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Erin Bowman
is finished with Hallowed: Cynthia Hand is trying to kill me. My emotions. So many. <3
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" Michele C. wrote: "Is it okay to read these prequels before the book comes out? I don't know if that's a silly question, but I don't want to spoil the...more
Michele C. wrote: "Is it okay to read these prequels before the book comes out? I don't know if that's a silly question, but I don't want to spoil the book. I just read a sneak peek of the first couple of chapters an..."
YES! You can absolutely read them first. They won't spoil the full-length novel. If anything, the novellas set you up for THRONE OF GLASS by introducing you to Celaena and all the struggles/ventures of her earlier years.(less)
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Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN is a classic that I never read in high school, so after my husband recently reread it, I snatched it up. I both loved and despised this play. In many ways it is masterful. Even decades later, the themes of Miller's...more
Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN is a classic that I never read in high school, so after my husband recently reread it, I snatched it up. I both loved and despised this play. In many ways it is masterful. Even decades later, the themes of Miller's work are still alive and kicking: the working man, the pursuit of the American Dream, the way corporations tend to treat people not as living, breathing beings, but as numbers. I've watched friends and family lose jobs and be abused by their employers, much the way Willy was in this story. My heart ached for Willy.
And at the same time, I wanted to slap him, because Willy's demise was what I disliked about this book and it seemed avoidable. His intentions were in the right place but he babies his boys when they are young, leading them to sport questionable morals in their youth. He inflates his own ego in the process of trying to feel important and valued. He is downright horrible to his wife. He refuses to accept his sons for the individuals they become and still tries to mold them into what he sees best, even after they are grown, independent, and more or less happy. In the end, he destroys the only thing he has going for him: family.
I found the entire thing depressing, and yet I'm still oddly moved by the whole affair. In the end, I'm glad I read it. There is something powerful about this story, even in its darkness.
Originally reviewed here.(less)
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Glass Heart
by
Amy Garvey (Goodreads Author)
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I fell in love with Amy Garvey’s COLD KISS about a year ago, so I was so excited to get my hands on an ARC of the sequel, GLASS HEART. In this follow-up, Wren is still struggling to understand her powers, and when Gabriel encourages her to stop using...more
I fell in love with Amy Garvey’s COLD KISS about a year ago, so I was so excited to get my hands on an ARC of the sequel, GLASS HEART. In this follow-up, Wren is still struggling to understand her powers, and when Gabriel encourages her to stop using them, she fells a sting of rejection; almost as if he is unwilling to accept her for who she is. After meeting a couple in town (Bay and Fiona) that seem to share her abilities, Wren begins to practice using her powers with those that don’t want her to hide them. But something is off about Bay. He is not outwardly threatening, but even as a reader, you can sense a certain wrongness from the start. He made my skin crawl for most of the book, and I think Garvey’s treatment of his character is brilliant.
My love for COLD KISS outweighs GLASS HEART, but I still thought this was a lovely sequel. Wren and Gabriel have their ups and downs, and like always, Garvey is able to write young love in such a sweet, convincing, authentic manner. Family drama continues to play a role as Wren’s absent father re-enters their lives. And above all: the prose! It is as gorgeous as always. Amy Garvey has a way with words and I will gladly read anything she writes.
NOTE: This review is based on an ARC
Originally reviewed here.(less)
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Another Throne of Glass novella by Sarah J. Maas, and once again, I loved it. Celaena's motives in this installment stem from the very fist novella–the cruel injustice of slavery. When Adarlan tasks her with eliminating a pro-slavery figure, her miss...more
Another Throne of Glass novella by Sarah J. Maas, and once again, I loved it. Celaena's motives in this installment stem from the very fist novella–the cruel injustice of slavery. When Adarlan tasks her with eliminating a pro-slavery figure, her mission takes her into the sewers below Rithold. This dank, filthy location contrasts against the stunning aspects of the above ground city that Maas effortless brings to life.
Celaena is quickly becoming one of my favorite heroines. In this novella we see her make some terrible mistakes (blindly following orders, snapping at the boy who loves her, etc), and I can't help but marvel at how these flaws in her character hint at her growth throughout the series. (Having already read THRONE OF GLASS, I appreciate this look at her past, her fire and impulsiveness. She still has some of it in ToG, but she's changed, grown). And Sam! I fall a bit further in love with him every time he graces the pages.
I'm so very excited for the final novella, but I'm also truly terrified. Because I love both Celaena and Sam and I know what has to happen to get them to where they need to be for the start of THRONE OF GLASS. I have a horrible feeling that tissues will be in order.
