalmente, este último fue un pequeño problema.
It is a fast paced novel that manages to keep you engaged using a third person narrator that goes back and forth between what's happening to each of the sisters, which helps to keep predictability at bay. It has suspense, fantasy, some action and love. But personally, the latter was a bit a of a problem.
Me gustó que, en un principio, la necesidad de romance se justificara con algo serio y profundo, incluso indeseable en cierto grado, siendo solamente un medio para el personaje de estar a salvo y conseguir una mejor vida. Pero esto rápidamente se convirtió en un tipo de amor instantáneo que logró reducir mi emoción por lo que estaba leyendo y hacerme verlo más como un libro para adolescentes. Especialmente cuando se agregó un romance innecesario.
I liked that, at the beginning, the necessity of romance was justified as something serious and profound, even undesirable at some degree, being only the mean of the character to be safe and get a better life. But this quickly turned into a insta love kind of thing that managed to reduce my hype for what I was reading and making me see it more as a PG-13 teen book. Especially when an unnecessary romance was thrown in.
Sin embargo, la historia logra sobrepasar esto y -no estoy muy contenta al respecto, pero en el buen sentido- termina en un momento de suspenso que te mantiene queriendo saber qué será lo que depara a estas dos hermanas.
However, the story does make it past this and -I'm not very happy about this, but in a good way- ends in a cliffhanger that keeps you wanting more of what's to come for these two sisters.
En general, fue una buena lectura, ligera y entretenida. Definitivamente quiero leer la secuela.
In general, it was a good, light, entertaining read. I definitely want to read the sequel.
Lovely as always.
Adorable como siempre.
I don't know what this simple story of loves -so strange to our time- has, to make me like it so much.
No sé qué tiene esta sencilla historia de amores -tan extraños para nuestro tiempo- que hace que me guste tanto.
History has been very clear in stating that the XIX century wasn't precisely a favourable time for women, with all the social conditioning factors regarding behavior and thought. However, Jane Austen is capable of avoiding my focus on these facts and my disgust because of the lack of freedom implied. On the contrary, she manages to tell a story where feelings are the protagonists and she gives them the capacity to endure or overcome these social restrictions.
La historia nos ha dejado claro que el siglo XIX no era precisamente una época favorable para el sexo femenino, con todas las condicionantes sociales de comportamiento y pensamiento. Sin embargo, Jane Austen es capaz, en cada ocasión, de evitar mi enfoque en estos hechos y mi disgusto por la falta de libertad que implica. Por el contrario, logra contar una historia donde los sentimientos son los protagonistas y les da la capacidad de sobrellevar o superar estas restricciones sociales.
Also, there's something I find very interesting in the era's social norms on how to call on your neighbor or woo the person of your interest. Though I can't make peace with the fact that there wasn't exactly an intermediate time, that we now know as "dating", between meeting each other and making a marriage proposition. But there is no use in trying to understand.
Además, hay algo que me parece bastante interesante en las normas sociales de la época para visitar a tu vecino o cortejar a la persona de tu interés. Aunque no logra entrar en mi cabeza cómo no existía exactamente el tiempo intermedio, que ahora conocemos como noviazgo, entre conocerse y hacer una propuesta de matrimonio. Pero intentar comprender sale sobrando.
What I most enjoy of Pride and Prejudice (and I would like to say that of all Jane Austen's stories, but I still remain to read more) is that she can transport me and make me live the story through the characters, leaving me, precisely, only to enjoy the journey. And inevitably, through reading, there's pictures in my mind of the beautiful performances of Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.
Lo que más disfruto de Orgullo y Prejuicio (y quisiera decir de todos los relatos de Jane Austen, pero me hace falta leer más) es que puede transportarme y hacerme vivir la historia a través de los personajes permitiéndome precisamente sólo disfrutar el viaje. E inevitablemente, durante la lectura, en mi cabeza hay imágenes de las hermosas actuaciones de Keira Knightley y Matthew Macfadyen.
Perhaps is not the most objective rating, but it is still a 5 stars for me.
Tal vez no la calificación más objetiva, pero para mí sigue teniendo 5 estrellas.
<blockquote>Perhaps she was glass.
But glass is only brittle until it breaks.
Then it's sharp.
Talvez ella era de cristal.
Pero el cristal solamente es frágil hasta que se rompe.
