tallangryplanet's reviews
43 reviews

Heartstopper 1: Dos chicos juntos by Alice Oseman

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Heartstopper es la historia de Charlie y Nick, dos estudiantes de secundaria que no se conocen hasta que un día los asignan al mismo grupo de estudio en la escuela. A partir de ahí empiezan a desarrollar una relación muy cercana, y a ayudarse mutuamente. 

Es difícil no destripar accidentalmente una historia tan breve al hacer un resumen, pero aunque algunos elementos de la historia son predecibles lo interesante es ver cómo se llega a ellos, y cómo los personajes se ven afectados por los sucesos de la historia. Me pareció adorable la relación de Nick y Charlie y la manera en que fueron tomando confianza hasta darse cuenta de que ninguna de sus otras amistades era tan sana o los llenaba tanto como pensaban. Este es un aspecto que me gustaría ver más desarrollado en los volúmenes siguientes, ya que dio la sensación de que Charlie no tenía apenas amigos y Nick tenía cantidad pero no calidad. 

Por otra parte, el estilo de los dibujos y la narración de Oseman me parecieron perfectos para esta historia. El ritmo ayuda al lector a meterse en la historia y en alguna ocasión tuve que parar a reír de las expresiones de los personajes o a apreciar un momento especialmente cuqui. De hecho, me metí tanto en la historia que el final me dejó a la vez triste y enormemente ofendida. Además, captura maravillosamente la experiencia adolescente de empezar a cuestionarse la sexualidad. 

Este libro se lee en un nada con un buen café, puede animar a cualquiera con lo bonito que es, y lo recomiendo encarecidamente a quien necesite un poco de optimismo en el loco mundo de hoy. Estoy deseando ver a dónde llega la historia de estos dos jóvenes.

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

But we all have darkness inside us. It is just a question of how much of us is light as well.

Where to start with this book? All the Crooked Saints tells the story of Bicho Raro, a little town lost in the Colorado desert,and its inhabitants, pilgrims and saints alike. For the Soria family possess the uncanny ability to perform miracles that will manifest a pilgrim's darkness so that they can get rid of it. 

I have read this book many times over the years, but this was my first time listening to the audiobook and it was... underwhelming. This is a gentle story that is best read with your own eyes, with time to savour it and go back to the beginning of a sentence when things finally click and rejoice in the beautiful choice of words. That said, the narrator does a great job of bringing the world and the characters to life, and the atmosphere in the audiobook is still wonderful. 

The story itself is gripping, every single time I am consumed by worry for the characters, especially Beatriz as she struggles to realise that people have been truly wrong about her and starts the process of accepting that she, too, is human. But really, all of the characters are well-developed, with complicated pasts that make coming to terms with their darkness even more difficult, and it is incredibly easy to connect with and feel for them. Their relationships are also truly wholesome, particularly the way the pilgrims care for each other despite knowing (or hoping) their situation will be temporary, and Marisita's arch? Amazing. Although not in such an extreme way, I saw a lot of myself reflected in her actions and life, and I wish her the absolute best. 

The world Stiefvater has created for these characters is almost as wonderful as they are. It is just whimsical enough that you might take it at face value and suddenly reevaluate everything you think you know after reading one little detail. This is really helped by the writing, which is profound and gorgeous and moving. Picking just one quote from the book for this review was actually a struggle, as it is full of interesting reflections and beautiful lines. All of this creates an atmosphere that leaves you thirsting for more. 

In case you couldn't tell yet, this is one of my all-time favourite books, and I can't help coming back to it time and time again. It's a story about knowing yourself, your weaknesses and strengths, and also about knowing when to let others in so they can help you, and finding strength in your community. It's strange and heartfelt and owns my entire soul, so if you're looking for something that can change your heart for the better this might just be the book for you. 

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

adventurous mysterious relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This book has all the ingredients for a great story: beautiful worldbuilding, an insteresting magic system, an engaging mystery. The isle of Cadence is an inviting place, full of hidden dangers for the unsuspecting traveller but also of gorgeous rewards for the ones who know to stay careful. However, its inhabitants have long been divided into two clans, and peace seems unattainable, until a hopeful young woman comes to power in the East. 

Ross has created an awesome world for this story. The island is not only populated by humans, but by the folk of the elements (fire, water, earth, and air), who, when happy, can help the humans by providing plentiful crops and reducing travel distances, or, if angered, take someone away for a hundred years. I was really intrigued by how the magic took so much effort for the people of the East to wield, and how they carefully cultivated good relationships with the spirits in order to ensure prosperity. The mystery also kept me hooked, I felt I needed to know what was really happening to the lost girls as if it had been my own sister that was taken, and I desperately wished for Adaira and Jack to succeed. 

However, some of the negative aspects far outweighed the positive ones. While I was absolutely on the protagonists' side, I couldn't get myself to actually care about them, and their relationship often felt forced or rushed despite there being some really cute moments. The only relationships I actually cared about, in fact, were a sister and her older brother (which was pretty refreshing to see in a book like this) and two of the side characters who had been married for years but only started communicating once tragedy struck them. In addition to this, despite all the things that happened, the book felt pretty slow, and the protagonists seemed unchanged by the end (yes, there were some changes, but it felt like they went back to square one right as the story ended). 

