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erin0999's reviews
188 reviews
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
5.0
This book was SO FUN. I loved each of the characters and they felt so developed and real. They each had their own struggles both internally and the struggles they dealt with externally from society. One of my favorite things about this book is how Henry Montague is written as a very flawed character and as someone who acknowledges that he has bad habits and makes bad choices, and that we come to realize the way he has been taught to believe the worst about himself. I think it makes him a very sympathetic and relatable character and his development really meant a lot to me. I truly just adored this story and had a great time reading it. I will absolutely be continuing n with the sequel because I am dying to read about Felicity.
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
5.0
I did not think I would like this book very much just because I didn’t really enjoy book 1 or 2 very much. The whole reason I read this trilogy is so I could read Six of Crows. Ruin and Rising was GOOD. It felt like the first book in the series that had plot always happening and I think this is mostly due to the fact that it’s the first book in the series where Alina doesn’t get into a routine that we then have to read about for weeks.
I was so annoyed with Alina and Mal through most of the series, including through about half of this book, but then I saw the growth and switch in them and suddenly they were my babies and I cared deeply about them. I also think this book benefits from a large rag tag group which is one of my favorite tropes. I am so happy with this book, I think through all the faults of series, this book is strong and meaningful and will make you cry multiple times.
One of my favorite things Bardugo does is write realistic sadness. Not whiny, plot-convenient sadness (although plot-convenient angst often rears its head) but whole body sadness. Grief. Sadness is not necessarily a defining characteristic of the characters, but it’s always with them just like it is in real life, but they still live lives full of love and friends and kindness.
Btw I will be reading King of Scars because even tho I finally care about Mal and Alina, Nikolai is my fave and I am ready to see some growth and moodiness with him.
I was so annoyed with Alina and Mal through most of the series, including through about half of this book, but then I saw the growth and switch in them and suddenly they were my babies and I cared deeply about them. I also think this book benefits from a large rag tag group which is one of my favorite tropes. I am so happy with this book, I think through all the faults of series, this book is strong and meaningful and will make you cry multiple times.
One of my favorite things Bardugo does is write realistic sadness. Not whiny, plot-convenient sadness (although plot-convenient angst often rears its head) but whole body sadness. Grief. Sadness is not necessarily a defining characteristic of the characters, but it’s always with them just like it is in real life, but they still live lives full of love and friends and kindness.
Btw I will be reading King of Scars because even tho I finally care about Mal and Alina, Nikolai is my fave and I am ready to see some growth and moodiness with him.
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
5.0
Sometimes with these young adult sci-fi books I feel like the premise is interesting, but that the plot is not nearly as good as the sheer idea. This did NOT happen with this book, the premise was an interesting one that you just keep thinking about once your done and Shusterman does an amazing job with world building a society that I can both be disgusted with and completely believe could happen in the future. I especially liked the characters, I thought they were so strong and intelligent and they were realistic enough to ground you in a story where the premise could whisk you away if the writer isn’t careful. There’s so much awesome in this book and I totally understand why I saw so many kids in my middle school walking around with this book in their arms. I plan to keep reading this series!
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
3.0
This book was ok, it was a really fast read for me, but I wouldn’t say it’s because I was particularly invested in the story though. This is one of those books where I care so much more and am so much more interested in the side characters than the actual main characters. I just didn’t find Juliette or Adam very interesting, but so many of the side characters that were introduced in the second half of the book really caught my attention. Like, I kinda understand why some of the fan base is Team Warner because Adam is kinda bland. I want to keep reading this series simply because the second book is rated surprisingly high and I kinda wanna know what happens next since the end of the book kind of took a neat superhero turn that I wasn’t expecting.
There were some things I liked about Mafi’s writing, I like the style she chose for depicting when Juliette was having a panic attack or feeling overwhelmed and I also liked her use of crossing out sentences and words that show Juliette’s real thinking. However, there were a fair bit of cringey metaphors laced in this book that sounded a little r/iam14andthisisdeep which were much more entertaining to me than “oooh look at this pretty writing” but u know what we all learn and grow as writers and I’m willing to see where Mafi’s writing goes from here.