Entonces es afilado. </blockquote>
I hate to admit it, but I enjoyed the first book more than I did Vengeful. However, that doesn't mean this wasn't actually a great read.
Detesto admitirlo, pero disfruté más el primer libro de lo que disfruté Una Venganza Mortal. Sin embargo, eso no significa que esta no fuera en realidad una gran lectura.
I was, honestly, not really waiting in anticipation for anything in particular, aside from an awesome story, when I started the next installment in the Villians saga. I couldn't imagine what conflict our beloved characters would have to face and overcome after the finale in Vicious; as soon as I read the excerpt of this second book after the end of the first, I just knew I needed to get my hands on Vengeful.
Honestamente, no estaba realmente esperando en anticipación por nada en particular, además de una impresionante historia, cuando empecé la siguiente entrega de la saga de Villanos. No podía imaginar qué conflicto nuestros amados personajes tendrían que enfrentar y superar después del final en Una Obsesión Perversa; en cuanto leí el extracto de este segundo libro al terminar el primero, supe que necesitaba hacerme de Una Venganza Mortal.
As I already stated, this wasn’t the same unbelievable experience I had when reading Vicious, but I think it was mostly because of the pace combined with the greater variety of intermingling stories, which had me splitting my focus much more than the first time and resulting in a bit of a harder read. The story was amazing, but I just couldn't devour Vengeful as I did with the first book.
Como ya dije, esta no fue la misma experiencia increíble que tuve como cuando leí Una Obsesión Perversa, pero creo que principalmente fue por el ritmo combinado con la mayor variedad de historias entremezcladas, lo que me tuvo dividiendo mi atención mucho más que la primera vez y resultando en una lectura un poco más retadora.
<blockquote>Was it madness, to believe? Or arrogance, to not?
¿Era una locura creer? ¿O arrogancia no hacerlo?</blockquote>
Vengeful takes us deeper into the ExtraOrdinary world, where a bunch more EOs appear along the way and shows the reader many of the possible outcomes of living in a world with people wielding power beyond money, fear and status.
Una Venganza Mortal nos lleva más profundo en el mundo ExtraOrdinario, donde aparecen un montón más de EOs a lo largo del camino y le muestra al lector muchos de los resultados de vivir en un mundo con personas ejerciendo poder más allá de dinero, miedo o estatus.
This time, I won't get into any more detail about the plot, as I feel this experience is best when diving in clueless, except for the book description, any assumptions one may make after finishing Vicious and perhaps the teaser in the latter. I will, though, encourage anyone who has read the first book, to read Vengeful. It is witty, dramatic, provoking and one hell of a ride.
Esta vez no me adentraré en más detalle sobre la trama, ya que siento que esta experiencia es mejor cuando se sumerge en ella sin saber nada excepto por la descripción del libro, cualquier suposición que se pueda hacer tras terminar Una Obsesión Perversa y, quizás, el fragmento en este último. Sin embargo, sí animaré a cualquiera que haya leído el primer libro, a leer Una Venganza Mortal. Es ingenioso, dramático, provocador y un viaje imperdible.
<blockquote>"It doesn't matter if you're a human versus a human or a human versus an EO or an EO versus an EO. You do what you can. You fight and you win, until you don't.”
“No importa si eres un humano contra un humano o un humano contra un EO o un EO contra un EO. Haces lo que puedes. Peleas y ganas, hasta que pierdes.”</blockquote>
Una historia corta, enternecedora y triste. Sin embargo, a mi parecer, las acciones de Natsuru no tuvieron una razón clara de ser (lo cual probablemente sea acertado para un niño de 11 años) y eso me hizo no poder empatizar mucho con él.
Las dos estrellas no significan que sea un manga malo, sólo no fue particularmente de mi agrado.
"What is a person, if not the marks they leave behind?"
"¿Qué es una persona, si no las marcas que deja atrás?"
I can't think of much to say about this book. I only know it was a wonderful experience, just like everything else I've read from V.E. Schwab.
No puedo pensar en mucho que decir sobre este libro. Sólo sé que fue una magnífica experiencia, como todo lo que he leído de V.E. Schwab.
The story of Adeline, reborn (in a way) as Addie, and how she discovered what truly matters in life, left me speechless.
La historia de Adeline, renacida (de cierta manera) como Addie, y cómo descubrió lo que realmente es importante en la vida, me dejó sin palabras.
