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breandthebooks's reviews
159 reviews
What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Volume 2 by Fumi Yoshinaga
2.0
I didn’t enjoy this volume as much as I did the first, I’m torn between giving this a two or three star rating. The recipes were entertaining to read about but that’s basically the only parts I truly enjoyed I just felt not much happened and a lot of it felt like filler Shiro has his moments where he is completely unlikeable I hope the next volume(s) get better.
Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
4.0
This was another new author for me and Tessa Bailey did NOT disappoint.
~The loves of the book~
✧The relationship and character development between Travis and Georgie’s, We see them go form this "annoying" each other and "tolerating" each other mentality to something very lovable and deeply heartfelt.
✧Travis wanting to change because Georgie has shown him he's more than his reputation and what he perceives of himself and what he's experienced as a child.
✧Goergie being unapologetically herself and loving her job and kids despite her family not respecting her as they should.
~The dislikes of the book~
✦Stephen is such a painfully unlikeable character in this book the way he treats the people in his life just doesn’t sit well with me.
✦The way he is always keeping Kristin away from people in his life, almost like if she's in the presence of the women in his family or the town she will somehow turn against him.
✦Stephen not giving his sister the time of day when she expressed she wanted to do her own flip, almost like if she does her own flip she will be better at it and that threatens him somehow.
✦(This wasn't a huge dislike its just something I thought about) When Georgie and Travis's relationship is progressing in a subtle way she almost wants to put the ideas and the thoughts of having children on the back burner because he does not want them and she wants to be with him. This wasn't a huge problem but it still made me think she shouldn't have to stop the things shes wanted for a while because she wants to please someone else.
Overall I really really enjoyed this book and it is spot on in the family dynamics of how they treat younger siblings and demanding to be seen as an adult as you grow up. I loved reading Travis and Georgie story and literally could not put the book down I definitely can not wait to read more from Tessa Bailey.
~The loves of the book~
✧The relationship and character development between Travis and Georgie’s, We see them go form this "annoying" each other and "tolerating" each other mentality to something very lovable and deeply heartfelt.
✧Travis wanting to change because Georgie has shown him he's more than his reputation and what he perceives of himself and what he's experienced as a child.
✧Goergie being unapologetically herself and loving her job and kids despite her family not respecting her as they should.
~The dislikes of the book~
✦Stephen is such a painfully unlikeable character in this book the way he treats the people in his life just doesn’t sit well with me.
✦The way he is always keeping Kristin away from people in his life, almost like if she's in the presence of the women in his family or the town she will somehow turn against him.
✦Stephen not giving his sister the time of day when she expressed she wanted to do her own flip, almost like if she does her own flip she will be better at it and that threatens him somehow.
✦(This wasn't a huge dislike its just something I thought about) When Georgie and Travis's relationship is progressing in a subtle way she almost wants to put the ideas and the thoughts of having children on the back burner because he does not want them and she wants to be with him. This wasn't a huge problem but it still made me think she shouldn't have to stop the things shes wanted for a while because she wants to please someone else.
Overall I really really enjoyed this book and it is spot on in the family dynamics of how they treat younger siblings and demanding to be seen as an adult as you grow up. I loved reading Travis and Georgie story and literally could not put the book down I definitely can not wait to read more from Tessa Bailey.
Turbulence by David Szalay
2.0
*2.5 This was a quick and interesting read told in very intricate perspectives. Each character had their own set of flaws and its so easy to dislike them for what they have done, I would have hoped for each person story to be a bit longer so we could see more of them and how they could potentially grow and change. I wished I connected to this book and its characters more I just didn't and while this was an interesting multi-perspective driven read it just fell flat for me.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
4.0
“I wish you didn’t have to go, he says when she’s leaving or: I wish you could stay the night. If he really wished for any of those things, Marianne knows, then they would happen.
This book was very raw and had a lot of points that hit home with me. Normal people is one of the first books I picked up by Sally Rooney and it did not disappoint, It, in my opinion, it is a look into how the abuse people suffer rather at home or in school affects them for life.
I do wanna emphasize this book contain(s) a trigger warning for Abuse, Mental Illness, Suicide, sexual abuse, and unhealthy eating habits.
~Let Downs of the book~
✧I would have like to have seen Marianne’s and Connell’s relationship develop a little more I understand it’s supposed to be following them in times of where they are “on and off” but they had these intensely deep and personal conversations and confessions at times, and I just wish through all that we got a chance to see growth of a deeper connection mentally and emotionally.
✧I wanted more of Marianne’s on her own journey to getting help like Connell sorta did Marianne experienced so much trauma in the past and as she moved through life and to see her just kinda live with numbing the pain wasn’t ideal in my opinion.
✧My last sorta (but not really “let down”) of this book is NO ONE DEFENDS THIS GIRL!!! Marianne’s own brother was a constant abuser throughout this book and no one defended her (until the very end) her mother even took the side of the brother when he would instigate fights with Marianne for seemingly no reason at all or if she got a better grade than him.
