bibliorama's reviews
172 reviews

Will come back to later

 Enjoyment - 4
This brought back good memories from my childhood. I didn't read much (I liked to play outside more and make up stories, but I think I just wasn't very good at picking books that I'd like), but this was one of the early books in my reading journey that I remember being mindblown at the ending. The imagery of all the children bouncing the balls at the same time became a core memory. Rereading it, I think it actually held up to what I remembered reading as a kid. It didn't disappoint or fall a part, which I give it major credit for. I don't think I could same the same for other books that I enjoyed during this era. . .

Start - 3.75
The start wasn't slow, but it's also not the most interesting part of the book. It does what it needs, but I wouldn't say it goes above and beyond. I do remember thinking it was a slog to get through when I was younger, can't say my kid brain was accurate in that because it went by super fast this time around.

Characters - 4
I don't have as much to say here. I liked the main three overall, though Charles Wallace sometimes got on my nerves. I'll leave it at that.

Atmosphere - 4
The descriptions of Meg's bedroom and of the Murry house were so comforting and cozy. That ended up being on of my favorite parts.

Plot - 4
The most interesting part of the book in my opinion. I almost wish there was more time spent on Camazotz because it's so ominous and spooky. When the kids were there, that was when I felt the most tension and fear for them, even though I knew how it ended.

Ending - 3.75
Effective in what needs to be done, but also very quick.

Style - 3.5
Simple and easy to read.

Overall - 4 rounded up 
 

Enjoyment - 4.5
The audiobook narrator was quite good and brought a lot of emotion to the performance. I also liked the look at grief this book brings. Some of the tropes this book covers is memory loss, friends go missing in the woods during a camping trip, complicated friend dynamics.

Start - 5
We start out with our mc not remembering anything, and where she is initially found adds a lot of tension to the plot. There is a sense of threat to her, but based on her not being able to remember anything the feeling lingers.

Characters - 4
These were pretty rounded characters for ya mystery -- and I only say that not to rag on ya, but because right after this I read 5 Total Strangers. Now that was the opposite of well-rounded. Without giving away spoilers, I felt for the main character and by the end was like girl it's time for you to move on and find some new friends.

Atmosphere - 2.75
This was the lowest score simply because it felt like this plot could have happened anywhere, and there isn't anything super specific about the location or vibe that makes it stand out. Which is fine. The story was still enjoyable without that.

Plot - 4
There were some twists that I could see coming, but they were still executed well. And, there were some twists that I didn't guess entirely. How the main character found clues also felt natural and not out of thin air.

Ending - 3.75
I liked the final conflict between the mc and a few other characters. It didn't go down how I was expecting and yet it felt real to who the characters are. I think there was room for this story to push the thriller parts even further to make the stakes rise higher.

Style - 4
Easy and digestible without being too simple.

Overall - a solid 4
 

A lackluster review thrown into the ether.

Enjoyment - 3.5
This book was fine. There were some good character interactions between the love interests. Considering it's been over a month since I finished the audiobook and the fact that I had to look up the main characters' names, this book isn't going to be one that sticks with me. The conflict is really barely there which makes this a low stakes read. Which could be exactly what some are looking for in a romance, but the romance books that I go back to reread have more conflict in them. What can I say, I like drama.

Start - 4
I went in excited to read this since I really liked Beach Read. But, this is my hot take, I like Beach Read more. It felt like it had heavier emotions, which is interesting since both books touch on themes of loosing a parent. I also liked Beach Read's love interest more. (However I've also forgotten their names as well, so maybe Emiky Henry's books just don't stick with me in the long term). Still, the setup is good and I liked the characters enough.

Characters - 3
I liked that Nora was different than the typical heroine and that these characters poke fun at a lot of tropes relating to romance heroes. They just are cute and not much more for me, but again if that's what you need in a romance read at the moment then I totally recommend. The characters are light and fluffy despite the cold appearance the book tries to sell.

Atmosphere - 3
Small town, funny business names, good pond scene. That's the extent.

Plot - 3.5
There is a plot. It exists and it does keep the story moving.

Ending - 3
A bit too long and drawn out for what the ultimate conflict is. This is what really brought the enjoyment down and made the read a bit more of a slog. I think I just don't like overly done endings, it throws off the pacing.

Style - 3.5
I like Emily Henry's writing. It's not intimidating to get into and is easy to consume while not being overly simple. Plus she does have some funny dialog thrown in, though sometimes it's a bit chessy. That makes it endearing.

