After the halfway mark of this book, it felt fairly repetitive. It could have been a lot shorter and to the point. The advice itself was mixed, in myAfter the halfway mark of this book, it felt fairly repetitive. It could have been a lot shorter and to the point. The advice itself was mixed, in my opinion. Some of it would be a good way to promote more love in a romantic relationship. But other strategies reminded me of codependent behaviour that shouldn't be encouraged.
Also it was pretty heteronormative, with one piece of advice/3-page chapter mentioning how "/platonic/ opposite sex friendships" are a huge source of jealousy and insecurity in relationships... (But only hetero ones, because that's all this book discussed.)...more
There's a lot of insight to take away from this book, but also a lot of bullshit. I hate when self-help authors write as if their experience is enoughThere's a lot of insight to take away from this book, but also a lot of bullshit. I hate when self-help authors write as if their experience is enough to give them the same clout as a professional in, say, neuroscience. Lots of references, but as a lit major and editor, I know that anyone can find sources that will hold the same bias as their argument. There were some useful things I took away from this book, and also a lot (and I mean a *lot*) of claims that I shook my head at and doubted.
I wonder if Kathryn Hansen has had any experience with mindfulness-based therapy, because it does exist, and it relates into a lot of the "detachment" she discusses regarding her disordered eating. I've taken mindfulness based cognitive behaviour therapy, and it's pretty much the same process by which she overcame her binge eating and urges to binge.
This book could have been a lot shorter with some better editing. It can be summarised as follows: - dieting leads to eating disorders - bingeing is a response to starvation or perceived starvation - some therapies don't work for binge eating
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who isn't a binge eater. It's very much niche information for people with that type of disordered eating. This book may actually make someone with anorexia or orthorexia fall further into their restrictive habits and disordered eating....more
Another book that I burned through SO fast, and which has me wondering how the heck all the plotlines will end! This series has been amazing and IAnother book that I burned through SO fast, and which has me wondering how the heck all the plotlines will end! This series has been amazing and I love Tahir's writing style. ...more
Disclaimer: I got this book from the library without knowing ANYTHING about it. I didn't know it was a romance, didn't know when it was set, didn'tDisclaimer: I got this book from the library without knowing ANYTHING about it. I didn't know it was a romance, didn't know when it was set, didn't know anything. It's the first of Ahern's books that I've read.
And it was garbage. I don't like insta-love at the best of times, but it can be done right; and this book? It was done terribly, awfully, eye-rolling-ly bad.
This whole book felt like it was still an early draft, with stereotypical characters that really didn't have any depth to them. The plot was basically: an isolated girl, living in the idyllic woods, reveals her secrets; gets a taste for literal worldwide fame; then goes back to her idyllic life with a terrible boyfriend she insta-loved one day. It's about a documentary crew, but then it's about a weird talent show, then it's about romance, then it's about a murder mystery. It just felt like it was trying too hard at.... everything.
Solomon is the epitome of toxic masculinity. He's the entitled guy who feels possessive of whomever he loves--think Ross Gellar, but instead of being whiny about dinosaurs, he's angry, aggressive, and absolutely violent. He made me uncomfortable the whole book. There were no redeeming qualities about him.
And Laura/Lyrebird? Half the time, it seemed like she was a stereotypical "wild child" with no worldly knowledge; but the other half of the time, she was this wise woodswoman who made magical sounds (which she is sometimes aware of and sometimes not; she can practice the sounds, but she also doesn't realise she's doing them? It was so silly). She's 26 for god's sake, and the book is set in 2016. She was born in 1990 and has grown up with media and television--she says she watched TV and read books growing up, even before moving to the cottage at age 16--but it didn't seem/feel that her character reflected that culture at all. She had no depth.
I was mildly interested in Bo, but didn't get a lot of the story from her. She could have been interesting if the author had written more about her or from her perspective, but nope, we get a forced shitty romance between Solomon "I throw things and fantasise about assaulting people" Fallon and Laura "Am I mystical? Am I self-aware at all?" Button.
There's the character Rachel who has a WIFE! named, uhh, Susie I think? Rachel is basically written out of the book because her wife is pregnant, then in labour (they have a son named Brennan who is used to further the "magical" feelings that Laura emits; AKA, she mimics a baby cry and people get all paternal about it). No brownie points for having a queer character, because Rachel and her wife are basically plopped in to take up space, left out for parts 2 and 3, then brought in at the end THE DAY AFTER SUSIE GIVES BIRTH, so that Laura can mimic the newborn's cries. So stupid.
The writing quality was not very good. Lots of head hopping between characters, with no order to it, and many, many awkward sentences. Like the first example, below, of a paragraph I almost skipped over because it was an 80-WORD SENTENCE. So much passive tense. I don't know if it's a style thing, either, but the subject-verb agreements for collective nouns was REALLY bugging me.
Here are two instances that made me contemplate DNF'ing the book: a racist statement and a rape joke with a shitty cover-up afterward.
(Brace yourself for these TWO sentences.)