Marianne tends to not defend herself a whole lot or speak up for in fear of causing trouble, and that could be a result of her past abuse at the hands of her father and now with her brother. She has so much unresolved trauma that when something is done to her it's almost “normal”. Seemingly every boyfriend Marianne has had (minus Connell if you can even consider him a true “boyfriend”) has abused her in some way rather that be emotionally or sexually they have all not been very great people. When we see Marianne at points in her life where the men she is dating are taking advantage of her vulnerability by basically forcing her to engage in “BDSM” like relationships. As this book progressed I was hoping Marianne found her voice (which she did in a small portion) and stand up for herself and took time to get better.
~Positives~
✦I enjoyed the fact that Marianne felt safe enough to confide in Connell about the abuse she has gone through and he listened and didn’t shame her.
✦When Connell went to therapy and talked through what he was feeling and was coming to terms slowly about his Anxiety and depression.
✦When Lorraine tells Connell he was not a regret or a mistake I loved the dynamic of the mother-son moment, because even if it wasn’t explicitly mentioned Connell must have felt Lorraine wanted more out of life than cleaning houses and because she had him she could not do that. In that moment when she told him that she did not regret or feel ashamed of having him, it was really heartfelt.
✦In Connell’s therapy session when he mentions that Marianne is a friend he can turn to it was another touching moment, You can really see how Marianne is such a good friend to him and can confide in her with a lot of aspects in his life as she did for him.
I was hoping for a little more development with both characters dealing with their past and present trauma's and how to continue through life and I wanted a bit more out of the way this book ended but overall this was a really great read and dealt with a lot of heavy issues.
I do wanna emphasize again this book contain(s) a trigger warning for Abuse, Mental Illness, Suicide, sexual abuse, and unhealthy eating habits.
This book was very raw and had a lot of points that hit home with me. Normal people is one of the first books I picked up by Sally Rooney and it did not disappoint, It, in my opinion, it is a look into how the abuse people suffer rather at home or in school affects them for life.
I do wanna emphasize this book contain(s) a trigger warning for Abuse, Mental Illness, Suicide, sexual abuse, and unhealthy eating habits.
~Let Downs of the book~
✧I would have like to have seen Marianne’s and Connell’s relationship develop a little more I understand it’s supposed to be following them in times of where they are “on and off” but they had these intensely deep and personal conversations and confessions at times, and I just wish through all that we got a chance to see growth of a deeper connection mentally and emotionally.
✧I wanted more of Marianne’s on her own journey to getting help like Connell sorta did Marianne experienced so much trauma in the past and as she moved through life and to see her just kinda live with numbing the pain wasn’t ideal in my opinion.
✧My last sorta (but not really “let down”) of this book is NO ONE DEFENDS THIS GIRL!!! Marianne’s own brother was a constant abuser throughout this book and no one defended her (until the very end) her mother even took the side of the brother when he would instigate fights with Marianne for seemingly no reason at all or if she got a better grade than him.
Marianne tends to not defend herself a whole lot or speak up for in fear of causing trouble, and that could be a result of her past abuse at the hands of her father and now with her brother. She has so much unresolved trauma that when something is done to her it's almost “normal”. Seemingly every boyfriend Marianne has had (minus Connell if you can even consider him a true “boyfriend”) has abused her in some way rather that be emotionally or sexually they have all not been very great people. When we see Marianne at points in her life where the men she is dating are taking advantage of her vulnerability by basically forcing her to engage in “BDSM” like relationships. As this book progressed I was hoping Marianne found her voice (which she did in a small portion) and stand up for herself and took time to get better.
~Positives~
✦I enjoyed the fact that Marianne felt safe enough to confide in Connell about the abuse she has gone through and he listened and didn’t shame her.
✦When Connell went to therapy and talked through what he was feeling and was coming to terms slowly about his Anxiety and depression.
✦When Lorraine tells Connell he was not a regret or a mistake I loved the dynamic of the mother-son moment, because even if it wasn’t explicitly mentioned Connell must have felt Lorraine wanted more out of life than cleaning houses and because she had him she could not do that. In that moment when she told him that she did not regret or feel ashamed of having him, it was really heartfelt.
✦In Connell’s therapy session when he mentions that Marianne is a friend he can turn to it was another touching moment, You can really see how Marianne is such a good friend to him and can confide in her with a lot of aspects in his life as she did for him.
I was hoping for a little more development with both characters dealing with their past and present trauma's and how to continue through life and I wanted a bit more out of the way this book ended but overall this was a really great read and dealt with a lot of heavy issues.
I do wanna emphasize again this book contain(s) a trigger warning for Abuse, Mental Illness, Suicide, sexual abuse, and unhealthy eating habits.
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
5.0
"According to multiverses theory, Every version of our past and future histories exists, just in an alternate universe. For every event at the quantum level, the current universe splits into multiple universes".
The Sun Is Also A Star has easily become one of my favorite Ya books cute, heartwarming, heartwrenching, and all around beautiful is how I can best sum up this book.