Overall - 3.5 rounded up

Enjoyment - 3.75
I quite enjoyed this book. I don't really reach for sci fi often, but this struck a nice balance between the sci fi elements and the fantasy ones. With all the alchemy and clockwork mechanics, it felt like it had a dash of steampunk strewn in, which I don't read as much as I should. The story kept me intrigued and I liked the historical document pieces that came after Crier's chapters, it was a nice touch and helped build the world. This world did feel like it had a history behind it and that the characters are living with the past's decisions. It wasn't a story that completely sucked me in to were I could forget that I was reading, but it wasn't one that I kept putting down either.

Start - 4
This start was strong and the world around these characters was built up quite well. Nothing ever felt like an info dump and information was revealed in a natural way.

Characters - 3.75
Now here I have to say Ayla was the least interesting POV to me, and if this book were told from just her perspective I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. She starts the book out by wanting revenge against the Automae ruler because humans are in the lower class. That's a completely understandable want/desire, but it's a pretty common one in stories today. So she felt more bland and like other characters I've read. She did still have a personality that was consistent though, so it wasn't like she was poorly written just not the special sauce in this book.

Crier on the other hand was my favorite. I liked getting to learn about the automae and how they lived and what their thought process was like. They were the unique part to this book and I thought they were well done. It also doesn't hurt that most of the tension comes from Kinok and Hesod because they always are a little unhinged, and Crier has a close proximity to them. That makes her scenes pretty interesting especially since Crier is technically one of them, but never is fully brought in to that Automae circle.

With Ayla and Crier together, they were cute and pretty wholesome really. I found they were easy to root for.

Atmosphere - 2.5
I did like the history of how the Automae were created and the characters that went along with it. They built the world, but as far as the actual setting, it wasn't super vibrant. It was enough to let the characters to their thing, but not a showstopper in itself.

Plot - 4
At the heart of this story is a romance, but ultimately the plot is way more complex and deep than many YA fantasy romances I've read. The side characters have a lot of their own motivations going on. I'm excited to see where the second book takes the story.

Ending - 4
Left me wondering how the next book would proceed, so I'm definitely continuing on.

Style - 3
The writing was good and didn't distract from the story. I could see some differences in the writing for each perspective which was nice. It just wasn't something distinct from other stories, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Overall - 3.5 rounded down

Enjoyment - 4
I really flew through this audiobook. I enjoyed the writing, and even though I didn't remember much of the plot from the first book going in, I picked up on what was happening quickly. This duology gives me soapy, melodramatic vibes but in an endearing way.

Start - 3
This is the lowest rating for me simply because it took me some time to remember the side characters and where the plot left off from the first book, but the writing really swept me in and allowed me to figure it out.

Characters - 3.5
I really enjoy these characters. They have over the top moments and the relationship between the main characters isn't the most believable, but again its a soap opera. I think I was able to accept the characters as they were written because of the writing style, it's flowery and not trying to be "gritty" and "hard-hitting." It works for this story.

Atmosphere - 5
This is the best point of the book, it gives so many tiny details that all build on each other like the food, tents, clothes, Shazi making the wrong kind of bread. It was very visual and I didn't have any trouble imagining what was happening. With how flowery the writing is, the setting and descriptions still felt very grounded.

Plot - 4

I can say I'm happy this book didn't end in a big war.

I don't feel that would've fit the story, but the plot definitely had the option to go that way and I'm glad it swerved away. It's not the most complex, but the showcase is more about the writing anyway. If there was more going on I think it might have taken away from the vibes of the story. I also enjoyed the plot with Despina.

Ending - 4.5
I guessed the final sacrifice early on, but it was still a satisfying conclusion.

Style - 4
The writing is flowery but still connected to the setting and characters, which imo is the only way to do it successfully. The metaphors don't feel like out of context connections that the characters wouldn't make etc. It was easy to get wrapped up in, and I like when stories can suck me in.

Overall - 4

 Enjoyment - 3.75
This has an interesting premise and pulls in different mythical creatures that aren't typically shown in most media. I think that fits well with the themes. This book is definitely a message book rather than a fantasy focused one and its setting is a contemporary Portland. The lives of the teenagers seem to be fairly normal, just with the occasional magical creature thrown in. I like this combination of real and fantasy, it just was hard to get a full grasp of how these magical aspects fit into our real world. This is partly because the main perspectives aren't outsiders to this world and and their first person narrative doesn't tend to offer more information beyond what is needed for the scene at hand. There are leaps that I could make though considering the real-world conflicts this book touches on, so I could work through what some of the mythical aspects are supposed to represent. Granted, it didn't feel like we got to see a lot of magic being used because Tavia is trying to hide hers and Effie doesn't know what hers even is. Mainly, I feel like this book would have been able to hit harder if it had an extra 100 pages. It jumped from point to point so quickly that I really wanted some of the books scenes to have breathing space. It also hit a lot of its points on the head and felt like it didn't trust me as the reader to understand the metaphors of the magic, particularly how the siren voices relate to the voices of black women. However, some people might want that overt messaging. The best part of this book by far were the characterizations of Tav and Effie.

