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notesbynnenna's Reviews (513)
Thank you to the author for providing me with a review copy!
Best Lightburn (love that name, feels kind of like a superhero name) is a top writer at a women’s magazine. It’s not easy being a black, female writer trying to advance in her career, but Best is doing everything she can to move up the ladder (I’d written a terrible pun here, but I decided to spare you instead, so you’re welcome ;). It seems like she has a great boyfriend, job, friends, and life in general, but she’s haunted by a traumatic event from her past. Ten years ago, Best was in an accident with her two brothers and was the only person to survive. As her past starts to catch up to her, her present-day life begins to unravel, until it seems like nothing is under her control anymore.
My description above makes this book sound rather bleak and it does begin with the terrible event. But there are moments of humor and levity in here too. I really enjoyed the writing style, which was rather conversational. When Best narrates, it’s like you’re gabbing with your girlfriend.
As I was reading, I thought the plot and structure was a bit loose. There were scenes and characters that felt more like tangents, rather than additions to strengthen the story. In parts, I wanted more background. I felt like I was supposed to know and care more about certain characters, but I wasn’t shown enough to understand the relationships between these characters.
Still, I thought the underlying story was raw and real. There were moments that, for reasons, made me pause to catch my breath. The pain that Best felt resonated with me. In general, I really enjoyed this novel and I would definitely read more of the author’s work.
Best Lightburn (love that name, feels kind of like a superhero name) is a top writer at a women’s magazine. It’s not easy being a black, female writer trying to advance in her career, but Best is doing everything she can to move up the ladder (I’d written a terrible pun here, but I decided to spare you instead, so you’re welcome ;). It seems like she has a great boyfriend, job, friends, and life in general, but she’s haunted by a traumatic event from her past. Ten years ago, Best was in an accident with her two brothers and was the only person to survive. As her past starts to catch up to her, her present-day life begins to unravel, until it seems like nothing is under her control anymore.
My description above makes this book sound rather bleak and it does begin with the terrible event. But there are moments of humor and levity in here too. I really enjoyed the writing style, which was rather conversational. When Best narrates, it’s like you’re gabbing with your girlfriend.
As I was reading, I thought the plot and structure was a bit loose. There were scenes and characters that felt more like tangents, rather than additions to strengthen the story. In parts, I wanted more background. I felt like I was supposed to know and care more about certain characters, but I wasn’t shown enough to understand the relationships between these characters.
Still, I thought the underlying story was raw and real. There were moments that, for reasons, made me pause to catch my breath. The pain that Best felt resonated with me. In general, I really enjoyed this novel and I would definitely read more of the author’s work.
Thank you to Penguin RandomHouse for the free copy!
Ahhhhhh, what a beautiful story! What fourteen-year old Adunni wants more than anything else in the world is the opportunity to go to school. Growing up in poor in a small village in Nigeria, this is not an easy goal to achieve, but Adunni's dreams of school are what keep her going.
Adunni was such a good character, so brave and resilient, with a heart of pure gold. I was rooting so hard for her and just wanted her to get access to the education that she so desperately wanted. Any time one of the other characters showed her a bit of kindness, I was grateful. It really makes you think about the importance of education and what a privilege it is.
I loved that it was set in Nigeria. I've visited a few times (that's where my family is from), but I really enjoy reading about the country from an insider's perspective. I thought this was a beautiful story, both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I don't think I'll be forgetting about Adunni anytime soon and I can't wait to read the next book by Abi Daré.
Ahhhhhh, what a beautiful story! What fourteen-year old Adunni wants more than anything else in the world is the opportunity to go to school. Growing up in poor in a small village in Nigeria, this is not an easy goal to achieve, but Adunni's dreams of school are what keep her going.
Adunni was such a good character, so brave and resilient, with a heart of pure gold. I was rooting so hard for her and just wanted her to get access to the education that she so desperately wanted. Any time one of the other characters showed her a bit of kindness, I was grateful. It really makes you think about the importance of education and what a privilege it is.
I loved that it was set in Nigeria. I've visited a few times (that's where my family is from), but I really enjoy reading about the country from an insider's perspective. I thought this was a beautiful story, both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I don't think I'll be forgetting about Adunni anytime soon and I can't wait to read the next book by Abi Daré.
3.5 stars
This is being marketed as a cross between An American Marriage and The Mothers, and that description really sold me on this book. And I see how this book has elements of both novels, including motherless girls and a prison sentence that alters lives.
Man, is this family broken. The book follows three sisters, Althea, Viola, and Lillian, as they deal with the aftermath of Althea's arrest. They have a brother as well, named Joe, but the book is definitely focused on these three women and the relationship between them.
