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mishmashedmagic's Reviews (323)
From the beginning, I was very intrigued by this book. It read like a twisted, dark version of Mean Girls (think if Gone Girl and Mean Girls had a baby, kind of like that).
The pace was great and the action kept moving well enough to keep me compelled to keep turning the page. There were plenty of twists and turns, some expected and some not, but overall the story was interesting and provoking.
Unfortunately, I think what struck me the most is that Natasha, from the get go, felt like a sociopath. In Gone Girl, for example, I was honestly back and forth between trying to figure out who the sociopath was, there were just enough convincing curveballs and nuances to make me skeptical until the reveal. Natasha, however had a cold, calculating, emotionless way about herself throughout the whole book, so I never for an instant felt sorry for her or questioned whether she was the victim. She never felt like a victim. It was fun finding out just how crazy and calculating she actually was.
I also had mixed feelings about Becca. Yes, I often felt a little bad for her. But her attitude and the way she treated other characters just drove me bananas sometimes. She often came off as very self-absorbed, insecure, and, on occasion, just plain mean. It was hard to like her after some of her actions.
What I did find myself admiring about Sarah's writing, though, that despite not liking the majority of the characters, the story itself still felt compelling enough to continue. Usually when I don't like the characters, I lose interest, and in this case I had to keep going. This book is weirdly addicting like that. I found myself stealing moments throughout the day just to read another chapter, even when I had a good idea of where things were headed.
I admit the good bit of the last 30% of the book grated on me though. First, it was a bit irritating how obviously things start getting spelled out toward the end, and then waiting for everything to click for Becca (which felt like it took a lot longer than it should have). The next thing that bothered me was when it did click for Becca, how quickly she gave up on any kind of police help and tried to take it upon herself to resolve the situation. I'm trying to justify it because she's sixteen but why in the world would you want to draw out the truth from the girl that just purposefully almost killed herself, killed another girl and sent two people to jail just to prove a point. That said, I liked the ending, it felt pretty satisfying in a ding-dong-the-witch-is-dead sort of way even though it was heavily foreshadowed (even on the cover!).
Overall, I think this book will be very appealing and enjoyable to teenagers, especially anyone who likes shows like Pretty Little Liars.
The pace was great and the action kept moving well enough to keep me compelled to keep turning the page. There were plenty of twists and turns, some expected and some not, but overall the story was interesting and provoking.
Unfortunately, I think what struck me the most is that Natasha, from the get go, felt like a sociopath. In Gone Girl, for example, I was honestly back and forth between trying to figure out who the sociopath was, there were just enough convincing curveballs and nuances to make me skeptical until the reveal. Natasha, however had a cold, calculating, emotionless way about herself throughout the whole book, so I never for an instant felt sorry for her or questioned whether she was the victim. She never felt like a victim. It was fun finding out just how crazy and calculating she actually was.
I also had mixed feelings about Becca. Yes, I often felt a little bad for her. But her attitude and the way she treated other characters just drove me bananas sometimes. She often came off as very self-absorbed, insecure, and, on occasion, just plain mean. It was hard to like her after some of her actions.
What I did find myself admiring about Sarah's writing, though, that despite not liking the majority of the characters, the story itself still felt compelling enough to continue. Usually when I don't like the characters, I lose interest, and in this case I had to keep going. This book is weirdly addicting like that. I found myself stealing moments throughout the day just to read another chapter, even when I had a good idea of where things were headed.
I admit the good bit of the last 30% of the book grated on me though. First, it was a bit irritating how obviously things start getting spelled out toward the end, and then waiting for everything to click for Becca (which felt like it took a lot longer than it should have). The next thing that bothered me was when it did click for Becca, how quickly she gave up on any kind of police help and tried to take it upon herself to resolve the situation. I'm trying to justify it because she's sixteen but why in the world would you want to draw out the truth from the girl that just purposefully almost killed herself, killed another girl and sent two people to jail just to prove a point. That said, I liked the ending, it felt pretty satisfying in a ding-dong-the-witch-is-dead sort of way even though it was heavily foreshadowed (even on the cover!).
Overall, I think this book will be very appealing and enjoyable to teenagers, especially anyone who likes shows like Pretty Little Liars.
I've been hearing about Rainbow Rowell for a while now and finally decided to pick up one of her books. Fangirl is, with the exception of Carry On, the book that I've been hearing the most about so that's why I picked this one.
I found the story to be really engaging, mostly because I could identify with Cath so much. The book draws an immediate and pretty clear parallel between Simon Snow and Harry Potter and I loved reading the book from such a unique but familiar perspective. I grew up with Harry, so to speak, and so I could quickly relate to Cath's love for Simon Snow. In a way, I felt like I was reading a parallel to my own life because of all the similarities.
I also felt myself very much relating to Cath on an emotional level as well, particularly the anxieties that came with starting college and feeling out of my element. The book does a very good job of addressing many issues, including alcohol abuse, and I liked how Cath went from looking like the one who was the most unstable to the most stable by the end of the book.
