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notesbynnenna's Reviews (513)
4.5 stars
My favorite read this month was The Hate U Give. You never know how it’s going to turn out with buzzy books, but I’m happy to report that I loved this one.
The book follows Starr Carter, who witnesses the murder of one of her good friends. Two black teenagers are driving around, minding their own business. A cop pulls them over and murders her friend, Khalil. As you can imagine, Starr is devastated and Khalil’s death causes her to reevaluate her life and the community she’s a part of.
Obviously, the book is timely, and on top of that, it’s so heartfelt. I connected with Starr’s character almost immediately, and was very invested in her entire emotional journey. Starr is just a kid and deals with a situation that is absolutely terrible, but not unimaginable in today’s world.
Starr attends an elite, private school in a different neighborhood than the one she lives in. Sometimes she feels like she has to be two different people. One version of Starr is one of four black kids in her grade, surrounded by white classmates and teachers all day. The second Starr acts differently with her family and the people in her neighborhood. I could identify with Starr’s struggles and the feelings that she was either “too black” or “not black enough.”
This book has humor, warmth, and strength, all while tackling a very difficult and sensitive subject. I cannot wait to see the movie version. I’ve been following the casting announcements and the list is pretty 100 right now.
My favorite read this month was The Hate U Give. You never know how it’s going to turn out with buzzy books, but I’m happy to report that I loved this one.
The book follows Starr Carter, who witnesses the murder of one of her good friends. Two black teenagers are driving around, minding their own business. A cop pulls them over and murders her friend, Khalil. As you can imagine, Starr is devastated and Khalil’s death causes her to reevaluate her life and the community she’s a part of.
Obviously, the book is timely, and on top of that, it’s so heartfelt. I connected with Starr’s character almost immediately, and was very invested in her entire emotional journey. Starr is just a kid and deals with a situation that is absolutely terrible, but not unimaginable in today’s world.
Starr attends an elite, private school in a different neighborhood than the one she lives in. Sometimes she feels like she has to be two different people. One version of Starr is one of four black kids in her grade, surrounded by white classmates and teachers all day. The second Starr acts differently with her family and the people in her neighborhood. I could identify with Starr’s struggles and the feelings that she was either “too black” or “not black enough.”
This book has humor, warmth, and strength, all while tackling a very difficult and sensitive subject. I cannot wait to see the movie version. I’ve been following the casting announcements and the list is pretty 100 right now.
3.5 stars
I have to say right off the bat that I didn't enjoy this one as much as The Kiss Quotient. It was still a fun and cute read, but I didn't love it quite as much.
Khai's mother wants him to have love and happiness, but she doesn't think he can find it on his own. So she travels to Vietnam to find him a wife, and that's when we meet Esme (My). Esme comes from a poor background and has a young daughter, but she's willing to take a chance and travel to America. She wants to win Khai's heart, but what she really wants is to provide a better life for herself and her daughter.
Like Stella in The Kiss Quotient, Khai is also autistic, which is part of the reason his mom tries to take matters into her own hands. I love the representation of having a main character with autism, but I did not love the mail order bride storyline. I definitely realize that this is a thing that people used to do (and still do), but it didn't sit well with me. In the beginning, Esme basically throws herself at Khai and it seems like she's willing to do anything (anything) to get him to marry her. And at first, Khai really dislikes the intrusion and disruptions to his life. That whole dynamic made me uncomfortable, but it did get better in the later part of the book.
At the same time, I empathized with Esme's struggles and admired her determination. Her main desire is to make a better life for her daughter, and considering that, the sacrifices she's willing to make are understandable. I definitely preferred the immigrant aspect of this novel. I can't imagine how difficult it would to move here with just hopes and dreams, without knowing anyone or having a firm grasp of the language.
I loved all of the little references and mentions of characters from The Kiss Quotient, such as Quan (Khai's brother), Michael (Khai's cousin), and Stella. I couldn't help comparing the two books since I started The Bride Test right after I finished The Kiss Quotient. Even though I didn't enjoy this one as much, I'm still happy I read it. Also, her author's note got me again (if you've read it, you'll know what I'm talking about). I'm definitely a Helen Hoang fan and will read whatever she writes next!
I have to say right off the bat that I didn't enjoy this one as much as The Kiss Quotient. It was still a fun and cute read, but I didn't love it quite as much.
Khai's mother wants him to have love and happiness, but she doesn't think he can find it on his own. So she travels to Vietnam to find him a wife, and that's when we meet Esme (My). Esme comes from a poor background and has a young daughter, but she's willing to take a chance and travel to America. She wants to win Khai's heart, but what she really wants is to provide a better life for herself and her daughter.