This book touches on themes like what it means to be really free, the relevance of art, the fact that everything comes with a price, and essence of being human.
Este libro toca temas como lo que significa ser realmente libre, la relevancia del arte, el hecho de que todo tiene un precio y la escencia de ser humano.
I can't recommend this enough.
No puedo recomendarlo lo suficiente.
If you like a good story of learning and resilience, read it. If you like tales of gods, deals and curses, read it. If you like books that transport you and make you feel everything, read it.
Si te gusta una buena historia de aprendizaje y resilencia, léelo. Si te gustan los relatos de dioses, tratos y maldiciones, léelo. Si te gustan los libros que te transportan y te hacen sentir todo, léelo.
“My name is Addie LaRue. I was born in Villon in the year 1691, my parents were Jean and Marthe, and we lived in a stone house just beyond an old yew tree...”
“Mi nombre es Addie LaRue. Nací en Villon en el año 1691, mis padres eran Jean y Marthe, y vivíamos en una casa de piedra un poco más allá de un viejo árbol de tejo...”
Yet there are such things as fairies, Alfred. And despite what people think, it appears they live in our wood.
Sin embargo, existen tales cosas como las hadas, Alfred. Y, a pesar de lo que la gente piensa, parece que viven en nuestro bosque.
I think this is the most pretty and nostalgic book I have read in a while.
Creo que este es el libro más bonito y nostálgico que he leido en un tiempo.
We join our main character, Alice, amongst the night turmoil of a very important phone call concerning her sick brother. The hospital has found a donor.
Nos unimos a nuestro personaje principal, Alice, en medio del tumulto nocturno debido a una llamada importante concerniente a su hermano enfermo. El hospital ha encontrado un donador.
Since only her mum can stay with Theo, and the plan to stay at her best friend's is foiled by Lexi's mom belated pregnancy due date, the young girl ends up at her estranged paternal grandmother's cottage in Darkling Wood. Soon, she starts learning that those three acres of forest houses more than just trees and owls.
Ya que solamente su madre puede quedarse con Theo, y el plan para quedarse en casa de su mejor amiga se ve frustrado por la fecha de parto atrasada de la mamá de Lexi, la joven termina en Darkling Wood en la cabaña de su distanciada abuela paterna. Pronto comienza a aprender que esos tres acres de bosque son hogar de algo más que solo árboles y buhos.
I've never heard him rant so—about the war and young men dying for a cause they didn't understand, let alone believe in, and how those who did come home were forgotten because nobody cared. Was it so mad, then, to believe in something good, to hope our sorry, awful world wasn't all there was?
Nunca lo había escuchado despotricar así—sobre la guerra y los jóvenes muriendo por una causa que no entienden, y en la que mucho menos creen, y cómo aquellos que sí vuelven a casa son olvidados porque a nadie le importa. ¿Es tan disparatado, entonces, creer en algo bueno, tener la esperanza de que nuestro triste, horrible mundo no es todo lo que hay?
I'm not exactly well-versed in fairy lore, but I loved this was very consistent with what I do know, plus some interesting bits that were new for me. For instance, the description of the fairies' movement making the air ripple or the mention of Chime Children: kids that are born from Friday midnight to cockcrow on Saturday are believed to have the ability to see ghosts and fairies. Every bit of information given by the author is carefully weaved into a fantastic story, with alternating timelines, that ends in a wonderful wrap up of all that happens during that week and a half that Alice spends in Darkling Wood.
No soy exactamente conocedora del mundo de las hadas, pero me encantó que esto fue muy consistente con lo que sí sé, más algunos datos interesantes nuevos para mí. Por ejemplo, la descripción de cómo el aire se ondula con el movimiento de las hadas o la mención de los Niños Repique: ellos son nacidos entre medianoche de viernes y el canto de los cuervos en sábado, y se cree que tienen la habilidad de ver fantasmas y hadas. Cada pieza de información dada por la autora se entreteje cautelosamente en una historia fantástica, con tiempos alternantes, que termina en una maravillosa culminación de todo lo que pasa durante esa semana y media que Alice pasa en Darkling Wood.
I appreciated a lot that, even though this is juvenile fiction, the story included many of what are considered "adult" topics, which discussion is often avoided with children. The themes range from deep familial pain to sickness of a loved one to post-war social trauma. It was very interesting, humbling and relatable to see our protagonist go through all these things as a teenage girl that's constantly being shut out because she's "to young to deal with it". Children are more capable of understanding than we usually give them credit for - and that hit very close to home.