Start - 3.75
I liked the start, it really drops you in the world and expects you to pick up the magical creatures as you go. The magic comes second to the struggles of being a black girl in America, and I think from the opening the book is clear on that point. I also think that Tavia's struggles with her siren nature are introduced really well.

Characters - 3
I really like Tavia and Effie. They are so specific and youget to know a lot of details about their lives from their hair to interests, to how they feel about their family relationships. They felt very real and I love when characters have those small traits about them that bring them to life. For Effie it was her itchy skin, while for her the issue is magic related, it was described so realistically. Maybe it helped that this time of year my skin absolutely hates me as well, but I digress. For Tavia, I enjoyed her talking about her love of hair, and youtube, and choir. Their sisterhood and love is also very real and I liked getting to see such a healthy depiction of friendship. The reason that this category is lower than what it sounds like it should be is because all of the side characters fell flat. They felt far more 2 dimensional in comparison, especially when they're put up against Tavia and Effie and how fleshed out they were.

Atmosphere - 3.5
Like I said early, I like the idea of combining these mythical beings and the modern world. I even like how a lot of the creatures had twists to them and weren't cookie-cutter from the myths. I just didn't like the full execution of how these elements were conveyed to the reader. Some of it felt like it was more confusing than it needed to be and some felt like pieces of information were missing. Personally, the Eloko's didn't feel fleshed out. Not that it felt like the author didn't know how they interacted with the world, just that it wasn't written very specific. They seem to be liked by everyone but how their power works and why people are okay with what seems like influence over others (but not being okay with the influence of sirens) I wish had more time to be explored.

Plot - 2
This is the lowest score and the main contributor to my overall feelings. This book is pretty short for how much ground it's trying to cover. This leads it to feel like it jumps from major-plot-point to major-plot-point. It doesn't have the smaller scenes that let its ideas and plot develop fully. It also jumps time a lot moving us forward too rapidly. The fact that it is also told in first person perspective gives some of the scenes a more stream of consciousness feel which sometimes seems to lead the focus of the reader towards non important things. Which can make some of what it talks about confusing, like "why are we now here when we were just there?" Hopefully my description even makes sense XD. If not we can all be jumbled together.

Ending - 3.75
I think it's resolved too quickly and some of its points I don't feel were foreshadowed enough, but I like the idea of how all of these points came together by the end. I could see why they were all brought up by the end, but like I said earlier another 100 pages I really think would've done this story a service.

Style - 2.5
Combined with the stream of consciousness feel, so many plot points it was trying to cover, plus the sometimes heavy-handed writing, it didn't feel like the strongest part. I enjoyed pieces of it, mostly when we got to see the girls experiencing their magic. Those moments felt compelling. I also really liked the writing involving the little kid statues in the park, how they got there and the resolution that comes from them. Those moments were some of my favorite. They felt really grounded and unique.

Overall - 3

Enjoyment - 4
From what I've seen from other reviewers, this book is a turning point for whether or not readers like the direction that the series is heading. Some think that it changed for the worse, I would have to say I'm in the camp of enjoying this installment the best so far. This additional felt more magical and had some more horror-esq vibes, which I was in to. It also felt more grown up, which is definitely a different tone from the first two books. The setting was also more interesting and we finally got a ton of history for the world that the story is set in. That history and the exploration of Celaena's past was a lot of fun to read.

Start - 3.5
These books always seem to take me a minute to get fully into and the story seems to take a minute to get going as well. For this book it was in part because of Celaena's mental state, but I still remember this beginning a lot more than Crown of Midnights.

Characters - 4
There were some new additions to the cast, so I'm going to rank them each individually.

Celaena - Still the most interesting and she has a really big character arc in this book that was satisfying to go through. Learning about her history and seeing some flashback scenes really helped develop the world.

Manon - Next fave. I love the animal companion trope in books and Manon's storyline is filled to the brim with that. I also liked her morally gray nature and the expansion of the world the witches brought. It also gave us insight to more of the King's plans, which were very much needed. Plus she has a sick costume what can I say.