Like Stella in The Kiss Quotient, Khai is also autistic, which is part of the reason his mom tries to take matters into her own hands. I love the representation of having a main character with autism, but I did not love the mail order bride storyline. I definitely realize that this is a thing that people used to do (and still do), but it didn't sit well with me. In the beginning, Esme basically throws herself at Khai and it seems like she's willing to do anything (anything) to get him to marry her. And at first, Khai really dislikes the intrusion and disruptions to his life. That whole dynamic made me uncomfortable, but it did get better in the later part of the book.
At the same time, I empathized with Esme's struggles and admired her determination. Her main desire is to make a better life for her daughter, and considering that, the sacrifices she's willing to make are understandable. I definitely preferred the immigrant aspect of this novel. I can't imagine how difficult it would to move here with just hopes and dreams, without knowing anyone or having a firm grasp of the language.
I loved all of the little references and mentions of characters from The Kiss Quotient, such as Quan (Khai's brother), Michael (Khai's cousin), and Stella. I couldn't help comparing the two books since I started The Bride Test right after I finished The Kiss Quotient. Even though I didn't enjoy this one as much, I'm still happy I read it. Also, her author's note got me again (if you've read it, you'll know what I'm talking about). I'm definitely a Helen Hoang fan and will read whatever she writes next!
It's been a while since I read a big book like this, and since I read an epic fantasy. But as soon as I flipped to the table of contents and saw a section titled "Here Be Dragons," I knew I was going to love this book. Plus, there's an amazing map at the beginning, and I love a good map (and I definitely kept referring back to it as the characters were traveling all over the place). I've always loved tales of magic and dragons and witches and I used to read a lot more fantasy when I was younger. This book reminded me how much I love fantasy and being pulled into a completely different world.
I was completely sucked in and enthralled by this world. There is political intrigue, religion, romance, magic, and so much more in this story. I'm so impressed by Samantha Shannon and this incredibly rich and detailed world she created. Not to mention the characters! The female characters in this book are so strong and fearless, and in some cases, ruthless. But they are also flawed, vulnerable, and human. I loved them so much. I also enjoyed the representation of having black characters featured prominently in this book (I don't remember that happening much when I was reading fantasy books as a kid), as well as queer characters. There's also such character growth, as people are forced to confront beliefs they've always had and truths that are revealed to be falsehoods.
There's so much to unpack this novel and I'm barely going to scratch the surface, so if you've read it, comment below so we can discuss in more detail! Shannon explores the theme of duty, and the burden it is for some of these characters. Where does their duty ultimately lie? We also see the constraints of being a woman in this world. A woman can rule and can be a warrior, but even a queen is held to certain notions of what a woman should and shouldn't do, how a woman can and cannot behave. And there's also the idea of following your own path, of questioning and reexamining what you've been taught to believe, and choosing your own way forward.
This book was such a journey and I loved being along for the ride. I was so engrossed and I would keep making little noises as I was reading, and my boyfriend would ask me what just happened in the book since he knew that I was reacting to something! Towards the end, I was literally on the edge of my couch, holding my breath and reading furiously to see how it all turned out. It's been a long time since I was so swept up by a book like this and it's such a good feeling.
I've read Shannon's Bone Season series, which I also really enjoyed, but I think this book was possibly even better. This solidified the feeling for me that I will read any book that she writes. I'm sad to leave these characters behind, but I'm happy for the time I was able to spend with them (and you guys were right, the 800 pages went by very quickly!).
//
It was EPIC- I loved it!! Full review to come soon.
I was completely sucked in and enthralled by this world. There is political intrigue, religion, romance, magic, and so much more in this story. I'm so impressed by Samantha Shannon and this incredibly rich and detailed world she created. Not to mention the characters! The female characters in this book are so strong and fearless, and in some cases, ruthless. But they are also flawed, vulnerable, and human. I loved them so much. I also enjoyed the representation of having black characters featured prominently in this book (I don't remember that happening much when I was reading fantasy books as a kid), as well as queer characters. There's also such character growth, as people are forced to confront beliefs they've always had and truths that are revealed to be falsehoods.
There's so much to unpack this novel and I'm barely going to scratch the surface, so if you've read it, comment below so we can discuss in more detail! Shannon explores the theme of duty, and the burden it is for some of these characters. Where does their duty ultimately lie? We also see the constraints of being a woman in this world. A woman can rule and can be a warrior, but even a queen is held to certain notions of what a woman should and shouldn't do, how a woman can and cannot behave. And there's also the idea of following your own path, of questioning and reexamining what you've been taught to believe, and choosing your own way forward.