Aprecié mucho que, a pesar de ser ficción juvenil, la historia incluye varios temas considerados “para adultos”, cuya discusión usualmente suele evitarse con los jóvenes. Los temas van desde profundo dolor familiar a la enfermedad de un ser querido hasta trauma post-guerra. Es bastante interesante y relacionable ver a nuestra protagonista pasar por todas estas cosas como una chica adolescente que constantemente está siendo apartada por “ser muy joven para lidiar con ello”. Los niños son capaces de comprender más de lo que solemos darles crédito - y eso se sintió muy cerca de casa.
He doesn't look back. The doors swing shut and he's gone. Part of me's glad. The other part is mad at him for running back to his new family because it's easier than staying here with us.
No mira hacia atrás. Las puertas se cierran y él ya no está. Parte de mi se alegra. La otra parte está enojada con él por correr de regreso con su nueva familia porque es más sencillo que quedarse aquí con nosotros.
I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who enjoys a wholesome story with magic and a bit of mystery.
Definitivamente recomiendo esta lectura a cualquiera que disfrute de una historia enternecedora con magia y un poco de misterio.
What an amazing read!
Andy Weir beautifully brings together science and fiction in this outer space tale that has us striving for survival along with astronaut Mark Watney when he mistakenly ends up stranded, completely alone in the red planet, after a freak accident while aborting the Ares 3 Mars mission.
I'm the first person to be alone on an entire planet.
What I thought was most wonderful about The Martian is that the main character did not have "main character powers". Everything in this story happens for a reason; a reason which basis has been well established within the plot by the time it happens and not just to fit the plot and its expected outcome. There are certainly a lot of twists and turns along the way.
I also liked very much that the story alternates between multiple points of view, so we get to see what happens, not only in Watney's abandonment, but on Earth and with the Ares 3 crew; all the social drama, moral dilemmas and NASA's effort to bring the astronaut back. All this spiced up with Watney's incredible sense of humor - he's a master at laughing at his own misery.
Turns out the “L” in “LCD” stands for “Liquid”. I guess it either froze or boiled off. Maybe I'll post a costumer review. “Brought product to surface of Mars. It stopped working. 0/10.”
I had a specific sticker type for this read to signal what I found very funny. My book is now plagued with them.
Another thing that I greatly appreciated were the friendly and casual science lessons; if something fills up this book is a load of scientific explanations behind Watney's contraptions going from thermodynamics to botany and basic chemistry. They're detailed enough to clearly explain the facts and how things happen, but not too technical to turn the book into a science text book.
Watney definitely takes advantage of his mechanical engineering/botany powers to whip up countless inventions that show his incredible resilience and determination to stay alive until rescue comes.
I don't want to come off as arrogant here, but I'm the best botanist on the planet.
This book instantly made it to my favorites' list. It's incredibly entertaining, unapologetically funny, surprisingly touching and one of the best I've read in my life.
“Loving someone should never make them a liability.”
"Amar a alguien nunca debería convertirlos en un riesgo"
AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!
Hailey Edwards, you almost destroyed me!
Hailey Edwards, ¡casi me destruyes!
Gray Court takes off almost directly after the end of Gray Tidings and basically revolves around the fallout of the events in the previous book, it's not just an adventure alongside the team on a new case, as the other titles have been. I don't want to go into detail to avoid spoiling anything about the plot, just know that there was a point where I was almost hyperventilanting and fighting back tears; my heart desperately trying to jump off my chest. It was amazing.
Gray Court inicia casi directamente después del final de Gray Tidings y básicamente gira alrededor de la caída tras los eventos del libro anterior, no es solamente una aventura con el equipo en un nuevo caso, como los otros títulos. No quiero entrar mucho en detalle para no arruinar nada sobre la trama, sólo sepan que hubo un punto donde estaba casi hiperventilando y luchando para contener las lágrimas; mi corazón desesperadamente tratando de salir de mi pecho. Fue increíble.
A lifetime of feeling nothing hadn't prepared me for feeling everything.
Una vida de no sentir nada no me había preparado para sentirlo todo.
No he tenido una vida de no sentir nada, pero esta definitivamente era yo.
