mkjacobswrites's reviews
556 reviews

Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives by Gretchen Rubin

5.0

I love everything Rubin does, and this collection felt like little windows into her research and insights throughout the years. Some of these aphorisms were familiar (but can never be overstated); others were importantly new to me. So fun! I'll definitely be returning to this one.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

3.0

Prequels, I think, should answer questions - but this did not. Most of the information we got (Snow's not a good person, there's a hanging tree, mockingjays are hybrids of mockingbirds and jabberjays, etc.) was just small elaboration on what we already knew. This was more about adding mentors, betting, and sponsors to the Hunger Games than it was about Snow's rise to power. How can a book be over 500 pages and still cut off too early? 

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

4.5

In this reread, I was especially struck by Gale's explanations of morality, especially as compared to Peeta's. It wasn't just Prim's conclusion, the way I felt like I overly focused in earlier reads; the boys represented different paths for Katniss to understand what was happening and to choose how to move forward in the war. It is very interesting considering how one teenage girl could have so much power over an entire world. But it does make sense in the confines of the story.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

4.5

I'd forgotten on this reread how little of the page count of this book goes towards the actual Games and the end still brings whiplash even though I know what's happening. Katniss' naivete about the rebellion is frustrating to read, but that is the point. This holds up as an engaging read and a good addition to the series. I wish Peeta had more to his character than being obsessed with Katniss forever. 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

5.0

Collins' pacing is really unmatched. Every time I read this book, I am struck again with how well everything fits together - even the flashback sequences, which are hard to do right, are both critical and enjoyable to read. She also really captures the voice of a young teen.

Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential by Tiago Forte

4.0

Forte's Second Brain concept seems useful, and he provides examples for implementation. The most useful metaphor I found was the kitchen one for PARA: Projects as the current pots on the stove, Areas of responsibility as the fridge, Resources as the pantry, Archives as the freezer. We wouldn't put frozen fruit, fresh fruit, and orange juice all in the same place in the kitchen just because they're all fruit-based; similarly, our notes should be grouped by where we'll need them, not where we found them. 

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon

4.0

This was a beautifully written romance about a girl getting with her high school crush in an MFA program in college, where they're both poets and they have to find a way to be vulnerable and honest about their pasts and presents. Some sections were very compelling; others felt preachy or repetitive. I wanted more Anne-and-Gilbert from the rivalry than what we got, especially since neither of them actually accepts the competition fully in the end. Still, I enjoyed the read and there were times it made me powerfully nostalgic for the good old college days.

Married to the Marquess by Rebecca Connolly

4.25

I thought it was interesting to follow a Regency couple that was already married as they grew in love, since so many couples in the era really did marry before they were in love. A few minor notes: I found the dialogue somewhat modernized to feel fully realistic for the era, I wished Katherine had even one friend of her own, rather than needing her husband to provide them, and also I wished that she and Derek would be a little more realistic and just talk to each other as opposed to chiefly getting information about the other's state of mind/heart from the observations of other characters. Still, this was a really enjoyable read with a good message.

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

4.5

This book is hard to rate! The fantasy world is still so lush and so unique, but the character development stalled a little here compared to the first book in the duology, and we sometimes got info dumps rather than actually experiencing the magic or history in more "real" time. It took me longer to get through this than expected. I definitely recommend the duology, though I prefer the first, and the ending is satisfying. The sister bond in this book was drawn very compellingly. 

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

3.75

This was a cozy fantasy about a thirty-year-old witch who finds out she is worth love (and magic). It was an easy read and fun overall; really, there was a lot of potential - some elements of the magic and world were really interesting, like how people basically get to customize their experience. However, the main character supposedly loves reading and works in a bookstore, yet, for some reason, won't read her book that explains everything about magic - I find it SO hard to believe that not once in fifteen years does she read something that's clearly right there for her to find. Also, even more frustratingly, she is stuck under a boss she hates with an easy out - since the owner wants her to buy the shop and keeps offering it to her on a silver platter - and she just repeatedly refuses because she might mess it up and doesn't believe in herself, even though, directly in the text, other characters clearly recognize this as an insufficient reason, and call her out on it, and still...there's no other explanation until she magically trusts herself enough to take the owner up on the offer? This made-up roadblock was so unsatisfying.