This book was such a journey and I loved being along for the ride. I was so engrossed and I would keep making little noises as I was reading, and my boyfriend would ask me what just happened in the book since he knew that I was reacting to something! Towards the end, I was literally on the edge of my couch, holding my breath and reading furiously to see how it all turned out. It's been a long time since I was so swept up by a book like this and it's such a good feeling.
I've read Shannon's Bone Season series, which I also really enjoyed, but I think this book was possibly even better. This solidified the feeling for me that I will read any book that she writes. I'm sad to leave these characters behind, but I'm happy for the time I was able to spend with them (and you guys were right, the 800 pages went by very quickly!).
//
It was EPIC- I loved it!! Full review to come soon.
I’m so happy to have read my first Zadie Smith. Reading her work has only deepened my crush on her as an author. She always comes across so intelligently and elegantly in interviews and articles (similar to my other love, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie). It was a pleasure to read her first novel and confirm that I enjoyed her writing just as much as I thought I would.
This book follows two families living in London from about 1950-2000. Samad and Archie fought in World War II together and remained friends when Samad moved to London after the war. The book explores race, immigrant experiences, displacement, family dynamics and much more. I loved seeing snippets of what life in London might have been like during this time period.
Smith’s writing is so sharp and witty, and even funny at times, which I wasn’t expecting. Her intelligence seeps through in every paragraph, though not at all in a way that makes you feel like you’re reading a textbook. Zadie Smith discusses Eastern vs. Western ideals and how the two cultures often clash. Samad desperately wants his children to be proper Muslim children, but feels that their lives in London make this impossible.
There’s so much to unpack in this novel that I can’t do it justice here, but I can sufficiently say that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
This book follows two families living in London from about 1950-2000. Samad and Archie fought in World War II together and remained friends when Samad moved to London after the war. The book explores race, immigrant experiences, displacement, family dynamics and much more. I loved seeing snippets of what life in London might have been like during this time period.
Smith’s writing is so sharp and witty, and even funny at times, which I wasn’t expecting. Her intelligence seeps through in every paragraph, though not at all in a way that makes you feel like you’re reading a textbook. Zadie Smith discusses Eastern vs. Western ideals and how the two cultures often clash. Samad desperately wants his children to be proper Muslim children, but feels that their lives in London make this impossible.
There’s so much to unpack in this novel that I can’t do it justice here, but I can sufficiently say that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
The best part of a series is having the chance to revisit a world that you love and so far, I've really liked all the books in the Bone Season series. It's rather interesting to compare the Paige that we met in the first book, with the Paige in this third installment. She's grown so much as a character, and even though she's much stronger now, she still doubts herself sometimes.
I love this world and I continue to be impressed by Shannon's abilities. This world is so rich and yet it seems that there's still much more to explore. In terms of plot, it's somewhat unbelievable how quickly things progress in the second chunk of the book, but it does make it pretty exciting. We also learn some interesting information about Paige's past, which gives us further insight into what motivates Paige. I can't wait to see how those details from her past play out in future books. Nick is probably my favorite character after Paige, so I was very glad that he's more involved in this book. I think their friendship is strong and they really have been through so much together.
The book ended on a pretty exciting note and I really cannot wait to see what happens next!
I love this world and I continue to be impressed by Shannon's abilities. This world is so rich and yet it seems that there's still much more to explore. In terms of plot, it's somewhat unbelievable how quickly things progress in the second chunk of the book, but it does make it pretty exciting. We also learn some interesting information about Paige's past, which gives us further insight into what motivates Paige. I can't wait to see how those details from her past play out in future books. Nick is probably my favorite character after Paige, so I was very glad that he's more involved in this book. I think their friendship is strong and they really have been through so much together.
The book ended on a pretty exciting note and I really cannot wait to see what happens next!
3.5 stars
This was one of those books that wasn’t quite what I thought it would be. It opens with the death of a child (side note: 5 points to this book for a super strong opening line that totally grabbed my attention). We know right away that the nanny murdered the child. The question is, why?
The book then jumps back in time to the events leading up to the death and shows how the nanny became involved in with this particular family.
I found the tone of this book interesting. It was a bit sparse and distant, somewhat matter-of-fact, and even abrupt at times. I don’t think that was a factor of this being a book in translation. I believe the author chose to tell the story in that manner, and I think that choice of tone helped maintain a sense of unease throughout the novel.
It explores society’s expectations of mothers and the concept of having someone else take care of your children. Since it did feel distant, I don’t think I ever truly connected to the story, but I felt it was an interesting and chilling read.
This was one of those books that wasn’t quite what I thought it would be. It opens with the death of a child (side note: 5 points to this book for a super strong opening line that totally grabbed my attention). We know right away that the nanny murdered the child. The question is, why?