Finalmente pasan muchas cosas que nuestros personajes (y yo, como lectora) habían estado temiendo, cuando consecuencias alcanzan a Rue y compañía y ya no pueden evitarlas más.
Esta es una lectura de ritmo rápido que me mantuvo al borde de mi asiento durante su totalidad. Sin embargo, aprecié mucho que hubo espacio para mostrar el crecimiento que cada uno de los personajes ha estado desarrollando a lo largo de seis libros y para saborear cada momento de dulce dulce agonía.
“Your mother made a hard choice when she kept you, but she chose you. She wanted some good to come from what happened to her. The others should have lifted her up, not torn you down.”
“Tu madre tomó una decisión difícil cuando te mantuvo, pero te eligió a ti. Quería que algo bueno saliera de lo que le pasó. Los demás debieron ayudarla a levantarse, no derribarte.”
Sólo puedo decir que este fue definitivamente un viaje y, así como cuando terminé Gray Tidings, no puedo esperar para la siguiente entrega. Este libro me hizo sentir TANTO. No sé con qué más terminar esta reseña más que: por favor lee esta serie.
Disclaimer: this is my first time reading adult fantasy, so I don't know the standard for the romance or about the accuracy of the lore, but this was great for me. <I>Disclaimer: esta es mi primera vez leyendo fantasía adulta, así que no conozco el estándar para el romance o la precisión de la tradición fantástica, pero esto fue increíble para mí.</I>
Whenever there's a threat that might expose the paranormal community to humans, Black Hat comes in to deal with the problem, though they're not exactly good people. The agents are all misfits that were faced with two options: be recruited and work for them the rest of your life or die for your crimes. <i>Cada vez que hay una amenaza que pudiera exponer la comunidad paranormal a los humanos, Black Hat entra a lidiar con el problema, aunque no son exactamente buenas personas. Los agentes son todos inadaptados sociales que fueron enfrentados con dos opciones: ser reclutado y trabajar para ellos de por vida o morir por tus crímenes.</i>
<blockquote><i>That I had preyed on the guilty didn’t make me an angel of mercy, merely an opportunist.</i> Que haya sido depredadora de culpables no me hacía un ángel de misericordia, meramente una oportunista.</blockquote>
I cannot stop thinking about this series. <i>No puedo dejar de pensar en esta serie</i>
It has ruined me. <i>Me ha arruinado.</i>
I just want more and there's no more! <i>¡Sólo quiero más y no hay más!</i>
This time, I'll be doing a summary review for all 6 books currently released, not including the companion "Black Soul, White Heart". I was so invested that I didn't stop to recollect my thoughts after finishing each installment; I just downloaded the next one and got right to it (fyi, they're all available in Kindle Unlimited). <i>En esta ocasión, haré una reseña sumarizada para los 6 libros actualmente publicados, sin incluir el acompañante "Black Soul, White Heart". Estaba tan inmersa en la historia que no paré a organizar mis pensamientos tras terminar cada entrega; sólo descargaba la siguiente y seguía sin demoras (por cierto, todos están disponibles en Kindle Unlimited).</i>
The author, Hailey Edwards, introduces us into the simple, quiet, small town life of ex-Black Hat agent Rue Hollis at the beginning of "Black Hat, White Witch". Our heroine is a former black witch who went through a turning point in her life during her last case and decided to embrace white magic, escaping the bureau's claws as a result and adopting this new life and her new identity. Because the only way to stop being an agent is in a pine box. <i>La autora, Hailey Edwards, nos presenta la vida simple, tranquila y de pueblo pequeño de la ex-agente de Black Hat, Rue Hollis, al inicio de "Black Hat, White Witch". Nuestra heroína solía ser una bruja negra que pasó por un momento crucial en su vida durante su último caso y decidió convertirse a la magia blanca, escapando de las garras del buró como resultado y adoptar esta nueva vida y su nueva identidad. Porque la única manera de dejar de ser un agente es en una caja de madera.</i>
Rue's new, peaceful life is turned upside down when trouble knocks at her door in the shape of her former partner, Clay the golem, and his new partner, Asa the dae - half fae, half daemon. She gets lured into helping catch what seems to be a copycat of the serial killer she put into the ground when she ditched her old life and so the story takes off... <i>La nueva, pacífica vida de Rue se voltea de cabeza cuando problemas tocan a su puerta en la forma de su ex-compañero, Clay el golem, y su nuevo compañero, Asa el dae - mitad fae, mitad daemon. Ella se ve atraída a ayudar a atrapar al que parece ser un imitador del asesino serial del que se deshizo cuando dejó atrás su vieja vida, y entonces la historia toma rumbo...</i>