As far as the plot went, it kept me wanting to read more while at the same time being incredibly frustrated by the fact that the main characters seemed just a bit too oblivious. The "big reveal" about Jack was obvious once we learned a bit about the people living in Cadence, and yet he took half the book to connect the dots. Other twists were unexpected and well done but handled terribly by the characters, and one of these made the ending deeply unsatisfying for me. And yet, despite this, I'd love to read the second book, if only to find out more about the western side of the isle.

All in all, this was a good book. I might've given it 4 stars, were it not for the ending. If you like very atmospheric writing this is a book for you, otherwise you might find yourself struggling to get through it and just wishing to reach the end. 

El gato que amaba los libros by Sōsuke Natsukawa

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Si has de subir una montaña, ya puestos, que sea alta. El paisaje que verás desde la cima será incomparable.

El gato que amaba los libros es una carta de amor a la lectura, la representación de los ideales de quienes amamos los libros y la defensa de la idea de que todos tenemos algo que nos mueve a la acción y a la emoción. Esta breve historia sigue a Rintaro Natsuki, un joven japonés que vive en su mente y en la librería de segunda mano de su abuelo. Todavía no ha superado la muerte de este cuando se le presenta Tora, un gato que le pide ayuda para salvar los libros del mundo, y comienza una aventura en la que Rintaro tendrá que decidir qué quiere realmente para su vida y descubrirá que realmente no está tan solo como creía. 

Desde que empecé este libro hasta que lo terminé no pude parar de pensar en él. Las aventuras de Rintaro no son nada descabellado, pero parecen sacadas de un cuento de hadas, con personajes que ponen a prueba el ingenio del protagonista y su fuerza de voluntad. Rintaro y su amiga Sayo son personajes entrañables con una relación de compañerismo absolutamente adorable, aunque su evolución está limitada por la brevedad de la historia. En cuanto al estilo de escritura, aunque mi percepción está distorsionada por la traducción (que, por cierto, me pareció muy buena), transmitía una especie de maravillosa quietud llena de fuerza.

Este libro me parece una lectura ideal para quien sienta pasión por los libros. Me vi constantemente representada en las palabras de Rintaro, y quedé deseando poder visitar el fantástico mundo de la librería Natsuki. Realmente Sōsuke Natsukawa crea magia con sus palabras. 

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"Very happy to—to—” He stuttered to a halt. To forcibly marry someone whose life partner just died. What a great idea. Long live the Empire.

Prince Kiem is not exactly the Emperor's favorite relative. He's rowdy, appears in too many news scandals, and couldn't even make himself join the military. So when she tasks him with marrying Count Jainan, a representative from another of the Empire's planet and his cousin's widower, Kiem is at a complete loss. After the rushed marriage he is faced with a new partner who seems much more competent than he could ever hope to be, politics he couldn't even begin to understand, and a conspiracy that threatens to end life as he knows it. 

I had so much fun reading this book! The first third or so was incredibly frustrating as Kiem as Jainan seemed incapable of communication, but once they started actually talking to  each other it was all smooth sailing (or at least the bumps weren't all caused by them). I loved following along with the mystery and discovering how messed up the Empire actually was at the same time as the characters. The romance aspect was also really cute, though I could've done with some more one-on-one scenes once they figured out the communication aspect. However, my favorite part was the character development: the way Kiem and Jainan helped better each other, and the huge increase in self-esteem they both had.

All in all, I would recommend this book if you like science fiction with complicated politics and a generous dash of romance (for the genre, this is not specifically a romance book so it's not that heavy either). It was engaging and easy to read, and I can't wait to see what Maxwell does next with this world. 

Dónde estás, mundo bello by Sally Rooney

challenging emotional reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Dónde estás, mundo bello sigue las vidas de dos amigas, Eileen y Alice, que se conocieron en la universidad y siguen en contacto por email a pesar de que la vida las haya llevado por caminos distintos. Aparecen escenas de la vida diaria de los personajes y flashbacks del pasado, todo intercalado con los correos entre las amigas, en los que hablan sobre el mundo, la religión, el amor, un montón de ideas que siempre acaban volviendo a la búsqueda de la belleza en un mundo que parece abocado al desastre. 

Aunque tenía momentos emotivos y bonitos, gran parte del libro se centraba en las angustias vitales, especialmente los dramas amorosos, de las protagonistas. La mayoría de estas escenas me resultaron incómodas y algo falsas, sacándome completamente de la historia. Además, no sé exactamente por qué, me fue casi imposible conectar con los personajes. Quizás porque no estaba contado desde su perspectiva, Felix y Simon, los intereses amorosos, me parecieron planos y desagradables, y varias veces me quedé completamente desubicada con sus acciones (a mi parecer) inexplicables. 

En la parte más positiva, me encantaron los correos y los pensamientos de Alice y Eileen. Esté o no de acuerdo con las ideas que transmiten, me parece que están expresados de una manera preciosa, y me dieron ganas de buscar a alguien con quien escribirme correos así. Me gustó también la resolución del libro, aunque me hubiese gustado saber un poco más del futuro de los personajes creo que funciona perfectamente con el mensaje que transmite. 