Previous formats of the show saw eliminated contestants who'd received the executioner's thumbs down leave in a cage carried off by gladiators, but this was abandoned after the first season when viewers protested at the offensive image of a ninety-two-year-old mother of eleven, whose children and grandchildren were in the audience, being carted off after her rendition of 'Danny Boy', and a crying ten-year-old boy whose magic trick had failed had a panic attack when forced to enter the cage. The execution cage, however, remained popular in a Middle Eastern version of the franchise.
(pg. 191)
What an unnecessary bit of racism. It's so offensive that the Irish audience has a stew, but it's popular in "a Middle Eastern version"? Fuck off!
___
Perhaps Rory realises he's losing Solomon's anger, that Solomon is no longer the underdog, because then he scrapes the barrel. 'She's a great little ride though,' he says, to his mother's dismay and a yell from his dad.
(pg. 330)
A rape joke. A fucking rape joke about Laura, who was blackout drunk. BUT THEN! It's followed up with this, a page later:
'There's such a thing as consent, probably not a word you're familiar with...' Cara explains. 'It requires the woman saying yes. It's a real thing. Other men actually have sex with women who aren't locked out of their heads. Women who can see the faces of their lovers. Now I know it's not usually how you operate, but--' 'Shut the fuck up, Cara.'
(pg. 332)
Ms. Ahern, you're still contributing to rape culture when you include a rape joke. I don't give a damn if you have a (weak) spiel about consent in response to it, because you still included the joke. You can't just include a little soundbite about consent, which is dismissed by the character who MADE the rape joke. Just gross. So gross.
Don't read the book. Find a better insta-love romance than this one, because this was garbage....more
UNBELIEVABLY GOOD. This is one of the best debut YA fantasties I've ever read. Tahir makes excellent use of common tropes (especially for fantasyUNBELIEVABLY GOOD. This is one of the best debut YA fantasties I've ever read. Tahir makes excellent use of common tropes (especially for fantasy debuts, let's be honest) and places them in a rich, exciting world, involving nuanced and complex characters. I fear for their lives.
Can't wait to get A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT from the library soon!...more
A little bit dated, a little bit problematic, but overall relateable. Definitely triggering for eating disorder/disordered eating behaviour. I canA little bit dated, a little bit problematic, but overall relateable. Definitely triggering for eating disorder/disordered eating behaviour. I can identify with Bridget, to a degree--with her neuroticism and disordered eating, at least--and I just wish the book were longer....more
This is a great third book in the Shattered Realms series. Building off the previous two stories (FLAMECASTER and SHADOWCASTER), we meet Evan andThis is a great third book in the Shattered Realms series. Building off the previous two stories (FLAMECASTER and SHADOWCASTER), we meet Evan and Destin in STORMCASTER. First off, love the subtle gay rep with Evan! Second, multiple point of view is so difficult to do and often difficult to follow along with, but this story executes it so well. There are so many points of view and perspectives to keep up with, which are brought in from the last two books, and I was never lost. I love the short chapters. It's like the entire book was slowly setting up dominoes--very interesting dominoes, with romance, political intrigue, and world building--and I wanted to see how they would fall. Then, the last chapters, the first domino is pushed. And we only see how they fall in DEATHCASTER, coming in Spring 2019....more
4 stars. Some sexual content, tons of violence, and what felt like incredibly forced romantic interest. On the plus side: an incredibly gripping4 stars. Some sexual content, tons of violence, and what felt like incredibly forced romantic interest. On the plus side: an incredibly gripping world, and a protagonist (Zelie) I could absolutely root for. ...more
Loved this book. The plot is great. This is objectively a very good book and I sped through it way too fast (and then immediately went to the libraryLoved this book. The plot is great. This is objectively a very good book and I sped through it way too fast (and then immediately went to the library for the third). I kept thinking I wouldn't finish this series, and yet it's sucked me in! So much drama and slow unpacking of sex culture. Loved it. ...more
This was so interesting. It isn't gold standard psychology, hence why I've shelved it in "spiritual", but this is the kind of self-help andThis was so interesting. It isn't gold standard psychology, hence why I've shelved it in "spiritual", but this is the kind of self-help and personality-based book that really changes your perspective on yourself and your peers. This is also an incredible resource for character creation and I need to get a copy of my own soon!...more
(view spoiler)[Bury your gays trope wasn't just "bury" your gays--it was "violently murder your fat gay who remindsHesitant 3-star, as of April 13.
(view spoiler)[Bury your gays trope wasn't just "bury" your gays--it was "violently murder your fat gay who reminds you of someone with an eating disorder" (hide spoiler)]...more
It spoke to my broken teen heart in a way that made me feel heard in a way nobody ever did when I was a kid. My only wish is that it were longer so IIt spoke to my broken teen heart in a way that made me feel heard in a way nobody ever did when I was a kid. My only wish is that it were longer so I could continue being inspired by Kiko Himura...more
Excellent advice on craft. The checklists are incredibly helpful. However, the examples used are dated (as expected; this edition is from 1993) andExcellent advice on craft. The checklists are incredibly helpful. However, the examples used are dated (as expected; this edition is from 1993) and the voice isn't straight forward enough for a reference text. I would 100% recommend this book to writers, though!...more
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