I enjoyed the alternating points of view, and having the ability to see the story from each sister's perspective. I feel like the author did a really great job creating a unique voice for each sister. I think Althea was the hardest sister to crack. She's the matriarch of her family, but at the same time she struggles to mother her own two children. Then there's Viola, a middle child who's often been caught in the middle. Viola is also a lesbian and I appreciated the author including queer character of color in the narrative. She isn't defined by her sexuality, but it is part of her identity. Finally, there's Lillian, the baby of the family and the peacekeeper.
Each person in this family is hurting in some way, and I really felt for them. Gray tackled some really difficult subjects with grace. For a while, we are dancing around what happened to these characters. Gray writes it in a way where you're dying to know their truths, but you're also dreading finding out.
My two minor critiques are that I wanted to fall in love with the characters a bit more deeply and I did feel like the second half of this was had stronger pacing than the first half. Although it was difficult to read about characters that are in such pain, it was also rewarding to follow their story. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it if you enjoy family dramas.
This is being marketed as a cross between An American Marriage and The Mothers, and that description really sold me on this book. And I see how this book has elements of both novels, including motherless girls and a prison sentence that alters lives.
Man, is this family broken. The book follows three sisters, Althea, Viola, and Lillian, as they deal with the aftermath of Althea's arrest. They have a brother as well, named Joe, but the book is definitely focused on these three women and the relationship between them.
I enjoyed the alternating points of view, and having the ability to see the story from each sister's perspective. I feel like the author did a really great job creating a unique voice for each sister. I think Althea was the hardest sister to crack. She's the matriarch of her family, but at the same time she struggles to mother her own two children. Then there's Viola, a middle child who's often been caught in the middle. Viola is also a lesbian and I appreciated the author including queer character of color in the narrative. She isn't defined by her sexuality, but it is part of her identity. Finally, there's Lillian, the baby of the family and the peacekeeper.
Each person in this family is hurting in some way, and I really felt for them. Gray tackled some really difficult subjects with grace. For a while, we are dancing around what happened to these characters. Gray writes it in a way where you're dying to know their truths, but you're also dreading finding out.
My two minor critiques are that I wanted to fall in love with the characters a bit more deeply and I did feel like the second half of this was had stronger pacing than the first half. Although it was difficult to read about characters that are in such pain, it was also rewarding to follow their story. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it if you enjoy family dramas.
I just find Jasmine Guillory's books so comforting and pleasant to read. This one follows Maddie and Theo, who totally despise each other. Maddie thinks he's a boring know-it-all and Theo thinks that she's flighty and frivolous. It's just too bad they have amazing chemistry together!
I'm a sucker for a good enemies to lovers trope and like all of Guillory's books there are a ton of delicious food references in here. The main food this time around was pizza and I was so hungry while reading this.
One aspect I really liked is when Guillory touched on the struggles of being a black professional- being taken seriously and having to work twice as hard. Theo says at one point something along the lines of "we're not allowed to make mistakes," meaning that they're not granted as much leeway as other colleagues, often in addition to being expected to act a certain way.
As always, I loved diving into Guillory's books. She always pulls me in and makes me invested in these characters, and it's such a fun touch to see the reoccurring characters pop up, if you've read her other books. This was another fun and charming romance. Honestly, I think each of her books is stronger than the last and I can't wait to read her newest book, Royal Holiday!
I'm a sucker for a good enemies to lovers trope and like all of Guillory's books there are a ton of delicious food references in here. The main food this time around was pizza and I was so hungry while reading this.
One aspect I really liked is when Guillory touched on the struggles of being a black professional- being taken seriously and having to work twice as hard. Theo says at one point something along the lines of "we're not allowed to make mistakes," meaning that they're not granted as much leeway as other colleagues, often in addition to being expected to act a certain way.
As always, I loved diving into Guillory's books. She always pulls me in and makes me invested in these characters, and it's such a fun touch to see the reoccurring characters pop up, if you've read her other books. This was another fun and charming romance. Honestly, I think each of her books is stronger than the last and I can't wait to read her newest book, Royal Holiday!
This was a great distraction read- juicy and full of drama. I've never read Anna Karenina, and I had seen the Keira Knightley movie a while back, but I didn't remember much of the story. That being said, I really enjoyed this YA retelling set in the modern world. Their rich people problems and luxurious lifestyles were fun to read about, but I also had to roll my eyes a little at their lack of awareness about their privilege. I loved the way it was written, very cheeky and irreverent, and the teen speak made me laugh out loud. The one thing I wasn't sure about was the ending. It felt a bit out of place, but maybe that's because I'd forgotten about the original ending, and didn't know what to expect.