<blockquote><i>There comes a point where you must stop looking back on the person you were and judging the person you are by their standards. You can’t be two people at once. You’re either New You or Old You. There is no in between.</i> Llega un momento donde debes dejar de mirar atrás hacia la persona que eras y juzgar a la persona que eres bajo esos viejos estándares. No puedes ser dos personas a la vez. O eres el Nuevo Tu o el Viejo Tu. No hay punto intermedio.</blockquote>
I absolutely loved every single one of these books. They just kept getting better and better: we get to follow the team in a new case on each installment, grabbing at the reader's attention with the clever inclusion of lore, each new mystery to be solved and, at the same time, weaving a much larger and complex plot in the background until the time comes to let that bubble burst and become the main conflict in book #4 "Black Wings, Gray Skies". <i>Absolutamente amé cada uno de estos libros. Simplemente se volvían cada vez mejores: tenemos la oportunidad de seguir al equipo durante un nuevo caso en cada entrega, atrapando la atención del lector con la ingeniosa inclusión de la tradición fantástica, cada nuevo misterio y, al mismo tiempo, tejiendo una trama mucho más grande y compleja en el fondo hasta que llega el momento de dejar que explote y se convierta en el conflicto principal en el libro #4 "Black Wings, Gray Skies".</i>
There's also what I think is a wonderful romance element, which makes the series even more enjoyable. I felt it was so well balanced, first just being presented as a hint, a playful suggestion, and then slowly developing into a protagonic role, but without stealing the spotlight from the main plot that has been driving the story since the first book. Additionally, having two other main characters, other than the love interests, acts as a buffer and keeps things light and fun. That is, until we get to the steamy parts that are so worth the buildup and the wait. <i>También tenemos lo que, en mi opinión, es un gran elemento romántico, que hace a la serie aun más disfrutable. Sentí que estuvo muy bien balanceado, primero siendo presentado solamente como una pista, una sugerencia lúdica, y después desarrollándose lentamente hacia un rol protagónico pero sin robarle el enfoque a la trama principal que ha venido dirigiendo la historia desde el primer libro. Además, tener otros dos personajes principales, aparte de los intereses amorosos, actúa como amortiguador y mantiene las cosas ligeras y divertidas. Eso es hasta que llegamos a las partes tórridas del romance que valen mucho la emoción y la espera.</i>
<blockquote><i>“Is this the part where you tell me you’ve waited for me your whole life?” “You just did it for me.”</i> "¿Es esta la parte donde me dices que has esperado por mí toda tu vida?" "Acabas de hacerlo por mí."</blockquote>
I thoroughly enjoyed that the whole series' writing is very easy to follow without feeling hollow, with lovable characters and a deeply interesting story that kept me turning and turning pages. I greatly appreciated the fact that the author does not take herself too seriously and indulges in some cringy lines that, in my opinion, only add to the fun of reading about this unlikely team. <i>Disfruté muchísimo que la escritura de toda la saga es bastante fácil de seguir sin sentirse vacía, con personajes encantadores y una historia profundamente interesante que me mantuvo dando y dando vueltas a las páginas. Aprecié mucho el hecho de que la autora no se toma a ella misma tan enserio y se permite complacerse con algunas líneas vergonzosas que, en mi opinión, solamente agregan a la diversión de leer sobre este equipo improbable.</i>
I don't really remember how I stumbled upon the Black Hat Bureau series. I think it was a recommendation in a bookstagram reel or maybe in a Goodreads thread - the point is that it peaked my interest and I added it to my TBR. Now that I got around to reading it, I don't know why I waited so long to dive into it. I can't wait to hear the news about a new installment coming our way. <i>Realmente no recuerdo bien cómo me topé con la serie de Black Hat Bureau. Creo que fue una recomendación en un reel de bookstagram o talvez una cadena de Goodreads - el punto es que llamó mi atención y lo agregué a mi lista por leer. Ahora que al fin lo hice, no sé por qué esperé tanto para sumergirme en ella. No puedo esperar a escuchar la noticia sobre una nueva entrega en camino.</i>
The series, in general, is a 5 star one for me. <i>La saga, en general, es de 5 estrellas para mí</i>
“I'm answering your question. The answer is yes. I'm giving up on trying to be popular and normal.”
