kenziithefox's reviews
139 reviews

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

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4.0

This story is a title I would have never picked up. Being a girl who preferred sweatshirts and quiet nights in my bed, I never found much interest in fashion, romance, or drama.

But, this book made me realize there is more to a story than what meets the eye. The characters, the flow, and the plot were all so well intertwined that I never stopped to think about why I was reading a book like this in the first place.

Crazy Rich Asians is the title, and it's a very good title indeed. It's about a family of well, crazy rich Asians. The plot thickens with unfaithful relatives, weddings, and what kind of hat fits better with their limited edition purse from Dahshur Egypt. Fashion is a big point here. It's kind of wild and uncharted land for me personally. But this story managed to keep me sucked in.

The characters really drive this story home and I'll say this over and over again. If you have a great story, but terrible characters with no development, you're going to have a bad story. That's it.

Kevin Kwan really brought these people to life and was able to share their stories in an environment I would rarely see on my bookshelf.

The book was made in a motion picture and the movie wasn't bad. But of course, the book was, like always, better.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

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4.0

Remember when you were thirteen and how everything seemed so far ahead. You were so young and naive that the only thing you could think about was what you couldn't do. Rather than what you could.

Then before you knew it you were older. Ask yourself, did you make all the decisions you wanted? Did you make all the right decisions?

If you ever had that moment where you looked back at a decision and wanted to change it, this book just might be your next big read.

This book is something that, like many other books, you have to experience to understand. In the Midnight Library, you follow a young lady by the name of Nora Seed. Nora, just like many of us, have things she regrets. Things she wished she changed, opportunities she wished she took, and people she wished she had stayed with.

Like Nora, I'm sure we've all been on that boat before. That boat where you began to daydream what your life would have been like if you had just said yes to that relationship many years ago. If you studied hard, you would have got into that dream school or found a family you could call your own.

Nora is struggling. Her doubts and her regrets in life bubble and fester at the surface until it chokes her and makes her fear every choice she has ever made in her life. It becomes too much, and Nora starts to wonder if life is even worth living at all. Nora, though, gets a second chance TO change it.

The author is fluent with weaving terrible darkness and light into the reality that just makes you think about not only Nora Seed, but yourself. Not many books have I read where I stepped back and realized I had tears wet against my eyes. When I finished the book it rattled me so hard I ended up seeking out my fiance and nuzzled my face deep into his chest to let out a swarm of emotion. I cried and it was a powerful and emotional cry. It wasn't a sad cry but a realization that I too, was like Nora Seed.

It's one of those books I could relate to. While not everyone will have the same knee-jerk reaction to the book as I did, it still is by far, a wonderful story about life and the decisions you make that impact everything around you.

After a few months when I look back on it I still remember how wonderful of a title it was. It will always be special. But the characters are less than memorable, but the story still remains powerful and magical to this day.
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski

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5.0

Witcher can be found on Netflix, on your PC, but many don't know it's also a book! The original Witcher series, by Andrezej Sapkowski.
The stories are broken up into very long chapters that showcase Geralt, our hero and monster hunter in many different and challenging situations. Each chapter brings an air of mystery that keeps you wanting to learn more. The story is not as linear as most and it skips around the timeline on occasion, but it somehow manages to keep the reader on track as though nothing changed.
If you haven't read, played, or watched the Witcher Netflix series, the books are a magical ride of both fantasy and science fiction.
The monsters created in this series are beautifully crafted and you could almost reach out and touch them from the description. The characters are well-rounded, though, let's be honest, Geralt is the obvious center of the story. But he's accompanied by others who add to his unique and blase attitude about his life.
I'm not going to lie, I love Geralt as a character and he's probably a favorite of mine.
The Last Wish shines a light on Geralt's early journeys as a young adult witcher living off of the wages he makes slaying monsters for the rich and poor. It's also the book that showcased season one of the Netflix series.
One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus

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3.0

I appreciated that the author brought back the characters of the first novel and really enjoyed the mystery in this second edition. Unfortunately, it didn't feel as gripping as the first and the text messaging used to implement fear felt a little unrealistic to me. I loved the interactions between all the characters and it really brought them all to life during some of the major dramatic highlights.
Caraval by Stephanie Garber

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4.0

I absolutely loved the character interactions. The way the writer makes me fall in love with them really gave me a reason to read through it as quickly as I did. Although, the ending seemed awkwardly rushed and while even the title says "it's only a game" I still feel a little duped with the final outcome. Because I loved the characters throughout the story so much and it flowed so well, I'll be sure to remember it.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

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5.0

While working at a hospital on nightshift, I would occasionally be inside a patients room for twelve hours as a caretaker. During these times I made sure to have my headphones, because it made the night go by faster. I'm unsure why I picked up this book, perhaps it was on the popular list on my library audiobooks, but I remember coming home after the second night and listening to the rest of it as I did chores, played games, and sat on my couch. I need to reread this one, because I remember being so engrossed with the puzzles and the mysteries. The characters were lovely as well. I remember watching the movie and feeling sad because it was so different, but, I should expect that.