2.5 stars
I throughly enjoyed the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, so I was pretty excited when I heard that Taylor was writing a new book. I have to say right off the bat though that this book disappointed me. I don't think that it was bad, but it never really captured me the way that I wanted it to.
Lazlo is a dreamer. He always has his head stuck in a book and is fascinated by tales of a long-forgotten city known as Weep. He dreams about having the chance to rediscover this city. He can hardly believe it when one day, a group of people he's only read about it appear in his city and present an opportunity to realize his dreams.
Naturally, I love that Lazlo is a bookworm and finds both solace and escape in his books.Throughout the book though, I wished I felt a stronger connection to Lazlo, or to any of the other characters in the book. The characters felt a bit one-note and I thought the book would have had a lot more impact if I had any strong feelings towards the characters. There's also some instalove in this book. I think I have a relatively high tolerance for instalove and even I couldn't understand what brought these characters together, other than circumstances.
There are some interesting thoughts on the idea that good people can do terrible things. If a good person commits a horrible act, can they still be a hero or are they a monster? It also explores the theme of the ordinary becoming extraordinary and the idea that unlikely people can become heroes. While I enjoyed Taylor's writing style before, but it didn't work as well for me in this book. Certain descriptions and phrases were repeated, which I found grating after a while. I also thought the ending was quite frustrating. This is entirely my fault, but I couldn't help but compare this book to the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, and I was just hoping for a lot more. There are certainly interesting elements in this book, yet it failed to come together completely for me.
I throughly enjoyed the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, so I was pretty excited when I heard that Taylor was writing a new book. I have to say right off the bat though that this book disappointed me. I don't think that it was bad, but it never really captured me the way that I wanted it to.
Lazlo is a dreamer. He always has his head stuck in a book and is fascinated by tales of a long-forgotten city known as Weep. He dreams about having the chance to rediscover this city. He can hardly believe it when one day, a group of people he's only read about it appear in his city and present an opportunity to realize his dreams.
Naturally, I love that Lazlo is a bookworm and finds both solace and escape in his books.Throughout the book though, I wished I felt a stronger connection to Lazlo, or to any of the other characters in the book. The characters felt a bit one-note and I thought the book would have had a lot more impact if I had any strong feelings towards the characters. There's also some instalove in this book. I think I have a relatively high tolerance for instalove and even I couldn't understand what brought these characters together, other than circumstances.
There are some interesting thoughts on the idea that good people can do terrible things. If a good person commits a horrible act, can they still be a hero or are they a monster? It also explores the theme of the ordinary becoming extraordinary and the idea that unlikely people can become heroes. While I enjoyed Taylor's writing style before, but it didn't work as well for me in this book. Certain descriptions and phrases were repeated, which I found grating after a while. I also thought the ending was quite frustrating. This is entirely my fault, but I couldn't help but compare this book to the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, and I was just hoping for a lot more. There are certainly interesting elements in this book, yet it failed to come together completely for me.
I'm slowly, but surely, adding more graphic novels to my TBR. In March, I read the first book in this trilogy about the life of noted Civil Rights activist John Lewis. As you can imagine, Mr. Lewis has led a very interesting life and I loved learning more about his history. I really like the artwork as well, and as a graphic novel newb, I'm still amazed by how much detail can be captured in a single page, and the different styles of images and lettering that are used to convey different feelings. The first book describes Mr. Lewis's childhood and his first encounters with the Civil Rights movement. This is a beautifully told story about a critical part of American history and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
3.5 stars
I feel like this book was absolutely everywhere when it first came out and I'm glad that I had a chance to finally read it! This was a juicy and fun read. I think the premise is brilliant- what if America never became a democracy and was a monarchy instead? Isn't that such a good idea for a book!?
I loved the glitz and the grandeur, the descriptions of gorgeous gowns and a beautifully decorated palace. Beatrice was the most relatable character to me because I know what it's like to be the oldest and feel that all the pressure is placed on you. I also like how the author discussed the double standard between men and women. Beatrice stands to be the first queen of America, but naysayers believe that she should not get the throne simply because she's a woman. And Sam and Jeff, her younger siblings, are both wild children. Even though they get up to the same antics, such as drunken nights with her friends, Sam is judged more harshly because she's a woman.
There's the time-old choice of following your heart vs. following your duty and I was so curious to see what these characters would choose. I will say that overall, it felt a little tame, but I think that's only because I had the misguided expectation that this would skew toward the more adult side of YA. That's not a criticism, but just wanted to mention it in case you thought the same as me. I'm very glad that this is a series though, since book one ended on such a cliffhanger!
