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bookwormenthusiast's reviews
87 reviews
Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have so many thoughts about this book and most of them are about how in love I am with it. It's been so long since I couldn't put a book down or been so eager to keep reading. The writing of this book is phenomenal. Even though it's YA, the writing feels more adult and is one of my favorite writing styles that I've come across. I'm also absolutely in love with all of the characters (although Zetian really got on my nerves sometimes), so you can understand how thrilled I was with the relationship that formed. I feel like I'm going to be recommending this book for a while, and it's probably on my list of top books now. If you love sci-fi and dystopian-esque novels, then you should definitely give this a read (don't let the YA rating prevent you from reading it, it barely gives off the YA vibe). My one complaint was that it felt like there were a couple of things that weren't fully explained (though they were significant enough that they'll probably be mentioned in the second book). It's not like they were simply brought up once, they were referenced a couple of times which leads me to believe that it's not the last time we'll hear about it. Overall, the hype for this book is definitely worth it and I would love to be able to read it again for the first time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Torture
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Murder
Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
I've never been a big fan of poetry. I've always found it difficult and had horrible teachers who would not encourage my interpretation or writing of it. However, "Call Us What We Carry" has been the first poetry book that has made me fall in love with poems. I went through so many emotions while reading these poems, but above all, this book made me reflect a lot about society and history and was one of the few books that made me cry. Perhaps it's because I'm the same age as the author or because I experienced much of the same things she did (as we all did), but I found myself relating a lot to the poems, in terms of how I've been feeling throughout the entirety of this pandemic and just through life in general. It was amazing to see my emotions reflected on these pages, to finally have the words that expressed my feelings. Another reason I liked these poems was that they were also able to teach me something. To incorporate writing from history into poetry was something I have seen little of, but it offered me a new perspective of these situations. The way Amanda Gorman writes is not only thought-provoking but allows readers to express themselves through their experiences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery
The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
General Review:
When I first started reading this book, I had every intention of giving it 5 stars. I loved it more than "The Wedding Date" originally, mostly because of the writing, but also because of the relationship between Nik and Carlos. But there was something about the end of the novel (the last 5 chapters or so) that made me change my mind and give it 4 stars. In my opinion, the writing style shifted a bit, making it more difficult to read in terms of consistency. Because of this, the ending seemed rushed and slow at the same time. In other words, the build-up to the ending seemed to go by slow, and then the conclusion seemed to go too fast. Overall, I loved the romance in this book so much more than the first one, but the ending seemed to through off most of the book.
Specific Thoughts (Spoiler Warning):
Things I Loved:
- The dynamic between Carlos and Nik was amazing! I loved how they met and then became such close friends before dating, it made me root for them even more.
- The side characters were all so interesting. It made me wish that I knew more about their lives as well, especially beyond what we learn in the book
- Carlos was one of my favorite characters in "The Wedding Date" so it was great to learn more about him. I especially loved everything about his family.
- The romance/sex scenes seemed a lot more natural than in "The Wedding Date." That was one of my biggest complaints about the first book so I'm glad it was changed a bit.
Things I Disliked:
- I feel like we only got a small piece of Nik. I wanted to know so much more about her, and I feel like that would have helped me to better understand where she was coming from.
- The breakup near the end of the book felt a bit off. I know that's what everything was culminating too, but it felt weird that they kept saying it wasn't anything serious but then referred to it as a relationship and a breakup.
-The ending fell a bit flat. I was so glad they got back together, but it felt like there was more that needed to be said. It just felt really rushed compared to everything else.
When I first started reading this book, I had every intention of giving it 5 stars. I loved it more than "The Wedding Date" originally, mostly because of the writing, but also because of the relationship between Nik and Carlos. But there was something about the end of the novel (the last 5 chapters or so) that made me change my mind and give it 4 stars. In my opinion, the writing style shifted a bit, making it more difficult to read in terms of consistency. Because of this, the ending seemed rushed and slow at the same time. In other words, the build-up to the ending seemed to go by slow, and then the conclusion seemed to go too fast. Overall, I loved the romance in this book so much more than the first one, but the ending seemed to through off most of the book.
Specific Thoughts (Spoiler Warning):
- The dynamic between Carlos and Nik was amazing! I loved how they met and then became such close friends before dating, it made me root for them even more.
- The side characters were all so interesting. It made me wish that I knew more about their lives as well, especially beyond what we learn in the book
- Carlos was one of my favorite characters in "The Wedding Date" so it was great to learn more about him. I especially loved everything about his family.
- The romance/sex scenes seemed a lot more natural than in "The Wedding Date." That was one of my biggest complaints about the first book so I'm glad it was changed a bit.
Things I Disliked:
- I feel like we only got a small piece of Nik. I wanted to know so much more about her, and I feel like that would have helped me to better understand where she was coming from.
- The breakup near the end of the book felt a bit off. I know that's what everything was culminating too, but it felt weird that they kept saying it wasn't anything serious but then referred to it as a relationship and a breakup.
-The ending fell a bit flat. I was so glad they got back together, but it felt like there was more that needed to be said. It just felt really rushed compared to everything else.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent
Orange: The Complete Collection, Volume 2 by Ichigo Takano
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
orange: The Complete Collection 1 by Ichigo Takano
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide
Moderate: Bullying
Victoria by Daisy Goodwin
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
As a lover of the "Victoria" TV series, I knew I had to pick up this book. While this holds a similar plotline to the first half of season one, I would say that they are both enjoyable in their own ways. While the TV show goes more in-depth on the inner workings and has multiple storylines, the book focuses more on Victoria herself, fleshing out her character a bit more. In addition, I had a bit of trouble following the TV series but never felt that way with the book. In fact, it helped me understand the TV series a bit more. Therefore, for people who have seen the show, I would actually give this a higher rating of 4.25.