One day, like any other, at the Mica High School in hot Arizona, Stargirl arrives as an apparition to defy the calmness and normalness of the student body -and the whole community- with her colorful personality, her ukulele and the rat riding on her shoulder.
Jerry Spinelli tells us in Stargirl a sweet, but crude, coming-of-age story about acceptance, tolerance and being true to yourself.
The imagery the author depicts is beautiful; an authentic sensorial experience and, to be fair, the pace of the narrative is rather tranquil and slow, but it is very enjoyable and does not feel dragged at any point. Even though the pace is calm, there are key moments placed very carefully throughout the story which help in keeping the reader engaged and curious as to what happened or what will happen next. After all, it takes place at high school and there's bound to be drama.
We wanted to define her, to wrap her up as we did each other, but we could not seem to get past “weird” and “strange” and “goofy”.
I liked very much the combination of eccentric and fantastic-like situations with the very realistic consequences and reactions one would expect from these situations taking place: like the awkwardness in the room after someone you don't know, randomly and unexpectedly comes up to you to dedicate yourself a performance of “Happy Birthday”. I feel this kept the story balanced and makes it a tale that can be thoroughly enjoyed by young readers, but also make the older ones reflect on deeper themes.
Spinelli discussed a variety of topics that ranged from creating a sense of community and connecting with nature, to embracing our true selves or the actual impact of being selfless (or selfish). I guess this is what makes it a perfect middle school or high school level read.
[...]I had never realized how much I needed the attention of others to confirm my own presence.
As a personal favorite, I thought the character of old, wise, but childish at heart, Archie, the retired paleontologist, was awesome and a crucial element to the story as he was the anchor that brought to the ground all the chaotic thoughts and feelings of the teenagers, helping them -and the reader- see beyond the surface of what was happening in their lives.
I can't think of something that I didn't like about Stargirl. While I was reading it, I kept picking it up at any spare moment I had as it made my heart full or ache with all the emotions I stumbled upon. It was a wonderful story that I would recommend to anyone.
The earth is speaking to us, but we can't hear because of all the racket our senses are making. Sometimes we need to erase them, erase our senses. Then -maybe- the earth will touch us. The universe will speak. The stars will whisper.
I'm still unsure about marking this as “Read” since I only skimmed through the entire second half of this book. I did get to the end, though, so I think I'll leave it like that.
I don't like speaking badly of books since I don't share the talent of writing and storytelling and, when I don't enjoy one, I usually try to find what I could see other people enjoying. Sadly, I couldn't find anything to be enjoyed in this book.
It started off interesting, setting the premise of a jealous mother-in-law and a momma's boy blind to the extents his dearest could go to get rid of his new girlfriend. However, all it did was make me mad.
All I could feel was anger towards all characters -not just the scheming mother- and I never got to relate or empathize with any of them, as there was nothing of substance that any could offer. By the time I got to the halfway mark, I couldn't bear it anymore, but keep on reading (and by reading I mean skimming through dialogs) only to prove me right on the “twists” that were yet to be revealed, as I had already guessed all previous ones.
I was also very disappointed by the ending as there was nothing in the 250+ pages before that gave any indication of the final reveal, so it felt very forced and out of character. There was even an attempt to tie everything together by making the main character “remember” certain things and moments that made it all click, but it just didn't work.
So, I've reached the end of my rant. I'm truly sorry, but I would never recommend this to anyone.
"You can never have too much sky. [...] Here there is too much sadness and not enough sky."
Reading Sandra Cisneros work was a real treat. It was the “light” reading I was looking for though, at the same time, so rich and full of cultural meaning. I didn't know The House on Mango Street was poetry in prose until I started the book, and it was an entirely different experience than what I had with my last (and first) book of this style.
This is the story of Esperanza and her dream house: all the experiences she lives, the people she meets and the lessons she learns on the journey to finding it.
“In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting.”
“Shame is a bad thing, you know. It keeps you down. You want to know why I quit school? Because I didn't have nice clothes. No clothes, but I had brains.”
“The father wants his daughter to be a weather girl on TV, or to marry and have babies. She doesn't want to be a TV weather girl. Nor does she want to marry and have babies.”