Initially, it looked like Rowell had thrown in a love triangle, but I was very happy to find that (as the book went along), that was not the case. I like how the romance in the book builds slow and steadily, I think the instalove is way to overplayed in YA and a slow-building romance makes much more sense for Cath's anxious and inexperienced character.
A couple small things bothered me. One was a character that later 'takes advantage' of Cath. I wonder if Rowell was trying to show the difference between fan fiction and plagiarism but I wasn't a fan of how she went about it. The second was that I wasn't really interested in Simon Snow. Throughout the book there are a lot of excerpts from the 'original seven books' as well as Cath's fanfiction. I found myself skimming over a lot of those excerpts but found that it didn't really take away from the overall story. In a way, I want to go into Carry On blind, and then maybe I'll reread those excerpts from Fangirl so it all falls into place.
Overall, it was a sweet and enjoyable book and I found myself reading it quite quickly despite it's 400+ pages.
I found the story to be really engaging, mostly because I could identify with Cath so much. The book draws an immediate and pretty clear parallel between Simon Snow and Harry Potter and I loved reading the book from such a unique but familiar perspective. I grew up with Harry, so to speak, and so I could quickly relate to Cath's love for Simon Snow. In a way, I felt like I was reading a parallel to my own life because of all the similarities.
I also felt myself very much relating to Cath on an emotional level as well, particularly the anxieties that came with starting college and feeling out of my element. The book does a very good job of addressing many issues, including alcohol abuse, and I liked how Cath went from looking like the one who was the most unstable to the most stable by the end of the book.
Initially, it looked like Rowell had thrown in a love triangle, but I was very happy to find that (as the book went along), that was not the case. I like how the romance in the book builds slow and steadily, I think the instalove is way to overplayed in YA and a slow-building romance makes much more sense for Cath's anxious and inexperienced character.
A couple small things bothered me. One was a character that later 'takes advantage' of Cath. I wonder if Rowell was trying to show the difference between fan fiction and plagiarism but I wasn't a fan of how she went about it. The second was that I wasn't really interested in Simon Snow. Throughout the book there are a lot of excerpts from the 'original seven books' as well as Cath's fanfiction. I found myself skimming over a lot of those excerpts but found that it didn't really take away from the overall story. In a way, I want to go into Carry On blind, and then maybe I'll reread those excerpts from Fangirl so it all falls into place.
Overall, it was a sweet and enjoyable book and I found myself reading it quite quickly despite it's 400+ pages.
There are some books in life that you will pick up not realizing just how much they'll impact you. The kind that linger in you thoughts long after they've been read and placed back on the shelf. For me, The Smell of Other People's Houses was one of these books. I picked it up, not entirely sure what to expect and finished it several hours later, unable to put it down for even a second.
I was not emotionally prepared for this book. The premise starts of simply enough, several teenagers all growing up in Alaska circa late 1960s, each with their own set of problems. In particular, it's told from the perspectives of three girls and boy. As their stories play out, their lives slowly begin to intertwine. On an emotional level, this book really struck a chord with me. It reminded me that behind every closed door, even those I'm familiar with, there are people with their own experiences and problems. And though the title may be a bit misleading--the book is indeed not just about how other people's houses smell--it also reminded me how smells can really give you insight into the way a person interprets their own, or other people's, family.
Each of the characters feel beautifully real and believable, and I found myself emotionally connected quick quickly to all four. The way their lives later intertwine is wonderfully written and stands to prove that we are all, in some way or other, connected. My only criticism would be, though I was very happy with the ending, that it did feel almost a little bit convenient. Then again, given the age range this book targets, I doubt many readers will have an issue with it.
Finally, I really loved this book because it was set in a place and time that I haven't read much about, and I really enjoyed reading about lives that were so vastly different from mine.
Overall, I think this will be one of those books that stays in the back of my mind for a long, long time.
I was not emotionally prepared for this book. The premise starts of simply enough, several teenagers all growing up in Alaska circa late 1960s, each with their own set of problems. In particular, it's told from the perspectives of three girls and boy. As their stories play out, their lives slowly begin to intertwine. On an emotional level, this book really struck a chord with me. It reminded me that behind every closed door, even those I'm familiar with, there are people with their own experiences and problems. And though the title may be a bit misleading--the book is indeed not just about how other people's houses smell--it also reminded me how smells can really give you insight into the way a person interprets their own, or other people's, family.
Each of the characters feel beautifully real and believable, and I found myself emotionally connected quick quickly to all four. The way their lives later intertwine is wonderfully written and stands to prove that we are all, in some way or other, connected. My only criticism would be, though I was very happy with the ending, that it did feel almost a little bit convenient. Then again, given the age range this book targets, I doubt many readers will have an issue with it.
Finally, I really loved this book because it was set in a place and time that I haven't read much about, and I really enjoyed reading about lives that were so vastly different from mine.