There were some things I liked about Mafi’s writing, I like the style she chose for depicting when Juliette was having a panic attack or feeling overwhelmed and I also liked her use of crossing out sentences and words that show Juliette’s real thinking. However, there were a fair bit of cringey metaphors laced in this book that sounded a little r/iam14andthisisdeep which were much more entertaining to me than “oooh look at this pretty writing” but u know what we all learn and grow as writers and I’m willing to see where Mafi’s writing goes from here.
Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi
5.0
This was a great novella and it’s proven to me that Warner is too interesting a character compared to the piece of cardboard that is Adam to not be something so much more significant in the series. I feel like I understand his character so much more now and I’m ready for his Zuko-level redemption arc.
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
1.0
I gotta say I really did NOT like some parts in this book. It was published in the 50s and when it comes to the female characters it SHOWS.
However, it was a really interesting and compelling novel. It introduced so many ideas that are now staples in Science Fiction, and I’m pretty sure the Prisoner of Azkaban had some plot points based on this novel (POA is my fave Harry Potter novel as well). I also liked the world building.
I guess, in the end, I loved some bits and hated others (mostly the characters), but it was an interesting read and I’m not mad that I read it.
UPDATE 4-26-20 @ 8:18 pm
Never mind, I’ve have some time to think on it and this book sucked. The main character deserved to have something terrible happen to him and instead was painted like a misguided hero.
This book does not pass the Bechdel test despite being cited as a source of strong female characters, 2/3 of the female characters instantly fall in love with the main character because “he is rough and coarse and has ANGER ISSUES and VIOLENT TENDENCIES SO HOT”.
The other female character is the only POC aside from a literal secretary who exists for like one page and was raped by the main character and forced to help him in order to save her family.
THIS BOOK DID NOT AGE WELL AND I DONT KNOW WHAT KIND OF SPELL IT HAD OVER ME TO NOT MAKE ME MAD WHEN I FINISHED IT.
However, it was a really interesting and compelling novel. It introduced so many ideas that are now staples in Science Fiction, and I’m pretty sure the Prisoner of Azkaban had some plot points based on this novel (POA is my fave Harry Potter novel as well). I also liked the world building.
I guess, in the end, I loved some bits and hated others (mostly the characters), but it was an interesting read and I’m not mad that I read it.
UPDATE 4-26-20 @ 8:18 pm
Never mind, I’ve have some time to think on it and this book sucked. The main character deserved to have something terrible happen to him and instead was painted like a misguided hero.
This book does not pass the Bechdel test despite being cited as a source of strong female characters, 2/3 of the female characters instantly fall in love with the main character because “he is rough and coarse and has ANGER ISSUES and VIOLENT TENDENCIES SO HOT”.
The other female character is the only POC aside from a literal secretary who exists for like one page and was raped by the main character and forced to help him in order to save her family.
THIS BOOK DID NOT AGE WELL AND I DONT KNOW WHAT KIND OF SPELL IT HAD OVER ME TO NOT MAKE ME MAD WHEN I FINISHED IT.
Windwitch by Susan Dennard
4.0
*3.5 Stars*
The characters continue to be the strongest part of this series (aside from the really neat world and politics) and though a lot of the characters’ relationships changed in this book they were still so interesting and lovely and I am rooting for literally all of them all the time. I read this book hoping desperately for some awesome reunion scenes and I received exactly 0 so I have very high hopes for some in book 3.
Also Prince Merik has BIG Zuko energy this entire book and I am so ready to continue reading the man’s character arc.
The characters continue to be the strongest part of this series (aside from the really neat world and politics) and though a lot of the characters’ relationships changed in this book they were still so interesting and lovely and I am rooting for literally all of them all the time. I read this book hoping desperately for some awesome reunion scenes and I received exactly 0 so I have very high hopes for some in book 3.
Also Prince Merik has BIG Zuko energy this entire book and I am so ready to continue reading the man’s character arc.
Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah
5.0
I read this book a lot as a kid and I obviously didn’t grasp a lot of the gravity of Yen Mah’s childhood and the psychological abuse she went through and overcame. The writing in this book is very basic, but I think about how formative this book was for me and I can’t bear to knock any stars off because of it. Basically I love this book and won’t say anything bad about it sorry