Chaol - Now, Chaol seems to be the punching bag of this series and here I would have to say, "No". Bro is literally the only thing keeping the plot going in Rifthold and actually taking steps to figure out the King's power. Without Chaol, no one would know how the King banished magic. This doesn't mean that I want him and Celaena together or that that's why I'm on his side. I'm on his side because for all the talk Dorian and Aedion and everyone seem to give about not being on Celaena's side, Chaol is the only one taking actions that will actually help her for when she gets back. Plus, he is the only one who remembered to let Eyllwe know that a certain person was back.
I said what I said. And in Crown of Midnight, he went back for the dog.

Rowan - Very broody, I like the back and forth between him and Celaena. No real strong opinions have been formed where he's concerned. I would like to see some interactions between him and the other Fae that he's known for centuries. I think that would give me better insight into who he really is.

Aedion - I like the connection he has to Celaena and to Terrasen. That's the extent of my opinions on him.

Dorian - Bro what were you even doing. He felt very bratty. Call it an unpopular opinion and I get he's got certain things going on at the moment, but so does everyone. Let's face it, someone had to be at the bottom of this list and he made it easy.

Atmosphere - 4
This book had the best vibes in the series so far. I love a good forest setting and this is that book. I really enjoyed getting to learn about some other creatures in the world like the Fae. I have to say one of my favorite parts was the storytelling in the kitchen at night. Those were great vibes and I wish we got told more of the stories about Wendlyn.

Plot - 4.5
The plot in this was a bit slower and a lot more character driven. However, I liked the character struggles that were at the forefront of this book and how they shaped the plot.

Ending - 4.5
Really fun battle that felt liked it topped every fight scene that we've seen so far, but not so crazy that we still can't grow beyond it. There feels like there's a nice power crawl happening and hopefully that continues.

Style - 4
SJM has a writing style and she sticks to it what can I say. But I think her style best suits the fairytale nature of this book the best.

Overall - Solid 4 

The audiobook is the way to go for this story since it's narrated by President Obama himself. He brings raw emotion and true reflection to his words. It makes the events of the times more vivid. 

I was 9 years old when he was elected to office. All of the events this book talks about happened in the peripheral of my childhood. Being a child, I never realized the shear imact and devastation the financial crisis had on not only America, but the world. The amount of weight that added to his presidency was intense. But I appreciated hearing the amount of detail he gave about the thoughts and feelings from him, his staff, members of congress, the media, and the public. It covered a lot of the opinions of the age. Hearing about how his team handled so many crises made me respect their intellect and attention to detail. They were truly experts in their respective fields and the media coverage during this time really watered that fact down. (I still think it waters it down to this day.) It was wild to see how every crisis bled into each other. There was no room to breathe. Even though this covered 4 years it read like it was only a few months, which I imagine is how it felt to those at the White House. It also made me think about how the presidency is so much of acting on the defensive and dealing with problems that are almost always out of their control, but they're there to do the best that they can. Honestly, it's impressive how much actually got done with everything that was going on. From BP's oil spill, unrest in Egypt and Libya, the financial crisis, Greece's debt that threatened to unravel the EU, the Tea Party, the housing and motor crisis, to Bin Laden. That's a ton and yet congress still got so many other polices done in that first term. 

This book gets 5 stars for a few key reasons. First, it's extremely detailed. Obama wasn't known for shirking the details of plans (sometimes to his detriment) and it's no exception here. But, that's exactly what I wanted. Give me all the details, tell me all the major players and their backgrounds, elaborate on the context to every situation. This book delivers on that without being confusing or feeling messy. That leads me to point two. It's extremely well written. Like I said, there's a lot of detail, from names of people to policies, but it never felt overwhelming. Third, it's reflective. He acknowledged where he could have done better and he knows what he got right. It's balanced realism with the ability to hope for a better future. Which in one sentence is how I would describe Obama's mindset. 

Lastly it's everything I expected going in, and as usual, President Obama put in the hard work and it paid off.

It's hard for me to give this book a rating. It took me  a while to finish. It wasn't a fun/entertaining read. It caused me a lot of anxiety while reading it actually and I really wanted to just stop. But, those negative feelings weren't because this was a bad book, it was because it was obvious that the inspiration behind it came from the very real and personal experiences of Colleen Hoover and her family. What this books discusses is real and I do think there are some important sentences that would help a lot of people. It's just a hard read and not one I would recommend for everyone. Because of the real inspiration behind this story I don't feel comfortable rating it, I feel like it just deserves to exist without me putting a number of stars onto it. 

Major trigger warnings for domestic abuse.