Overall, I think this will be one of those books that stays in the back of my mind for a long, long time.
This book. Where to begin with this book. Honestly, this is absolutely everything that I ever wanted in a Sci-Fi novel that I didn't know I wanted. But let's start from the beginning. From the first page, I was immediately reminded of J.K. Rowling's humor. Now that is not to say that this book will read like a Harry Potter book, or that it's the exact same sort of humor, but Mr. Doucette has a unique writing wit that is just such a pleasure to read. The kind of humor that has you giggling under your breath. Constantly. I admit, there were times that it became almost a tiny bit repetitive but, for me, it never got to a point where it started taking away from the story. I was too busy giggling.
The story does not start off action packed (minus the part where, you know, A SPACESHIP LANDS ON EARTH), but that's okay because it really gave me a chance to get to know the characters. The main character is Annie, and she is by far one of my favorite characters of all time. Annie is sixteen, and what I appreciated most of all is that she is my kind of sixteen year old. She's not one of those girls that has half the town's boys pining after her while she's clueless, she's not 'endearingly' awkward, she's not angsty or whiny or any of that. She's witty, sarcastic, strong-willed and overall just wonderfully personable, which I haven't seen a lot in female lead characters. She's the kind of girl you really want to be friends with. (To be honest, for the first couple chapters I kept picturing Annie as a fourteen-year-old. I knew that she was sixteen, but I think I'm so used to reading about sixteen-year-olds talking and behaving so much older than they actually are that when someone in book actually acts like a sixteen-year-old, it throws me off).
But Annie is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many unique, well-developed characters in this book, and you get to hear a little of everyone's backstory. No one feels like a plot device, and I love how little tidbits of information are tied into the book in just a perfect way. By the time the action started picking up, I felt like maybe I was a resident of Sorrow Falls as well.
Speaking of action, right around the halfway point of the book things really begin to pick up. It's like a snowball effect, really. Something small happens which builds into something bigger and bigger and before you know it it's 1a.m. and you really should be getting some sleep because your son is in a phase where he likes to wake up at 5:30 in the morning but you can't because holy-cow-what's-going-to-happen-next? (Okay maybe that 5:30 wake-up part is just me, but you get the point). I don't want to give anything away which is why I'm being so vague but the action picks up, gains momentum and then steadies out (in a good way) for the final couple chapters of the book.
I also loved the ending. It didn't feel rushed, or cliche or incomplete (I'm looking at you, Mr. Dashner), although there were one or two minor characters I felt were forgotten towards the end.
All in all, I cannot stop gushing about this book and I'm planning on picking up a physical copy for my bookshelf (I wish it came in hardcover!). If you like solid, well developed characters, witty, sarcastic humor and a complete story from beginning to end then you have to pick up this book. In my eyes, it's perfect.
The story does not start off action packed (minus the part where, you know, A SPACESHIP LANDS ON EARTH), but that's okay because it really gave me a chance to get to know the characters. The main character is Annie, and she is by far one of my favorite characters of all time. Annie is sixteen, and what I appreciated most of all is that she is my kind of sixteen year old. She's not one of those girls that has half the town's boys pining after her while she's clueless, she's not 'endearingly' awkward, she's not angsty or whiny or any of that. She's witty, sarcastic, strong-willed and overall just wonderfully personable, which I haven't seen a lot in female lead characters. She's the kind of girl you really want to be friends with. (To be honest, for the first couple chapters I kept picturing Annie as a fourteen-year-old. I knew that she was sixteen, but I think I'm so used to reading about sixteen-year-olds talking and behaving so much older than they actually are that when someone in book actually acts like a sixteen-year-old, it throws me off).
But Annie is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many unique, well-developed characters in this book, and you get to hear a little of everyone's backstory. No one feels like a plot device, and I love how little tidbits of information are tied into the book in just a perfect way. By the time the action started picking up, I felt like maybe I was a resident of Sorrow Falls as well.
Speaking of action, right around the halfway point of the book things really begin to pick up. It's like a snowball effect, really. Something small happens which builds into something bigger and bigger and before you know it it's 1a.m. and you really should be getting some sleep because your son is in a phase where he likes to wake up at 5:30 in the morning but you can't because holy-cow-what's-going-to-happen-next? (Okay maybe that 5:30 wake-up part is just me, but you get the point). I don't want to give anything away which is why I'm being so vague but the action picks up, gains momentum and then steadies out (in a good way) for the final couple chapters of the book.
I also loved the ending. It didn't feel rushed, or cliche or incomplete (I'm looking at you, Mr. Dashner), although there were one or two minor characters I felt were forgotten towards the end.
All in all, I cannot stop gushing about this book and I'm planning on picking up a physical copy for my bookshelf (I wish it came in hardcover!). If you like solid, well developed characters, witty, sarcastic humor and a complete story from beginning to end then you have to pick up this book. In my eyes, it's perfect.