The book then jumps back in time to the events leading up to the death and shows how the nanny became involved in with this particular family.
I found the tone of this book interesting. It was a bit sparse and distant, somewhat matter-of-fact, and even abrupt at times. I don’t think that was a factor of this being a book in translation. I believe the author chose to tell the story in that manner, and I think that choice of tone helped maintain a sense of unease throughout the novel.
It explores society’s expectations of mothers and the concept of having someone else take care of your children. Since it did feel distant, I don’t think I ever truly connected to the story, but I felt it was an interesting and chilling read.
Intriguing story line but the style became choppy towards the second half of the book in a way that I didn't really like.
Edited 03/02/16 to add my longer review:
Ok, people, you were right. This book was amazing; just as good as people say it is.
Everything I Never Told You is a novel about grief, family, and so much more. The Lees are a Chinese-American family living in Ohio in the 1970s. When the eldest daughter and favorite child, Lydia, dies, the delicate family balance is broken and each member of the family must come to terms with their loss. We begin with Lydia's death, and then shift back and forth in time to before and after the incident.
It is incredible to me that this was a debut novel. Ng writes with an experienced quality, creating characters that are fully-formed and completely believable. In particular, Ng beautifully captures a wide variety of human emotions.
Ng deftly explores several themes in this short novel, including otherness. She describes how the Lees spend their entire lives feeling different because of their race, and how they are reminded of their differences every day. She also examines family dynamics and how sibling relationships shift when one child is favored above the rest. There are generational questions too, as the parents strive for a better life for their children, for their children not to experience the regrets that haunt their own lives.
I felt that this book was beautifully and truthfully written. I felt connected to it on several different levels, able to identify with a lot of the struggles that the characters faced. I have no idea why it took me so long to pick this up, but I'm so glad I did. I'd recommend it to anyone and I've already named it my favorite read of 2016 thus far.
Edit: Nope, changing it to 5 stars. This book felt particularly true to me.
This novel was utterly beautiful. 4.5 stars.
Ok, people, you were right. This book was amazing; just as good as people say it is.
Everything I Never Told You is a novel about grief, family, and so much more. The Lees are a Chinese-American family living in Ohio in the 1970s. When the eldest daughter and favorite child, Lydia, dies, the delicate family balance is broken and each member of the family must come to terms with their loss. We begin with Lydia's death, and then shift back and forth in time to before and after the incident.
It is incredible to me that this was a debut novel. Ng writes with an experienced quality, creating characters that are fully-formed and completely believable. In particular, Ng beautifully captures a wide variety of human emotions.
Ng deftly explores several themes in this short novel, including otherness. She describes how the Lees spend their entire lives feeling different because of their race, and how they are reminded of their differences every day. She also examines family dynamics and how sibling relationships shift when one child is favored above the rest. There are generational questions too, as the parents strive for a better life for their children, for their children not to experience the regrets that haunt their own lives.
I felt that this book was beautifully and truthfully written. I felt connected to it on several different levels, able to identify with a lot of the struggles that the characters faced. I have no idea why it took me so long to pick this up, but I'm so glad I did. I'd recommend it to anyone and I've already named it my favorite read of 2016 thus far.
Edit: Nope, changing it to 5 stars. This book felt particularly true to me.
This novel was utterly beautiful. 4.5 stars.
4.5 stars
This was such a beautiful book, in terms of writing and story. Our two main characters, Yejide and Akin, are married and in love, but sometimes love is not enough to sustain a marriage.
There's so much sadness in this book, and it's often raw, painful, and powerful. You see two people who love each other, but are struggling to hold on to their relationship.
Family also plays a very important role, particularly since Yejide and Akin struggle with infertility. In a society/culture where it's a wife duty to bear children, you can imagine how difficult it would be for a woman who cannot. Her entire womanhood is called into question, because what is a woman that cannot be a mother?
Grief and loss pervade this novel as we follow these characters along their journey. It's a beautiful and moving story that is well worth a read.
This was such a beautiful book, in terms of writing and story. Our two main characters, Yejide and Akin, are married and in love, but sometimes love is not enough to sustain a marriage.
There's so much sadness in this book, and it's often raw, painful, and powerful. You see two people who love each other, but are struggling to hold on to their relationship.
Family also plays a very important role, particularly since Yejide and Akin struggle with infertility. In a society/culture where it's a wife duty to bear children, you can imagine how difficult it would be for a woman who cannot. Her entire womanhood is called into question, because what is a woman that cannot be a mother?
Grief and loss pervade this novel as we follow these characters along their journey. It's a beautiful and moving story that is well worth a read.