However, I wanted to provide a rating that did not bear the tv show in mind, instead of focusing on how this book would stand to someone who simply read it by itself, with no intention of watching the other format. While the story was interesting enough and provided a good amount of romantic moments in a historical setting, it dragged a bit in certain areas, especially in the beginning. I almost wanted to give up on the book, as I felt that it was throwing me into a story that I was supposed to have some understanding of already. I'm so glad I kept reading though! As everything became more fleshed out, it not only became easier to understand but allowed for the pace to pick up. I also felt like a lot of things were left unanswered, a problem that I feel is resolved in the tv series, and would have been resolved in the book had there been a sequel of some sort.
side note: The connection between Victoria and Alfred seemed almost nonexistent within the book. I had felt that way during these sections in the show as well though. Again, that's something that is fleshed out more in the show but is not done justice within the book.
All in all, if you plan on reading this book, I would take the time to watch the show as well. Not only will the plot make more sense, but you'll also be able to learn more about the characters after the events in the book.
However, I wanted to provide a rating that did not bear the tv show in mind, instead of focusing on how this book would stand to someone who simply read it by itself, with no intention of watching the other format. While the story was interesting enough and provided a good amount of romantic moments in a historical setting, it dragged a bit in certain areas, especially in the beginning. I almost wanted to give up on the book, as I felt that it was throwing me into a story that I was supposed to have some understanding of already. I'm so glad I kept reading though! As everything became more fleshed out, it not only became easier to understand but allowed for the pace to pick up. I also felt like a lot of things were left unanswered, a problem that I feel is resolved in the tv series, and would have been resolved in the book had there been a sequel of some sort.
All in all, if you plan on reading this book, I would take the time to watch the show as well. Not only will the plot make more sense, but you'll also be able to learn more about the characters after the events in the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Death of parent
The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green
I loved every single part of this book! As a fan of John Green's other books and an avid watcher of Crash Course, I felt that this was an extension of everything else he's done. As I was reading, I couldn't help but hear John's voice, explaining his thoughts as he would in any number of his YouTube videos. This book was not only entertaining but made me think about so many things that I take for granted day to day. I was already familiar with most of these topics, so it simply reminded me how they fit into the grand scheme of things and made me consider my own experiences with them.
My biggest suggestion: don't read this book all at once, take a chapter or two a day. As much as I was intrigued by the writing and wanted to keep reading, I felt that I was absorbing too much information at once if I didn't take it a little at a time. Instead, by reading a chapter or two a day, I allowed myself to sit with what I had read a bit more and really process what I was reading.
While I wanted to give this a perfect 5 stars, I couldn't. First, there were a few mistakes within the writing that could have been picked up before publication. For example, in one of the chapters there was a footnote, but no indication within the text of what that footnote was in reference to. I usually don't mind when this happens in writing, mistakes can be missed, but since this is nonfiction, it took away a bit from the writing. Second, I felt that the use of pictures could have been used more. The one time it was used I felt more immersed within the writing and that both author and reader were on the same page. Also, having pictures only present in one chapter seemed a bit out of place.
Overall, this is one of those books that I feel everyone should read at least once in their lives. But for those who grew up with Crash Course and loved it, this should be at the top of your list.
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
I loved every single part of this book! As a fan of John Green's other books and an avid watcher of Crash Course, I felt that this was an extension of everything else he's done. As I was reading, I couldn't help but hear John's voice, explaining his thoughts as he would in any number of his YouTube videos. This book was not only entertaining but made me think about so many things that I take for granted day to day. I was already familiar with most of these topics, so it simply reminded me how they fit into the grand scheme of things and made me consider my own experiences with them.
My biggest suggestion: don't read this book all at once, take a chapter or two a day. As much as I was intrigued by the writing and wanted to keep reading, I felt that I was absorbing too much information at once if I didn't take it a little at a time. Instead, by reading a chapter or two a day, I allowed myself to sit with what I had read a bit more and really process what I was reading.
While I wanted to give this a perfect 5 stars, I couldn't. First, there were a few mistakes within the writing that could have been picked up before publication. For example, in one of the chapters there was a footnote, but no indication within the text of what that footnote was in reference to. I usually don't mind when this happens in writing, mistakes can be missed, but since this is nonfiction, it took away a bit from the writing. Second, I felt that the use of pictures could have been used more. The one time it was used I felt more immersed within the writing and that both author and reader were on the same page. Also, having pictures only present in one chapter seemed a bit out of place.
Overall, this is one of those books that I feel everyone should read at least once in their lives. But for those who grew up with Crash Course and loved it, this should be at the top of your list.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Cancer
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I absolutely loved everything about this book and I'm so glad I finally got the chance to read it. While I realize I was not the target audience for this book, it was refreshing to read a perspective so different from my own. If anything, this story was eye-opening and allowed me to see just how different teenagers can be in both experiences and hardships. This is an important book, it tackles some hard experiences that aren't talked about enough and I'm glad to see it represented in such a true way for those who have had these experiences. My one complaint was that I felt a lot of things were left unanswered at the end of the book, and I would have liked some of the plot points to go more in-depth. Otherwise, the writing style was straight to the point and concise, allowing for a book that was quick to read, but still full of information.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Gun violence, Abortion, Death of parent