En cuanto a la versión de audio en sí, no me disgustó la narradora. Era agradable de escuchar, su voz pegaba perfectamente con la historia y los personajes, y el ritmo de lectura era cómodo de seguir. 

En general, Donde estás, mundo bello no ha sido el libro perfecto para mí. Quizás una persona más acostumbrada a la ficción contemporánea lo habría apreciado más que yo, pero aún así me ha parecido una lectura entretenida y un buen punto de partida para reflexionar. Amé unas partes, odié otras, pero al final me llevo un buen recuerdo. 

Drive Your Own Darn Bus!: How to Get Mentally Strong and Into the Driver's Seat of Your Life by Julia Kristina

challenging informative reflective

4.0

This book takes readers on a journey to gain a better understanding of their emotions, the processes behind them, and how get a handle on their lives.

I really appreciated how accessible and entertaining the writing was while still being helpful. The exercises Julia proposes are very appropriate for people who are just beginning to learn about these topics, and the "Takeaways" sections at the end of each chapter make the book easy to follow and review quickly. The journal prompts were also an excellent touch, and if you don't keep a journal I think these are the perfect way to start one to get more in touch with yourself. The only problem I had was that at some points it felt a bit too oversimplified, but I suppose it makes sense considering the public this book is meant for. 

All in all, I think I might come back to this at some point in the future, as I feel the things Julia talks about are useful at any age. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for mental health, but this seems like a good starting point for anyone who may be feeling lost or out of control. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book. 

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

mysterious

• Strong character development? No

3.0

This Woven Kingdom tells the story of a lost Jinn queen forced to hide as a servant in the human world and how her life begins to spiral when she accidentally catches the prince's attention. 

This book starts out with a great premise, and the story is captivating. Interesting characters drive Alizeh (and sometimes the readers) out of her mind, and the events are nicely interwoven, with the past often coming back to deliver some karma or unexpected blows. Some of the twists were rather predictable, but not in a way that made the book boring, and the style was easy and quick to read. However, at some points it seemed like the book was trying to be smarter than it actually was, and it felt impossible to take some of the characters and events seriously. This wasn't helped either by the fact that the world-building was often scarce and slightly confusing, so especially in the beginning it was like the plot was happening in a void rather than in a full-fledged world. 

This was, overall, a fun read. I can't wait for the sequel because the story really intrigued me, and I would like to see more development (this kind of felt like the set-up for the rest of the series rather than a complete book). Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more when I was younger, but if you're into young adult fantasy you will probably like This Woven Kingdom.

A Coin for the Ferryman by Megan Edwards

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

A Coin for the Ferryman deals with a group of scientists working on bringing Julius Caesar to the 20th century. The initial premise is very interesting, as they ask some important questions like "How ethical is it to abruptly change someone's life in the name of science?" Or "Is the biological risk worth it?" However, everything soon gets complicated as the team finds itself enveloped in a mafia conspiracy and hunt for money. 

First of all, I'd like to say I really liked the writing. It didn't drag on, and the short chapters made it really easy to say "just one more chapter" and end up reading for an hour longer, which of course was made even more tempting by the story itself. Even though at some points it felt far-fetched (even for a book about time travel) and the ending was the expected result, it had me hooked. As they say, it's about the journey, not the destination. I didn't connect much with the characters either but most of them were pretty well-rounded and interesting (I especially loved the protagonist, Cassandra), though I would've liked to know more about the emotional effects carrying the experiment had on them. This profundity in the characters was one of the biggest things I miseed in this book, which I thought could've been just a little bit longer. 

This is, overall, a fun if not sensational read. If you're interested in the world of Classics, time travel, or spy stories this might just be the perfect book for you.

Thank you to BookSirens and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings

adventurous emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"Whatever happens, I am proud of you. All of you. We existed. We made a difference"

Under Fortunate Stars tells the story of two crews from different points in time that somehow end up meeting through a weird spacetime anomaly, and who realize that history might not be exactly as the records say. As both crews work together to escape the anomaly, which they call the Rift, and to ensure that history does not go astray, we learn more about their individual members' pasts and secrets. 

This book has it all: gorgeous writing, lovely characters, terrifying mysteries, and just the tiniest dash of romance. I was completely hooked after just a few chapters, trying to figure out how the different characters fit into the future's apparently warped view of history, as well as what made them into the people they had become. The pieces of the story slowly fell into place, and despite having guessed some of the twists I had to take a moment to process the full picture in the end, because of how masterfully the story had been crafted. It was also incredibly easy to fall in love with most of the characters (please give Uma a break), even if they sometimes acted in non-ideal ways, and their interactions were super fun to read. 

The only problem I had were the few times more science-y terms were used, which felt a bit confusing, and that I kind of wished there was more of a found family element to the story (which is on me for not managing my expectations and researching the book more), but the overall reading experience was great.

All in all, this was an absolutely stellar (pun absolutely intended) read. Aside from some darker moments, the story felt full of hope, and if you're a space opera or adventure fan I'm sure you will love it as much as I did. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.