We have Daniel who is a hopeless romantic through and through and we have Natasha who can be described as a realist, combined that with the Butterfly Affectesch Parrales and storylines you have one amazing book. I see and connected so much of myself with both these characters, You cannot help but give Daniel so much praise for the way he looks at the world. I think so many of us can resonate with having a parent or someone we look up to having expectations of us that we don't want or care to pursue, But we feel we can never voice our true wants and desires without hurting that person or having our admirations dismissed.
I also see a lot of myself in Natasha while yes I am a hopeless romantic through and through like Daniel it's hard not be a realist at times and take things at face value and in a matter of fact type of mindset.
When Natasha describes hair and how it's so personal especially her afro and how her mom said it's not "professional" It speaks volumes on how people in your own community and how society views hair and other aspects of whats naturally in others cultures.
Natasha has a very complicated relationship with her father, to say the least, I believe the main reason she "despises" him is not for his DUI entirely but as she has gotten older she started to see her fathers faults and when we are young we are all guilty of holding our parents on this intensely high pedestal(s) and look at them like gods so as we get older we realize our parents are human too its like losing a part of you almost like losing your faith.
I don't know what exactly my expectations were when I was first starting this book but Nicola Yoon did something absolutely beautiful from the changing of point of views to the Butterfly Affectsch/Parallel universe nature of this book everything was done so beautifully even the minor side stories of the other characters were done seamlessly. The only minor detail critique I could possibly give is what made Charlie the way he was? If he were to be born and raised in Korea would he have turned out differently? What was the event that caused Daniel and Natasha to be on that exact flight at that moment?
The Sun Is Also A Star made me smile, Laugh, cry and reflect on life and theory throughout the entire book Nicola Yoon truly created a masterpiece.
So here’s a little list of songs that made me think of Daniel and Natasha that literally, no one asked for.
Goodbye-Cage the Elephant
The few Things-JP Saxe
Livewire-Oh Wonder
FallingForYou-The 1975
Berlin-Ry X
Santa Monica Dream-Angus & Julia Stone
The Sun Is Also A Star has easily become one of my favorite Ya books cute, heartwarming, heartwrenching, and all around beautiful is how I can best sum up this book.
We have Daniel who is a hopeless romantic through and through and we have Natasha who can be described as a realist, combined that with the Butterfly Affectesch Parrales and storylines you have one amazing book. I see and connected so much of myself with both these characters, You cannot help but give Daniel so much praise for the way he looks at the world. I think so many of us can resonate with having a parent or someone we look up to having expectations of us that we don't want or care to pursue, But we feel we can never voice our true wants and desires without hurting that person or having our admirations dismissed.
I also see a lot of myself in Natasha while yes I am a hopeless romantic through and through like Daniel it's hard not be a realist at times and take things at face value and in a matter of fact type of mindset.
When Natasha describes hair and how it's so personal especially her afro and how her mom said it's not "professional" It speaks volumes on how people in your own community and how society views hair and other aspects of whats naturally in others cultures.
Natasha has a very complicated relationship with her father, to say the least, I believe the main reason she "despises" him is not for his DUI entirely but as she has gotten older she started to see her fathers faults and when we are young we are all guilty of holding our parents on this intensely high pedestal(s) and look at them like gods so as we get older we realize our parents are human too its like losing a part of you almost like losing your faith.
I don't know what exactly my expectations were when I was first starting this book but Nicola Yoon did something absolutely beautiful from the changing of point of views to the Butterfly Affectsch/Parallel universe nature of this book everything was done so beautifully even the minor side stories of the other characters were done seamlessly. The only minor detail critique I could possibly give is what made Charlie the way he was? If he were to be born and raised in Korea would he have turned out differently? What was the event that caused Daniel and Natasha to be on that exact flight at that moment?
The Sun Is Also A Star made me smile, Laugh, cry and reflect on life and theory throughout the entire book Nicola Yoon truly created a masterpiece.
So here’s a little list of songs that made me think of Daniel and Natasha that literally, no one asked for.
Goodbye-Cage the Elephant
The few Things-JP Saxe
Livewire-Oh Wonder
FallingForYou-The 1975
Berlin-Ry X
Santa Monica Dream-Angus & Julia Stone
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
5.0
This book was thrilling from beginning to end Ty and Gemma are so complex and are just so interesting in their own ways this book left me questioning does she have Stockholm syndrome? Does she love him? How is Ty doing in jail? How did the trial go? I just loved this book and I just need a sequel to this book there's just so many unanswered questions?
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
4.0
Funny,and charming. Are the two best words I would use for this book I loved the way we were introduced to Penny in the first few pages of the book and the way her personality dynamic is built we can’t really read to much of who Penny truly is until the end and I loved that. I loved the way her and Sam lives were intertwined together in the book Sam’s character was also very complex he’s pretty much an open book within the story while Penny is more hard to read and understand and that’s why I think they fit well together. This was such a nice easy read perfect cute summer YA read.