Originally reviewed here.(less)
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I like reading books about the craft of writing. I like feeling like I'm not alone, listening to someone else that gets it. And my goodness does Anne Lamott get it. Reading BIRD BY BIRD was like tapping into my chaotic brain and hearing all the neuro...more
I like reading books about the craft of writing. I like feeling like I'm not alone, listening to someone else that gets it. And my goodness does Anne Lamott get it. Reading BIRD BY BIRD was like tapping into my chaotic brain and hearing all the neurotic thoughts that run around in there read back to me in some semblance of order.
This is a candid account at the ups and downs of writing, and the craziness that is leading a life filled with words. Lamott discusses validation, jealousy, shitty first drafts, the muse of creativity, publication, voice, and so much more. I laughed out loud numerous times while reading this, and when I wasn't laughing, I was often nodding in agreement. There are a few places that come across a bit pessimistic, but I appreciated them. Because they so honestly talked about the woes and fears and worries we have as writers. This book made me feel like I'm not (entirely) crazy. I'd consider this a must read for anyone who can't not write.
Originally reviewed here.(less)
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Unearthly
by
Cynthia Hand (Goodreads Author)
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I don't read a lot of paranormal romance, but I heard so many good things about this novel that I finally picked it up. And I loved it.
Even though this novel centers around angels (both good and fallen), this novel was somehow very rooted in reality....more
I don't read a lot of paranormal romance, but I heard so many good things about this novel that I finally picked it up. And I loved it.
Even though this novel centers around angels (both good and fallen), this novel was somehow very rooted in reality. I think that's what I loved most about it. Clara is just a normal girl. She goes to school. She crushes on a guy. She has a healthy relationship with her mother and brother. So much of this novel felt like a contemporary YA. Except for the pieces that didn't...
Clara is a quarter angel and has just received her purpose–visuals that hint to a certain task she is destined to complete (saving a boy from a forest fire). This leads her and her family to a new school, where she seeks out said boy. Along the way she makes friends, one of which includes Tucker, an outdoorsy, down-to-earth guy that begins distracting her from her purpose and the boy she should be focused on.
Love triangles are hard to do right, for many reason, but this novel excels. The boys that Clara is caught between is handled so expertly that I feel everyone writing a love triangle should read this book as research. (I also appreciated the natural and sweet relationship that slowly bloomed between Clara and Tucker. I'm rooting for him.)
I read this on my iPad while traveling, but promptly ordered a finished copy for my bookshelf when I got home. (Along with the sequel, HALLOWED, because gosh darnnit, I'm anxious to know what happens next!)
Originally reviewed here.(less)
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After DIVERGENT’s pulse-pounding ending, I was anxious to see where Roth would take things in INSURGENT. For most of the novel, Tris and Four seem to bounce around Chicago, crossing paths with other factions, and even the factionless. This lets us ge...more
After DIVERGENT’s pulse-pounding ending, I was anxious to see where Roth would take things in INSURGENT. For most of the novel, Tris and Four seem to bounce around Chicago, crossing paths with other factions, and even the factionless. This lets us get a glimpse at life within these other groups in a way that was not quite possible in DIVERGENT.
The pace of INSURGENT is intense–it seems that Tris and Four are nearly always in mortal danger–and that certainly kept me turning the pages. At the same time, the constantly high stakes began to have a numbing effect, although perhaps this was the point. Tris herself is numb for over half this story, struggling to accept all that has happened to her in the last few weeks.
Truthfully, these small, honest moments were we get of Tris struggling were some of my favorite of the novel. She mourns for the loss of her parents and realizes they will never again know her, or the woman she is becoming. She struggles to accept the fact that she killed Will when he was under simulation (in book 1), but chose to fight that same simulation when it came to Four, sparing his life. She is no longer able to hold a gun without guilt and grief crippling her. These moments speak to the complexities of being human, and I adored them.
Another aspect of the novel that I enjoyed–and a heavy focus of the overall story–was the evolving relationship between Tris and Four. Their relationship feels natural and respectful (minus the lying), and taxed by the pressures to two of them face. (Tris–Girl, if you are listening, you need to stop lying to your boyfriend! I beg you. Regardless of your intentions, you are only making things worse by doing so.)
But in the end, I didn’t like INSURGENT as much as I liked DIVERGENT. The twist at INSURGENT’s close was fantastic and sets things up nicely for book two, but I can’t help but think we could have gotten there sooner. Much of this novel felt drawn out to me, even with the aspects I loved. Given the reviews I’ve read so far, I seem to be in the minority, so please take my opinion for what it is: one reader’s opinion. Overall, there is much to love about INSURGENT, especially for readers that fell head over heels for DIVERGENT. Roth’s world only gets richer (and the stakes, higher) with this installment. The road ahead of these characters looks rocky at best. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Tris and Four.
Originally reviewed here.(less)
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