I feel like this book was absolutely everywhere when it first came out and I'm glad that I had a chance to finally read it! This was a juicy and fun read. I think the premise is brilliant- what if America never became a democracy and was a monarchy instead? Isn't that such a good idea for a book!?
I loved the glitz and the grandeur, the descriptions of gorgeous gowns and a beautifully decorated palace. Beatrice was the most relatable character to me because I know what it's like to be the oldest and feel that all the pressure is placed on you. I also like how the author discussed the double standard between men and women. Beatrice stands to be the first queen of America, but naysayers believe that she should not get the throne simply because she's a woman. And Sam and Jeff, her younger siblings, are both wild children. Even though they get up to the same antics, such as drunken nights with her friends, Sam is judged more harshly because she's a woman.
There's the time-old choice of following your heart vs. following your duty and I was so curious to see what these characters would choose. I will say that overall, it felt a little tame, but I think that's only because I had the misguided expectation that this would skew toward the more adult side of YA. That's not a criticism, but just wanted to mention it in case you thought the same as me. I'm very glad that this is a series though, since book one ended on such a cliffhanger!
This was such an enjoyable read! As I mentioned, I am so here for a romance book with representation (both of the main characters are people of color). I really loved the way that the author tackled topics such as the importance of female friendship and the difficulties of being a woman, and specifically a woman of color, in the tech industry.
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I thought Samiah was awesome, so smart and accomplished, and I loved the way that she wanted to use her position to do good for others. She talked about the pressure of wanting to set a good example and represent well for all the little Black girls that might want to follow in her footsteps, and I could relate to that feeling. I also loved the way she explored careers and how it's possible to choose a path that's right for you, even if it's outside of family's or society's expectations.
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This had some steam, but not a ton, for those who don't like steam (for me personally, I could have dialed up the steam)! And a Bookstagram friend mentioned that this had a realistic ending- I totally agree with that assessment and I thought it was refreshing.
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I really enjoyed the plot of this one as well (there's a lot more to it than the synopsis lets on). I will say that the romance was secondary for me- I think the other themes it explored were more interesting. If you like books with diverse leads and reading about female friendships, then I'd definitely recommend that you give this rom-com a try!
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I thought Samiah was awesome, so smart and accomplished, and I loved the way that she wanted to use her position to do good for others. She talked about the pressure of wanting to set a good example and represent well for all the little Black girls that might want to follow in her footsteps, and I could relate to that feeling. I also loved the way she explored careers and how it's possible to choose a path that's right for you, even if it's outside of family's or society's expectations.
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This had some steam, but not a ton, for those who don't like steam (for me personally, I could have dialed up the steam)! And a Bookstagram friend mentioned that this had a realistic ending- I totally agree with that assessment and I thought it was refreshing.
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I really enjoyed the plot of this one as well (there's a lot more to it than the synopsis lets on). I will say that the romance was secondary for me- I think the other themes it explored were more interesting. If you like books with diverse leads and reading about female friendships, then I'd definitely recommend that you give this rom-com a try!
I finally, finally read NORMAL PEOPLE! After reading CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS, and feeling somewhat lukewarm about it, I was really curious to see how I would feel about her newest novel. And in particular, I really wanted to read it before the TV adaptation premiered on Hulu.
This is about two people who understand each other on a deep level, but at the same time, they constantly misunderstand on a surface level. When I finished the book, I was initially quite frustrated, not by the writing or anything like that, but because of the characters. They cannot communicate properly and it drove me crazy at times!
Rooney is quite insightful about human nature and she writes about these somewhat mundane human interactions with such nuance. I think her writing is still wonderful and I'm happy to report that I had a better experience reading NORMAL PEOPLE. Maybe it's because I knew what to expect with her writing, but probably also because I found Marianne and Connell to be more believable characters.
I really appreciate the way she writes about people, even when her characters are frustrating the hell out of me. I'm really looking forward to watching the Hulu adaptation. It will be interesting to see how they bring these characters to life and if they do the book justice.
This is about two people who understand each other on a deep level, but at the same time, they constantly misunderstand on a surface level. When I finished the book, I was initially quite frustrated, not by the writing or anything like that, but because of the characters. They cannot communicate properly and it drove me crazy at times!
Rooney is quite insightful about human nature and she writes about these somewhat mundane human interactions with such nuance. I think her writing is still wonderful and I'm happy to report that I had a better experience reading NORMAL PEOPLE. Maybe it's because I knew what to expect with her writing, but probably also because I found Marianne and Connell to be more believable characters.
I really appreciate the way she writes about people, even when her characters are frustrating the hell out of me. I'm really looking forward to watching the Hulu adaptation. It will be interesting to see how they bring these characters to life and if they do the book justice.