I'm a little late on my March Round Up, but I still wanted to share some mini-reviews!
Caraval was, for a good month or so there, the book you couldn't escape. Lots of hype, lots of comparisons to The Night Circus (haven't read it, but heard that's not exactly true). It wasn't the hype that got me to buy this book but the book itself. I opened it up at B&N, read the description and the first few pages, and knew I could get into it. I really ended up enjoying this book. It reads like a thriller in a way, because every chapter seems to end with some reveal or twist that keeps you wanting more. It's hard to put down, which is a quality I look for in my books! Do I think it's perfect? Nah. But I had fun reading it, I will definitely be checking out the sequel, and it also opened my mind to more fantasy (which is why I read ACOMAF!).
Sarah's books are short, sweet, and super funny collections of little comic strips that usually only take up a page. As someone who loves self-deprecating humor and can be introverted most of the time, her humor is right up my alley. I laugh and nod in agreement. It's a fun experience. This is Sarah's second collection and I didn't love it as much. She decided to do a bit of a narrative toward the end that I found out of place. Still, I will continue to support her work and recommend it to anyone looking for a laugh.
I really wanted to give this book it's own rating, but I feel like I either can't say enough or I say too much. This book deserves all of the attention it's been getting. Books about POCs written by a POC about POC issues are what we need right now. I believe that this book can help create empathy and understanding in people who might not fully grasp the Black Lives Matter movement. And though the book itself deals with some serious stuff, Thomas still gave Starr a great sense of humor and a wonderful cast of characters to work with. I especially loved the familial aspects of the book. The closeness of the family, despite complications or disagreements, is wonderful to see in any book. Please read this book.
It's really hard to review a sequel without giving everything away. Let me just tell you this: This book lives up to the hype and more. It has opened my eyes to the world of fantasy.
I care so intensely for these characters and this world. It's exciting and beautiful and wonderful and I'm currently reading it for the second time, which is something I never do.
This has truly become one of my favorite books of all time.
THG was the perfect remedy for my ACOMAF hangover (and I imagine it would help with any book hangover). You know those two characters on your favorite shows or movies who fight constantly but have electric chemistry and you root for them to be together? This is that kind of story and it is excellent. It's sexy without going overboard and it's genuinely funny and sweet. I absolutely adored this one.
Andrea is 40, unmarried and without children, and looking back at the last few decades of her life to try and understand why she is where she is and how she feels about it. Unlike a lot of novels where the main character feels this way but seeks romance to fill the gaps, Andrea isn't looking for long-term love or a family. She simply wants to know how to live a life that fulfills her. There isn't much of a plot to this book and the narration is non-linear, but I found it easy to read and I was compelled to hug the book afterwards, which is always a good sign.
Heartbreak is a topic that I don't feel is often widely covered in books, especially YA. We learn a lot about first love or about break ups with jerks or cheaters that lead to better relationships. But what about the relationships that simply do not work? What about the toxic relationships? OCH isn't necessarily toxic, but the relationship seems to be doomed from the start. I really appreciated reading about the crappy side of love, but I sort of wish that the reasoning behind it wasn't because of a dramatic/traumatic thing. Sometimes, love just doesn't work, reasons or not.
Comments
Post a Comment